“That’s not necessary. Um…” She cleared her throat, another bout of uncertainty slamming her. If she asked her next question, then she’d have to admit she cared about Knox. The cat would be out of the bag to Outlaw, too.
“What, babe?” he asked with irritation, back to being the growling motherfucker he was with most people at most times.
“What if I got Knox to rethink his plan? Back off from the club? Would you let him live and just kick his ass?”
Those green eyes turned snaky and narrowed. “What the fuck you talkin’ about? He fuckin’ over me. Tryin’ to send my ass up the fuckin’ river, away from Megan. I gotta fuck him up for just thinkin’, in the smallest fuckin’ part of his mind, to ever come between me and my girl in any way. Besides, in my world and his, snitches die.”
In her world, too. “He’s not the snitch,” she argued. “Whoever he’s working for is.”
He huffed out a breath, anger hardening his face. “You knew what the fuck would happen to the motherfucker when you fuckin’ agreed to this. Fuck! Why the fuck you gotta turn into a fuckin’ woman when I need you to be the tough bitch you usually is? You went and fuckin’ fell for this preppy assfuck or some shit?”
She flushed. “There’s no fucking future between us, Outlaw, and you know it. I do care about him, though. If you get to know him, you’d see he isn’t a bad person.”
“Roxanne, listen to my fuckin’ ass. He could be the Savior comin’ to escort my fuckin’ ass up to heaven and I wouldn’t like him or trust him.”
She couldn’t tell him she’d stop helping him unless he agreed to her terms because he was fully prepared to kill Knox tonight. If it was any other man, she could find a way to bargain with him.
“You know whatcha askin’ me not fair, right, babe? My Megan a-fuckin-side, my club and the brothers expect me to keep them safe. That don’t only mean a-fuckin-live. It also mean outta the tank. You don’t know who the fuck else Knox gatherin’ information on. It could just be me. It could be me and my boys. Or it could be me and all my members.”
Outlaw was correct in everything he said, so Roxy couldn’t put forth one argument.
“I invited his ass to my house tonight for you.”
To enjoy him while she could. Read: While he was still alive.
“He could be fuckin’ tappin’ the fuck outta this motherfucker. We keepin’ a eye on him, but we sure the fuck not followin’ him if he gotta piss. I can monitor all the rooms on my phone with my CCTV but if I flick the fuck off to check on Megan, I might miss what the fuck Knox doin’.”
“I understand.”
“Christopher.” Meggie walked into the kitchen with a big smile on her face. It faltered when she saw Roxy. “Hey. Are you okay?”
The one person who’d get Outlaw to change his mind about allowing Knox to live was the girl in front of her. No matter how much Outlaw raged and claimed Meggie stayed out of club business, if she mentioned something, he took her words into consideration.
Frustrated, Roxy tipped her head to the ceiling. She couldn’t involve Meggie in this just because she’d had a change of heart about Knox dying. It wasn’t fair to Meggie or Outlaw.
“What up, baby?” Outlaw asked, after a moment of silence as if he’d expected Roxanne to tell Meggie about her predicament.
“CJ was showing Johnnie and Rory one of his dances.”
Christopher laughed. “The lil motherfucker quite fuckin’ happy with himself.”
“He is,” Meggie agreed, happiness brimming from her. She always glowed a little more during her pregnancies, and this time was no different. She went to Outlaw so he could kiss her, then thumbed some of her lipstick from his mouth.
Couldn’t Knox see what he’d do if he went through with his plans?
“Knox has been looking for you,” Meggie continued.
Roxy had invited him to the club and, for the entire evening, she’d found a reason to evade him. Did all of it really have to do with Duke’s words or was she suddenly concerned about Knox’s perception of her? “I’ll go and check on him.”
Outlaw lifted a brow at her. Roxy was sure he still expected her to bring Meggie in. She shrugged.
“Baby,” Outlaw bit out, glaring at Roxy, “Roxanne askin’ my ass to spare Knox life if she get him to change what the fuck he doin’.”
Meggie frowned. “Why are you telling this to me?” she asked suspiciously.
“Cuz I figure you wanna fuckin’ know.”
“No, Christopher. Why are you telling me? It’s almost like you’re looking for a reason not to kill him and want to use me as an excuse.”
Outlaw scowled at her. “Would I fuckin’ do that? If I want the motherfucker dead, he fuckin’ dead no matter what the fuck you say. My ass tellin’ you cuz Roxy didn’t.”
“Omigod, you can be such a jerk!” Meggie accused, pulling away from him. “You like me to convince you not to kill people.”
“No, baby. I like what the fuck you do to my ass to get me to change my mind,” he said, winking.
Meggie blushed, then offered a little sniff, throwing her husband the evil eye.
Laughing, he drew her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “I love you, Megan.” He looked at Roxy and sighed as Meggie straightened. “I really, really want to kill Knox,” he admitted. “That ain’t me bullshittin’. I don’t like the motherfucker and he don’t like me. But, fuck, Roxanne, you one of us and you never ask my ass for nothin’. More fuckin’ important, you don’t try to game your fuckin’ way. You don’t run to Megan. I respect the fuck outta that. So, this what I’ma do. For you, if you get him to back the fuck off and you one hundred percent sure he ain’t gonna come after us, he gonna live. I’ma beat the fuck outta him, but he gonna be carried the fuck away still breathin’. He might need a few casts and shit—”
“Christopher!” Megan gasped, outraged.
“What, baby?”
“If you beat him that bad, won’t you risk him dying?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Maybe, but I ain’t the one directly fuckin’ killin’ him, so I ain’t lyin’ to Roxy.”
Meggie glared at him and folded her arms.
“Fuck, fine. You get him to back the fuck away and he’ll limp the fuck away. Better, Megan?”
She nodded.
At Outlaw’s words, a weight lifted off Roxy’s shoulders.
“But…” he continued, and tension flew right back into her. “If I find out who the fuck hired him, I’m killin’ that motherfucker.”
“Fair enough,” Roxy told him.
“And…”
Fuck.
“That motherfucker better kiss the fuckin’ ground you walk on. Cuz whether he back the fuck away or not, if he hurt you, he fuckin’ dead. End of fuckin’ story. We clear?”
Grinning, Roxy went to him and hugged him before kissing his cheek. “Thank you, sugar.”
Outlaw grunted. “Come on, you two,” he said. “Let’s go and fuckin’ enjoy our-fuckin-selves.”
Roxy found Knox talking with the guys in Outlaw’s mancave. He seemed relaxed and in his element, but the moment Outlaw went behind the bar to grab a pint of tequila, Knox straightened and followed the man’s every move.
“Roxanne, where the fuck you been?” Mortician called. “We been grilling your man.”
“He’s not my man,” Roxy said sharply, watching for Knox’s reaction to Mortician’s words but finding none. He didn’t even flinch at her statement. “We’re just friends.”
“With benefits, huh?” Digger asked, jamming a stuffed egg into his mouth.
“All you do is eat,” Roxy pointed out.
“We been telling him that,” Val said. “The motherfucker think he pregnant, not Bunny.”
“The motherfucker is going to be as big as Bunny,” Roxy retorted.
Outlaw stopped beside her. “Where Johnnie? Still dancing with CJ and Rory?”
Digger leaned back against his chair. “Charlotte and Brooks here. I think he talking to them.”<
br />
“What the fuck them two motherfuckers…” Outlaw’s voice trailed off. “Fuckin’ cunt. Invitin’ motherfuckers to my fuckin’ house, especially those two motherfuckers.”
Mort shook his head. “That’s Red for you, Prez.”
“What’s wrong with those two motherfuckers?” Knox asked casually.
“I don’t fuckin’ like Charlotte Reddin’,” Outlaw said. “That fuckin’ clear e-fuckin-nuff for you?”
“Why?” Knox pressed, grating on Roxanne’s nerves.
Outlaw was a breath away from losing his temper, pulling his nine, and blowing Knox away. If Knox didn’t see it, she saw it. He was already on edge about possibly letting Knox walk away alive. If she was aware of the risk he took by granting him such a pardon, then Outlaw damn sure had to be.
“Why don’t you and me take a walk, Knox?” she suggested into the silence.
Kendall led Charlotte and Brooks Redding in. “Look who’s here.”
Brooks looked more frightened than happy. Charlotte caught sight of Roxy and stiffened.
“Right back at you, bitch,” Roxy said with a snort.
Kendall’s face fell. “Roxy, please. Let’s enjoy tonight. Charlotte’s agreed to let bygones be bygones. Can’t you? For my sake?”
Before Roxy responded, Bailey, Meggie, Bunny and Zoann trooped in, followed by Johnnie.
“This ain’t a every-fuckin-body cave,” Outlaw almost snarled. “This a man-fuckin-cave. My man-fuckin-cave. That mean bitches only a-fuckin-llowed some-fuckin-times. This ain’t one of those fuckin’ times, so get the fuck out.”
Meggie smiled at her husband as the other girls looked amongst themselves, uncertain. Kendall and Charlotte exchanged glances. Although Kendall’s face fell a little more, a mutinous look entered Charlotte’s eyes.
“Christopher, you know at the end of the evening, we all usually end up in here,” Meggie said. “This is Halloween, so I thought we could—”
“Mrs. Redding,” Knox interrupted, dismissing Meggie, “please take my seat. Ladies, I’m sure Outlaw doesn’t mind you being in here.”
Growling, Outlaw stepped forward, but Meggie rushed to him and grabbed his arm. She put it around her neck, then hugged his waist and smiled at Knox. “You’re provoking my husband,” she said, carefully speaking each word. “I’ll have to ask you to leave if you continue.”
Outlaw stilled but fury vibrated from him.
Knox smiled. “Why would I do that?”
Meggie glanced up at Outlaw and lowered her lashes before turning to Charlotte. “Hello, Charlotte. Brooks,” she greeted. “Happy Halloween.”
Relief flashed across Kendall’s face and Johnnie smiled at Meggie.
“I don’t recall receiving an invitation from you,” Charlotte sneered. “Mr. Harrington invited me.”
All eyes turned to Knox. He didn’t look the least bit intimidated. “Brooks is my boss. I thought it wasn’t fair if I fraternize with you all and he didn’t.”
“So you didn’t invite these two motherfuckers, Red?” Mortician called.
“Why would I do that? I know how you all feel about each other,” Kendall responded, offering Knox a little smile.
“You’re a nervy motherfucker, Knox,” Roxy snapped. “I invited you. Don’t use the plus one on my invitation to add two. Who the fuck gave you that right?”
“And the ignorance marches on,” Charlotte spat, turning to Kendall. “She’s violent and illiterate. The biggest word in her vocabulary is m-o-t-h-e-r-f-u-c-k-e-r.”
At any other time, the sound of Charlotte spelling out motherfucker would’ve amused Roxy. But the words that went with it pissed her off. She was already rubbed raw from Duke. The buzzing in her head drowned out Outlaw’s tirade to Charlotte. The sympathy in Knox’s eyes added insult to injury.
Part of her wanted to beat Charlotte’s ass to a pulp. More than anything, she wanted to go home and forget today ever happened.
“Charlotte, you have to leave,” Kendall ordered.
Charlotte’s eyes widened. “I beg your pardon?”
“You heard me. You can’t come in here and insult Roxy,” Kendall said fiercely. “It’s bad enough you did it when she went to your house. You always impressed upon me to treat guests with decorum, yet you didn’t follow your own advice.”
“I was referring to real people. Not the likes of Roxanne and Meggie. Biker sluts.”
“Bitch!” Outlaw roared as Brooks winced.
Tears rushed to Kendall’s eyes and she seemed to wilt.
Meggie rushed in front of her husband. “Charlotte, leave.”
As if she was hard of hearing, Charlotte looked at Kendall.
“Move, Megan,” Outlaw demanded.
“Kendall.” Charlotte ignored Meggie’s efforts to contain her furious man. “You’re really choosing this woman—” She threw a thumb in Roxy’s direction. “Over me. Because if you allow me to leave on Meggie’s orders, that’s what you’re doing.”
“Don’t do this, Charlotte,” Kendall begged. “I love both of you.”
“Me or her,” Charlotte ordered.
Kendall glanced between Charlotte and Roxy, as if she wasn’t sure what to do.
Roxy gave her a gentle smile. She didn’t want Kendall to suffer by having to make a choice. “You’ve known Prissy Bitch longer than me, sugar. The choice is easy. Choose her. I can’t offer you what she does.”
“Finally, you know your place,” Charlotte threw back at her.
“Charlotte, what’s gotten into you?” Sweat beaded Brooks’ flushed skin. “You’re going to get us killed.”
Roxy wasn’t sure who besides her and Meggie gasped, but, all at once, it hit her. Everyone stilled as if Knox’s game occurred to each of them at the same time. He’d invited Brooks and Charlotte to provoke a reaction from Outlaw.
“You low-down, dirty, rotten, motherfucking snake-in-the grass motherfucker,” Roxy snarled, rushing him and shoving him so hard he stumbled back. “I invited you out of the fucking goodness of my motherfucking heart and this is the way you fucking repay me?”
Anger settling over his face, Knox clapped a hand over her mouth and shook her. “Shut the fuck up,” he warned, then leaned in close to her. “It’s working, so don’t be stupid and blow my cover.”
She tried to bite one of the fingers covering her mouth, so he dropped his hand. Mortician was right behind Knox, probably to punch the fuck out of him, but Roxy didn’t give him a chance. Balling her fist, she punched Knox in the stomach, then kneed him in the groin before punching his jaw. Once he fell to the ground, she kicked his thigh, happy she wore pumps tonight. More impact.
Before she thought of his next injury, Mortician grabbed her around the waist. “Stop, Josephine Louis.”
She elbowed him but he tightened his hold on her. “Get the fuck away from me. I’m not a damn fucking boxer. You got fucking jokes, motherfucker.”
“Yo, motherfuckers,” Outlaw barked. “Get the fuck outta my fuckin’ house. This bullshit ruined Megan party. Get the fuck out.”
“Can I say something first?” Kendall called.
“At your place, dear,” Charlotte answered, ignoring Knox’s groans.
“Fuck you,” Johnnie spat. “You’re not welcomed at our house!”
“Johnnie, please!” Kendall cried. “Let me talk.”
“No,” Outlaw responded. “Get. The. Fuck. OUT.”
“Please, Outlaw,” Kendall begged, then looked at Meggie. “Tell him to let me speak my peace.”
Meggie sighed. “Let her, Christopher,” she said. “For me.”
Outlaw scowled. “The minute you fuckin’ finish, turn the fuck around, and get the fuck out.”
“I have to collect my children from the nursery,” she said crisply.
“Kendall, please just say what you have to say,” Meggie told her.
“Fine.” Rushing to Charlotte, Kendall hugged her. “I love you and Brooks as if you were my own parents. I’d do anything for either of you. I’m grateful
for everything you’ve ever done for me. You’re like grandparents to my children. I love you,” she added in a shaky voice. “But Meggie is my sister-in-law and Roxy is also like a mother to me. Other than when she was sick, I could call her at any time of the night or day and she’d be there for me. That’s the way it is again. This club is my home, Charlotte, and I love the people in it. The way you spoke to Roxy at your house and here is shameful. I can’t stand with you if you’re against her. You want me to choose?” Sniffling, she folded her arms and lifted her chin. “Fine. I choose Roxy, so get out.”
“Kendall, how can you say that?” Charlotte said, drawing herself up. “These monsters, Outlaw, Johnnie, killed Kyler.”
Kendall widened her eyes, then narrowed them before slapping Charlotte so hard, her head jerked. “If you ever, ever say such a lie again about my husband, I’ll kill you.” She glared at Knox, who’d managed to get to his feet. “You got that, fuckhead? Would you like me to repeat it so I can be clearer?”
Knox glowered at her. “What are you talking about?”
Instead of allowing her to respond, Johnnie drew Kendall into his arms and whispered to her.
“Charlotte, get out of my house and don’t come back,” Meggie ordered, then glared at Knox. “You’re not welcomed here ever again.”
“Do I still have a job?” Brooks asked as Charlotte stumbled away, sobbing. He looked timidly at Outlaw. “She didn’t mean any of what she said. She’s under so much stress.”
Outlaw opened his mouth to speak.
“We’ll see you in the morning,” Johnnie said quickly, giving Outlaw a small shake of the head.
The man visibly gritted his teeth.
Knox limped to Roxy. She turned her head. After she’d worked to spare his life, he’d already planned to fuck over her.
Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books Page 395
