“It sounds to me as if that’s exactly what he is. Embezzlement is illegal.”
“What do I have to do to convince you to help me?”
She thought for a moment and twisted her body a little more towards him. She wore a very pretty brooch, although it looked as if it were made of brass and glass, instead of gold and diamonds. “Tell me exactly what happened? How did you get involved in the first place?”
“I have a PI firm,” he admitted. “My best friend and I opened it together, several months ago. Uncle Avalon hired us. This was our first big case. My uncle told me that the club was responsible for the destruction of the law offices. One of the partners committed suicide, Megan.”
She gasped and went pale.
“I heard so many terrible things about not only the Death Dwellers, but Outlaw in particular. He propositioned Kendall Donovan and hated her because she’d spurned him.”
Her mouth fell open. If she hadn’t known about that, he was sorry that she’d had to find out like she had, but he had to save his uncle.
“I heard that he sold women and children into sex slavery.”
She sucked in a breath.
“I heard he was responsible for the disappearance of Charlotte and Brooks’ son-in-law. That he was the reason the Reddings were now destitute. Uncle Avalon wanted the information to bring to the Feds to seek justice for Joe Stone, Kyler Charles, Brooks Redding, Kendall Donovan, hell, for himself and his silent interest in the law firm. Can’t you understand that? In fairness, I dropped the case because of what my uncle was doing.”
“Before I address any of your accusations, answer this. Instead of going to the police if he suspected my husband in all of this, he went to you because…?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps, it was to give him more time to steal additional money. He needed to have the club members locked away so they wouldn’t discover what he was doing.”
“That’s quite an elaborate setup.”
“Yes,” Knox agreed bleakly. “The only good that came out of this was meeting Roxy.”
Megan snorted.
“I swear to you that I’m so happy to have met her. She’s an incredible woman.”
“You hurt her.”
“I know and I wish I could undo the damage. I miss her so much.”
“That’s between the two of you.” She heaved in a breath. “First of all, my husband reveres women. He’d never sell them or force them to do any of what you accused him of. If no one else told you that, I’m saying it.”
“Roxy said something to the same effect.”
“Yet, you didn’t believe her. If you care so much about her, you’d take her at her word.”
Knox couldn’t refute that.
“Second, my husband didn’t proposition Kendall. That was the other way around but their hatred toward one another came well before that incident.”
Exactly what Kendall had told him. At this point, he wasn’t sure if he’d believed her or not.
“I’m so sorry about the law partner killing himself, but my husband didn’t have a hand in his death. Kyler Charles might’ve just ran away. After all, I’d run away too if Charlotte was my mother-in-law. I will say there’s truth about Brooks losing everything because of the club. However, there’s also a flip side. Such as the fact that Brooks was receiving tens of thousands of dollars every month and yet he allowed Christopher to remain in jail on Charlotte’s orders to use as blackmail for Kendall to get her job back.”
It was Knox’s turn to gasp. Even though he’d heard some of this from Brooks, he hadn’t heard it all. “Megan, I’ve been so wrong.”
“Let’s get back to your uncle,” she said, without acknowledging his words. He only wished this was Roxy he was talking to. She’d been so adamant in her defense and…no wonder he’d lost her.
“I want you to be very clear for me, Knox. You didn’t instigate any of this on your own behalf?”
“No,” he said on a sigh.
“You did it out of family loyalty and as a way to seek justice for people you thought had been wronged?”
“I did,” he answered without hesitation, hoping to sway her to his side, even though he spoke the truth.
“I’m sure that’s something Christopher can understand. He’s very loyal and he’d want to help out if he thought someone had victimized someone close to him. You can’t be faulted for that.”
“We’re not here to discuss me,” he said sharply. “This is for my uncle. Haven’t you been listening to me.”
“I’ve heard everything you said. If you want Christopher to hear about Avalon, I suggest you explain to me your role in this situation.”
“Because he’ll kill me too?”
Megan offered him a serene smile. “I’m not here to discuss my husband. You called me to discuss your uncle.”
“Fine,” he said tightly, annoyed that she wouldn’t give him her answer.
“I just thought of something else. If Avalon wanted to avenge the Reddings, were they in on this?”
He’d already come between Charlotte and Kendall. He didn’t see any good in admitting her role in the affair. “No. Not at all.”
“So it was only Avalon and you were just being loyal to your uncle, not because you targeted the club to bring it down?”
“Didn’t I tell you that?” he snapped. “Why the hell are you repeating the questions like you have no understanding? If not for Uncle Avalon, I wouldn’t have given a flying fuck about the Death Dwellers. They weren’t harming me, but once I got on the case and all the rumors started flying, I wanted to bring them down. C’mon! Wouldn’t you? If you thought a man’s selling little girls and defenseless women, what would you do? That disgusted me when I was told that.”
“You and your partner…what’s his name?”
“Cameron.”
“Okay. You and Cameron could’ve dug deeper before you went further. You were basing your opinion on rumors. That’s not very good investigating.”
“Says Roxy and Kendall, as well, so join the club. I’ve heard it.”
“Do you really care about Roxy?”
Jesus, this woman was nosy with questions coming out of left-field.
“What does that have to do with my uncle?”
“Please answer the question. It’s important.”
“Yes, damn it. I do. I went to New Orleans to see her and she ended it between us. She ended it, Megan.” As usual, his insides tightened at the memory of having to leave without getting to hold her again. “Is she back in town?”
“In two days,” Megan answered.
He swallowed. “Would you tell her ‘hello’ for me?”
“Roxy cares about you the way you care about her, Knox,” she admitted, slow and succinct. “She wouldn’t want to see you hurt.”
He frowned at her. “What the hell are you talking about?” Hands on the table, he leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. “Enough with the twenty questions, Megan. Are you helping me or not? Stop being so damn nosy and prying into my life—”
“If I were you, I’d stop right there and back away from me.”
“You’re not me. You’re Outlaw’s wife. Maybe, Cam was wrong about your influence with the man. I can’t see how he holds a conversation with you. You jump from subject-to-subject or repeat the same questions two or three times. It’s frustrating. I want to save my uncle’s life! Can you handle that task for me or should I think of something else?”
Getting to her feet, Megan kept her smile in place. “You’re yelling at me because you still feel as if you’re better than me and Christopher. The questions I’m asking are for your own good, moron. If you don’t appreciate that, too bad. I’ll talk to Christopher and he’ll be in touch. Good day, Knox.”
With that, she turned on her heel and stalked away.
Christopher was more than proud of Megan as he sat in the conference room with Johnnie, Mort, Val, and Digger, where they’d watched everything unfold with Knox thanks to the camera in Megan’s brooch
. Hearing the motherfucker’s explanation gave him pause.
If fuckhead was too stupid to realize she was bugged and talking to Christopher, that was on him. CJ would make a better private eye than motherfucking Knox.
However, Megan had gotten through to him. First and foremost, Knox was just siding with his uncle when he installed himself in the club. Second, Knox thought Christopher was harming bitches. Christopher would’ve done the same on either account if he’d been in Knox’s position. Third, Christopher had been right about money being stolen. He smirked in Johnnie’s direction. Fourth, motherfucking Knox cared about Roxanne and she cared about him. Fifth, he insisted on being a superior assfuck and spoke to Megan like she was nothing.
All in all, it added up to Knox no longer dying, but he was getting the fuck beaten out of him. They needed to devise a plan to get their fucking money back and then fuck up Avalon Harrington. He wasn’t sure if he could wait until January 2nd but he’d try like a motherfucker, especially after today.
“Christopher?” Johnnie called.
“Yo?”
“I apologize for not believing you when you said money had gone missing. I should’ve investigated further. I hadn’t even started the audit. I have to apologize about thinking you were accusing Knox of infiltrating the club because you were jealous of his education.”
“Ain’t nothin’ but a thing, John Boy.”
After all, this seemed to be a motherfucking day for apologies.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Five days later, Roxy loaded the last of her shopping bags into the back of Bailey’s Escalade.
Getting into the driver’s seat, she looked at the dashboard clock. She had twenty minutes to get to lunch with Jordan. At least, she’d gotten most of the toys Harley wanted. Every year, she waited until the last damn minute to shop. There was ten days until Christmas and the malls were packed.
Last year, she did have an excuse, but, today she realized she was just a fucking procrastinator about Christmas shopping. She still had to shop for Bailey, Mort, Lou, the other kids, and everyone else.
Maybe, even a small gift for Knox. She missed him. Once she got back to the club, she thought she might catch a glimpse of him from afar, but the case was now resolved. Outlaw had gotten the answers he’d sought, so Knox was gone.
In her head, she kept going back and forth as to whether she’d done the right thing in sending him away when he’d gone to New Orleans. Just to see her. She’d been a romantic for most of her life. She still was but her cynicism outweighed her dreamy ideas. Knox had given her so many reasons to mistrust him, but hadn’t she done the same? She was as wrong as he was in their reasons for getting involved initially.
She’d fucked him with full knowledge of his low-down snakery. It didn’t take away the fact that he could be so sweet and thoughtful. However, the problem with that was she was afraid he’d done it to get on her good side rather than because he liked her.
But, fuck. He’d flown to New Orleans just for her. Whether she liked it or not, that meant a lot to her. He’d just caught her at a weak moment, right after she’d taken her medicine and felt sorry for herself because she was dizzy and nauseated with a lingering hurt over Duke.
Even Knox’s arrogance was endearing. The man was a trip, thinking he knew everything when he didn’t know shit.
Roxy smiled fondly. She could purchase a Christmas present for him and then call him…Fuck. Her grin slipped. Other than trying to outdo each other in the game they’d played and fucking, what did she know about him?
He was from a wealthy family with parents who didn’t care for her and whom she owed an apology. He had a son and an ex-wife who was still trying to get him back. Roxy felt it in her bones. That was the only reason the heifer wanted Knox to stay at her house. He liked the finer things in life. He didn’t curse much. He got down and dirty when he argued and the motherfucker had jokes where her age was concerned. He was charming and scheming, a damn flirt, and had rubbed Kendall, Outlaw, and little CJ the wrong way. A motherfucker who rubbed a baby the wrong way had to be some type of asshole. On the other hand, Outlaw didn’t like him, so CJ would emulate his father.
What else did she know about Knox? He could get into the spirit of the holidays. He’d gotten all decked-out for Halloween because she’d asked him to. He was sadity except in bed…Lord have mercy, the man knew how to fuck.
Well, hell, she knew a lot about his ass. No wonder she missed him so much. No wonder she felt so miserable without him. In trying to best him, she watched his every move when they were together, listened to his every word, and discovered who he was much better than she would have if he’d been some motherfucker who’d just asked her out.
She’d sent him away, so she had to swallow her pride and her reservations and call him, after she found a gift for him.
If not for the luncheon, she’d do it today. She’d just have to come back tomorrow and deal with the craziness.
Shit! Speaking of that luncheon, she needed to get a fucking move on. She’d been standing in the middle of the mall, daydreaming. Pushing thoughts of Knox aside, she rushed off.
Arriving at the parking garage, Roxy turned in and got her metered ticket. As keynote speaker at a convention in town, Jordan had asked Roxy to attend the luncheon where she’d talk. To give Jordan support, Roxy had accepted.
After finding a parking spot, Roxy got out of the Escalade and smoothed down her wig and then her skirt. Another car barreled around the curve of the nearly empty parking level.
She scowled and backed up, not wanting to be hit by a no-driving motherfucker without the decency to slow down.
Roxy intended to wait until it past her by. Instead, it halted next to her, surprising her. The driver’s side door opened as did the back passenger door. Two men in dark clothes got out.
“Don’t make a sound,” the driver demanded. “You do and you die.”
It took a moment for Roxy to process the words. By the time she did, the passenger had a gun aimed at her mid-section.
“Get in.”
Roxy rushed through her options. She was a woman alone and in heels. She had her knife in her purse, but by the time she got it out, they would’ve shot her. Why the fuck didn’t she have a gun again?
She held out her purse. “Here. Take it. I won’t fight.”
“You can say that again,” the second man said before lifting the gun and slamming it against her head.
Unsure what he faced, Knox opened the door to the club. In the five days since his meeting with Megan, he hadn’t heard a thing. However, Roxy should be back in town by now and he hoped to catch a glimpse of her. Perhaps, talk to her and beg her forgiveness. He just needed a few minutes with her. If she never forgave him…well, he’d think of something to win her back. Fight for her.
As usual, in the middle of the day, minimal activity was happening in the club. Knox had noted early mornings were busy with bikers stopping in for breakfast. Most evenings were ridiculously crowded and noisy, filled with a combination of men, women, and children. Usually, the sons of the officers. Grant had loved the liveliness of it all, and had bonded with CJ.
“What the fuck you doin’ here, Knox?” Outlaw called. Either he’d just spotted Knox or had tired of waiting for him to come to the table. “If Brooks too fuckin’ brain dead to fire your motherfuckin’ ass, I ain’t. You fired, so get the fuck out.”
Instead of leaving, Knox walked to the table, ignoring all the unfriendly stares, curious about the two new faces. The names Stretch and Ghost were on their cuts. His only option was to brazen through until he got Outlaw to where he wanted him to be to find out if Megan had spoken to him about Avalon.
He cleared his throat. “Are we going to act like Thanksgiving never happened?” he asked. “We were friends.”
“Thanksgivin’ ain’t happened for you, motherfucker,” Outlaw snapped. “Thanksgivin’ happened for our boys. That shit over. Your kid gone. You back to bein’ my fuckin’ enemy.”
&nbs
p; “I’m not wired.” Megan must not have spoken to Outlaw for him to act so shitty.
“Don’t give a fuck. You got five fuckin’ seconds to tell me what the fuck you want before I throw you the fuck out. Visit me January third. Me and you gotta talk then I got a present for you. My schedule full on the second.”
Talk? About his uncle maybe? He didn’t want to wait another two and a half weeks, but he had no choice. If he couldn’t find out about Avalon today, he’d inquire about the person whom he really came to see. Outlaw could keep his gift, as far as Knox was concerned. “Roxy…” His voice trailed off and he rocked on his heels. The heat of embarrassment suffused him.
“You turning beet red,” Digger observed. “What the fuck wrong, Knox? You look like you about to faint.”
“Well, he is acquainted with Brooks,” Val sniggered. “Pussies stick together and faint alike.”
They all snickered, which annoyed and humiliated Knox a little more.
“Ignore them,” Johnnie started, his tone more cordial than Outlaw’s. “What can we do for you?”
“I’d like to talk to Roxy,” he said, getting to the heart of the matter. “Just for a few minutes. There are a few things I’d like to tell her.”
Mortician made a face at him.
Ghost dragged on his just-lit cigarette. “Give us the message. We’ll pass it along.”
The opening door prevented his answer and brought Bailey in. She threw Knox a dirty look as Mortician stood.
“What up, pretty girl?”
“Is Momma back?” she asked. “I’ve been calling her to tell her I’ve peeled the shrimp and she isn’t answering. I called Dr. Will and she said Momma never made it to the luncheon. It ended two hours ago and no one’s heard from her.”
“What do you mean no one’s heard from her?” Knox demanded without thinking. “That isn’t like Roxy. Especially with you. She’ll take your call anywhere.”
Bailey’s face fell and she nodded.
“Stretch?” Outlaw said, the man’s coolness annoying Knox.
Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books Page 410
