Page 12 of Restless
“Convincing Outlaw to turn off her tracking and then bringing her to me.”
“Her who? Meggie?” Brooks squeaked. “Not Meggie. Certainly not Meggie. No, it couldn’t be Meggie. Never Meg—”
Bash shot to his feet, causing Cleaner to stumble back. “Say her name one more fucking time and I’m killing you.”
Johnnie rose, wordlessly telling Brooks to remain seated, suddenly in perfect position to achieve what needed doing.
“Outlaw would rip me apart,” Brooks pushed out, pale, sweaty, and on the verge of tears again.
“When she dies, it all goes back to the club,” Cleaner said.
“Logan saw to that stipulation,” Bash added. “K-P had a set of the documents. I think they were the originals but he refused to tell their location. Over the years, Cee Cee tried to talk him into giving up their whereabouts. Logan was afraid of Pa. K-P refused. We never knew why. Until the envelopes began arriving two months ago. He was protecting Meggie.”
“She was Joe’s daughter,” Johnnie pointed out.
“He had a fucking daughter! Bailey. It was Pa who protected her from Logan. Made her off-limits. If Pa hadn’t been killed, K-P wouldn’t have been skinned. Logan would never have crossed Pa.”
The argument wore on Johnnie. “Take the fucking check and leave my wife alone. If you know what the fuck’s good for you, you won’t fuck with Megan. She doesn’t know—”
“Your bitch is best friends with that cunt,” Bash snapped. “I don’t give a fuck anymore who has to go down. I want my just due.”
Images of Kendall ran through Johnnie’s mind. The first time he saw her when she’d strutted into the clubhouse, hellbent on seducing Christopher. The night she reappeared, on the eve of Logan rising from the fucking dead, when she’d seemed so jumpy and out-of-sorts. Finding her beaten half to death in the midst of a miscarriage.
Hearing Roxanne’s sobs when she’d called him and told him Kendall had coded.
Listening to her on the two-year mark of that dark day as she revealed the abortion she’d had because she’d been angry with him and so many other missteps she’d made because he’d been such a fucking unfeeling,unseeingjerk.
Maybe, his many transgressions brought him to this point.
Christopher and Megan shared an ethereal, mysterious type of love. The quixotic ideal and the plausible dream. It was timeless. Endless. If Christopher lost her, his life would be over.
Yet, it wastheirlove. Mystical and magical, but theirs.
Johnnie’slove for Kendall had been honed in fire and blood. It had been a battle hard fought and well won. The rough edges were refined to simple joy rooted in friendship. He didn’t want to live without her. He couldn’t imagine life without her.
“Leave Kendall alone. My life for hers. Kill me instead.”
Brooks got to his feet, eyes wide. “Johnnie—”
Johnnie raised a hand, silencing the attorney. “And Brooks will send you the same amount I gifted you today, if you forget Megan exists. Your bloodlust will be soothed and your pockets lined. She might be Big Joe’s daughter, but she’s innocent. She had no say in her father’s business dealings. He’d been dead a year when she arrived. Dead over two years when my wife first showed up.” He drew in a deep breath, removed his watch and held it out to Brooks. When the attorney didn’t take it, Johnnie laid the heavy gold piece on the table. “Torture me. Kill me. Dismember me. As long as you don’t hurt Kendall. Allow Brooks to leave—”
“No! No!” Bash shook his head wildly. “If you turn up missing, Outlaw’ll leave no fucking stone unturned…No!” He ran up on Johnnie, shoving him backwards, farther away from Gabby. “Fuck you, asshole! Outlaw’s a madman. He killed Pa. No motherfucker could do that. Do you know how many attempts were made on Pa’s life? He was invincible and feared. Christopher…Outlawdidn’t give a fuck. If he can kill Pa…”
Swallowing, Bash scrubbed a hand over his face and trembled.
“He doesn’t have to know it was you who took me out.” Johnnie met Bash’s gaze and didn’t flinch. “Please. I’m begging you. Don’t hurt my Kendall. I love her…she’s my everything, Bash. Keep me hostage. Take a chunk out of me daily. Whatever. Just don’t hurt Kendall.”
“Suppose I say it’s your bitch or Outlaw’s?”
“Then I’d say you aren’t as afraid of Christopher as you pretend,” Johnnie snapped. “Cee Ceefucked with Megan. He might’ve lived if he’d left Christopher’s woman alone.”
“Fuck those hoochie mamas,” Bash spat, the pendulum of his sanity swinging again. “All of them. Your bitch. Mortician’s slut. Outlaw’s cunt. Those young pussies your cumrags pushed out.”
“My daughter is a perfect lady,” Johnnie said tightly, imagining the warmth of Bash’s blood sliding down his hands.
His daughter was young and carefree and bubbly. She’d danced with Kendall at Christopher’s birthday party and Johnnie couldn’t have been prouder of her. But if he had to hide her away in a convent to keep her safe, he would.
“Leave!” Bash ordered. “Get out.”
