Page 201 of Relentles
“You think I have good taste?”
“Very much, Kendall,” Megan said softly. “What do you need my help with?”
Kendall glanced at Johnnie, her eyes wide and watery, as unable to read Megan’s tone as he was. “Decorating an empty house is easier than redecorating an occupied one. I need help with logistics. I can’t…I want to do this, but it seems so overwhelming. I don’t know how to manage it.”
“I would suggest starting with the kitchen. Hire as many as you need to so it’ll be completed within seven to ten days. The kitchen is the family nucleus. Food is prepared and gossip shared.”
Not in their house, so he understood Kendall’s crumpling face.
Instead of shying away from her words, Megan addressed the elephant in the room. “It’s okay if your kitchen wasn’t seen that way—still isn’t seen that way,” she added with emphasis. “It doesn’t make you bad, Kendall. Just different, and that’s okay. I’m not here to judge you. I only want to help. Your housekeeper prepares food every day for your family. You and her and Ella and Roxy enjoy coffee there and tidbits for the day. Having limited access for ten days is a nightmare. The more time goes by, the more frustration grows. So start there.”
From then on, Megan and Kendall worked closely on the redecorating plans. Kendall came to rely on Megan’s organizational skills and budgetary acumen. Her financial prowess had shocked the fuck out of Johnnie, too. More than that, Kendall finally saw Megan as a true friend. They talked several times a day and had done so from that moment to this one.
Now, they were both in such grave danger. Unfortunately, Johnnie hadn’t handled Bash’s surprise visit to Hortensia very well. He’d made it all worse. From hiding in the back stairwell of the hospital to trying to force Megan to leave to becoming CJ’s enemy.
His main goal was protecting Kendall, but he needed Christopher’s help. He needed Christopher to know the full story, instead of bits and pieces meant to protect his own ass should Bash decide upon a full-frontal assault.
On the surface, it would seem as if the deal Christopher and the club sanctioned had fallen through and infuriated Bash.
Underneath, though…
Now, Christopher neither trusted him nor liked him. His chance to garner help was gone. Christopher wanted a reason to kill Johnnie for devastating Megan with that recorded conversation.
As usual, Christopher made a valid point. Exactlywhathad Johnnie expected of Megan?
Had he really wanted to send her away? Or, deep down, did he know she’d tell Christopher? The former was unconscionable, the latter unfathomable. Despite his need to get her away from Bash, he couldn’t imagine her gone. Nor could he have believed Christopher discovering his treachery and not wanting revenge.
Johnnie drank from the decanter, but after years of enjoying alcohol, it had the fucking effect of beer, despite the cost.
The heavy door opened, interrupting his thoughts. Kendall slipped in and leaned against the door once she closed it. She was dressed in a royal blue pantsuit, paired with a light blue silk shirt, and designer pumps. She was the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen. Tall and curvaceous with beautiful brown eyes, creamy skin, and Patrician features.
Kendall was stunning.
She focused on the decanter in his hand and lifted a brow. “I thought I’d give you time to decompress.” She glanced at the big round clock on the opposite wall. “You’ve been home for almost an hour.”
Johnnie nodded, drank again.
“Bad day at the office?”
She wanted normalcy. He owed her as much as he could grant her under the circumstances.
The office wasn’t the fucking problem. It was motherfucking Bash. Christopher was really the only one who’d know how to deal with Bash.
“Something like that.”
“I’m an excellent listener.”
Johnnie tipped the decanter. “You’re excellent all around.”
Lowering her lashes, Kendall smiled. “Thank you. Dinner is riced cauliflower, carrots seasoned with activated charcoal, and tofu steaks.”
Once he returned home after his four days of living in the hospital stairwell, they’d gotten back to normal pretty fast. A part of him was grateful. Another part worried it was pretense. His disappearance devastated his wife. Generally, that led to some type of fallout. However, he’d play it by ear and follow her lead. Normalcy for him wasn’t accepting the sludge she tried to feed him, so he glared.
She giggled and sailed to him. She snatched the almost-empty decanter, set it on the table, then sat on his lap and leaned her head against his shoulder. She favored spicy perfume and her scent invaded his nose. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her forehead.
“I’m not eating that slop, Kendall.”
She laughed again, still playful and vibrant. “I know. A cow had to die to feed you and your sons, but there’s veal medallions, riced cauliflower, and sauteed carrots without the charcoal for you carnivores.”
