Page 217 of Relentles
“If that lie helps you to fucking sleep at night, forge on, asshole.”
He gritted his teeth.
Kendall sniffed. “Outlaw has to know.”
“Christophercan’tknow the entire truth, Kendall. Not now.”
“Whyever not? You’rebetrayinghim and the club by keeping this to yourself.”
“I’m not. I’m protecting them.”
“No, Johnnie. We’re all sitting ducks. Obviously, Bash was tired of waiting for you and Brooks to dowhatever. If you got to Outlaw now, he might forgive you.”
“I’ve paid Bash fifty thousand dollars a month. He gave me a fucking year, Kendall, to find a solution or drive Megan away.”
Sure she’d misheard, Kendall stared at Johnnie.
He nodded. “You heard correctly.”
“Have you lost your goddamn mind?”
“I’m very much sane and lucid,” he said stiffly.
“Both are debatable. Tell me how driving Meggie away would solve anything?”
“She wouldn’t be a target any longer.” He shrugged. “She’d be safe.”
“Safely dead, but you know that, don’t you? The only fucking way to purge Meggie from your soul is to have her killed. Your retribution for her rejection.”
“You’re a fucking bitch to even think that,” Johnnie roared.
“And you’re a fucking bitch for pretending otherwise.”
Johnnie shoved her. “As if you’re so innocent! You’restilljealous of her.”
“I am not!”
“You must be for those words to cross your mind.”
“Look me in the fucking eye and tell me you believe Bash wouldn’t find her and kill her.”
When she lifted a brow, Johnnie glanced away.
“I’m working with what I have.”
“Why not pay him off? Give him the value of his share?”
“I offered. He declined.”
“Double the amount.”
“Do you know how much fucking money we’re talking about? In case you don’t remember, Sharper Banks pastored a megachurch. His wife had money. Not only did he pump money into the club but so did Mortician. Big Joe knew how to work numbers. He made money for the club. A lot of it.”
“That’s where Meggie gets her knack, I suppose.”
“Then, there’s the money from Christopher’s hydrogrows and medical lab.”
“Not to mention the dirty money obtained from peddling women,” Kendall said sharply.
