Page 12 of Relentles
“The poinsettias,” Cash said patiently. “Fee told me it wasn’t the same without Meggie’s help, so they wanted to do a little extra to cheer her up.”
Nostrils flaring, Johnnie heaved in a breath.
A basket of poinsettias sat on each table and lined the bar in strategic places. A Christmas tree was set up near the pool tables and surrounded by presents. Toys for the children of the members were piled in the smaller kitchen, ready to be handed out on Christmas Day.
Cash leaned forward. Earlier, he’d been pissed at Johnnie for berating Christopher. Now, he looked at Johnnie with concern.
“What’s going on, Johnnie? In all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never disrespected Outlaw the way you did a little while ago. Saying he’s a joke and an idiot? Telling him he isn’t a leader?”
Clenching his jaw, Johnnie glanced away.
“Does it have anything to do with this Bash motherfucker?”
“I don’t know—”
“I think you do,” Cash interrupted, glaring at Johnnie. “I ordered Stretch to stop tracking you.”
Johnnie widened his eyes.
“About a year ago. Give or take a few days. You were with Brooks in Salt Lake City. At the mother chapter of the American Scorpions. I decided I didn’t want to fucking know and I didn’t want Stretch to know. Now,Bashturns up here and confronts Meggie. I only had visuals on the coffee shop camera, but I heard the entire fucking conversation thanks to the tracking devicewithaudio in her purse.”
“What does fucking Bash confronting Megan have to do with me?” Johnnie demanded, doubling down on his show of innocence.
“He wants to fuckingkillher—”
“If that was the case, he had the opportunity and he allowed her to live.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Cash ordered. “He told her he would fuck her before he killed her. He said he was tired of waiting. Know anything about that?”
“Jesus Christ,” Johnnie breathed, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Fuck!”
“If anything happens to Sweetness and Outlaw finds out you’re involved andI knewyou were cavorting with the enemy, he will fucking kill me because I turned a blind eye, thinking tosave my family. I don’t fucking appreciate being in the middle of your bullshit.”
Blood roared in Johnnie’s ears and his pulse thumped erratically. He had two choices: lie or confess. Taking his balls in hand, he said, “I was there with Brooks, Cash. Bash summoned the attorney to his club. Since motherfucking Bash made a direct threat against Kendall and Mattie, Brooks came to me. I didn’t know until I got to the club that Megan was involved in Bash’s shenanigans.”
“You didn’t think Outlaw should know? This is abouthiswife.”
“I thought I could handle Bash. Cee Cee used to pay off Logan to keep Christopher safe. Fuck, several motherfuckers. I just needed time and I believed I could buy it by paying Bash fifty thousand dollars a month.”
“What the fuck do you need time for, motherfucker? To design all the grave markers for the fucking pieces of your body after Outlaw rips you apart?”
“Very fucking funny!”
“I’m not laughing, dumb ass. I’m about to piss myself knowing I’m inadvertently involved in your fucking coverup.”
“You involved yourself,” Johnnie snapped. “You could’ve gone to Christopher.”
“And do your fucking job? Stretch has to keep an eye on us to make sure we’re safe, but I’m positive Outlaw would want to know if he sees one of us fraternizing with the enemy, you fucking asshole. I’m ruining my marriage over you and the only fucking thing you have to say isI could’ve gone to Outlaw?Fuck you.” To back up his words, Cash flipped Johnnie off.
“You’re ruining your marriage because you want peace…”
“Which I’ve been in favor off since Ophelia delivered my son five years ago.”
“So fuck your daughter? Fuck Stretch’s sons?”
“Girls can’t join the club,” Cash snapped. “I have no concern that Winona will patch in. Tarmacmightone day decide to follow in my footsteps. I don’t want to endanger my son. If Stretch chooses blind loyalty to the club over Jasper and Kade’s safety, that’s up to him.”
“That’s a little fucked up, McCall. Aren’t you three raising those kids together? I didn’t realize discipline and concern depended upon paternity.”
