Page 135 of Misrule
Johnnie swallowed. “Yes.” His shoulders drooped. “One of them hired her, Knox. Was it Christopher or Kendall?”
“I’m sorry, Johnnie.” Knox met Johnnie’s eyes. “It was neither. I’ve just met her today when she came in for an appointment she made over the phone. It was a cold call, out of the blue. I’d never heard of her in my life.”
Cam huffed out a breath. “Knox, I’m done here. I need to salvage what’s left of today.”
Glaring at him, Cam strolled to the door and left Knox to dig his grave without backup. That wouldn’t stop him. He had Outlaw’s job to do, and his own agenda to fulfill.
Johnnie sat in one of the waiting room chairs.
“Fuck, Knox.”
“You and Kendall are separated,” he pointed out. “If you don’t have plans to reconcile with her, you need to move on with your life.”
Wildness crept into his eyes. “With Emily?”
“She’s the next best thing to Megan.”
Johnnie leaned his head against the wall and stared at the ceiling. “That wouldn’t be fair to her.”
“Who? Megan or Emily?
“Emily,” Johnnie answered.
Knox nodded, thoughtful. Hadn’t they had a similar conversation, a few days ago, in the clubhouse? It was worth repeating, though, especially as a means to an end. “How many times have you compared Kendall to Megan?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Johnnie turned his head and stared into space. “My marriage is over.”
Knox sat in a chair across from Johnnie. “You sure about that?”
His jaw tightened, but he remained silent. If Johnnie filed for divorce and then got with Emily, it wouldn’t have the same impact on Kendall. She would already be in the midst of permanently losing Johnnie. But if she had even a smidgeon of hope that her marriage could be saved, then the devastation would be all the greater. All the sweeter.
“My marriage is over,” Johnnie insisted after long moments of silence.
“You don’t love Kendall anymore?”
Johnnie snapped his attention to Knox. “I will always love her—”
“I thought that was Megan you’d always love.”
Johnnie tipped his head back again. “I loved Megan,” he said tiredly. “With my whole being. I still love her, but I’m not in love with her. I don’t feel about her the way I once did. No one believes me.”
“That’s because you don’t act like it. Of all the women in the club, you’re constantly telling Kendall you’ve went to Megan for advice. Fuck, why not go to Roxanne? Why Megan? For that matter, why not Outlaw? Or Mortician?Me?”
“Christopher is always ready and willing to give advice to me. All the guys are.”
“I would think I’d be the one you’d seek out, more than anyone else, since you and I have the most in common. For instance, we’re both educated.”
Johnnie stiffened, then raised his head and offered Knox a cold glower. “Comments like that will get you fucked up, motherfucker.”
Knox was merely trying to show Johnnie he identified with him.
“Don’t insult me by believing I think I’m above Christopher. I’ll—”
“Don’t you?” Knox interrupted, cocking his head to the side. “That’s why you’re so fucking stuck on Megan. You think you’re better than him, yet he got her anyway.”
Instead of responding, Johnnie stretched out his legs, lit a cigarette, and then pulled out a K-Bar from inside his cut. It was one of the most awesome knives Knox had ever seen, with its silver handle and skull tip.
Dragging on his cigarette, then releasing smoke, Johnnie held it between his fingers and raised the knife up with his other hand. “This blade is special. Unused. Nearly new,” he started, offering Knox the grin of a mad man. “Paid a grand for it. The E.W.Stone Knife.” He turned it first one way and then the other. Inhaled smoke then exhaled, never once taking his chilling silver eyes off Knox’s face. “Do you want your blood to be the first to stain it?”
