Page 15 of Misrule
“Fuck,” Knox gasped.
Johnnie commiserated with Knox’s disbelief. “Christopher suspended me from the club. Kendall only wanted to be accepted and thought this would do it. The deal was supposed to be very lucrative.Toolucrative.”
“I’m so sorry that she got you into so many problems.” Knox sipped his drink, a question gathering in his eyes. He opened his mouth, then snapped it shut.
“What? Ask me whatever’s on your mind.”
“Do you…” Knox’s voice trailed off, then he sighed. “Did she not understand club dynamics?”
“Kendall’s a very smart woman.” Johnnie knew that hadn’t been Knox’s original question, but he didn’t pursue it. He had more important matters to concern himself with. Remembering that fateful holiday season, where Kendall’s interference had cost so much, sent waves of panic through him.
Christopher had so many reasons to kill Kendall.
“What happened to the guns?”
Johnnie shrugged. “Who the hell knows. It was a huge loss.” He heaved in a sigh. “If only she’d been successful.”
“Do you think Outlaw wouldn’t hate her as much?”
“He’ll never like Kendall, but I do believeshewould’ve felt worthy. She wouldn’t have continued to insert herself where she didn’t belong. It also would’ve made the club a lot of money. Other members would’ve cut her more slack.”
“Does the club run guns often?”
Knox seemed not to care about Kendall’s precarious position. Johnnie might’ve taken offense, if not for the genuine interest in the man’s voice.
“We did more when Big Joe ran our outfit. Once Megan came into the picture—”
“It was too dangerous?”
“It required too much time away. Payoffs to keep law enforcement from hassling us. Help from support clubs. Of course, everything depended on the amount of merchandise we ran.” Johnnie finished his Scotch and poured himself another measure. “I think Big Joe had us in more of the gray area.”
“Neither strictly legal nor illicit.”
Johnnie grinned. “The cop in you is showing.”
Knox shrugged. “Vice wasn’t my thing, but I am familiar with laws.” He copied Johnnie by finishing his whisky and refilling his cup. “Has running arms been very lucrative for the club?”
“It has been.” Johnnie remembered Kendall’s interference again. “With the exception of the last shipment. I would give anything to make that up. Now that Kendall and I have separated, who knows?”
“You’d go behind Outlaw’s back and cut your own deal?”
“Are you insane, man? I would find a deal and bring it to him.”
“Ah.”
A loud whistle screeched through the air, interrupting their conversation. Realizing Knox wasn’t a club member, so he’d said to much already, Johnnie was grateful for the distraction.
“Spoke to Outlaw,” Potter announced, then pointed at Knox. “I quote, ‘Knox Harrington movin’ to the fuckin’ clubhouse. Re-fuckin-spect him or deal with my fuckin’ ass’.End of quote.”
Johnnie scowled at Knox’s grin. “Diplomatic immunity, huh, Knox? How does it feel to be so special?”
As noise returned to the main room, Potter headed to the table and laid a set of keys down in front of him.
“Val’s old room where you’ll be sleeping,” Potter declared, then walked off.
Knox frowned, then glanced at Johnnie. “You think Megan and Bailey did a good job cleaning the room?” he asked with real worry. “How many gallons of bleach would it take to sterilize the room and make it safe for human habitation?”
Johnnie grinned. “Gallons, motherfucker. Gallons.”
