Page 177 of Misrule
“Emily,” he gritted. “Riser. The cunt who tortured Kendall.”
Her nostrils flared. It crossed her mind to deny the accusation, but he cocked the trigger, scaring her into silence.
“Chris…” His voice trailed off and he thought a moment. “Outlawhired you, yes?”
She should confess all. However, if she managed to survive, she didn’t want Outlaw’s wrath.Hewas the one who’d given her the money. Money turned men into murderers.
“No, Johnnie.”
Dropping her arm, he grabbed her throat and squeezed, shaking her. His other hand remained steady as he kept the barrel of the gun between her eyes. “You’re a fucking liar, you little cunt. Where do you think I got your fucking address from?”
The suffocating pressure on her throat made her grab his wrists. “Please,” she gasped out. “Please, don’t kill me.”
“Then answer me,” he snarled.
For the first time in years, she truly feared losing her life at the hands of this cold, furious killer. Whatever else he might be, she knew he wouldn’t hesitate to kill her. All because of Kendall.
God, how Emily hated her. Kendallhadtold the truth. Johnnie loved that bitch.
Tears rushed to her eyes, not all of them fake. “Please, I can explain,” she said in a tremulous whisper. She sniffled, hoping to snap him into remembering that Emily resembled another woman he loved or wanted to fuck.
He stared into her eyes, looked at every angle of her face, her hair, her lips. She licked them, determined to keep his attention on the side of her he liked. She needed to meet Megan Caldwell to better affect her mannerisms, to always have the upper hand with Johnnie.
The pressure at her throat lightened. “Johnnie,” she whispered.
He gazed upon her as if he was seeing her for the first time, then shoved her away. Her knees hit the edge of the sofa and she fell onto the seat.
“Start talking,” he ordered.
“I-I don’t know Outlaw,” she lied, her thoughts tripping into each other to give answers that would appease JohnnieandOutlaw, and most importantly, keep herself alive. “I-I-I…” Her voice trailed off. His question hit her full force. “Knox H-Harrington must’ve given you my address,” she stammered.
He thrust his fingers through his golden hair, jerking on the ends. The barrel of his gun pointed at the ceiling. As long as he held it, she was in danger.
“You’re a fucking liar,” he roared. “This is just too fucking coincidental. How the fuck do I run into the cunt that tortured my wife during her teenage years?”
Tears slid down Emily’s cheeks and she raised her hands.
Unmoved, he pointed the gun at her. “Fuck you. I’m sending you to hell and feedingyouto the fucking butterflies—”
Her door slammed open and Johnnie turned, firing. Emily screamed as Outlaw danced out of the way, drawing and cocking his own weapon so fast, her head spun.
“Fuck,now, Prez, John Boy, put your fucking pieces down,” a black man with long dreads said in a calm voice. His brown eyes took in the scene as his gaze landed on her. “Fuck! Who your daddy? Big Joe?”
“Mort, shut the fuck up,” Outlaw ordered as Johnnie yelled, “Harrington! That motherfucker!”
Outlaw bared his teeth. “Knox ain’t no motherfucker in this fuckin’ instance, motherfucker. Now putcha motherfuckin’ gun down be-fuckin-fore you piss me the fuck off.”
“I can fucking kill you,” Johnnie snapped.
“You pissin’ me the fuck off, John Boy,” Outlaw said.
If the eyes were the mirror to a man’s soul, then Outlaw’s were those of as cold a killer as Johnnie.
“Why, Christopher? Why did you get Emily? Where did you find her?” Johnnie asked evenly, still holding his gun. “Don’t bother to fucking deny it. You being here gave you away.”
“Gavewhatthe fuck away?” Outlaw asked with an icy smile, as if he hadn’t been caught in his own lie. “Knox fuckin’ Harrington called my fuckin’ ass and say you about to kill a fuckin’ bitch who fucked with Kendallyears a-fuckin-go. He was fuckin’ worried you was gonna do somethin’ stupid and ain’t know who the fuck else to call. Now, what the fuckyoutalkin’ about, assfuck?”
Johnnie’s hand shook and he swallowed. “You hate Kendall.”
