Page 242 of Misrule
Looking from Johnnie to Kendall as he spoke, Christopher said, “My ass the motherfucker who set John Boy up to meet Emily. And you was right. The house was fuckin’ bugged.”
“How dare you, Christopher?” Johnnie snarled.
“Don’t fuckin’ start, Johnnie. You fuckin’ lucky Megan had Kendall on her goddamn No-Kill list. Otherwise, I wouldna went through all these goddamn games and woulda just shot the fuck outta her.”
“Christopher—”
Raising his hand, he indicated Johnnie shut the fuck up. “You want my ass to go through all the shit Kendall done that woulda got other motherfuckers fucked up sixteen times over? Do you?” he demanded when neither of them said a word. “Don’t lemme bring up my woman and my kid.”
“Your woman and kid?” Johnnie seethed. “What about mine? Do I have to overlook what they need because you’re so fucking determined that Megan be happy at everyone else’s expense?”
“How that shit new to you?” Christopher snapped. “Your ass should be fuckin’ happy cuz it’s cuz of Megan Kendall ain’t dead.”
“By your hand,” Johnnie spat.
“Directlyby my hand,” Christopher supplied, wondering when this motherfucker would catch on.
Johnnie’s eyes widened, then narrowed. “What the fuck are you saying? You wanted Kendall to commit…” His voice trailed off and he stared at Christopher, shock, pain, and anger crossing his face. “You told me you weren’t seeking revenge,” he shouted. “You lied to me.”
“No the fuck I ain’t. I lied toMegan. I ain’t wanted her to discover the truth.”
“Get out,” Johnnie said coldly. “This is the last fucking straw. You’ve pushed me too fucking far. You claim you love me, yet you almost ruined my life because of your hatred for Kendall.”
“No, that’s fuckin’ because you a stupid motherfucker and she a dumb bitch.”
“Fuck off! I’m never going to forgive you.”
A sliver of hurt passed through Christopher, but he ignored it. The only person in the world who forgave him almost anything was his Megan. Just because he and Johnnie had always been so close, Christopher shouldn’t have expected the same from him.
He shrugged. “Your fuckin’ choice. As long as I got my girl, I got every-fuckin-thing I need.” He looked at Kendall, surprised to find she wasn’t giving him one of her bitchy glares. “Johnnie ain’t want nothin’ to do with Emily, Kendall. I was payin’ her to pressure him into startin’ something with her. He ain’t fucked her or nothin’. He loveyou. I hope you love his ass e-fuckin-nuff to straighten the fuck up.”
“I do,” she said quietly. “We…he’s committing me.”
“You goin’ back to a psycho camp?”
Johnnie growled.
Kendall nodded. “For at least six months. We’ll be working on our marriage and our parenting skills. We have a long road ahead of us. I hope we can make it through.”
Christopher shrugged.
“I knew…I knew you wouldn’t let my actions go unanswered,” Kendall admitted. “And I know you’re sorry.”
He paused. Kendall had such a fucked-up childhood, starting with her old man’s death. Her ma hadn’t liked her, and Emily had bullied her. He understood that, even sympathized with her. But Kendall blamed every-fucking-body for what happened to her, instead of pointing the fucking finger at the two motherfuckers that wreaked all the havoc. She made excuses, thought it was her fucking right, to do what the fuck she wanted to and not have fucking consequences. He was willing to let bygones be bygones and give her a fresh start—although he hoped Megan kept her distance. However, for all Kendall’s past sins and the way he’d addressed them…“Nope, I ain’t sorry for any-fuckin-thing I did to you. I re-fuckin-gret the emotional toll it took on John Boy.”
“How fucking kind of you,” Johnnie sneered.
Christopher ignored him and stayed focused on Kendall. “I hope now you get some fuckin’ help and behave.” How many fucking times had he said the same goddamn thing to her?
“Leave, Christopher,” Johnnie ordered.
“I understand you offended on behalf of your woman.”
“Oh, you admit she’s my woman now and not a cunt?”
“I’m about to fuckin’ callyouthe cunt, motherfucker,” Christopher barked.
Johnnie got to his feet and stalked to Christopher, standing nose-to-nose with him. “Emily’s dead, Christopher. I’ve already told Kendall, now I’m telling you.Ikilled her.”
