Page 251 of Misrule
Chapter Sixty-One
He’d gotten very little rest because, after finding Roxanne at seven in the morning, he’d taken her to the hospital, while the guys got Duke there. While Knox was happy all of this had taken place on the outskirts of Hortensia, where the club had pull, that didn’t help timewise.
Duke had been shot in the side. Emergency surgery had removed the bullet. Once Roxanne was seen to and released, she rushed up to her son’s room in ICU. By then, it was noon, with their wedding taking place in five hours.
Knox was happy to see them makeup. Duke’s treatment of her had been weighing on her for months. To think, it had all been orchestrated by his father. This crusade had begun before Roxanne’s cancer. Creighton thought she’d succumb to the disease, so he’d backed off. Instead, she’d survived and then met Knox.
Duke was too afraid to go to his grandmother, sisters, or mother, so he went along with Creighton’s schemes, convinced his father had so much power that he’d destroy anyone Duke confided in. Creighton also swore to Duke if it came to that type of destruction, he’d tie the boy up and make him watch as Creighton murdered Roxanne.
Knox hadn’t intended to kill the man. Outlaw had surprised Knox and said he’d leave all motherfuckers alive, until they heard them out, because he had a debt to pay because his newest child and his wife were both alive.
At first, Knox hadn’t known why Mortician had killed Joyner. Later, he’d discovered the asshole had pulled a weapon out. Seeing it, Mortician fired.
Discovering Joyner had murdered Callie made Knox wish Mortician had taken that bastard to the meatshack and tortured him for a while.
Outlaw recovered the club’s money and now had possession of the cash he’d paid for the guns and the weapons themselves. The fire department had extinguished the blaze before it grew too out-of-control. Along with the limousine—and the body inside—an abandoned cabin had burned along with fifty acres of forest.
Given all that had happened, Knox thought the wedding would be postpone two or three days. Instead, the start time had been pushed from five in the afternoon to eight in the evening. His mother’s private secretary had contacted all the guests to inform them of the changed time.
Somehow, it had all worked out. Except he hadn’t slept in over a day. Neither had Roxanne. On top of that, she’d been injured.
“Well, Mr. Harrington, you look the worse for wear,” Father Wilkins remarked as the bridal party marched down the aisle. He looked ridiculous wearing a cut over his priestly garb, but Knox kept his opinion to himself.
“C’mon, bruh,” Digger said to the priest. “Don’t start this. This a high-class function. Even Knox momma decided to come. If she can behave, you can.”
“Lest I remind you, you’re in my church.”
Mortician glowered at him. “Lest I remindyou, you got a lot of cash from my wife. Not a motherfucker alive more larcenous than you.”
“It is not larceny, Mortician,” Father Wilkins said. “It’s looking out for one’s self.”
“Well, when one’s self finds one dead don’t be fucking surprised,” Mortician retorted.
Father Wilkins looked at Mortician over the top of his glasses, but snapped his mouth shut.
Five minutes later, the wedding march began and the guests got to their feet. Mortician beamed as Johnnie marched Bailey down the aisle. Unable to wait, he met them halfway and transferred Bailey’s hand from Johnnie’s arm to his own, walking her to the altar.
Roxanne appeared, holding onto Outlaw as she limped down the aisle, banged and bruised but gorgeous and alive.
Outlaw stopped at the edge of the altar and lifted a brow at Father Wilkins.
“This where you say who the fuck give this woman,” Outlaw said.
“She been given too many times for that bullshit, Outlaw,” Pearllene called from the audience.
“Ain’t movin’ until this motherfucker say it,” Outlaw said stubbornly.
“This is ridiculous,” Knox said, annoyed. He glared at the priest. “Would you just say it so the wedding can commence?”
“My dear friends and family,” his mother began, suddenly standing from her seat. “Please don’t let these people be a reflection of me and my Hal. My Knox might be a lost cause—”
“Really, Mother?” Knox called, glaring at the back of her head.
“Sit down, Joan,” his father said around a cough.
“Here, take her, Knox,” Outlaw called. “The lil’ motherfucker said it while your ma was actin’ just as bad as us.”
Kissing Roxanne’s hand, Knox guided her to the altar. When the priest got to their vows, Roxanne halted the ceremony, stood and summoned Grant, who’d been sitting in the row with Meggie, Outlaw, and most of their children. Rebel, CJ, and Diesel had been members of the wedding party.
