Page 99 of Misrule
WHAT?
Her kids were living with Meggie and Outlaw? Johnnie never told her that!
“Because it is too hard to look at them, without thinking of Kendall. I miss her so much, but I…she is so hard to handle. She is always getting me into trouble. Or herself.”
“Cuz she a busy bitch,” Outlaw told him. “And I wanna knock you the fuck out, cuz you always makemyfuckin’ ass defend that cunt, when I hate the fuck outta her. All the fuck I’m hearin’ is she, she, she…What the fuck about your motherfuckin’ ass? You got faults comin’ out the ass, Johnnie. That bitch get into all type of shit, but I gotta give her ass fuckin’ credit for at leasttrynachange once in a fuckin while. If she ain’t hatin’ on Megan so much and doin’ shit to irritate the fuck outta me and just basically fuckin’ breathin’, I might actually like that bitch. She fuckin’ tough. She ain’t easily a-fuckin-fraid. She got a fuckin’ brain. She pretty. She been through a lot and she still fuckin’ standin’. She shit for a ma, but even that coulda been different if your ass ain’t such a assfuck to her.”
“Am I in the Twilight Zone?” Johnnie asked, sounding as awed as Kendall felt at Outlaw’s words. “You’re defendingKendall?”
“Johnnie, I want that bitch gone,dead, for so many different fuckin’ reasons, I ain’t got time to list them all. But I fuckin’hateyou givin’ Megan the responsibility for your fuckin’ children.”
Kendall did, too. She almost broke down in sobs to know that someone thought she was worthy. That was all she’d ever wanted. Maybe, just a few weeks ago, she would’ve been feeling vindicated that it wasOutlawwho defended her. Now, it only left her sad and hopeful that Johnnie would eventually come to see her as Outlaw did.
“What’s wrong with Megan looking after my kids? CJ—allof your children—are happy and well-adjusted. CJ is like you because Megan allowed him to be your son. She allowed you two to bond. Kendall hates the biker in me, so she did her best to turn Rory into who she thought he should be. He’s quiet and reserved, and it’s all Kendall’s fault.”
Outlaw snorted. “Keep believin’ that, motherfucker.”
Johnnie said nothing.
“I thought your bitch was comin’ up the walk.”
“Do you see her here? It wasn’t her. It must’ve been someone else.”
“Matilda still a lil’ kid. Kendall theonlyred-headed grown bitch that got the code to the gate. Unless that bitch dead and I saw her fuckin’ ghost.”
“She’s not here, Christopher.”
“What the fuck ever, motherfucker,” Outlaw grunted, before the sound of his bootfalls carried him away.
A moment passed, then: “You can come out, Kendall,” Johnnie called. “Wherever you’re hiding.”
Kendall stalked into view. Johnnie stood there, tall and imposing, and gorgeous in gray trousers and white dress shirt. His sleeves were rolled up, partially revealing his biceps.
“Did you get what you wanted?”
She blinked at Johnnie’s question. “You knew I was here.”
He shrugged. “Of course. I saw you at the gate and watched you walk to the door. “You play so many fucking games, I decided to beat you at this one. Doing what you love to do. Listen for a snippet to justify bad behavior. I gave you what you wanted, sweetheart.”
At Johnnie’s pettiness, Kendall was torn between rage and despair. For now, the feelings buried all dreams of reconciling with her husband. She’d always known Johnnie wanted Rory to be another CJ…a mini Outlaw…but the extent in which he blamed her for Rory’s woes shocked her.
Glaring at him, she got straight to the point. “Is it any wonder why I despise that little bastard? You think CJ is as perfect as Meggie. Because he’s her son.”
“Enough, Kendall,” he warned, walking closer. “Don’t start this tonight.”
“He called me names and you couldn’t even defend me!”
“I did! I said I was going to spank him. You heard Christopher. What did you expect me to do?”
“Why am I fighting for you,for us, if I can never live up to your ideal? Not only do you want me to be Megan, but you want Rory to be CJ,” she spat. “Why can’t you appreciate us for who we are?”
“Let’s not discuss this here.”
“The kids aren’t even staying with you. They’rehere. Where your perfect ideal of a woman lives.”
“Goddamn it, don’t start this bullshit!”
Was that all he could say? Of course it was! What other defense did he have?
