Page 215 of Relentles
“This isn’t about Megan or CJ or—”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Johnnie. It is strictly about Meggie. Bash wants to cripple Christopher. I’d even say he wants to kill Meggie to avenge your fuckhead father. But I’m still missing a critical fucking piece. How the fuck does Bash have a claim on the club?”
Johnnie shoved his hands into his pockets. “It seems when the original charter was created, Cee Cee was a founding member. There’s a document in the fucking mountain of papers, stating the percentage each founding member was entitled to once all debts were paid. After the loans were settled, Big Joe was supposed to divide ownership of the land between the club, himself, my grandfather, Sharper Banks, Rack, K-P, and my father. If they were dead and named heirs, their portion would go to whoever was in their will. If there were no heirs, it all would go to the club. Big Joe kept it all in Megan’s name, although everyone else kept to their bargain. Cee Cee divided hisshares between Bash and Christopher. My grandfather allotted his portion to me, Sharper’s were split between Mort, Digger, Osti and Cleaner.”
She knew Osti. He’d been the motherfucker who murdered Outlaw’s sisters and nieces. “Who the hell is Cleaner?”
“An illegitimate son of Sharper.”
Kendall tried to fit all the pieces together. “So was Osti another illegitimate child or was he really Mort and Digger’s cousin?”
Johnnie shrugged. “For Osti to have been a cousin that would indicate Sharper had a sister or a brother. He didn’t.”
“Then—”
“It doesn’t matter, gorgeous,” he said tiredly. “The motherfucker’s dead. Unfortunately, Cleaner is very much alive.”
She let that sink in. Judging by the anger darkening his eyes, Cleaner being alive needed to change as soon as possible. She heaved in a breath. “Johnnie.”
“I don’t want to hear it, Kendall. Club business, remember?”
“Johnnie, listen to me.Please. I…Outlaw has already shot you and beaten you—”
“He beat me because of Megan.”
Swallowing, Kendall clenched her jaw, not wanting to consider the meaning behind the statement, though it was crystal fucking clear. She glared at him. “He will fucking killyoubecause of Meggie and me because he thinks I would want to avenge you.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“Fuck you, motherfucker. Your death would destroy me, but I wouldn’t want to pay withmylife becauseyou’rea stupid fucking asshole. I didn’t fight to survive just to get fucking killed over a wholly avoidable situation.”
“I’m overwhelmed by your wifely sentiment.”
“I’m underwhelmed by your boneheaded logic.”
“I’m so fucking sick of your desertion. I’m positive Megan didn’t put Christopher through constant fucking nagging and harping on the same fucking subject. She might’ve been hurt and not talked to him, but he had fucking peace. Goddamn it, why the fuck don’t you ever back down like her? If he died, she’d never fucking recover. Unlike you. You’d dance on my grave.”
“Is that what you want? Has life really gotten so unbearable with me that you want to bring me to my knees? Leave the kids and me permanently if by some miracle Outlaw changed his mind about killing me?”
“Don’t you fucking start,” he growled.
Pressing her lips together to control her anger, she drew in a deep breath. She refused to return to the old Kendall. It only led to death and destruction. “Johnnie, the club has to deal with Bash and the Scorpions.”
Johnnie’s anger slid away and he gave her a tender smile. “You wanted peace, sweetheart. It is my job to protect you. I love you.”
“And I love you. But I’m so scared that if there are threats, you’ll…” Voice trailing off, she lowered her gaze.
“I’ll what?” he pressed gently.
“Remember how much you love Meggie,” she said, the words dredged from a painful, dark place that she hadn’t visited in so long.
“Is that why you’ve been so insistent on peace?”
His expression was as inscrutable as his tone, but Kendall wouldn’t back down now. She nodded.
For a moment, he studied her, silent, unreadable, and still. It was as if he was trying to decipher the mysteries of the universe, while hiding any indication that he had one iota of knowledge. Especially on the workings of her mind. Then, emotion slammedinto him, and she saw it all—his love and his kindness. She sawher Johnnie, her rock and her salvation.
Her best friend.
