Misalliance (Death Dwellers MC #4.5) (18 page)

“I know! Let it go. For me,” she reiterated, nearing desperation.

“For you?” he snarled.

Despite the anger vibrating in his voice, Kendall nodded.

“For you? Just forget he choked the fuck out of you? Left marks on your beautiful skin?”

“Yes,” she said in a small voice.

He growled, yanking his hair in frustration. “Fine, Kendall. But I expect you to keep your fucking comments to yourself.”

“I never believed he’d really hurt me.”

Not answering, he stalked to the closet, and returned Glock-less. “You believe it now? If you fuck with Megan, you die. Then he dies. Or I die. You fucking get it now?”

She opened her mouth and only managed a squeak, before doubling over in pain, as water poured down her legs.

Dear Diary,

Meggie called me today. I’d been both dreading and anticipating this day. As usual, she offered her friendship through the kindness of her words and the sincerity of her concern.

I’ve been at Charlotte’s and Brooks’ house for two and a half months, searching for the resolve and the nerve to return to the clubhouse and reclaim my Johnnie.

Mostly, I’ve focused on work. It wasn’t a huge case Brooks allowed me to assist on, but it made me happy, if not satisfied. Now, I’m on maternity leave, preparing for the birth of my as-yet-unknown-sex-of baby. With each passing day, I miss Johnnie a little more, so when Meggie invited me to Bailey’s and Mortician’s “big” wedding, I jumped at the chance. She even filled me in on the wedding party details, hinting I should find a dress in a similar color.

Unable to help myself, I flatly asked her if Johnnie knew what she was up to.

“No, Kendall. He’s very angry with you. If he didn’t still love you, it wouldn’t still hurt him. Come to the wedding. You two have to start repairing your relationship somehow.”

Johnnie’s decree when he’d sent me away to the retreat thumped in my head. He’d sworn they didn’t interfere in each other’s private relationships. I suppose Meggie was exempt, just as her jackass of a husband exempted her from every available rule that we all had to follow to the letter. My resentment surfaced, but then I realized I was skirting the edges of bad behavior, and Dr. Stanton would jerk off if I proved his conclusions right.

Besides,
I
wanted Johnnie back, and if this was the way to do it, then I’d take it.

Not long after, Meggie said her goodbyes. She didn’t have long to sneak down to the kitchen to help Bunny out, before Christopher returned.

I held back my snort. Once I hung up, I sat on the striped tan couch in my living quarters and realized I had a lot to work on in a very short time.

Short term? Winning Johnnie back and convincing him of my love. Having us wed before the birth of our baby, even if I had to propose.

Shorter term? Finding a dress for the wedding and working on my hot-and-cold attitude regarding Meggie. If it worked out between Johnnie and me, I’d have her to thank.

If it didn’t, then I’d have her to blame.

Chapter 13: Not Like This

It took Johnnie a moment to realize what happened, even as he rushed to Kendall to catch her before she sprawled onto the floor. He held onto her.

“It’s too soon,” she cried, groaning.

“I know,” he told her, remaining as calm as possible and guiding her to the door. “You and the baby will be fine.”

“I can’t have him yet! Please. We haven’t even gotten married. Our son is going to be born illegitimate.”

Scooping her into his arms, Johnnie gritted his teeth at her pitiful moan. She laid her head on his shoulder. “I’ll be there to sign the birth certificate. The baby will have my name.”

“But I won’t!” she wailed, as he reached the main room, where more fucking than talking or drinking now took place. He headed for the exit, but Stretch beat him to it.

“I saw you coming on the monitors,” he explained. “I’ve already sent a probate for Kendall’s navigator.”

“Thanks,” Johnnie said, hurrying outside with her.

Kendal grunted. “It hurts so much.”

“I know, sweetheart. It’ll be over soon.”

The SUV screeched around a sea of bikes, and halted as close as possible to the front door, which was nearer to the edge of the wooded pathway, than where he stood.

Stretch jogged ahead and swung the passenger door open, then stepped aside, so Johnnie could place Kendall in the seat and strap her in. That done, he hurried to the driver’s side.

“Call Christopher,” he instructed. “Tell him what’s going on. Ask him to get Father Wilkins to meet us at the hospital.” Fuck, the rings were in his closet, where he’d stored them six months ago. “I’m going to text him. Just let him know.”

Not waiting for Stretch’s response, Johnnie slammed his door shut, and sped away.

Forty-five minutes later, he walked out of Kendall’s delivery suite to send the text to Christopher. Although she’d gotten a different obstetrician, he didn’t have credentials for Hortensia Medical Center.

Call Dr. Will. Ask her to meet us at the hospital.

He sent the text to Christopher, grateful that Kendall and the doctor were familiar with one another.

After five minutes, Johnnie received no response and he gritted his teeth, tempering the anger rising to the surface.

Christopher
?

Kendall had asked him to let Christopher choking her go, for her, but, it seemed as if Christopher would force his hand. Ignoring the ding of the elevator’s arrival on that floor, Johnnie paced.

Kendall is in labor.

“I know exactly where the fuck that cunt at,” Christopher growled from behind him.

Johnnie spun around, intending to blast him, until he spotted Megan at Christopher’s side. He clutched her hand in his, his eyes blazing. At once, Johnnie knew confronting his brother would be a bad idea. One, the man looked ready to explode. Without asking, Johnnie knew he hadn’t wanted Megan to accompany him.

“The rings, Christopher,” she urged him now, throwing Johnnie a sour look.

He lifted a brow at her, but she clenched her jaw and glanced away.

“Sit the fuck down, Megan,” Christopher ordered, not giving her a choice. He dragged her to a chair and pushed her down himself.

“Give him the rings, Christopher,” she repeated on a hiss.

A muscle ticking in his jaw, Christopher stalked to Johnnie, yanked out two jeweler’s boxes and shoved them against Johnnie’s chest. “Father Wilcunt on the fuckin’ way.”

“I’m calling Dr. Will,” Megan announced, holding up her phone.

Christopher sat next to her and glared at Johnnie, until she finished her call to the doctor.

“Hold on, motherfucker,” Johnnie barked, the moment she hung up and told him Dr. Will would be at the hospital shortly. He pocketed the small boxes, his rage getting the best of him. “You fucked with Kendall and
you’re
fucking angry?”

“Told you, baby. I brought my fuckin’ ass here and Ida had to shoot the fuck outta him over his bitch.”

“Oh, so you know, Megan?” Johnnie spat. “You know this motherfucker tried to choke my woman?”

“I know
everything
,” Megan snapped, anger and hurt in her eyes. “Christopher can’t go around killing-” she dropped her voice to a whisper for that word—“but Kendall can’t go around propositioning
my
husband. You’re a moron and so is she. I don’t want you, so stop using me to make her jealous, you big ass.”

Another ding of the elevator and Johnnie didn’t bother to look in the direction of it, to see who’d arrived. “I didn’t make her offer pussy to Christopher. She did that on her own.”

Folding her arms, Megan’s chin wobbled and she looked away. Christopher’s look darkened, but he hugged Megan to him and kissed the top of her head.

“Just follow the loud voices and I’m sure to find you two,” Father Wilkins intoned dryly, glancing between Johnnie and Christopher. “Aww, if it isn’t the lovely Mrs. Caldwell.” His brow creased. “Where’s my cut, madam?”

“Cut?” Christopher echoed, sidling a glance at Megan. “What the fuck he talkin’ about, baby?”

“I’ll tell you later,” she responded sullenly.

“Why don’t I explain, hmmm?” the priest said with a patently warm voice. Not giving her a chance to respond, he went on. “It seems. Mrs. Caldwell and Mrs. Banks offered me an honorary membership in your club, gentlemen. Officially offering me the road name of
Jazzman
and swearing to me, a holy man of God, that
you
, Mr. Caldwell, didn’t bear true animosity to me.”

“First, Father Wilcunt, Megan ain’t got no fuckin’ authority offerin’ your fuckin’ ass no place in my fuckin’ club.” He scowled at her and she flushed. “Second, I think you a holier-than-thou, self-righteous, fat lil’ motherfucker.”

Johnnie winced. Not because Christopher’s words weren’t accurate but because once again they were in a position of
needing
the priest. He wanted to marry Kendall before their baby was born, and Father Wilkins was the only one readily available to do it. If they called Brooks and asked him to get a judge to the hospital, Johnnie couldn’t be certain how long it would take.

But the priest was on the take from the club, which meant he was also on call for them.

Fuck. Suddenly, he saw the brilliance of Megan’s and Bailey’s idea.

“Christopher?” he said, hoping the priest’s beet red face didn’t bode ill. “Father Wilkins is always there when we need him. There wouldn’t be any harm in putting a vote to the membership. He could be the club’s chaplain.”

Megan swallowed and tugged Christopher’s head down to whisper in his ear. Although her words annoyed him, he nodded and leveled a look at the round, little man.

“Go the fuck with Johnnie, marry him and his bitch without fuckin’ bullshit, and I’ll put your fuckin’ honorary membership to the club in two fuckin’ weeks. You ain’t gettin’ no fuckin’ votin’ rights even if you get the fuck in.”

Adjusting his stiff collar and brushing off the black jacket he wore, Father Wilkins cleared his throat. “I take it you and Mrs. Caldwell will be the witnesses?” he asked through tight lips.

“Yep, so get it the fuck over with, so I can get my fuckin’ wife back home. This shit was her fuckin’ idea, figurin’ they wouldn’t want fuckin’ medical staff doin’ something so fuckin’ important.” Christopher took Megan’s hand in his again. “Val was gonna come, but she figured we could be best fuckin’ man and matron of honor, so here the fuck we be.”

Christopher and Father Wilkins focused on Johnnie, who nodded and said, “Follow me.”

Kendall rested her head on her pillow, eyes closed and waiting for the next pain to hit her. It had been about thirty-five minutes, but she was dilated, so they considered her in active labor. The baby’s heartbeat was strong and steady, as was hers.

As delivery got closer, she intended to have an epidural. No natural childbirth for her. She thought maybe Johnnie would protest. He didn’t. Instead, he’d kissed her and murmured, “Whatever makes you most comfortable, sweetheart.”

Those words came right before he disappeared. He’d been gone for half an hour, and Kendall wondered what had taken him away. She’d seen the phone in his hand, but hadn’t thought much of it.

Now, though, she feared he’d taken this opportunity to confront Outlaw, despite her plea that he drop it.

Just as horrible ideas of Outlaw killing Johnnie went through her head, the door opened, and he sauntered in, followed by Father Wilkins and Outlaw, who carried Meggie in his arms.

Kendall gasped at the sight of the priest and her gaze flew to Johnnie’s.

Nervous tension surrounded him, and he looked both worried and hopeful. She opened her mouth, but he held up a hand.

“Kendall, my love, I’m responsible for much of the strain going on between the four of us right now, and I apologize for putting you in the position that I did. I hurt you, and you responded the only way you knew how to.” He dug into his pocket and held out her diamond engagement ring, along with a matching platinum band. “There’s nothing and no one more important in this world to me, than you. I’ll love you and cherish you and keep you and honor you for the rest of my life. Marry me, sweetheart. Forgive me.”

Johnnie’s heartfelt speech sent Kendall soaring and tears to her eyes. She’d never thought him capable of such depth of emotion. Each of his words soothed the hurt she’d carried, some self-inflicted, some misconstrued, but all destructive.

This was all she’d ever wanted from him, the unshakeable knowledge that he loved her. That despite anything, and despite
everything
, she’d have him.

“I’m rather impressed, Mr. Donovan,” Father Wilkins intoned with a smirk. “Who knew you were so poetic?”

Johnnie ignored the priest and kept his focus on her. Too overcome to speak, she held up her hand. Somehow, she managed a weak, “yes. I love you so much, Johnnie.”

Father Wilkins pulled out a book from the inside of his jacket and held it up. “Can we get started?”

“Oh, wait!” Meggie fumbled with her phone. By now, Outlaw had sat her in the chair near the bed.

“What the fuck, baby? Let Wilcunt get on with this shit, so I can get you the fuck home. I gotta get somewhere and—“

Still searching for something on her phone, Meggie’s brows drew together. “Tonight?”

He sighed. “Yeah Megan, Digger,” he said simply.

Meggie froze. A heartbeat passed, then another, while Outlaw and Johnnie exchanged meaningful looks.

“Alone?” Meggie finally asked her despondency hard to miss.

“Yeah.”

“Christopher-” Johnnie began, but Outlaw stared at Johnnie over Meggie’s head.

“I gotta ground him, baby. Ain’t no other choice.”

She swallowed and her nostrils flared, a mask of fear settling on her face. But she nodded. “I know. Just please be careful.”

Forcing a smile, Meggie held up her phone and cleared her throat. “Ready. I’m sorry. This is all I could find,” she said to no one in particular before pressing her screen, and the sound of a saxophone filled the air. “
The Wedding Song
by Kenny G,” she explained.

Once it played, Father Wilkins began and, a few minutes later, Kendall became Mrs. John Peter Donovan. As they signed the documents, Meggie found one of Kendall’s favorite songs,
All of Me
by John Legend, capping the perfect ceremony with the perfect verses.