Read Misjudged (Death Dwellers #3.5) Online
Authors: Kathryn Kelly
“No,” he growled, backing away. “Fuck no. You’re not dicking me around. We’re over, so get the fuck out of here.”
“Way to go, asshole,” Zoann called, glaring daggers at Johnnie’s head.
“Shut the fuck up, Zoann,” he snapped, needing someone to vent his anger on. “You were fighting with Kendall, now you’re defending her? Fuck you.”
“Cunt licker,” Val growled, but Zoann stomped from around the bar and slapped Johnnie, hard enough to make his head jerk.
“Now, fucker, I’m fighting
you
.” She shoved him back.
Kendall remembered Zoann was related to both Johnnie
and
Christopher. They fought first and asked questions later. The thought made her frown and she pressed a hand to her belly, thinking of her new baby and wondering if it would inherit the killing gene the Donovans and Caldwells had.
“You’re a brainless fucker. Perhaps, I am taking up for Kendall, but, more than anything I’m taking up for you, dummy.” Zoann narrowed her eyes. “You want Kendall? Then fucking fight for her. That’s what she’s asking. Stop being so fucking distracted with everything.”
“She isn’t asking that,” Johnnie bit out. “She’s
telling
me we’re over. That she’s not well. She’s accusing me of deserting her and taking away the option of planning a fucking wedding she’s been wanting for months. I thought she’d be happy. I thought she’d realize how much I value her and hear everything she says.”
“By gettin’ my wife to plan your bitch’s weddin’,” Christopher said sarcastically. “You one brilliant motherfucker. Of all the fuckin’ girls in the world, you had to go ask the one that send your bitch over the fuckin’ edge. Your brain gotta be workin’ on fuckin’ fumes. What the fuck was you thinkin’, assfuck?”
Johnnie looked ready to kill Christopher, who watched him calmly, unperturbed.
“As if you give a fuck,” he sneered. “You’ve never liked Kendall. You’re the main reason I sent her away. To protect her from your threats.”
“Fuck you. You ain’t sent that bitch away for that. I woulda shot the fuck outta both of you motherfuckers, then maybe you could live in fuckin’ peace in eternal, ever-fuckin-lastin’ love. You sent this bitch away cuz she just what the fuck she said she is. A psycho obsessed with bein’ everybody but
herself
.” He glared at her and Kendall shriveled back. “You wanna get a fuckin’ analysis? Here the fuck it is, Kendall. You fuckin’ right. Johnnie need a fuckin’ wake-up call to stop bein’ human and shit—“
Johnnie scowled and Kendall raised her brows in confusion.
“You pass fuckin’ judgment ‘bout every-fuckin-thing. You think you fuckin’ entitled to shit just the fuck becuz you breathin’. Ain’t how fuckin’ shit work.”
“You ridicule me and make fun of me and—“
“Ain’t much more than I do with these other fuckheads. Only difference is—“
“You hate me, so the words have more truth to them,” she interrupted.
“My words to you got as much truth in them as they do any-fuckin-body else. The difference is how the fuck
you
take them. Just more to add to your fuckin’ pity party cuz you ain’t comfortable in your own fuckin’ skin.” He rolled his shoulders. “This shit right here? Un-fuckin-necessary if you woulda opened your fuckin’ mouth weeks ago. Called his fuckin’ bluff ‘bout leavin’. Motherfucker woulda backed the fuck down cuz that’s the kinda pussy-whipped asshole he is.”
“Look who’s talking,” she retorted. “All Megan has to do is go
wah
and you’re bowing to her.”
“That shit a new observation how?” Christopher asked, his brow lifting. “Every motherfucker around know Megan pussify me. That’s just the bullshit I’m talkin’ ‘bout. We talk ‘bout somethin’ else, you fuckin’ bring up my girl. We talkin’ ‘bout relationships, you bring up me and Megan’s. Lemme clue you the fuck in ‘bout your man. Your
former
man. He reserved and uptight and
proper
.”
He pulled out another cigarette and lit it, then shouldered Johnnie aside to go to the bar. After grabbing a bottle of tequila and greeting Boy and Derby, he went to Megan and guided her back to her chair. He drank from the bottle, belched and focused on Kendall again.
“Outta the two of us, no motherfucker alive woulda thought I woulda been the one to fall so fuckin’ hard for a girl and be so fuckin’ willin’ to show it. All bets woulda went to my brother. But outta me and him, I ain’t givin’ a fuck to show how much Megan bring me to my knees. He do give a fuck, though. So if you can’t deal with that fuckin fact, walk the fuck away and
stay
the fuck away.”
“Fuck you, asshole, telling my woman to stay away so casually like she isn’t welcome here whenever the fuck she wants to come back.”
Kendall widened her eyes at Johnnie’s words, ignoring the juvenile snickers of Mortician and Val. Meggie shook her head and Zoann glared at Johnnie. They all recognized how this statement contrasted his decree of a few minutes ago when he’d vowed they were over.
“And right the fuck there is your fuckin’ answer.” Christopher tipped his bottle back, then crooked his finger at Megan just as his phone started ringing. “Fuck, what the fuck now?”
When he pulled his phone out, he frowned and held it up “Why the fuck your doctor callin’ me, Megan?”
Meggie glanced uneasily at the clock on the wall and groaned. “I need to talk to…” Her voice trailed off and she sighed. The barbarian would just demand she spit it out then and there. “I might be a little dehydrated and I might need to be admitted to the hospital to get fluids in me and I might be, um…”
“Um fuckin’ what? Becuz at the moment I
might
be a pissed motherfucker and it fuckin’
might
be at you cuz you
might
be sittin’ your ass here instead of bein’ in a fuckin’ hospital. So, um, fuckin’ what?”
Meggie closed her eyes and heaved in a deep breath before smiling tentatively at Christopher. “I might be…I-I mean I, um,
am
carrying twins.”
Not flinching at her husband’s ferocious glower, Meggie watched Christopher steadily, fascinating Kendall at the contrast of fear and anger in the man’s eyes and the encouragement and understanding in Meggie’s. Without saying anything, the two of them spoke volumes.
That was it right there. That was what she wanted for herself
with
Johnnie.
But he wasn’t backing down and neither was she. As Christopher swept Meggie into his arms and CJ screamed for his mother, Kendall went to the room she’d shared with Johnnie and packed her clothes.
Twenty minutes later, she walked out into the now deserted main room and waited a few moments, wondering if Johnnie would come and bid her farewell. Tell her he loved her. Ask her not to go.
But, he didn’t, and, after an additional ten minutes, she walked outside and gasped.
Two bikes were in the parking lot, not Johnnie’s, though. However, a white Navigator was there, with cans and bottles tied to it and a giant red bow.
Just Married
and
Johnnie <3 Kendall
had been painted onto the glass. A big red bow sat on the hood.
The words mocked her and she burst into tears.
“Kendall?”
Stretch’s uncertain voice broke through her sobs.
“H-hey.”
He nodded to her and held up a set of keys. “John Boy asked me to give you these. Your title, registration, and proof of insurance are in the glove compartment.”
“Wh-where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
He glanced away from her and she knew he lied to her. He’d probably gone to the hospital to be with his Megs. The thought depressed her and she sniffled.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Stretch muttered. “He didn’t go to the hospital.” He shifted uncomfortably. “You’re going to get my ass beat.” He inched closer and pointed over his shoulder. “He’s there.”
“Where? On the pathway at Meggie’s house?” Her almost completed house.
“On the pathway at
your
house.”
Kendall reeled back.
Stretch inched closer to her. “He’s just had the land cleared,” he whispered. “He was going to tell you over your honeymoon, so you could start with floor plans.”
Covering her face, Kendall felt as if her entire world had exploded. Everything always happened to her. She always made mistakes, the wrong choices, said the wrong things.
“John Boy means well and he missed you a lot. If you can drive, leave before he get back. The only way this’ll stick with him is if you stick to your guns.”
“Suppose he calls my bluff?” she whispered, heart sore.
“Then you’re better off without each other if both of you have to keep bluffing your way through your relationship.”
He held up the keys again and she took them, watching dully as he loaded her Navigator, wondering if she’d ever get the help she truly needed to stand on her own two feet.
After Stretch removed all the wedding regalia, she drove away, leaving her heart behind.
Christopher paced in Megan’s hospital room, not speaking, only raising his head to glare at her every few minutes. Twins? Motherfucking
twins
.
She had two babies in her, not one. Two little parasites that could take her away from him and all
because
of him. He hadn’t even made her pregnant when she’d forgotten her pill. She was
already
pregnant.
What kind of bullshit was that?
“Are you ready to talk now?” she asked in her sweet voice.
He wanted to kick something. Mainly, his own fucking insatiable dick. He couldn’t keep it the fuck out of Megan. Now look what the fuck had happened.
She was pregnant with twins, months too fucking early.
“You’re acting like a child,” she chastised, touching the tape on her hand that held the needle for her IV in place. “We need to talk.”
“What the fuck you want me to fuckin’ say, baby? This shit you goin’ through? My fuckin’ fault. That’s the fuckin’ cost of cum. Babies and abrupt placentas and two of them lil’ motherfuckers at one fuckin’ time.” Growling in frustration, he made a tight turn and almost yanked his hair out. “I ain’t believin’ this shit. I ain’t fuckin’ believin’ it. This shit unreal.”
Megan huffed out a breath and sat up, her intentions to get out of bed clear as a motherfucker. Alarmed, Christopher went to her and shoved her back. His reward was a fucked up screw-up of her face. “You can’t walk.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“You ain’t liftin’ shit. You ain’t gettin’ upset. You ain’t drivin’. You ain’t cookin’. You ain’t walkin’. You ain’t fuckin’. You ain’t doin’ none of that.”
“Can I pee?”
He frowned. “Well, you gotta piss and shit. What the fuck you talkin’ ‘bout?”
“I mean I have to pee,” she yelled, looking like she wanted to fuck him up.
“Why the fuck you ain’t said that?” He stomped to her, lifted her into his arms, and halted when she kicked her feet. “Keep fuckin’ still.”
“I need the IV pole, Christopher,” she said in frustration, pointing to her hand. “You’re going to make the needle come out.”
Attempting to figure out how to carry Megan and pull the metal pole, Christopher hissed when she dug her nails into his arm.
“I’m going to pee on you.”
Reluctant, he allowed her to grab the pole so she could guide it to the bathroom where he set her own her feet and folded his arms to wait. “Omigod, you’re such a control freak,” she complained, giving up her silent battle to make him leave.
He lifted her up once she finished and carried her back to the bed. When he laid her down, he pulled the sides up, ignoring her filthy look. In the space of ten minutes, he would’ve been fucked up so many different ways if she’d been able to do it.
“I’m hirin’ Bunny as CJ nanny and your nurse.”
“My
what
?”
His head felt as if it would burst open. He was worried about Johnnie and wanted to talk to him. He needed to find Mortician and check on shit on that front. But he needed to make this right with Megan, but he couldn’t because, in this, he had no control.
Sitting in the chair, he dropped his head into his hands. “I got Ghost to get me some abortion pills, Megan,” he admitted. “And, fuck, if I ain’t wishin’ all this bullshit wouldna come up, cuz I might’ve—“
“You were going to force pills in me?” she asked, sounding outraged.
That he continued to shock her amazed
him
. That meant, she still believed there was good in him.
“Yeah. Fuck…Megan…the thought of us havin’ more babies makes me so fuckin’ happy but I’m madder than a motherfucker, too. I don’t know how the fuck that can be.”
She was silent, so he raised his head. Angry disappointment greeted him and his insides clenched. At the sting in his shoulder, he realized he hadn’t even told her he’d been shot in Hawaii and questioned on the scene, but released with the statements of the other two women. Nor had he told her about Kendall’s bullshit.
“You would’ve killed our baby?”
His nostrils flared. “Yeah. To save you.”
“I’m not that important that you should kill an innocent baby,” she spat.
“Motherfucker innocent to
you
. To me, it—
they
—might be your fuckin’ murderers.”
Her cheeks reddened and she opened her mouth to blast him. Or tell him to get the fuck out. Or whatever, then she snapped it shut and lowered her lashes.
“What happens to you if something happens to me? What happens to CJ?”
He’d asked himself that a thousand times since the loss of their son. Each time, he reached the same conclusion and, each time, he rejected that conclusion. “What the fuck my life mean without you in it, Megan?”
“If I’d died—“
“Shut the fuck up,” he snarled, not wanting to think about her death let alone talk about it.
“You would’ve gone on and been the father CJ needed. He’s as much a part of me as he is you, and you would’ve wanted to raise him to help that part of me thrive.”
“I ain’t seein’ nothin’ of you in my boy. He look like I spit him the fuck out.”
Megan giggled. “You did in a way.”
He managed a smile. “I’m gettin’ a vasectomy,” he announced, the decision not up for discussion.
“Is that what you want?” she asked softly.
“Yeah.”
“I’m not getting rid of the babies.”
“I know,” he said tiredly.
“Let’s compromise, okay? I’ll follow the doctor’s orders to the letter, but whatever the OB allows me to do, you have to allow it, too.”
“What kinda fuckin’ compromise that is?”
“The kind that’ll keep me from punching you,” she answered with a prissy little sniff.
“What the fuck ever.” Resting his elbows on his knees, he looked at her. “Wherever you gotta go, I carry you.”
“Christopher—“
“I ain’t bullshittin’.”
“We’ve already established I’m not getting rid of the babies, so do I really have to make such an extreme compromise to put your mind at ease?”
He glowered at her.
“You’re unreasonable. That’s unreasonable,” she amended. “Impossible, too. Club duties won’t allow you to be around me 24/7.”
The little bitch actually sounded smug, pissing Christopher off. Pissed or not, she had the situation pegged right.
“You gotta promise me, baby, the first sign of trouble you goin’ to a hospital whether I’m there or not. And if it end up bein’ too much trouble, you get rid of them.”
“First sign of trouble, I promise I’ll call my doctor or go to the ER.”
“And the other fuckin’ part?”
She licked her lips and glanced away, a sure sign she lied. Megan couldn’t lie for shit. “Yes. Too much trouble and I get rid of them.”
Her monotone words didn’t comfort him. Megan wouldn’t ever intentionally destroy a life inside of her. She’d give up hers first.
“I’m going to be fine, Christopher,” she swore with conviction. “The babies will be, too. I promise.”
“You can’t make that fuckin’ type of promise, cuz you can’t tell the fuckin’ future.”
“But I
can
fight to have the future I want us to have.”
“I’m hatin’ my dick right ‘bout now.”
“Don’t. It’s a very beautiful part of your body.” She poked her tongue at him. “Delicious, too.”
“Wicked little pain in the ass motherfucker.”
“I opened my legs to you, so it isn’t only your fault.” She leaned over and tugged his hair. “If the doctor says I can make love, we are.”
“My dick feelin’ kinda dead right now, baby.” Motherfucker should’ve been dead weeks ago and it wouldn’t have caused so much trouble. “Even if you could fuck, I ain’t able to fuckin’ do it.”
They fell into silence, surprisingly comfortable considering everything that had happened. But that was just one of the precious qualities to his relationship with Megan. They didn’t need to always talk to get each other. He loved when she got her crazy on and he’d miss it for the next few months because he’d make sure it wouldn’t happen any time soon.
Although he was worried about Johnnie, he was happy Kendall wouldn’t be around with her bullshit to work on Megan. A thought occurred to him.
“I guess that’s it for your fuckin’ job.”
“You don’t have to sound so happy,” she grouched.
“You already got a full time job,” he pointed out. “Bein’ a husband and a daddy a fuckin’ job for me. This some hard ass shit. Worth every fuckin’ minute but, fuck, I need to get a fuckin’ paycheck myself.”
“Psycho.”
“Brat.”
He slid the chair forward and took her hand in his, laying it against his cheek.
“I’m your wicked little pain in the ass brat,” she told him gravely.
“Always, Megan,” he responded.
She caressed his jaw, her eyes shining with love and contentment. “Forever, Christopher.”