“Enough!” Fee shouted. “Answer me, Zoann.”
Another sigh from her sister. “What can I say?”
“You were raped?” Fee repeated on a tortured whisper, so much making sense now. The resentment Fee had always detected in Zoann. Her years of being single, never getting close to anyone. Her remaining in Hortensia, near Christopher, though she seemed to hate him.
Zoann grabbed Fee and hugged her. “It’s a long story that happened thirteen years ago, baby. Tied to the club. Granddaddy. Big Joe. Everybody. Meggie doesn’t know about Traveler. She thinks Christopher killed him. If she hadn’t shot him, Christopher would be dead. She saved his life, but she doesn’t need to know he would’ve died from her shot.”
Hearing that confused Fee even more. “Is everything else about Meggie true? She’s responsible.”
Zoann grabbed her shoulders. “Listen to me. Meggie doesn’t know about Dinah’s betrayal. And Dinah isn’t responsible for the deaths of our sisters. Osti had already killed them by the time he got to the club. Dinah didn’t let him in, either. It was me, by accident.”
“Who’s Osti?” Then, again, that wasn’t important. “Never mind. I need time…God! I don’t know how to process everything.”
“Fee, what’s so fucking hard to process a name like Death Dwellers? The name says it all,” Kendall goaded, the side of her face red and swollen. “You’re not that naïve.”
“Shut up, Kendall,” Bunny growled.
“I know Meggie isn’t who Kendall says she is.” To her own ears, she sounded robotic. “It just hurts me to discover what you’ve endured, Zoann.”
“I’m so sorry, Fee. There was never a right time to tell you, and I put it behind me. Moved on with my life. Christopher and I made up.”
Whatever Zoann had been so angry with Christopher about before their mother’s death had to do with her rape. “I’ve searched for a way to be a part of the club. To be on the inside like you. Part of a sisterhood, in a way that I never felt. But for what? The entire evening has been arguing and cat-fighting.” Swiping her cheeks, she glared at Kendall. “Betrayal of confidences. How could you do this, Kendall? Just blab out Zoann’s secret?”
“Oh, grow up,” Kendall sneered. “You want to be a part of the club? Welcome to it. This is the real side. It isn’t fucking sunshine and roses.” Tears rushed to her eyes and she stood. “It’s about death and betrayal. Infidelity. Sisterhood, huh? There’s no sisterhood. It’s every woman for herself, Fee.”
“I refuse to believe that, Kendall. It seems to be you for yourself.”
“Yes. The sooner you learn that, the better. Thanks to your brother, I’ve lost my entire career. I’m so angry with Meggie, I can spit nails. I forgave her for going into labor with only my husband to help her. But this is the final straw. She claims she doesn’t want me back at the firm. I know it isn’t her,” she yelled. “I know it’s Christopher. She’s nothing but a little idiot. His cum receptacle. His cock sucker.” She hurried to where her purse sat on the sofa and snatched it up. “I hate her. I want her to fucking die. Then Johnnie and Christopher would realize how suited I am to help run the club.”
“Kendall,” Zoann bit out. “I want to fucking kill you. Meggie isn’t responsible for any of your fucking problems. You hate her on general principle alone. However, you usually have better control of your mouth when you’re taking meds. Taking them, or not, is your prerogative. But you know what happens when you skip doses, so I have no sympathy for you. I don’t care if you call my warning posturing. Christopher will kill you if you keep your shit up.”
Kendall pulled the door open, then paused for effect and gave a triumphant smile. “No, he won’t. I’m pregnant again, so he’ll never touch me.”
“You can’t be! You’ve been drinking alcohol tonight,” Bunny reminded her.
“Can’t I be? Believe me. I’m safe from Christopher’s wrath. He respects motherhood.”
With that, she slammed the door shut, leaving the ruin of her disclosure in her wake.
“Are you singing tonight, Fee?” Chloe asked the next evening, keeping her eyes on Johnnie. She was the waitress at the bar and grill Fee had accompanied Kendall to, the same one she’d been at with Cash and Stretch the night she met Noah, last week.
Johnnie’s eyes twinkled between Fee and Chloe. The rat knew the effect he had on women. “Yes, are you singing tonight, Fee?” he echoed, laughing at Chloe’s pleased grin and her suddenly flushed skin.