After inhaling a couple of times, Cash passed the bud to Digger.
“Christopher, what’s on your mind?” Johnnie leaned back and lifted a brow. “You seem like you’re about to explode. If it’s Kendall…”
When wasn’t it Kendall?
“When ain’t it that bitch?” Outlaw growled, as if he read Cash’s mind.
Johnnie glared at Outlaw. “Don’t start with your bullshit.”
“Fuck you,” he snarled. “Talk to your fuckin’ bitch, motherfucker. Ask her why the fuck she gotta make me acknowledge her motherfuckin’ ass when I been perfectly fuckin’ happy ignorin’ the fuck outta her.”
“Leave my wife to me. We shouldn’t let Kendall’s transgression ruin tonight for Megan.”
“Kendall ain’t ruinin’ fuck-all for my girl and you ain’t tellin’ the goddamn truth.”
“He might be,” Val said, taking his turn at the weed.
A muscle ticked in Outlaw’s jaw, his features so dark with fury that Cash swallowed. He’d escaped Outlaw’s wrath today. That meant another chance for him, Fee, and Stretch to be together. He couldn’t fuck over them. Outlaw didn’t want him near his little sister but Cash had to change the man’s mind.
The past weeks, away from Stretch and Fee, had been the most miserable of Cash’s life. Even when he’d left her alone for a time after Outlaw had warned Cash away from her, he’d still had Stretch. But he’d let both of them go. His friendship with Stretch had never recovered and Fee avoided him at all costs.
“Johnnie don’t make it a habit of lying to you,” Val went on.
“The motherfucker lyin’, Val. Know how I fuckin’ know he fuckin’ lyin’?”
“Cuz you some kinda freaky motherfucker with the ability to figure shit out none of the rest of us can?” Digger asked casually.
Outlaw transferred his cold gaze to Digger.
“Shut the fuck up, fool,” Mortician warned.
“John Boy been handling Kendall much better,” Val insisted.
“Uncle Chris?” Diesel called, as he walked into the room and halted.
Outlaw glanced in Diesel’s direction, softening a fraction. “Yeah, boy?”
“You said I could join you in here until the meeting started.”
“Then get a fuckin’ drink and sit the fuck down.”
“Deel!” A miniature version of Meggie bounded in, skidding into the boy. “You left me,” Rebel pouted, holding her arms out to him.
Diesel sighed, but picked her up as she wanted.
Outlaw snatched her from Diesel’s arms, grinning at the relief in the boy’s gray eyes. He hugged the little girl and she squealed. “Leave Diesel in peace, girl.”
“Elle!” Rule hollered, running into the room, as if Rebel had escaped him and he’d had to hunt for her.
“’Law!” Right behind Rule, CJ came in. “Bun-Bun got Ryder and brought him to Mommie. MegAnn bringing him to you, ‘Law.” He greeted each of them, ending with, “Ashfuck Dig!”
“Hey, lil dude.”
“Ryder!” Rebel screamed as Meggie carried in the kid. “You woke up.”
“You woke him up,” CJ accused, rubbing his chubby little fingers over his cut. Cash couldn’t imagine how Meggie would get him in a suit for the christenings.
“Did not!” Rebel cried, wiggling to get out of her father’s arms.
“Did.”
Rebel ran to CJ, as Meggie handed Ryder to Outlaw.
“Come on, Rebel,” Meggie instructed, interrupting Rebel’s determination to change CJ’s mind. “I need your help.”
“Okay, Mommie,” she said, skipping to Meggie and accepting the hand she held out.
Kendall met Meggie at the door. “Can we get started soon? I need to get home to my children.”
“Yeah, sure,” Meggie agreed. “Let me round everyone up.”
Instead of following behind Meggie, Kendall lingered in the door, reminding Cash he needed to pull Johnnie aside and warn him that his wife was threatening to clue Meggie in on a lot of shit better left unsaid.
Kendall stared at the back of Ryder’s head, who was busy being amused by his dad.
Resenting Ryder because he resembled Johnnie with his blond hair and light blue-green eyes that appeared gray at certain angles should’ve alerted the motherfucker to Kendall’s mental state. Cash believed it had as much to do with that as it had to do with Johnnie being with Meggie at the start of her labor for the kid.
“Stretch, find Fee while I see what the fuck takin’ Megan so long to call us in to fuckin’ dinner,” Outlaw suggested, departing the room without a single glance to Kendall.