He snickered, heartsore over Fee and Johnnie. Megan needed to know about Fee. Tomorrow was soon enough to tell her the fucking story of how his sister had allowed Kendall to use their marriage for her own benefit.
He’d think of what to tell her about Johnnie after he was buried.
Nausea rose in Christopher and he closed his eyes. Fuck that bitch. He hated Kendall so, so much, but…but he couldn’t kill her. Simply because he couldn’t imagine killing Johnnie.
But Kendall was going to die. He just wouldn’t be the one to pull the fucking trigger.
Although Kendall had caused more problems than he wanted to think about and she should’ve kept her mouth shut, Cash headed straight to John Boy’s to get his wife away from the wrath of Outlaw. He acted out of loyalty to both his president and Johnnie. Kendall might’ve deserved to die, but Outlaw killing her would ruin the family he held so close to his heart and also upset the club.
Thankfully, the rain had stopped. Johnnie and Kendall lived way back in the woods, farther away than anyone else. It would’ve been a wet walk. As it was, damp leaves, mud, and twigs stuck to Cash’s boots.
At the door, he rang the bell, the sound resembling the chimes of Westminster Abby. He pressed the lit button a second time, waiting at least a minute before the door swung open, painfully slow.
Not seeing anyone, Cash glanced down, watching as Rory struggled with the heavy wood. Everyone always commented on CJ being Outlaw’s mini-me, but Cash thought the same about Rory’s resemblance to Johnnie. He had the same color hair, although his eyes were gunmetal gray.
“Hey, kid,” he greeted. “Your dad around?”
“Father’s with Mother. She’s crying.”
Clearing his throat, Cash searched his mind for Rory’s age. Fuck, it didn’t matter. The child talked better than he did. “Would you call your dad? Tell him I won’t take long.”
“Yes, sir.”
Turning and leaving the door open, Rory ran away. Taking it up on himself, Cash stepped into the house and shut the door. He didn’t feel as welcome here as he did at Outlaw’s, so he stayed in the foyer. Thank fuck, it took only a moment for Johnnie to appear, carrying Matilda in a one-armed hold.
“Hey, man, what’s up?”
“John Boy, Outlaw’s on the warpath,” he started, and explained the events that took place after Kendall and Johnnie departed.
“Fuck!” Johnnie snarled. “Follow me,” he ordered, not giving Cash a chance to respond before turning and stalking toward the staircase. “Kendall!”
They didn’t stop until they reached the end of the hall on the second floor and went into the master bedroom, where Kendall lay sobbing on the bed, with Rory sitting next to her, looking worried and confused, tears in his own eyes.
Sighing, Johnnie laid Matilda in the crib near him. From the differences between the items on the nightstands, Cash assumed Matilda was on Johnnie’s side, unless Johnnie suddenly needed fresh flowers and crystal atomizers and Kendall wanted bullets and a billfold…well, maybe she would want the billfold.
“Tell her what you told me, Cash,” Johnnie instructed.
Outlaw was stone-cold furious. But Johnnie was angry, frightened, and hurt, a dangerous combination for a man like him. Cash had no wish to rile either of them, so he did as Johnnie asked.
“Thank you for telling me,” she said, offering him a teary glare.
Christ, but the woman was impossible. How the fuck she looked both hateful and tragic was beyond Cash.
“I have a place I can bring you. A safe house. We have several.” Years ago, he’d been tasked with the purchase, upkeep, and record maintenance of the places. If Outlaw got into any legal problems or there were any raids that took place, their safe houses were still off the radar. “I’m the only one who knows the locations of all of them.”
“I’m not going anywhere. That barbarian doesn’t rule me. Someone needs to remind him he isn’t King Outlaw.” Swiping her tears, she offered Johnnie a sour look. “I insist you stand up to him. He won’t kill me. He knows if he tried, he’d have you to deal with. Besides, who cares if CJ cried. He’s a little asshole just like Outlaw.”
A low sound, much like a growl, emitted from Johnnie’s throat, making Rory jump and burst into tears, which, in turn, caused Matilda to whine. “Go to your room, son,” Johnnie ordered.
Without hesitating, Rory ran out.
“Don’t ever, ever disparage CJ as you just did. He’s a child, just as our son is. I wouldn’t want anyone to hurt Rory, frighten him, or make him cry. CJ is our nephew. I’d expect you to protect him as Megan would protect Rory.”