It was the first time Stretch ever remembered Meggie not telling Outlaw she loved him in return.
The moment she left, Outlaw scooped up the card that had been placed on one of the tables. “Check the fuckin’ footage, Stretch. See who the fuck been in here to leave this.” He looked at Daphne, who backed away. “Get the fuck off the property. Your ass ever come back, I’m fuckin’ killin’ you, no fuckin’ matter how guilty that make me look. Mort, Johnnie, come in my office.”
“I’m going check on Aunt Meggie,” Diesel said.
“Do you think he’s capable of this?” Kendall asked coolly. “Or are you as blind as Meggie?”
“She’s not blind, Aunt Kendall,” Diesel said, quick to defend both Outlaw and Meggie. “She just has an innate belief in her husband. That’s how much she loves him.”
Kendall sniffed. “And he loves her. So much so that he’ll forget his club to focus on her.”
Diesel didn’t deny her claim. “And?”
“And he should be careful. His distraction might allow his enemies to get the best of him.”
“That almost sounds like a threat,” Diesel said, then loped off, head hanging down.
“Little fucking street urchin,” Kendall snarled as the other brothers also left, including Slipper.
“I need to call my brother,” Daphne interjected in a shaky voice. “I…this isn’t fun anymore.”
“Oh, shut up,” Kendall snapped, glaring at her. “And cover up. You’re fucking disgusting.”
“He threatened to kill me.” Daphne sniffled. “And you. He was going to kill both of us. Doesn’t that frighten you?”
“No! I just want my goddamn job back,” Kendall said on a whisper.
“Well, you can’t get it back if you’re dead,” Daphne sobbed. “I’m telling him the truth. I’ve never been in a serious relationship, but I’d be as crushed as Meggie was if I thought a man I believed in was cheating.”
“Suppose I tell Johnnie what you’re doing?” Stretch asked, unable to believe what he’d just witnessed.
“What’s that?” Kendall demanded.
“Fee told me everything,” he said, “including your blackmail, so cut the bullshit.”
“How about this? You tell Johnnie what I’m doing. Blackmailing Fee, for instance. You’ll have to share with him why she’s in her predicament. You think he’ll be happy? You think Outlaw won’t find out? Yeah, Johnnie would be angry with me, but he’d forgive me. You’d be too dead to know. So tell away.”
Stretch glowered at her. Her threat was almost word-for-word the one she’d given to Fee. She meant what she said.
Folding her arms, Kendall smiled nastily. “Charlotte Redding says, I have to take matters into my own hands. So if you don’t want Outlaw to find out that you and Cash brought this slut to the park because you both fucked Fee and Slipper saw her with you, you’ll shut the fuck up.”
“It’ll be your word against mine,” he said, scowling at Daphne, not appeased by the shame crossing her face. “You fucking sold us out to her.”
“I had to resort to drastic fucking measures just for Meggie to believe he’d fuck over her,” Kendall said with disgust. “Fuck, the stupid little bitch is so fucking hard-headed where he’s concerned. I’ve tried my best to educate her, but stupidity can’t be overcome.”
Stretch breathed in and out, to keep from taking Outlaw’s place and choking Kendall. Despite having heard Kendall’s reasons from Fee, Stretch still couldn’t believe her calm explanation. Maybe, stupidity couldn’t be overcome, but it could be silenced.
“Kendall, just take the job at that other company,” Daphne pleaded. “Working for Brooks isn’t worth all the trauma you’re causing. You’re breaking both Meggie and Outlaw. Cash said you’re wrong about Meggie anyway. I-I mean this campaign you’re on to make everyone lose respect for her seems dangerous after witnessing Outlaw’s wrath. Cash said—”
“Fuck Cash, Daphne,” Kendall ordered. “He’s in the same position as Stretch and Fee. At my mercy. If they play along with me, I keep their secret. Otherwise…”
Otherwise, they were fucked. Kendall would continue on with Johnnie, living her version of happily-ever-after, while chunks of Cash and Stretch would be buried all over.
“Daphne, you have to tell him the truth,” Stretch told her. They might not be able to say anything, but Daphne could.
“Um, no.” Kendall laughed with glee. “Arrow planted dear little Daphne because he was a fucking jackass. Although her brother means the club no harm, Arrow didn’t know that at the time. Imagine what Outlaw would think if he heard that. Besides, she’s already taken money from me to fuck with Meggie. He wouldn’t be happy at hearing that.”