Chapter 14b Kendall #2
Ophelia turned to Meggie. “Talk to your son, Meggie. I love Ax to death and I think it is so sweet that he wants to defend me, but he’s a little kid and he has it all wrong.
As his mother, I expect you to correct him.
I stopped Cash from spanking him, but that might change if Axel continues to antagonize the situation. ”
“Oh, Fee,” Meggie started. “I pity your predicament. Caught between your boyfriend and your nephew.” She indicated Axel with a sweep of her hand, ignoring how the diamonds in her wedding set gleamed in the light. “But unless you want Cash’s head on a platter, back off,” she said coldly.
Ophelia gasped.
“Your husband betrayed Christopher, Val, Mortician, Digger, and Stretch. If he lays a finger on my son, I’ll help Axel blow him up. Am I clear?”
“Meggie—”
“Don’t,” she gritted. “If you weren’t afraid of Cash, you could’ve reasoned with him, but you co-sign anything he does because you don’t want to upset him.”
“I love Cash and Stretch,” Ophelia said, her voice trembling.
“I’m not taking that away from you,” Meggie conceded, having zero pity for her sister-in-law. “But we love our husbands, too.”
“What about Johnnie?” Ophelia asked. “Kendall, what about Johnnie? Talk to Meggie. I know she’s hurt—”
“What about Johnnie, Fee?” Kendall demanded.
“He’s right there with Cash, acting like a fuckhead.
Johnnie’s crimes are worse than Cash’s. The difference is I’ve tried to talk to him.
Do I want him dead? No. I love Johnnie, but he’s turned into a brainless blond—” She giggled, then cleared her throat and went on.
“He’s risking the fucking club. Just as Cash is. ”
“No, he’s trying to protect it.”
“Would you stop being a stupid bitch?” Zoann snapped. “I’m disappointed in that motherfucker and he’s only my almost-brother-in-law. Christopher is our brother. He’s spent his fucking life keeping his club together, protecting stinking fuckheads like Johnnie and Cash, so—”
“Bunny, Roxy, you don’t feel this way, do you?” Ophelia cried, searching for an ally when she’d find none.
Rebel’s silence surprised Meggie, but it was just one more indicator of how sad her daughter was.
“I’m livid with Mark,” Bunny said softly.
“What’d he do?” Gypsy asked, taking more salad when the rest of them hadn’t even started on theirs. “Does it have anything to do with the bigger house?”
Her face falling, Bunny glanced away.
“It’s okay, Bun-Bun,” Axel swore, adopting another one of CJ’s nicknames that he’d used as a small boy. “Do you need a hug?”
“Sure, buddy,” Bunny said, pushing back as Axel got from his seat and ran to her, hugging her tightly. “These little arms feel so good.”
Axel kissed her cheek. “I’m here if you need advice on anything. Okay?”
Smiling, Bunny nodded. “Okay, bud. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“About Cash,” Ophelia started as Axel scampered away.
“What about that motherfucker?” Zoann cried. “Just hearing his fucking name gives me a headache.”
Gypsy shoved a forkful of salad into her mouth. “I still don’t know what Digger did,” she said, barely understandable around the abundance of lettuce and red onions. She’d never liked avocado, cucumber, or tomatoes. “How long have we been friends? Longer than you and Meggie or Meggie and me.”
“I’m going to tell you,” Bunny said irritably. “I’m just not ready to talk about it, Gyp.”
“Would you care to offer some wisdom, Roxy?” Kendall asked, gulping her wine. Her eyes gleamed. “You never did answer Ophelia.”
“I’m just taking it all in, sugar,” Roxy reassured her.
“But we want to know how you feel,” Zoann said.
Ophelia nodded. “Aren’t I right to support Cash and Stretch?”
“Not if they’re wrong,” Roxy retorted. “You seem to forget my husband is part of the club. My son wants to join. My son-in-law is an enforcer. Cash and Johnnie betrayed all those boys. And for what? If it was left up to me, I’d take a fucking broom and bat the piss out of both those motherfuckers.”
“What’s wrong with peace?” Ophelia cried.
“Oh, shut up,” Meggie snapped before Roxy responded.
“You can’t expect peace from men who use violence to get their way.
Talk to Cash. Don’t talk to him. It doesn’t matter.
If he’s responsible for harm coming to any of Christopher’s supporters, I won’t say a thing to dissuade his punishment.
No matter how severe. But if Christopher is killed or severely injured because Cash is a jackass, he’s dead, Ophelia.
If Diesel isn’t available, I’ll pay whatever to see that he disappears. ”
“You’re serious?” Ophelia cried, then shook her head. “No, you can’t be. This isn’t you. You’re speaking from pain and tiredness.”
“No, she’s speaking from being tired of ignorant motherfuckers and stupid bitches,” Roxy said flatly. “This isn’t a discussion that has to go round and round. We’ve already said why we’re so upset with Cash. We all know you intend to do fuck all, so accept his goddamn fate and shut the fuck up.”
Winnie giggled. Glancing around Rebel, she found Winnie’s seat empty.
“Do it again, Axel,” Winnie cried from outside the door, and Meggie realized Axel had taken her back into the kitchen, which connected to the smaller dining room.
“I’m sorry,” Ophelia cried, sniffling. “I don’t know what to do or how to reach Cash. I’ve tried. I’m withholding s-sex. Stretch and I sleep together, and exclude Cash, but he’s just g-getting worse.”
“Open your fucking mouth and talk to that motherfucker,” Zoann yelled. “Never mind. I’ll do it. Fuck him. He’s lost his fucking mind.”
“He just wants to protect Tarmac. His son, who’ll carry on the McCall name—”
“Fuck you,” Zoann spat. “I’d kick Val’s cock in if that motherfucker changed because I gave him a son.
What about his daughter? Your daughter, you stupid bitch.
What is that saying about Winnie? To her.
Mark my fucking words, that little girl is going to grow up fucked up and resenting both you fucked up bitches. ”
“That isn’t true!”
“It is, Aunt Fee,” Mattie said timidly, barely audible at first. She glanced at Kendall, who swallowed and nodded, then settled her arms around her shoulders. “I love my daddy. Sometimes, I don’t like him, but I fear him all the time.”
Kendall stiffened.
Roxy leaned over and grabbed Kendall’s hand, then squeezed.
“It’s okay, Mama,” Mattie said softly. “You protect me so fiercely, and I’m so grateful for you. You were willing to divorce Daddy because of his treatment of me.”
“Not everyone would do that,” Ophelia flared. “And Winnie is a small girl—”
“Exactly, sugar,” Roxy said, still holding Kendall’s hand. “She’s young and impressionable. This is when her foundation is laid, and the one that’s been built reeks of bullshit.”
Desperation crept into Ophelia’s eyes and she looked at Meggie. “You wouldn’t leave Christopher if he wasn’t the best dad to Rebel, would you, Meggie? Tell them!”
“Not only would I leave him, I’d divorce him,” Meggie said flatly. “Rebel is my daughter—”
“No, no, no! You’re not in the right frame of mind, Meggie,” Ophelia cried, tears running down her cheeks. “If you were, you’d still be in Hortensia and—”
“I’m here because I’m sick of Christopher’s treatment of me. I love him with everything in me, but he isn’t hearing me. And I refuse, refuse, to continue on the trajectory we’re on.”
“What does that even mean?” Ophelia demanded. “That you could divorce my brother and break his heart.”
“Your brother has been acting like a flaming idiot. Either he remembers my place in his life and act like he values me or I’m leaving. I lived through my mother’s abuse. I refuse to go down that road in my life.”
“How dare you!” Ophelia cried. “You’re sitting there on your high and mighty throne, not caring that you’ve probably torn my brother apart.”
“How dare me? How dare you, Ophelia. You don’t get to tell me how to treat Christopher when you haven’t been there to tell him how not to treat me.
And you especially don’t have a thing to say about my behavior toward my husband when you lost your backbone and can’t even blink without asking Cash’s permission, so I suggest you sit down somewhere and look for your self-worth.
You lost it years ago in the same tar pit you threw your spine. ”
Ophelia gasped.
Smiling merrily, Kendall gulped more wine. “You know, Meggie darling, cursing is overrated because no one reads a motherfucker like you without one profanity involved.”
Rebel covered Meggie’s hand with her own. When Meggie raised her gaze to her daughter’s, Rebel gave her a quick smile.
“Cash is the man of the house,” Ophelia screeched. “What do you expect me to tell him?”
“How about this?” Zoann barked. “Motherfucker, if you don’t come to your goddamn senses, sleep with your fucking eyes open.”
“Cash is a complicated man,” Ophelia said.
“Cash is a motherfucker,” Zoann retorted.
“Words are easy. If I don’t back them up, Cash will just ignore me the next time.”
“Then throw a bucket of water on his dumb ass while he sleeps,” Zoann said. “Make his life miserable.”
“Suppose he leaves?”
“Then good riddance. If he can’t take the heat, stay away from the fucking fire. That’s simple, Ophelia. If Val was still a motherfucker, I would’ve left him years ago.”
“Who are you people?” Ophelia looked from Kendall to Zoann and finally settled on Meggie. “So willing to throw away your marriages.”
“Says the one bitch who isn’t married,” Zoann replied.
Ophelia ignored her and kept her gaze on Meggie. “You’ve disappointed me the most. Your treatment of Christopher is shameful.”
“Sorry not sorry,” Meggie replied, remorseless. As remorseless as he’d become.
“You’re such a—”
“Watch it, Ophelia,” Meggie warned evenly. “Don’t say something you’ll regret.”
“Christopher is my brother. I can say what I want and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Meggie smirked at her. “Cash is still alive because of you. Anger me and see if that changes.”