Chapter Forty-Three—Diesel #2
Ice cubes clinking against glass greeted him. “Who put the bee in your fucking britches, Diesel?”
Diesel had heard the voice at some point, but he couldn’t place where or when. “Who the fuck is this and what the fuck do you want?”
“Bash, and for you to stay married to Tabitha.”
“Bash Caldwell?” he managed, startled.
“You can call me Uncle Bash if you’d like. As Outlaw’s son and all.”
“What do you want?” Diesel demanded, in no mood for the motherfucker’s games.
“Your cooperation, nephew. What else?”
“With Tabitha?”
“Did I not say that? You’re starting to show you’re related to Johnnie.”
“Fuck you. That’s a great goddamn insult.
Perhaps, you’re showing yours,” Diesel snapped.
“Why the fuck are you so interested in Tabitha and I if you aren’t related to her?
You sent that cunt to spy and you sent that motherfucker to force me to your fucking will.
Newsflash: I hate that cunt. I’d just as soon stomp her than fuck her. ”
Bash crunched on something. “Ahhh. Delicious.” He smacked his lips together. “What if I told you sweet little Meggie isn’t in danger but Jana is if you don’t take Tabitha back?”
“I’d say fuck you because you’re playing games.”
“I’ll tell you my truth if you tell me yours.”
“If it’s about Tabitha, save it. Tell me Molly’s location. Then I’ll listen.”
Bash snickered. “Molly will be taken care of soon enough. She’s the wrong cunt to worry about. First you disrespect Tabitha with Rebel and now, Jana. Shame, shame, shame. You’re making Uncle Bash very unhappy.”
“I didn’t fuck over Tabitha with Rebel. She’s my little sister.”
“She’s my niece, but she’s gorgeous. I’d do her, then sell her pussy, so you, Mr. Sex Addict, certainly would.”
Diesel moved the phone from his ear and glared at it before speaking again. “I’m not arguing that motherfucking point, but if you ever touch Rebel, there’ll be nowhere you can hide. I will find you and gut you.”
“Yeah, Dee Dee, I know,” Bash said, bored. “But it would already be done to her, wouldn’t it? Gutting me wouldn’t change me fucking her.”
Diesel growled.
“But I’m just talking. I said I would do her, not that I planned to. Nope, nope. I’m a reasonable guy, Dee Dee.”
“Stop fucking calling me that!”
“I think it’s cute.”
“I think it’s annoying.”
Bash’s long-suffering sigh grated on Diesel’s ass. “Move back to the condo with Tabitha, Diesel. That better?”
“No, and fuck no to your order.”
“You act like you have a choice in the fucking matter when you don’t.”
“You’re threatening my friend. I always have choices.”
At the stretch of silence, Diesel looked at his phone’s screen again to make sure he hadn’t lost the connection.
“Interesting you didn’t say your cocksucker or your bitch or even your girlfriend. Even better your fiancée.”
“What?”
“You called Jana your friend. From what I understand, you’re weeks away from marrying that cunt after a speedy divorce obtained with Caldwell money. Your Caldwell side, not mine.”
“Jana is my friend…why the fuck am I explaining shit to you? It isn’t your goddamn business.”
“Maybe not your Freudian slip, but throwing over Tabitha for your friend definitely is.”
“How is Tabitha related to you?” Diesel demanded, ignoring all his other craziness.
“Who says she is?”
“Logic, asshole. You wouldn’t threaten to start a fucking war over that cunt if she wasn’t close…fuck, is she your daughter?”
Bash crunched something again.
“What the fuck are you eating? Whatever it is, stop chewing in my fucking ear!”
“You’re a sensitive Dee Dee, aren’t you? I was chewing ice and it’s delicious. Do you want me to tell you who it tastes like?”
“Not on your fucking life.”
“Starts with a ‘M’ and ends with a ‘y’.”
“You’re fucking Molly. How shocking.”
Bash slurped. “Did I say Molly? It could be Mindy. Maisy. Milly—”
“Fuck, okay!”
“I am not the father!” Bash chuckled. “I said it right, didn’t I? No, fuck. You were supposed to say it to me.”
Fully awake, Diesel stood and refused to respond.
“In other words, I’m not Tabitha’s father, Diesel.”
“I got what the fuck you meant, asshole.”
“You’re really hurting my feelings. All the name calling is unnecessary.”
Diesel glowered at the ceiling. He wasn’t getting anywhere with the motherfucker. If not for Shine, Diesel would’ve automatically assumed Tabitha gave Bash his number as she had Tio. But Bash wouldn’t give away his sources unless he chose.
“Now, listen up. You’re going to work on your marriage to Tabitha and call off your fucking wedding to Jana.”
“The hell I will.”
“Your stubbornness is showing. A Caldwell trait, I suppose. Don’t matter that Christopher didn’t squirt you out of his cock, he nurtured you into his image. Admirable.”
“I think so.”
“You should. Ungratefulness and stubbornness isn’t a good look, asshole.”
The comment surprised a laugh from Diesel.
“Shine introduced me to Tabitha,” Bash announced, killing his amusement. “I thought she was a good girl. Saw a little of myself in her and felt sorry for her lot in life. She might be a cheating slut, but she loves you.”
“Who’s Tio to you?”
“Her friend. By the way, you had every right to rip that motherfucker’s head off and fuck up Shine. Idiots get what they deserve.”
“Not necessarily. Johnnie is still alive.”
Bash laughed. “For now.”
As much as he wanted Johnnie and Cash to die, Diesel had to warn Outlaw. Protecting the stupid motherfucker would be his call.
“But I didn’t call to talk about him.”
“Then you’ve wasted your time calling on behalf of Tabitha.”
“You see, Dee Dee. That’s where you’re wrong. If I wanted trouble, I would’ve killed Johnnie, Meggie, and Rebbie. But you can’t fuck over my little friend. That’s where I draw the line. Killing Jana has nothing to do with Christopher. This is between you and me.”
“If she’s with me, it will have something to do with Uncle Christopher.”
“I’m crushed. You call him uncle but not me?”
“Did you fucking raise me?”
“Did he? You were almost grown when he found you.”
“I’m not calling you ‘uncle’, Bash.”
“Almost said it. Just change the inflection a little.”
“No.”
“Johnnie’s much more fun.”
“Idiots usually are.”
“I’m getting bored,” Bash declared. “I need my cock sucked, so I have to speed this along. Tabitha wants six months. She wants to have your baby, blah, blah, blah. You know? Shit found in romance novels.”
Diesel snapped his brows together.
“If, after six months, you still don’t want her and she isn’t pregnant, I’ll step out of the way so you can marry Miss Jana.”
For some reason, Rebel’s assertion that Jana was the feminine form of John came to Diesel. Jana had gray eyes and blonde hair. At some angles, something about her resembled Johnnie, but he’d always dismissed it.
“Is Jana Johnnie’s daughter?”
“Is it important who she belongs to?”
“You’re the most frustrating motherfucker alive,” Diesel snapped. “Answering questions with questions.” He huffed. “And, yes, I think it would crush Johnnie’s wife, Kendall.”
“Fuck, I never thought about that.” Bash cleared his throat. “Hate to burst your bubble, boy, but Johnnie is not the father. Goddamn, still not right. Can we talk about your possible kid so I can say that shit right?”
“Absolutely not.”
“How’s Kendall?”
“She’s Kendall. As far as I know, she’s fine.”
“I don’t know if I liked your tone of voice when you talked about her.”
“Excuse me?”
“Never mind. I’ll tell you a secret.”
“Must you?”
“Yep.” Liquid sloshed and several gulps assaulted Diesel’s ears.
“I’m into tall chicks right now. One time, I couldn’t stand those cunts and went for small chicks.
Tomorrow that might change.” He belched and snickered.
“I guess you can call me an unreliable narrator. Tell one motherfucker one thing. Another motherfucker something else. Know why?”
“You’re bored?” Diesel guessed. “Or high as fuck.”
“Definitely the first because I said it, dickhead. Maybe the second,” he chortled. “You would relate, wouldn’t you? Between you and Jana, you’re a walking encyclopedia on addiction.”
“Or, maybe,” Diesel growled, refusing to take Bash’s bait, “you’re just a fucking liar and can’t tell the fucking truth.”
“That could be the reason too, kid.”
“If I fucking hang up, will you let me be?”
“Nothing stopped you from hanging up in the first place, Dee Dee.”
“Only you blowing up my phone and leaving a million motherfucking messages if I turned it off.”
“Now, you’re make me sound like a stalker.”
“Aren’t you, asshole?”
“I take umbrage to that.”
“As if I give a fuck,” Diesel said with a snort. “In case you don’t realize it, you’re stalking the Dwellers. You convinced that fuckhead to betray us and—”
“I didn’t convince Johnnie to do anything.”
“You must have if you knew he was the fuckhead I meant,” Diesel argued.
“What other fuckhead do we have in common who you think I convinced to betray the Dwellers? Can’t be Shine. Newsflash: he was a Scorpion.”
“Newsflash: that’s why that motherfucker died.”
“Now who’s the liar? You were jealous that Tabitha sucked his cock.”
“I’m not that much of a hypocrite.” At least not toward his wife. “I couldn’t give less of a fuck if she sucked your cock.”
“The thought disgusts me.”
“Why?” Diesel pressed. “She’s good at it. I would think you’d want to sample her for yourself.”
“I’ve killed motherfuckers for less insult.”
“I’m shaking.”
Bash growled. “You aren’t afraid of me, are you?”
“Not in the fucking least,” Diesel admitted.
“I’m losing my touch.”
“Or, maybe, you’ve met your match.”
“In you?”
“In Outlaw. In his sons and what he’s taught us.
To use our brain when it’s called for and our brawn when necessary.
Big Joe’s philosophy, wasn’t it? We use whatever is at our disposal and fight until we can’t anymore.
May the best motherfucker win. If that’s you, kudos.
But never expect Outlaw, my brothers, or me to bow down or beg, so fuck you. ”
“You’re a fucking psycho, like those three little madmen.”