Page 173 of Rebellious

“I’m sorry, Kendall. I’m so sorry I had any role in your pain.”

“It isn’t your fault,” she said dully. “You love Outlaw.”

“About the only person who can’t see how much you love Johnnie is that raging idiot.”

“We had gotten to a good place until…” Voice trailing, she made an arc with her hand. There was no need to mention Bash. Both she and Meggie knew that was when things began unraveling in everyone’s lives. “I just wanted my Johnnie back. I guess you think I’m a fool, considering all Johnnie has done to me and everyone else.”

“What I think isn’t important, love,” Meggie said gently. “But, for what it’s worth, I know what it means to so completely love a man. Christopher is my everything. Johnnie is yours.”

“Shouldn’t that be was?”

“It should be whatever you want it to be.”

“I don’t know what to do—”

“Come back home. Today. Tomorrow. Whenever you’re ready. Send Johnnie back to the club, wait a week, then file for legal separation. If he wants to save the marriage, he won’t take any further action. He can’t bar you from this house because he’ll already be out of it. Maybe Rory will find a room at the club, but Mattie, JJ, and Blade will be here. They’ll see him every day if they choose to.”

“That’s a sound plan.”

“You will have the house and the kids, and we’ll have you. Your marriage will be in your hands. Meanwhile, you can come to terms with you and Mortician and Johnnie can either straighten up or lose you.” She cocked her head to the side. “But I have a question.”

“I’m listening.”

“Do you want to have an affair with Mortician or was this just two people who love and respect one another coming together in a time of need?”

“Mortician is a very, very, very, very good lover.”

“Better than Johnnie?” Meggie said, laughing.

“No.” Kendall grinned. “Maybe a little. Slightly. That bitch is a lucky woman.”

“Bailey’s in rehab, Kendall. Ease up on her.”

“Fuck her. Do you know she threatened to call the cops on Mortician?”

“She did what?”

Kendall nodded and told Meggie what she remembered of Mortician’s story, the bits and pieces that had slowly come back to her over the past hours.

“I can’t believe Bailey would put him at risk like that.”

“She’s lost her fucking mind,” Kendall fumed.

“Omigod, poor Mort!”

“I know Johnnie put a lot in Bailey’s head, but she’d already started to treat Mort like shit and used Harley as an excuse.”

“Coming from a woman who had a father who put the club before her—”

“That’s not a fucking excuse, Meggie. Roxy adores Bailey. And if you’re about to say, Mort did the same, Outlaw is in the club and you are his priority.”

“There have been times when club business came first. What Christopher wouldn’t do is put the wives of his friends before me. However, sometimes Mort advises us instead of being with Bailey. Of course she feels unimportant to him.”

“Boo. The reasonable Meggie sucks. She’s too forgiving.”

“I’m not excusing her threat to have Mortician arrested. I’m just saying I understand why she started to spiral. But me, CJ, and Mort were her favorite targets. Had I extended kindness to her, she would’ve rejected it. Anyway, you still haven’t answered if you want to sleep with him again.”

“I can’t allow myself to go there,” Kendall whispered, the light moment evaporating. “Johnnie and Mortician are brothers. That would start another battle within the club. One that Mortician couldn’t win because, as far as everyone’s concerned, I’m Johnnie’s woman.”