Val met Mort’s gaze, sighed, sipped his beer, then swiveled around to face the tables. “That’s not true. If not for Meggie, Outlaw would’ve killed me, Cash, and Johnnie at various times over the years. She saved us, and it’s a fucking travesty if you don’t recognize her value.”
It was also unsettling. Prez was coming back to life because Meggie was healing physically and mentally. She’d also forgiven him his many fuckups over the last few weeks. Yet, those fuckups were manifesting in a different way—Meggie girl facing disrespect for no fucking reason at all except the younger brothers were stupid fuckheads.
“Meggie only ever knew Prez.” Mort ignored the situationship she and Johnnie had when Prez lost his fucking mind and thought he could push her away.
Narci snickered. “Diana told me differently.”
Diana was one of Diesel’s favorite side pieces. She was also a gossiping bitch. Possibly because she had wanted the status of a Dweller girl with the full protection of the club. She never would get it. She’d made the mistake of fucking with Rebel, and Meggie wasn’t having any of it.
“Don’tbelieve—”
Potter shifted and cleared his throat. “Johnnie told some of us.”
Even Digger’s eyes widened. “Johnnie told you what?”
Folding his arms, Potter scratched his bald head and lowered his gaze. “That he did the right thing and ended things between them when he found out Meggie was pregnant by Outlaw.”
Speechless, Mort blinked at Potter, unable to believe motherfucking Johnnie was smearing Meggie girl’s name. Who the fuck was he kidding? He wasn’t a brand new motherfucker. Johnniestillwanted to hurt Meggie.
“When he said that?” Val asked.
“The last time Kendall didn’t let him come home,” Torrin said with a shrug. “He said no one better besmirch Mattie when everyone held Meggie up on a pedestal and she was no better. He said she strung both him and Prez on—”
“Johnnie want to die,” Val decided. He looked at Mort. “Prepare Kendall, cuz that motherfucker not long for this earth spreading those types of fucking lies.”
“Not lies, Val,” Bishop said. “Johnnie showed us pictures of him and Meggie. He keeps them in a small fireproof box in one of the closets here.”
Mort had had enough. He was physically tired and mentally exhausted. It didn’t escape him that Bailey hadn’t once called him, and he’d been at the club for hours. Since he was still sleeping on the sofa because of the bullshit she’d intended for CJ, that might’ve played a factor in her decision to ignore him. Mort wasn’t sure how to put his marriage back to rights.
After the big blowup between Bailey and Harley, and Bailey’s confession about her miscarriages, he’d thought things would get back to normal. For a few days, it seemed as if it would. Until he discovered the reason for her and Harley’s fight.
He adored his wife and loved his kids, yet he valued and respected his friendship with Outlaw. Using the man’s son to clean up Harley’s mistake would’ve been fucked up if Mort wasn’t so close to Prez. Under the circumstances, it was an even deeper betrayal.
Yet Mort couldn’t fix his marriage without Bailey’s help. Despite her anger toward Harley, Bailey was still committed to their daughter. Mort admired Bailey’s fierce protection, but not only wasn’t it helping Harley, it was devastating their marriage. Harley didn’t need her bad behavior co-signed. She needed to face the responsibility of her actions.
Instead, Bailey didn’t see the issue with what she’d intended. She didn’t think CJ, Meggie, or Prez deserved an apology. She showed her ass to Kendall and Meggie a couple of days ago when they visited. She didn’t understand Mort’s disappointment and anger. Because of Harley. Because she wanted to protect their daughter at the expense of her integrity and good judgment, and CJ’s future.
If shielding Harley wasn’t blinding her, she’d come off her high fucking horses and act like the fair-minded woman he’d fallen in love with.
“You good, Mort?” Digger called, more in tune with Mort’s moods than his own wife’s.
Mort smiled at his younger brother. “Fine.”
“Fair warning, fuckheads, I’m returning the settings on the camera back to normal,” Stretch announced. “We’re way past the five-minute mark.”
Digger snatched Stretch’s phone. “Wait! I want to say something.” He looked at Mort and blew out a breath. “Meggie might not call on me like I think she should, but she always loved Outlaw. Johnnie a stupid motherfucker for putting that shit out. Both of them were thirty-two and Meggie turned eighteen thedayshe met Prez. He handed down bullshit to her. On the real. Meggie battled two older bitches, Prez mama,and a bunch of other bullshit. The ones of us around back then know this.” He held up a finger. “One, Prez left her with Johnnie. You young fuckheads not the only one who share bitches. Prez thought he could walk away and Johnnie was better for her.” He held up a second finger. “Two, Meggie called every fucking day, more than once, and Outlaw refused to talk to her, even though he waited for that fucking phone to ring.” A third finger went up. “Three, Johnnie got a big fucking mouth. Except he forgot to add Meggie didn’t want his bitch ass. She was already in love with Outlaw.” The fourth finger. “Four, that woman love her some Outlaw. She put her trust, her heart, her soul, her fucking life in him. She fucking blind to how you motherfuckers salivate over her ‘cause she only fucking see Prez.” He added his thumb. “Five, since motherfucking Johnnie opened his goddamn big mouth, I’m opening mine. They never fucked. It would’ve cooled him the fuck down if they had.”
He would’ve been dead. Prez would’ve cut Johnnie’s cock off, then shot the fuck out of him.
“Prez the only man Meggie ever laid with. If you don’t like the little cunt, don’t like her for the right fucking reasons.”
Mort had just started to believe Digger was coming to his senses. Now, he glowered at the fuckhead.
“So you not liking her because she don’t take you into her confidence the right reason, huh, motherfucker?” Val said.
“Yeah! She met me and Mort the same fucking day. I was the one who kidnapped little bro to save his life. She could have me on speed dial like she do Mort.”
Stretch held out hishand. “Can I have my goddamn phone, Digger?”
