“She didn’t look very comfortable,” Kendall said.
Mort lifted a Toro-shaped cigar and sniffed. He set the Asylum 13 Ogre back in place, closed the glass door, leaned against it, and looked at Christopher. “Maybe we can go in the den?”
Megan came to Christopher and started to lift their sleeping son into her arms, but he turned away. “He a heavy lil’ motherfucker, baby. Ima take him upstairs before I go to the den.”
“Okay.” She kissed Christopher, straightened and looked at Kendall. “Let’s leave them to it.”
“Not before you get my whisky, woman,” Johnnie said, smug.
Snatching his pint of tequila and draining it, Christopher tipped the bottle toward Johnnie. “You ain’t happy afuckinlive, huh? You been shot, beat three times to the second fuckin’ power,andput the fuck out your goddamn house, and youstillain’t fuckin’ learned.”
“I haven’t been beaten nine times, Christopher.”
“Wait, bruh, that’s your fucking takeaway?” Digger asked.
“Get your own drink, Johnnie,” Megan said, then stalked out of the room.
Kendall looked nervously at Christopher. He smiled and nodded to her. Johnnie, their kids, and the rest of the family were all she had. She was only as strong as the support around her. Christopher wished she’d have the acceptance she craved, from everyone at once. With or without Johnnie, she had to know how much they all valued her.
“You cool, Red,” Mort said. “Go check on Bailey for me and tell her I’ll be there in a minute.”
She stood taller. “Okay,” she said, and glided away.
“You need to check Megan, Christopher,” Johnnie said after Megan and Kendall left. “The bullshit she handed my wife is unacceptable.” He lifted his empty glass. “She didn’t even get my fucking drink.”
Val frowned. “Know what I realize, John Boy?”
“What?” Johnnie asked in exasperation.
“That a college education don’t do a motherfucker no good if he just fucking stupid.”
“I suppose that’s why you never went to college,” Johnnie retorted. He smirked at Mortician. “I’m still shocked you thought education was important.”
Christopher had enough of Johnnie’s insults and assfuckery. “Get the fuck out my goddamn house with your Logan bullshit or shut the fuck up. You not sittin’ your motherfuckin’ ass in here throwin’ digs at my best fuckin’ friend.”
“That wasn’t a dig!”
“Only according to you,” Cash snapped.
“What the fuck is wrong with you people?”
“I can ask the same motherfuckin’ thing. What the fuck’s wrong withyou?”
“Maybe it’s you, Christopher. Something you’ll never see or admit. Maybe I’m sick of fucking living up to your fucking standards. Trying to please you when you want my fucking blood.”
“I want fuckin’ fairness from you. I want fuckin’ sense from you. I ain’t tolerated the original Logan. I’m sure the fuck not puttin’ up with Logan 2.0.”
“I’mnotGrandda. He didn’t want me associating with you, Mortician, Val, or Digger. He wanted the club for me!”
“He wanted me fuckin’ dead so you could take that motherfucker. If it wasn’t for Big Joe—”
“No,fuckhead, if it wasn’t for Cee Cee,” Johnnie spat. “Cee Ceepaid bounties to keep you, Megan, Big Joe, Bailey, K-P, Roxanne, Mortician, and Digger alive. Cee Cee kept you alive, not Big Joe. And if it wasn’t for Grandda, Sharper, and Dinah, Big Joe never would’ve turned into a fucking addict. She started shooting him up on Grandda’s and Sharper’s orders. She—”
Maybe Johnnie noticed Christopher’s shock. It felt as if the blood siphoned from his veins, so he must’ve been ghost white. Yet, his pulse roared in his ears and the contents of his stomach twisted.
Johnnie covered his face. “I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean…it slipped out. I’m sorry.”
Big Joe had only beenlikea father to Christopher, and the news tore him up. Time healed all wounds, but emotional scars never went away. Megan still missed Big Joe.Christophermissed him. Often, he wondered how he’d react to Christopher marrying Megan and fathering her children. Sometimes, it still haunted him that Big Joe once told him Megan wasn’t for him and Christopher thought her little more than a spoiled little cunt.
