“Mortician is everything to me, so if you like your job, your apartment, and your life in Hortensia, back off. I might think Bailey’s lost her fucking mind, but as long as she’s married to Mortician, his cock belongs to her. If you tempt him intosomething he’ll regret, I’ll makeyoufucking regret the day you were born.”
“He might not regret it,” Symphony replied.
Kendall smiled viciously. “That just shows how little you know him, so fuck you.”
A mutinous look entered Symphony’s eyes, but Mort was feeling more himself.
“Get the video, Symphony,” he told her.
“No! She can’t throw her weight around. It’s the same thing they all do.” She glared at Kendall. “I don’t appreciate your threats.”
“Symphony, baby, Kendall not a woman you want to take on,” Mort said, smiling fondly at Kendall. “She formidable.”
“Mort’s a grown man, Kendall,” Symphony said, ignoring him. “If he wants pussy from me, there’s nothing you can say to stop it.”
Calmly, Kendall sipped her beer, then set it down. “Tee!” she shrieked, scaring the shit out of Mort, Digger, and Symphony.
The motherfucker rushed from the kitchen. “You called me, Kendall?”
As if she’d smelled a fucking crate of onions, Kendall burst into tears. “I can’t take Symphony anymore!” she wailed. “I-I’m going to have to t-tell J-Johnnie.” She hiccupped and swiped her wet cheeks. “A-and O-outlaw.”
“No. No, you don’t.” Tee turned to Symphony, her shock almost comical. “You fired. Get your shit and go.”
“But–”
Kendall sniffled. “M-maybe, if she apologizes, I-I can give her one more chance.”
Sweating, Tee grabbed napkins from the dispenser and handed them to Kendall. “I don’t want–”
“Pl-please, Tee?” she said in a small voice. She released another sob. “For me? I-I…it’s been such a long day at work. I shouldn’t have even c-called you.”
“No, it’s fine,” Tee swore, and looked at Mort. “Tell her.”
“C-can I talk to Symphony?” Kendall asked woefully. “And can you make me some fresh French fries, Tee?”
“Coming right up. Symphony’ll pay for them,” he announced and hurried back to the kitchen.
“Now,Symphony,” Kendall sneered, dabbing at the last of her tears. “Let’s try this again.”
“Get the fucking footage and leave Mortician alone while he’s married. Do we understand each other?”
Symphony blinked at her. “Perfectly. Er, do you need anything else?”
“Not a thing,” Kendall said sweetly.
Once Symphony stumbled away, Kendall gulped her beer and glared at Mort.
“I wouldn’t betray my wedding vows,” he said defensively.
“Listen, motherfucker, there’s a woman behind those vows. If you don’t give a fuck if you betray her, then I’m going back to my office and draw up your goddamn divorce papers because your marriage is over.”
“Draw up yours while you at it, Kendall,” Mortician barked before he thought better of it.
At the look on her face, he wanted to take the words back, but he was just so fucking tired and frustrated.
“I’m sorry, Red,” he told her.
“You have every right to your opinion. For the record, I don’t want to loseJohnnie. I don’t want to betrayJohnnie. I loveJohnnie. Not the idea of him. Not the vows. Not the house or the money, Mortician. Him.”
