Pursing her lips, Kendall took the papers from him, unsure why he’dwaste so much money on more tests than necessary after the exorbitant fees to have expedited and onsite processing. She read each name, looked at the results, and rubbed her eyes. She couldn’t be seeing that right. She tilted her head to one side and then the other, turned the page sideways.
It was still the same result.
Kendall fell back against the chair, too fucking shocked to move.
“Do you want to review the other results before you address everyone?”
“No.”
Anticipating the fallout from the new development hiked up her anxiety.
The moment she walked into the living room with Abel at her side, both of them carrying the DNA results of too many people to even consider, Kendall cleared her throat.
She started with the fuckheads responsible for all the chaos.
“Cee Cee Caldwell and Wallace Bart were half-brothers.”
She sounded cold and sterile as if she was an actor giving a very bad performance. She couldn’t care. She just needed to get through this without breaking down.
Johnnie’s intent gaze on her was nerve-wracking. Not only didn’t she want him near her, she didn’t want his icy silver gaze studying her. He knew he’d won.
Tension was high in the room. To Kendall, it had to do with more than why they were there, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask. She wanted to find a way to draw out the evening as much as she wanted it to end as quickly as possible, so she’d get through whatever Johnnie planned.
The results blurred in front of her and she couldn’t remember if she’d announced Cee Cee and Wallace’s relationship, so she repeated it.
“Baby, you just said that,” Roxy told her.
She nodded, saw Meggie narrow her eyes and Outlaw glare at Johnnie.
“Red?”
Mortician’s voice washed over her, soothing her. He was her friend. She could confide in him about Johnnie’s cruelty and he wouldn’t want to kill her husband.
Outlaw would.
Bash would.
Meggiewould.
Johnnie would be dead and Rory would never forgive her. Maybe Mattie, JJ, and Blade wouldn’t either.
“Would you like a glass of water?” Celia asked, sitting near Bash.
She needed vodka. Gallons of it. And sleeping pills.
“Kendall, Ima ask you thisonce,” Outlaw started in that tone he used when he was about to kill someone. “What the fuck’s wrong? Cuz, see, Rebel came in earlier and froze just the wayyoufuckin’ doin’ now.”
“She did?” Meggie looked at Rebel who was sitting across the room with Harley, Mattie, and Jana. “You did, Reb?”
At the sight of Jana, hysterical laughter bubbled inside of Kendall.
“Unless your motherfucker wanna die in front of everyfuckinbody, I know he ain’t fucked with Rebel and you,” Outlaw continued. “One just get a bullet in his fuckin’ head. Fuckin’ with both you and my girl get this motherfucker riddled with bullets, beheaded, and his arms and legs chopped the fuck off.”
“That’s my dad!” Rory cried.
“Motherfucker, you fucked with my sister,” CJ snapped. “I suggest you get off that tired fucking record before I shoot the fuck out ofyou.”
Kendall closed her eyes.
