“How about I fucking make you?” Diesel inserted, his tone hard and cold, hatred gleaming in his eyes. “I have a fucking score to settle with you, so I suggest you shut the fuck up and disappear while you still can.”
“I take fucking exception to that Dee Dee!” Bash barked, a quiet observer until that point.
Harley walked back in, carrying a glass filled with ice in one hand and a can of ginger ale in the other.
The argument halted while Harley handed Zoann the glass, then opened the can of ginger ale. Val took over from there, pouring the soda into the glass, then bringing it to Zoann’s lips and allowing her to drink.
It took a minute for Harley to make her way back to Rebel and Mattie, but when she did it dawned on Kendall that both her daughter and her niece were pale and clinging to each other.
“Fuck,” Bash said on a groan, capturing Kendall’s attention.
Easton had whispered something to Bash, which greatly displeased him. Seeing Celia’s curiosity, Bash leaned over. Whatever he told her made her widen her eyes and gasp.
This was getting out-of-hand. Kendall had a lot of results to read.
“Do you need me to help you, love?”
Meggie’s gentle voice drew Kendall’s attention. Her sister-in-law still sat next to Outlaw, but she focused on Kendall, the kindness she desperately needed in Meggie’s gaze.
“Take a deep breath, babe,” Bunny said, sitting on a folding chair right next to Digger, no longer shunning him.
Hopefully, they were working through their issues.
Suddenly, Diesel was there, concern in his eyes. “Tell me what you need me to do?” he whispered. “I can kill Johnnie for you tonight. Right now.”
Anticipation filled his voice, too much anticipation if Kendall were honest. Yet, for a brief moment, she thought about Johnnie dead, and her life—her body—free. She wouldn’t have to worry about losing her children. Her grief would be finite—he would be gone.Dead. She could never get him back. Eventually, the sorrow would end. Unlike now when she was stuck in an endless loop of pain, mourning what once was, however briefly, and would never be again.
“You don’t like that idea, do you?” Regret laced Diesel’s words. He sighed and held out his hand. “Give me the results. Are there any legalities I need to go over?”
“No. Everyone willingly submitted samples.”
“How did you find out that Cee Cee and Wallace are half-brothers?” Diesel asked, looking at the two pages Kendall handed to him.
“Outlaw ordered both paternity tests and kinship tests.”
Abel, who’d been standing silently by as all the drama unfolded, said, “He told me to run whatever tests were needed to untangle the web. I ran the kinship tests based on that order.”
“Good work,” Kendall complimented. She turned to Diesel and reclaimed Rack and Cee Cee’s tests. “I’m fine. I can handle it. I promise.”
“As long as you’re sure.”
“I am.”
“Take a deep breath like Bunny advised and start from the top.”
“Thank you, nephew,” she told him quietly.
He smiled at her. “Anytime, Auntie,” he responded, borrowing CJ’s terminology.
“Does anyone have any questions so far?” she asked, trying to reset her equilibrium.
“What the fuck have you said for us to question, Aunt Kendall?” Tabitha cooed.
Aunt Kendall indeed.
The moment Diesel returned to Axel’s side, Jana gave him a tremulous smile. Tabitha scowled, sidled next to Diesel, and laid her head on his shoulder, smirking at Jana.
Diesel stiffened but one look at Outlaw halted whatever he might’ve done.
