“If the cutoff is 12.5%, you and Harley are safe, brother,” Rebel told him.
“You’re a true Caldwell man, kid.” Bash smiled at CJ. “Protecting his little sister and sharing a very special bond.”
“My son shares the same type of relationship with his sister,” Johnnie said smugly.
Rory flushed, but it was Mattie’s expression that captured Kendall until Bash snorted.
“Forever a fucking brainless blond. Your cumsquirt haven’t said one fucking thing to Matilda the entire fucking evening, Johnnie.”
Rebel dropped her arm from around Mattie and placed herself slightly in front of both Mattie and Harley.
“Rory has been catching up with his cousins, Bash,” Johnnie said. “He doesn’t have to talk to his sister here. They see each other every dayat home.”
CJ glared at Rory again and shame poured into Kendall. If she dwelled on all the shortcomings in her that brought her son to this point, she wouldn’t finish.
“Next…uh, any more questions?”
“What about Meggie and Bailey, sugar?” Roxy called.
Although Bailey submitted a sample, she’d declined attending tonight’s dinner.
Kendall hadn’t looked at those results. She’d been so shocked by Jana and Tabitha’s outcomes she’d ordered Abel to assemble everyone to start the readings.
She rummaged through the papers in her hand but didn’t find what she needed. “Hand me Megan Caldwell and Bailey Banks’s findings, please, Abel.” Once the lab tech complied, she glanced over the tests and started. What the fuck? “Are you sure these are the right ones?”
Abel leaned over, read the names, then nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
Well, fuck.
She cleared her throat. “Meggie and Bailey arenotrelated,” she said faintly. “That means Big Joe and K-P were not brothers. H-half-brothers.”
Fuck, what did that mean? After reading the letters, Kendall had been convinced of their fraternal relationship.
“Those motherfuckers always said they were,” Bash objected. “Daddy said they were.”
“Maybe, they were told that,” Kendall said, her mind spinning. “Based on the letters I’ve read, it seems as if they believed it themselves.” There were also birth certificates, but DNA didn’t lie. Bitches and motherfuckers, though? Most definitely.
Kendall couldn’t understand why such a lie was propagated. What was the fucking end game? Fuck, it would’ve been easier if Meggie and Bailey were cousins. Now, she’d have to do more digging. Meaning, she’d have to subject herself to the minds of those psychopaths again.
“I’ll do more research,” Kendall said, sighing. “Perhaps, I’ll find out the answer.”
Bash sniffed and rubbed his nose. “Maybe, if you can find the actual will, you can uncover more truths.”
Folding her arms, Roxy crossed her legs. “I wonder how big-mouthed motherfuckers feel, knowing they opened their fucking traps and caused trouble for no fucking reason.”
Roxy wasn’t addressing anyone in particular and Kendall didn’t know exactly what Roxy meant, but Johnnie’s guilty expression concerned Kendall.
“We all have a lot of questions about this result,” Kendall said. “Until I can do more digging, I will move on.” She picked up the stack of Caldwell results. “Bash and Celia, you aren’t—”
“No!” Bash lost his color and shot to his feet. “Don’t tell me my little sister isn’t related to me.”
“Calm down. Sheisn’tyour half-sister.” Kendall gave him a sympathetic smile, knowing how much he loved Celia. “You two share the same parents.”
Bash squinted, allowed the words to sink in, before he gulped and widened his eyes. “You’re serious, gorgeous?” he whispered.
“Quite,” Kendall said, happy at his news.
“Daddy never kept a bitch around. He killed most cunts.”
