Page 67 of Rebellious

Kendall squinted and pursed her lips. Was there another threat or did Outlaw expect trouble from the American Scorpions?

Axel begged for him and his men to go with Diesel. Once the three boys and five men cleared out, Mattie turned to Kendall and buried her face in the crook of Kendall’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Mama,” she whispered, trembling. “I didn’t mean to cause so much trouble.”

Kendall hugged her, wanting to go home and hide. She rubbed her daughter’s back. “You didn’t, darling. Too much testosterone swirling in the air for real peace.”

“Matt, Rebel really wants to see you,” Ryan inserted. “She texted me, asking where we are.”

“I don’t believe you,” Johnnie sneered.

Sighing, Ryan walked to Johnnie and held out his phone, just as Cleaner helped Tio to his feet.

Bash whispered something to Outlaw and they both snickered.

“What?” Johnnie asked, his puppy dog look at his brothers reminiscent of Rory’s expression toward CJ. He handed Ryan his phone back, puffed out his chest, and swaggered to Outlaw and Bash. “What’s funny? Let me in on the joke.”

“If I wanted you to know, I would’ve called you over, asshole,” Bash told him, shaking his head. “Have some fucking pride.”

“Go ahead, darling,” Kendall told Mattie with a final hug. With Johnnie out of the way, it was easy to convince her to walk to Ryan.

“Come on, JJ,” CJ encouraged.

Her third child had stood quietly at her side, but perked up and hurried to where CJ, Ryan, Mattie, and Grant stood.

“I want to see Reb, too,” Rory said quietly.

CJ slammed his hand against the buzzer and Kendall tensed.

“Come on, motherfucker,” CJ bit out, spared Rory a glance and nodded at him as the locks disengaged and the doors swung open.

Kendall would allow the kids to see Rebel, then visit her niece afterwards. “Is Meggie in the nursery with Jo?”

Outlaw cocked his head to the side. “You okay, baby?”

“Yeah, gorgeous. You look as miserable today as you did at Celia’s.”

“That’s Kendall’s usual state, Bash,” Johnnie said, laughing at his own joke, only joined by Cleaner and the few sycophants who still courted his favor. “She either feels sorry for herself or she is into everything.”

“I’d feel sorry for myself if I had you for a motherfucker, Johnnie,” Bash told him, frowning. “What are you talking about?”

“That I love the woman in spite of her flaws. In spite of her…” He looked at her, his smile not reaching his glacial eyes. “Everything.”

Kendall wouldn’t stand by and engage Johnnie, so she turned on her heel. “Excuse me,” she threw over her shoulder, rushing down the hall toward the nursery, hoping to find Meggie and Jo.

Instead, Mortician sitting in the rocker in front of Jo’s bed and feeding the tiny girl surprised her. At her approach, he glanced up.

“I didn’t know you were here,” she said, hurrying to him and giving him a quick hug before grabbing Jo’s little hand and smiling when she curled her fingers around one of Kendall’s. “Hello, darling.”

“Want to hold her, Red?”

Kendall studied her friend’s tired eyes and sad expression. She placed her free hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay, honey?”

“It’s Bailey.” He met her gaze briefly then looked at the baby again. “I came in here looking for Meggie. Knox downstairs with my wife in the ER and I just need…Prez with Bash. Cleaner here, and he the last motherfucker I want to see.”

“I guess they’re here because Tabitha is dead.”

“Yeah, I know.”