Page 184 of Remorseless

When she’d checked on CJ this morning, he’d told her about Bishop, Narci, Potter, and Torrin and begged her to help them. Diesel had been bringing them food. CJ had asked Mortician for help, but didn’t find any luck. The guys wanted to talk to her anyway, so Meggie called Mortician herself.

He told her the best time to do it was while Christopher was at the meeting with Kendall. He advised saying she’d forgotten about her interview with Easton Love so Christopher would be too annoyed to question her and trip her up. She just couldn’t bring herself to play on her husband’s jealousy so blatantly.

Mort moved to plan b—waiting until she heard Prez’s footsteps approaching her office, pick up the phone, and then pretend she was talking to Easton. She thought that was just as bad. Amended plan b was that she call Mortician and pretend it was Easton. Just make sure her husbandoverheard.

Christopher had. She saw his burning fury, which so flustered her she blurted the truth—she was meeting Mortician. Then, to discover he’d called Mort and asked his plans for the day almost changed Meggie’s mind about the entire situation. Both she and Mort flubbed it from the beginning. Yet, her potato had been through enough. He was finally willing to leave his room once she agreed to help. She’d think on those connotations later.

“So why are we here, Megan?” Johnnie demanded.

“To bask in your beauty?” Easton said.

“Omigod, you arrogant jerk!” she snarled, on the verge of kicking him. She barreled to him and thumped his chest, stressed to the point of a breakdown. “I’m not impressed with your stupid lines. They aren’t romanticorsexy, idiot, so save your breath. I’m not hiring you as my financial advisor. I refuse to have your death on my hands.”

“As opposed to all the other deaths you ordered?” Johnnie sneered.

Meggie gasped, then looked at Johnnie. Easton. Johnnie, again. Then, Easton. Suddenly, she knew. SheknewJohnnie had an ulterior motive. What that was, she wasn’t sure. But there was no reason for him to introduce her to a man who looked like a movie star she always gushed about.

She turned to Johnnie and shoved him. “You vile, pathetic, sneaky, bitter termite. Who is Easton Love and why’d you bring him to the club?”

Seeing Easton’s shoulders shaking with laughter further inflamed her temper and she shoved him too, secure in the knowledge that Mortician would shoot him if he retaliated. Easton laughed harder.

“You’re not that much of an idiot, Johnnie. You wouldn’t bring a man around and discuss club business in front of him so freely. If Christopher goes down, you do, too. So, whois he?”

“Goddamn, Outlaw’s a lucky motherfucker,” Easton said, still amused, though admiration tinged the words. “We’re caught. I’ve looked at joining the Dwellers, Meggie. Johnnie wasn’t sure how that would go over because—” He pointed to his face. “Idohave a finance degree, and he thought you’d help me soften up your husband.”

He sounded so honest. Still, something about his story didn’t add up. True, she’d heard of the wild methods men who wanted to join the club employed. But no one had ever usedher.

“Meggie girl?”

Mortician’s voice drew her away from studying Easton and Johnnie. She turned, and Mortician nodded left, toward the pathway that cut through the overgrown weeds. A white flag waved.

“Show your other fucking hand, motherfucker,” Mortician ordered, training his gun toward whoever held the flag. Another hand rose.

Johnnie grabbed Meggie’s shoulder and jerked her back. She elbowed him and smiled at his grunt.

Snickering, Easton walked around her, pushed aside his suit coat and unholstered his gun.

“If you pull your fucking piece, I’m shooting the fuck out of you, son,” Mortician said coldly.

Even as Potter stumbled out of the weeds, still gripping the flag, Mortician’s volume indicated he spoke to Easton.

“Just trying to help,” Easton said jovially.

“Youtryingto piss me the fuck off,” Mortician said.

“As you are with me?” Johnnie demanded. “Easton’s my friend.”

“AndMeggiemine. In addition to being Prez’s woman and my fucking charge. Fuck, I should’ve just helped CJ when he called me.”

“Easton’s not a threat,” Johnnie continued.

Narci and Torrin crept out.

“I’m sure not,” Easton said, though he heeded Mortician’s warning.

“See, Mortician?” Johnnie said.

“Oh, for God’s sake,” Meggie said, tired of the bickering. She wanted to get back home before Christopher.