Page 161 of Ruptured

The promise of murder gleamed in his eyes. “You’re apatheticlittle cunt. You’re a homemaker? Guess what? Your fucking job is to look after your kids, Miss My-Children-Are-Always-First. You little liar. You’ve a slave to Christopher’s tongue and cock, so he comes above everyone.”

Meggie didn’t have the energy to call someone to remove Johnnie. It was why she hadn’t gone with Rebel. She’d intendedto rest. But the horror of it all, theguiltat failing Rule, had sent her to the window seat so she could stew in misery the moment an aide wheeled her daughter away.

“If you would’ve listened to me and told everyone your baby belonged to me, you wouldn’t be in this situation.”

“You would’ve still been in the club,” she responded, her voice thick with emotion. For weeks, she’d felt nothing for Johnnie. Now, she hated him, most especially for walking in on one of her darkest moments when her misery left her vulnerable to his viciousness.

“CJ should’ve been mine,” he finally whispered, hate reflected in his eyes. “I loved you so fucking much, Megan. I. Loved. You. Did that mean anything to you? Obviously, it didn’t,doesn’t. You’ve turned your wretched back on me. You don’t care if I die. If I’m killed. Fuck you.”

Clenching her jaw, she forced herself to glare at him.

“Did you ever love me? Did how I once felt about you even move you?”

She wouldn’t respond, since she’d told him so many times before.

“Answer me, goddamn it!”

“No! Ask me again on my deathbed, jerk. It’s the only way I won’t have to suffer this song and dance with you every few months.”

“CJ should’ve been mine,” he repeated. “Whether I made him or claimed him, he should’ve belonged to me.Rebel.”

“You have a beautiful wife and gorgeous children, Johnnie. You’re showing them more disrespect than whatever you believed you saw between Christopher and Kendall.”

“How can you be so fucking blind?”

“I’m not blind. I trust Kendall. But, more importantly, I trust my husband.”

“How many times did he suck your cunt to convince you of his fidelity?”

“You’re disgusting.”

He bent down and brushed his lips over her forehead, before resting his hand at her throat. “Do you remember when I finger-fucked you?” he whispered against her ear.

Memories of Johnnie strangling her rose in Meggie’s head. He’d been drugged but still saw Meggie as an instrument of revenge. This time, he was lucid, but no less frightening. She prayed Rebel returned. Or Mattie, who’d left to go to the cafeteria when Rebel went for her test. Or CJ. Diesel. Mortician. Because she knew it wouldn’t be Christopher.

“You jerked off my cock.”

She was at a supreme disadvantage. He blocked her from reaching the call button or her cell phone.

“Kendall and Christopher know what we did,” Johnnie snarled. “Do you honestly think they won’t take revenge against me?”

She could proclaim her belief in Christopher and Kendall’s innocence for the rest of her life. Johnnie wouldn’t believe it.

His hand tightened around her throat and tears slid down Meggie’s cheeks.

“Cry, Megan. Sob for all the heartache you’ve endured and all the heartache yet to come.”

There was absolutely no winning with Johnnie, so she’d say what she wanted and damn the consequences. If he killed her, he’d meet with a gory death.Someoneknew he was with her. Meggie thumped his chest with her unbandaged hand and glowered at him. “Christopher, our children, and I will get through this as we get through everything.Together.”

Scowling, he shoved her away.

“No matter what happens, Johnnie, my husband would never talk underneath another’s woman’s clothes, let alone hisown brother’s wife. He’d never say someone’s children should’ve been his. We will continue to love each other and our children. We will continue to work at being better spouses, parents, and family members. Jo will come home. Rule will r-r-recover and we’ll do better.”

“According to you. Your husband wants to fuck Kendall,” he repeatedagain, as if that would make his words true.

Meggie couldn’t imagine what had happened toherJohnnie, the one with the easy smile and quick wit. The charmer who’d gotten under her skin just a little bit.

“My husband does not want to sleep with your wife. He’s befriending his sister-in-law because her husband’s a jackass. If I was married to you, I’d ask a hobo on the street, what kind of relationship would we have. What is wrong with you?”