Misjudged (Death Dwellers #3.5) Read Online Free PDF Page A

sure a lot of the women don’t like you or respect you. Those men don’t respect you either. They just want pussy from you because that caveman you’re married to shared every girl he’s ever fucked with whoever wanted a piece of her. He corrupted Johnnie with that bullshit. He fed into Val’s perversions.”
    Kendall was being particularly vicious but she needed to vent, and, whether Meggie liked it or not, Kendall was also bringing up some of the very things that had begun to worry Meggie. That fact alone kept the phone glued to her ear, compelling her to keep listening to the vitriol. Would a housewife be enough to keep a man like Outlaw Caldwell interested through the years?
    “By the way, I’ve searched Char out,” Kendall offered at Meggie’s silence, “and I know she holds him responsible for leading Mortician astray. He encouraged Mortician to cheat on her—“
    “No, Kendall,” Meggie bit out. “Please, whatever else you might do or think, don’t open that can of worms. Charlemagne lied to you.”
    “This is what I’m talking about,” Kendall had argued. “She even asked about Bailey because she knew she’s K-P’s daughter. She asked if they’d been close and if she was grieving. She asked about his belongings and if Bailey had gone through them or if someone else had.”
    “She’s just being nosy. She doesn’t mean anyone any good,” Meggie insisted, her head beginning to pound and an upset stomach kicking in. Christopher walking in with their son in his arms and scowling when he saw her on the phone, hadn’t helped. He’d handed her CJ and stalked out. “Not to you,” she said, the moment her husband departed. “Not to Bailey. And definitely not to Mortician. Just leave Char alone. Please.”
    “Right. Leave her alone because you’re ordering it?”
    “No—“
    Kendall ignored her and ranted on. “So I guess you’re going to run and tell Mortician and Asslaw I’ve talked to her.”
    “Stop calling Christopher names. He isn’t here to defend himself.”
    “Yes, I’m sure. Otherwise, you wouldn’t call me. He wouldn’t allow it.”
    “Enough! He’s been right next to me on several occasions when we’ve had our phone conversations. He can’t stop me from talking to you. Will I tell him that you’re being a moron and calling that witch? No. That’s between you, Mortician, and Bailey. I really, really don’t want to speculate on why you did this. I can only hope you think about my plea to you not to call her again. She’s caused a lot of grief. And that’s the real story. Not—“
    “You want real? My words to you are the real. Zoann wanting to coddle you is not real. As long as you’re making her brother happy, she doesn’t give a fuck about how you act or what you lack. Bailey is so wrapped up in Mortician’s lies, she won’t sit down and try to talk sense into you about going to school. Your mother can’t even help herself. Now? You might think differently—but knowing you, you won’t—but I really do like you most of the time. Maybe, that’s the power of your sweetness ,” she snarled. “After Johnnie came and left immediately because of something that went on at the club, just brushing off my need to talk about a wedding date, I don’t know how I feel about you.”
    “I can relate, Kendall,” Meggie admitted quietly, wondering how they’d gotten to this point. Kendall couldn’t strike out and hurt other people, just because she, herself, was hurting. It didn’t work that way. Friendship didn’t work that way. They both had some hard truths facing them. “The way you feel about my husband, about me, that’s not always easy to overlook. Or forgive.”
    Meggie wanted to stay in a forgiving state, rationalizing that Kendall was in a very fragile place emotionally.
    When Kendall had added the last part, Meggie remembered what had started the contempt and she’d brushed aside her hurt and nausea, swiping away her tears. Kendall was hurt that