Page 56 of Rebellious

“That isn’t true,” Mort told her. “None of what you saying true, baby. I could never be ashamed of you. I’ve always been so fucking proud of you.”

“You aren’t! You aren’t. I just want to die. I want to die. I can’t believe I’ve lost you. I love you so much,” she rambled. Perhaps, she was too drunk to realize her actions definitely didn’t point to love. “Why did you do this to me? To us? How could you betray me again. Once was bad enough.”

“I haven’t...” Mort swallowed. He still didn’t know the context of Johnnie’s most recent lies. Whatever he said, sent her further over the edge. “What I did now?” he croaked, aware of Roxanne looming next to him.

“You want me to say this in front of Mama? Fine! You’re fucking Kendall, and I want a divorce,” she wailed, the words coming out in a rush as a new batch of tears formed. “I don’t care if I told you to fuck her again. You weren’t supposed to think I was sincere.”

He gave his mama-in-law a wary look. “I’m not sleeping with Kendall.”

“I know, baby,” Roxanne said quietly, and patted his arm.

“Liar!” Bailey screamed, spit flying everywhere. She slid her hand over her mouth. “You’re a liar. Johnnie’s been texting me. Just to check on me. More than you fucking do.”

Mort exchanged an incredulous look with his mama-in-law.

“Meggie’s sister-in-law is golden for you. Johnnie told me everything. You went away with Kendall again,” she repeated. “That’s why you haven’t visited me.”

Fuck that motherfucker. Somehow, Johnnie convinced Bailey that Mort was taking Kendall away regularly.

“That’s not true, Bailey.” Mort didn’t know what to say to get her to believe him since he was guilty of putting Kendall on the back of his bike and blazing out of town with her. Once. “Johnnie lying to you. And I tried to visit you.” He’d called and texted her. She barely let him see their sons. “You ghosted me.”

“Because you don’t love me,” she slurred in a small voice. “Johnnie—”

“I told you Johnnie was just fucking with you,” Roxanne interrupted. “Stop being a stupid bitch. Why would your husband take that child on a day trip, let alone two or three, without telling anyone?”

“Tell her, Lucas. Tell her how gorgeous you think Kendall is. Tell her everything I told you when we went away. Everything that Johnnie said to me when he texted me today.”

“I don’t—”

“All the truths he revealed,” she interrupted Mort wildly. Never mind the fact that Mortician didn’t have a motherfucking clue what that motherfucker said to her today. “You took Kendall away behind Johnnie’s back and behind my back again. You told me Kendall wouldn’t hand you the bullshit that I do, so no wonder you left with her again.”

Mort was so outraged that Bailey was rehashing this in front of his mama-in-law to make him look bad, he didn’t hide his fucking wince.

Heat slid into him at Roxanne’s gasp and he raised his hands.

“I did take Kendall on one day trip, Roxanne,” he admitted. “Almost a month ago. Outlaw asked me to go to her office because she was in a bad way. I took her away to distract her from her misery. Not to sleep with her, and I haven’t gone away with her again.”

Bailey cried harder, but the way Roxanne studied him made him flush like a bitch. More because of the brief kiss he’d shared with Kendall in her den rather than what happened on their trip.

“I’ll be back,” Roxanne said tightly, turned and stalked out of the room.

He didn’t know if she believed him, and prayed his mama-in-law wasn’t getting her collapsible baton to beat his ass. “I’m not fucking no other woman, Bailey, and I don’t plan to,” he stated, trying to suppress his fury.

His efforts were in vain. He was so fucking mad, he was shaking.

To calm himself, he settled on the edge of the bed, attempting to reclaim her injured hands. She resisted. Not wanting to agitate her further, he let his arms away.

“Tell me what else Johnnie told you today, baby.”

A little sob left her. “All I needed to know,” she said hoarsely, sniffling pitifully. “His words haunt me.” She covered her face and cried.

“Tell me. Please,” Mort added, desperate to help his wife. He wasn’t sure which conversation with Johnnie tormented her since she’d apparently had more than one. Did she even remember she wasn’t related to Meggie? “We settled everything.”

“You would think that. You’re the perpetrator not the victim.”

“You not a motherfucking victim either!”

“I am,” she wailed. “Because I’m me.”