Chapter 29 – Beast
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
BEAST
We left our bikes down the block, so not to attract attention. Spider and I are crouched just across the street behind some bushes, watching the house. “There is activity,” Spider points out.
“Yeah, considering Bobby is supposed to be dead, it looks like a pretty busy fucking house,” I add. “Ghost given an ETA on when they will get here?” I ask.
Spider shakes his head no. “Nothing yet, brother. Just said Buzz isn’t good, and they had to sedate Scar as he tried to discharge himself.” He scoffs.
I shake my head. “Fuck, he was bleeding out, the fucking lunatic.”
“Yeah,” Spider agrees. “So, it looks like for now, it’s just you, me, and this bag of delights.” Spider smiles.
I look at him and down at the bag. Reaching in, I pull out a machine gun. “Ready to kill and not get killed?” I ask him.
Spider lights a cigarette. “I’m always ready to bring the reaper.” He smiles.
Moving quickly from behind the bush, we run across the road and climb over the gate. Charlie doesn’t have any men stood outside. I’m guessing not to make it obvious where he is. We crouch down in front of one of the windows and Spider moves slowly, peering into the window.
“Anything?” I ask.
He sits back down and the look on his face has me worried. “Body on the floor at the far side looks like Bobby,” he states.
“Fuck!” I hiss. “I’ve got to get in there, brother. I can’t wait any longer,” I state, desperate to find Belle.
Spider nods before pulling out a grenade. “Nothing like the element of surprise.” He winks as he pulls the pin out with his teeth before smashing the window and throwing it into the house. “Move,” he orders. We crawl quickly around the side of the house, and as the grenade goes off, glass from the window explodes everywhere, followed by the sound of shouting. “Wait for it,” Spider says, like an eager child beside me. Suddenly, the sound of men coughing and spluttering pile out of the house, looking around, aiming their weapons. “Now!” Spider roars. We both jump to our feet and run out, firing off our machine guns.
The other guys don’t have a chance as a cascade of bullets rain down on them. We move quickly, shooting anyone that moves. My eyes dart everywhere, searching every corner for Belle. We move through the house, finding Bobby dead on the floor.
“Shit,” I sigh. I search the room and notice the patio door is open. “I will search out the back,” I tell Spider. He nods and moves further into the house. Keeping my gun aimed and ready to shoot, I walk through the patio door and into the huge, landscaped garden, noticing the perfectly sculpted bushes line the patio area. I hear scuff of a shoe. “I can hear you, Charlie!” I yell. “There is no point in running now,” I warn.
Charlie steps out from behind one of the bushes, his hands held up in surrender. “I will come quietly. No need to shoot,” he says, smiling like it’s one big game.
“Where is she?” I ask, my finger hovering over the trigger, itching to end his life.
Charlie laughs and shrugs. “I don’t know who you mean.” He pauses. “Oh, you mean my daughter,” he states. I frown, wondering what the fuck he is talking about. “Oh, Bobby didn’t tell you that, did he? Well, Belle is actually my daughter. I am her father. So, if you truly love her, you won’t kill me, because every father and daughter deserve a chance at a relationship, right?”
“What the fuck are you on about?!” I growl. “Just tell me where I can find her!” I demand.
Charlie opens his mouth to answer, but is cut off when Ghost, Rage, and Hawk come running out. “About fucking time,” I sigh.
“Sorry brother, you got Belle?” Ghost asks.
“Does it fucking look like it?” I answer sarcastically.
“Go. Go find her and we will see to him,” Ghost states.
“Don’t kill him. He said some weird shit about being Belle’s father,” I state.
“We’ll take him to the barn. Go. We don’t have long until daylight,” Ghost adds.
I turn and run back in the house, watching Spider come from upstairs with Cash. “You find her?” I ask.
“No, nothing. Just an empty room. It’s fucking weird, brother. Not even any other men,” Spider states.
I walk along the hall and check the kitchen, even the giant fucking pantry. Spider checks the office and other rooms, but still nothing. I return to the hallway and see Cash standing there, staring at a picture on the wall.
“That look right to you?” he asks.
I look at the painting and notice it’s hanging crooked. I lift it away from the wall and see a handle behind it. I pull it off and chuck it across the floor before I turn the handle and the door opens like it’s one of those secret in the wall doors. Inside are some stairs leading down.
“Basement,” I mutter to Cash before taking the steps 2 at a time. I spot the large door that is slightly ajar. I hold my hand up, telling Cash to freeze. I peer slowly around the door and see Belle chained in the middle of the room, hanging like a piece of meat at an abattoir. Her head is hanging down, blood is on her clothes and in her hair, but she isn’t alone. One of Charlie’s men is in there with his back to me. His hand grabs her face, forcing her to look at him, and that’s when I see her face; swollen eyes and blood is pouring form her mouth and nose. I move quickly and aim my gun. At the same time, the guy’s head spins around, his eyes going wide at the sight of me and Cash. He moves quickly, using Belle as a human shield.
“Don’t shoot. You shoot me, you kill her,” he threatens us.
“Anders,” Belle whimpers, her voice slicing through my heart.
I clench my jaw, my finger hovering over the trigger. Cash steps to my right, both of us taking aim at either side of Belle, trapping the guy. He moves slightly, he’s fucking dead.
“It wasn’t me!” the guy yells. “Charlie did it. Just ask her,” he yells from behind Belle.
“Stop being a fucking coward and face the fucking reaper,” I growl.
“Ask her!” he cries from behind her.
“It was Charlie,” Belle agrees.
I sigh. “Fine, now get out,” I yell.
The guy sighs with relief. “Thank you, I was just following orders chaining her up,” he says as he steps out from behind Belle.
I open fire, and I watch as his body takes hit after hit of bullets. Belle screams, turning her body away. I stop and the guy’s lifeless body falls to the floor. I walk over and slam my booted foot down on his skull, cracking the cranial beneath each stomp.
“Fucking chain my woman up! Fucking use her as a fucking shield! You fucking cunt!” I roar, furious rage exploding from within me.
“Anders, please,” Belle sobs. I stop immediately, unable to resist her. His pained, busted up face is looking back at me. I drop my gun and lift her in my arms, and she instantly wraps her legs around my waist.
“Keys,” I state.
“Already on it,” Cash says, searching the dead guy’s pockets. Coming up with a set of keys, he reaches up and unlocks the cuffs, releasing her wrists. Belle sobs as she wraps her arms around my neck. With one hand under her behind and the other holding her close, she rests her head on my shoulder, sobbing. I rub my hand up and down her back, trying to sooth her. I look at Cash, and his eyes mirror mine with pure internal rage.
Walking out of the basement, Ghost and Rage are stood there, waiting for us. They see Belle clinging to me, her body shaking as she sobs. “Where is he?” I growl.
“Back of the van with Hawk and Spider,” Ghost answers.
I nod. “Call ahead. She needs to be seen to,” I state.
Ghost nods and Rage pulls out his phone. No more words are spoken. All of us are holding back the murderous fury that is coursing through our veins.
Dixie had to give Belle a sedative; she was in shock and her body wouldn’t stop trembling, even after her tears had stopped. She was still clinging to me, refusing to let go. It tore me apart seeing her like that. I didn’t want to leave her, but I had to take care of Charlie. He has to pay for what he has done.
I walk into the barn and there is Charlie tied to a chair in the middle, my brothers all stood around him waiting. I don’t acknowledge them. I grab the metal mallet hammer off the bench and storm towards him. I swing my arm back and slam it down on his left kneecap.
He lets out a ear piercing scream, the crack of his shattering kneecaps echoing around the empty barn. I don’t hold up on doing the same to his right knee. “FUCK!” he cries out in a guttural scream.
My chest heaves as I glare down at him.
“Untie him,” I pant. Rage and Hawk quickly untie his hands, following my order. “Take him to the bench and hold his hands out flat, palm side down,” I instruct. Rage smiles wide as they drag Charlie to the bench, splaying his hand out flat. I lift the mallet above my head and slam it down on each of his hands. Charlie screams, trying to pull away, but Hawk and Rage hold him still.
“I’m not normally one to comment on your smile Rage, but fuck, seeing you this happy warms my little heart,” Hawk sighs.
I ignore Hawk’s remark and drop the mallet to the floor. I grab a blade and stand behind Charlie. Grabbing his hair tightly, I yank his head back to my chest so it’s tilted up. Rage and Hawk step back as I hold Charlie up and press the blade against his neck.
“Are you ready to meet the reaper?” I growl in his ear.
“But, but, I’m her father,” Charlie rasps, his face scrunching up in agony.
“I don’t give a shit. You hit her, you beat her, and you had her chained up. No father, no fucking man, deserves to be able to breathe the same fucking air as her,” I seethe.
Charlie pants. “You’ll regret this,” he says in a pathetic voice.
“No, I will never regret this,” I spit as I slice the blade through his neck. He gargles and makes choking sounds as blood pours from his neck and mouth. His body twitches as it fights to try and breathe. I keep hold of him, watching the panic and fear in his eyes. “Give my regards to the reaper, you fucking cunt,” I growl in his ear as his body stills and the life drains from his eyes. I take a step back, dropping his corpse to the floor. I turn to look at my brothers and see Ghost standing there with his arms crossed over his chest.
He lifts his chin. “You’re good, brother. We burned the house to the ground, no comebacks.” I nod and leave, needing to be with her. Covered in blood, I storm over to the house.
Walking in, I hear Josie and Maggie gasp. I ignore them and head straight to our room. Opening the door, Queenie, Dixie, and Star turn to face me, their eyes taking in my claret covered clothes.
“Do you think you should shower first?” Queenie asks softly.
“No, leave us,” I state coldly. They don’t protest, and nodding, they leave. I remove my clothes and climb into bed with her, pulling her into my arms. I lay there, staring up at the ceiling, letting her scent, her presence, calm me, soothing away the anger and fear. When I saw her hanging there cuffed, I thought she was fucking dead. I close my eyes, inhaling a deep breath before I place a soft kiss on her head. “No one will ever hurt you again. I will slaughter anyone that even tries,” I promise.