Hulk Chapter 5
Several emotions radiated off Celeste and Capri.
From Capri, it was mainly pain, humiliation, and some anger.
She was barely making eye contact with us.
The sweet, smiling young woman from earlier was gone.
I hated seeing her like this. From her aunt, it was rage and the thirst for revenge against those who hurt her niece or those who weren’t helping to find those responsible.
When it came to Capri herself, I felt the love Celeste had for her niece and the hurt she felt from the whole ugly situation.
Celeste’s disdain for the police department and the so-called friend, Vanessa, was apparent.
Her lip curled each time she spoke of them.
The fire in her gaze drew me to her. It might sound sick, but I was someone who needed a woman with spirit and a backbone, yet I also needed her to submit to me if deemed necessary.
The one in charge didn’t always have to be me, though I would like to take the lead.
For the right woman, I could ease off that.
They had been here for two hours. In that time, we’d been laughing, telling stories, and getting to know each other.
The deep-down details about their lives weren’t known, but those were things that could be learned as time went by.
What I did know was enough to tell me that Celeste Malcolm had piqued my interest. I wanted to know more and get to know her as more than a friend.
I felt protective, like an older brother or an uncle, toward Capri.
I had no such platonic feelings for her aunt.
I checked out my fellow Pagans. There were varying degrees of disgust, anger, and worry on their faces.
And I saw earlier, before getting into the heavy topic, the way my single brothers had flocked to be near them both.
The younger guys—Spartan, Lethal, Guardian, and the twin prospects, Soren and Thoryn—had covertly checked out Capri.
I knew she was someone they found interesting.
However, after what she went through, there was no way any of them would try to get close to her in anything but a platonic way.
The rest of the single guys had been inspecting Celeste. She left them intrigued. I had to force myself not to jump up and fling my body between hers and theirs, shouting at them to stay away or I’d tear their heads off.
Merely sitting this close to her was torture.
I soaked in Celeste. When she’d first entered the clubhouse, I’d drunk in the sight of her.
I hadn’t asked to see a picture of either woman.
I didn’t know why. They looked enough alike that there was no doubt they were closely related.
Celeste was more like an older sister than Capri’s aunt.
However, Capri was too young for me. All I wanted to do was protect her.
When I looked at Celeste, I wanted to have her all to myself and to tangle up the sheets on my bed with her.
Celeste was a tall woman, about five feet nine or ten inches.
She was White with light golden skin. Her hair was mid-shoulder length.
It was thick with large, bouncy curls. The color reminded me of wheat's golden hue.
All her features were delicate, fitting her oval face.
Darker lashes surrounded her light gray eyes, and they were large and stood out against her skin.
Then there was her body. I was a guy who liked a woman to have some substance. Those waif-thin women did nothing for me. I found that they couldn’t take a pounding when the sex got rough or wild. Celeste’s banging body shouted she could handle whatever I threw at her.
Her waist was tucked in, but her hips were flared, her thighs were thicker, and her ass was ripe.
As if that wasn’t enough to make me think I died and went to heaven, her tits were what wet dreams were made of.
They were enough to overflow my huge hands.
They had to be easily DD or bigger. I wondered how big and what color her nipples were.
I admit, it was tough to keep my mind on the topic at hand rather than get lost in daydreaming about her.
However, the thought that any of my club brothers were thinking the same things I was made me want to bare my teeth at them and snarl that she was mine and to back off. Never had I had a reaction like this to a woman. It was barbaric.
Their explanation of what was known and not known about the assault on Capri had sobered me up and kept me more focused on the conversation at hand.
Seeing the toll it was taking on each woman made me want to go hunting and bring back those who raped Capri to be tortured.
And those who hadn’t taken any action to prevent it needed to be punished.
Celeste’s conviction that Vanessa knew something made me want to know what it was.
Had she set her friend up? Had she seen something and was too scared to tell?
Or had she somehow been coerced into keeping her mouth shut and leaving the party?
I hated to ask them to relive more, but I wanted more details.
“We’re almost done. We’re not trying to make this unbearable for you, Capri. If you need to take a break, we understand.” Dare offered that up before I had the chance.
The young woman shook her head. She made eye contact with him, then searched the faces surrounding her.
“No, that’s okay. Ask whatever you want, but I don’t understand what you think you can do.”
“We’ll explain the last part once you finish. How were you found?” Twisted asked.
“I was surfacing and noticed my whole body ached, and I was hurting in various spots. It was when I heard a girl screaming and a guy swearing that I fully came awake. It was a couple who snuck into the pool house for some privacy. They found me lying on the floor. The guy took out his phone and called 911. After she calmed down, his girlfriend came over and placed a beach towel over me. I had no clothes on. They remained there. The guy must’ve texted someone, because another guy brought the cops and the paramedics to the pool house when they arrived.
“I remember as they assessed me and then got me onto the gurney that the sounds of voices grew outside. When they wheeled me out, there were a bunch of partygoers standing around. From there, I was transported to the hospital in an ambulance. After I got there, I asked a nurse to call Celeste. I don’t recall anything.
But when they examined me at the hospital, they said I’d been beaten.
My face sure looked like it. I had bruises in various places.
My one eye was almost swollen shut, and my lip was busted.
And I’d been…violated,” Capri finished in a broken sigh.
“That’s enough for tonight. Thank you for sharing this with us. We greatly appreciate it,” Agony told her. He gave her a tender smile. Pres focused his attention more squarely on her aunt.
“You asked why we wanted to know and what we could do about it. See, our club and several others like it, with which we’re friends, hate monsters.
And when we find that one is within our territory, endangering our neighbors, friends, or loved ones, we take steps to ensure they can never harm anyone again,” Agony stated.
“What kind of steps?” Celeste asked.
“Celeste, if you knew that someone would never be held accountable for their crime, or they would be at a level significantly less than they earned, and you knew you or someone you knew could ensure they paid the full price, what would you do?” I asked.
Her beautiful eyes met mine. There was fury burning in them, making them appear silver. “I would tell those whom I knew to release the dogs of war and tear those bastards and bitches to shreds. The only way to guarantee justice is to kill them.” Her icy reply slipped out between her lips.
I held eye contact as the rustle of clothing, the squeak of chairs, and the voices of the kids playing surrounded us.
My brothers and the old ladies said nothing.
Finally, I broke the link and surveyed the table and those surrounding it.
My club brothers wore pleased expressions.
The women’s expressions held sympathy. Capri’s face was creased with concern.
“Celeste, you can’t say those things. If someone heard you and reported it to the court, you would lose your job. Don’t let what happened to me change you,” she pleaded.
Celeste shook her head. “Capri, honey, what happened to you hasn’t changed me.
I’ve felt this way for a while. I chose not to say anything because I didn't want to burden you or worry you. I can’t tell you how many times I see bastards getting off or slapped with the slightest sentences or even house arrest when they deserve so much more.
The legal system isn’t impartial or fair, as we’re taught to believe.
And I know in my gut at times, jurors have been paid off or witnesses either intimidated or paid off, too.
Hell, I’ve suspected it in a few of the judges, too, though not Judge Fontana. He’s one of the truly righteous ones.
“If the legal system can’t ensure that those who deserve to be punished are, then they shouldn’t be shocked when others step in to do it.
I’m not an advocate for mindless vigilante justice, but if it’s done ethically, and those who are good and blameless aren’t harmed, then I say let them do it.
Not a modern mindset, but my naiveté is gone after what I’ve seen.
People deserve to be safe enough to walk down the street and not be accosted or killed.
You should be able to go to a party or out with friends and not worry that you’ll be drugged, raped, sold, or murdered.
Children should be able to play outside and go to school without becoming the target of pedophiles.
The list goes on. I’m sorry if this shocks you, but it’s how I feel and think.