Chapter 20 Fourteen
Fourteen
Joker
I watch Madison as she falls asleep. Each rise and fall of her chest brings me peace.
A kind of peace I never knew existed. God, the way she fell apart in my arms tonight was amazing.
Just thinking about it has my dick getting hard again, wanting to go another round.
But I know she’s sore and needs time to heal.
I lean down and kiss her head one more time, breathing in her scent, which smells like sweet vanilla, like the sweets she makes.
Slowly, I transfer her onto my pillow and get out of bed and head to the closet to grab my clothes.
Tonight is the night I finally get my revenge on that fucker.
Walking back to the bed, I watch Madison for a few more minutes before grabbing my phone and heading out of the room, closing the door softly.
Walking down the hall, I peek inside Bailey’s room to see her sound asleep with both dogs beside her, making me chuckle.
I knew buying the dog beds would be a waste as they have attached themselves to her, guarding her.
They both lift their heads as soon as I opened the door, and when they didn’t see a threat, laid back down.
As soon as I told my parents about Bailey, they were so excited to meet her, and I have a feeling they will be here sooner than they said. They are going to spoil her.
I close her door and head downstairs, knowing she is safe as I walk out of the house and lock up, putting the house on lockdown.
It might be overkill, but it will give me peace of mind knowing no one can get in.
I stride to my bike and start it up, letting everything I’ve been holding onto come to the front.
My anger takes over as I make the short drive to the clubhouse, knowing the rest of my brothers are there waiting for me.
It’s only a matter of time before Leo is put down like the dog he is.
His crimes against Bailey are unspeakable.
I know it, and since he’s been down in the basement, he knows his number is up and will be rotting in hell soon enough.
I pull up to the clubhouse and park, seeing all my brothers’ bikes there as well.
I walk inside and see all of them there, waiting for me.
All of them have a soft spot for Bailey, and considering their women are all pregnant, it’s hitting close to home.
They nod their heads at me as we make our way to the basement.
My fists clenched, burning with rage, knowing it would be my hand that would finish this.
If that makes me a bad person, then so be it.
I just know I will sleep a lot better after this.
Before I walk down the stairs, Crow stops me.
“So I was trying to track down Bailey's mom, Jenna, just to see where she was so we could keep an eye on her in case she decided to turn back up. She was found dead in a crack house with her new man. I guess they both messed with the wrong people and got killed for it. I just thought you should know. I also started the process of bringing her remains here to be buried, not saying Bailey will ever want to visit, but in case she does.”
“Shit. Thank you, brother.” I’ll have to talk with Madison and see how she wants to tell Bailey.
Walking down the rest of the way with my brothers behind me, I open the door and turn on the lights, which makes Leo close his eyes tightly against the brightness.
He's right where we left him. Chained up, hanging from the ceiling, his feet hardly touching the ground. He lifts his head and looks at all of us warily. I’ve been starving him since he’s been down here so he knows what being hungry feels like.
Hell, I know for a fact Hawk came down here with a burger and ate it in front of him.
“Please, just let me go. I promise I won’t do it again.” He pleas as his lip wobbles as if he’s ready to cry. He should have thought of that before he put his hands on Bailey and, who knows how many others.
I step up to him, smiling widely. “You hear that, boys? Leo here said he won’t do it again.” The guys laugh, making him wince.
“Look, I can get you whatever you want. Woman, drugs just named it. Is that stupid brat worth all this trouble?” As soon as he called Bailey a brat, I saw red and let my fist fly right into his face, breaking his nose.
It hasn’t healed from when I hit him in the nose before, as blood gushes down his face.
I grab his face and squeeze hard, making him whimper.
“Do not mention Bailey again because I can drag this out for days and weeks if I wanted to. You are going to die; it's just a matter of when, and that’s up to you. You liked to torture children. Whip her so badly on her back that she’s going to scar, all because she was hungry.
” At that, the guys start cursing. I never told them how bad she was and all that she’s been through.
I pull out a rag from my pocket and gag him, muffling his screams.
They each step forward with Blade in the front, ready to beat his ass. They will each get a few hits in, but after that, he’s mine. “Who’s first?”
Blade walks to the wall of toys and grabs some steel knucks, slipping them on.
“Oh, that honor is all mine. You like to beat little kids? After we are done, you are going to be begging for death.” With that, he lets his fist fly and hits him right in the ribs.
Hearing them crack is music to my ears. He screams from behind the rag in his mouth as tears run down his face.
His pleas for mercy do nothing but fuel my anger.
Did he stop when Bailey was begging him not to hurt her?
No, he didn’t, so his pleading isn’t going to do fuck-all here.
If anything, it just pisses us off more.
Bailey deserved better than what they did to her.
She is innocent in all this. From here on out, she will know what being a child means.
To grow up in a loving home, to not feel hunger any longer.
She can grow up to be whatever she wants, and we will all support her in every way.
She is Bailey, and she is a fighter who will thrive in this life.
After Blade is done, each man steps forward and delivers their own justice.
Sometimes the law doesn’t get it right, so we get our own for those that can’t.
If you touch an innocent, we are going to come after you full force; the consequences be damned.
By the time the last brother steps back, Leo is black and blue, with both eyes swollen shut and his head hanging low towards his chest.
Hawk walks to the water bucket and throws cold water on Leo to wake his ass up. “Time to wake up, motherfucker. The fun isn’t over yet.”
“Please, just kill me,” Leo mumbles out of his fucked-up mouth. Most of his teeth are missing.
I walk to the wall of toys and grab a whip.
I flick it behind him and watch him wince, knowing what's coming for him. That is when he thrashes against his chains, which is only hurting him more. He might have used a belt on Bailey, but I’m going to use something that I know he will feel before his time is up.
I walk in front of him with a smile on my face.
I pull out my knife and cut his shirt off, throwing it on the floor.
“Aww, what’s the matter, Leo? Scared? Isn’t that what Bailey felt when you came at her with the belt, marking her back until she scarred?
When she was begging you to stop, when all she wanted was some food or someone to care for her.
Did you stop then? Cry some more, because it only fuels me further.
I thrive on that shit.” I walk behind him.
Right now, the happy-go-lucky Joker has left this room, and in its place is someone I don’t bring out often.
Right now I’m the judge, jury and the executioner, and Leo is about to meet his maker, and I hope when I’m done he burns in hell for his sins.
I step back and flick my wrist and watch as the first welt surfaces.
After that, I don’t stop. I watch detached as his back opens up, bleeding with each time the whip hits him, and with each hit Leo’s struggles slow down until he’s completely passed out from the pain.
Anytime he passes out, the guys throw water on him to wake him up.
He wakes up crying and screaming for me to stop.
But Theres no stopping me. I want him to feel everything I’m doing to him.
By the time I’m done, his back looks like minced meat.
I drop the whip as my breathing is labored, knowing I got my justice.
It’s time to end this fucker once and for all.
I pick up a bucket of water and throw it on him, waking him up.
He has a vacant look in his eyes, and I know he's close to death from all the blood loss. I pull down his gag.
“Any last words?” I pull out my gun and place it against his forehead.
“Fuck you and fuck that little brat.”
He doesn’t get to say anything else as I pull the trigger, watching his head slump down. Bailey’s nightmare is officially over; he's dead.
Blade walks over to me, clapping me on the back. “Go home to your girls; we will clean this up, brother.”
I turn around and see all my brothers there, nodding their heads in respect.
Each one of us would go to hell and back for each other, and we have.
We may not be blood, but they are my family.
I turn my head one last time to Leo before walking out the door and heading to my room here to shower and change my clothes.
I walk into my room and strip off my clothes, throw them in the basket to be burned, which the guys will take care of, and step into the shower and turn it on as hot as I can stand.
Watching the blood swirl down the drain as I wash up, knowing no one can hurt Bailey anymore makes this all worthwhile.
I scrub as quickly as I can and get out, wanting to be home with my girls.
I step out and dry off and throw on a change of clothes and walk out of my room heading for my bike.
Leaving the clubhouse, I straddle my bike and make the short drive to my house and unlock my door with my phone and head inside.
It’s now 2 am and I’m exhausted. I step inside and lock back up.
I peek my head inside Bailey’s room to see she’s still sound asleep with each dog beside her and head for my bedroom to see Madison still asleep, making me smile.
As quietly as I can, I slip into bed and pull her close, breathing in her sweet scent, which has my body relaxing. She stirs in my arms and rolls over.
She opens her eyes, smiling at me, and now I feel like shit for waking her up. “Go back to sleep, angel. I’m sorry I woke you.”
She snuggles her head into my chest. “You didn’t wake me. I was already up, waiting for you. I couldn't sleep without you. Is it done?” She yawns and throws her arms over my chest. This woman is something else. I truly don’t know what I ever did to deserve her, but I’ll be damned if I let her go.
I kiss the top of her head. “It is. He can’t hurt Bailey ever again.”
“Good. I love you, Joker.”
“I love you too, Madison.” I whisper to her even though she has fallen asleep. I close my eyes and let sleep take me, knowing I have everything I’ve ever wanted in my life under one roof.