Claiming Beauty (Taking Beauty Trilogy 2)

“Sit the fuck down!”

I listen to him because I need him calm though it pains me to do so. Every fibre in me wants to rip his dick off and shove it down his throat.

“The rest of you, sit!” We stay silent. “This is club business, girl.”

“I think I’ll stay.”

No one else protests so Lucy cozies in behind my chair.

“I want you out of this club.”

“Oh, you do you ya? After all I’ve done for you?”

He laughs and picks at his teeth with his knife.

“I’ve paid back those debts three times over.”

“Paid them back?!’ He slams his fist on the table. “I saved your damn life you piece o’ shit. Your scummy old whore of a foster mom who you so desperately wanted to get away from, you remember her? I saved you from her. Just like I stepped in when you were too sackless to get rid of little Palermo’s busy-handed daddy.”

“I want you out of this club. You got us back into drugs, you got us tied up in this mess with the Mafia, you…” I bite my lip, now wanting to think about his slimy fingers abusing my girl. “You laid a finger on my woman when you’re the one crowing on about respect.”

He’s amused. “Your woman? Last I checked your woman is Mia, and she wanted my fingers laid on her.”

“My woman is Lucy, and you crossed the fucking line.”

“So you’re breaking it off with Mia? Hundreds of thousands of dollars down the pisser because you’re too much of a pussy bitch to marry a real woman?”

Lucy places a hand on my shoulder and I hold it for strength.

“I’ve lived too long in your shadow, listening to everything you had to say like some kind of fucking God. Now I see it, Mac. You’re a piece of shit, and I’m done taking orders.”

Mac’s temple is throbbing, his face going red. “The fuck is this?”

The other boys are avoiding eye contact. I should be nervous to have them on my side but I’m not…Not for what I’m about to do.

“Call your fucking vote then. You think the boys will be on your side? I’m the one who brings the money. I’m the one who takes care of this club. Not a damn soul in this fucking club is gonna vote for a pissant like you, boy. I was President walking into this room and I’ll be President when I walk out.”

“I’m not calling for a vote, old man.”

“No?”

“I want vengeance.”

“Maybe you got your head all fucked up in that cage tonight, because you’re making a big fucking mistake. I’m gonna let you take that shit back.”

“I’m not taking anything back. You put your hands on my girl, you pulled her into this mess in the fucking first place. You’re paying for every pain you’ve caused. I want vengeance.”

“You don’t need to do this,” Garrett says, but I cut him off with a stare. Vengeance is absolute with the club. It’s how things are settled when power is corrupted. Mac has served far too long, and I’m not the only one who wants him gone. The hell he’s put me through is just the tip of the fucking iceberg.

Lucy squeezes my shoulder tighter. She doesn’t know what kind of shitstorm I just opened up, but I reassure with a gentle pat of her hand that it’ll be okay…I hope.

My eyes meet my brothers around the table, old and young, familiar and strange, all of whom have come here to watch the final showdown. Either Mac’s reign ends tonight and someone else takes his place, or I’m left on the edge of death and leave this town with Lucy at my side.

“Vengeance,” Mac says, smiling coldly.

“Aye,” I say.

“Aye,” comes a voice from the back. Various members begin beating their fists upon the table, a few at first, but the sound is growing.

“You’ve put families, children at risk, you’ve let power go to your head Mac. You shamed Retch in his grave by getting involved with the Cartel when you promised not to… And you pulled that fucking knife on Lucy and tried to have your way. I’m angry, we’re angry…”

“Aye, aye, aye…”

More fists start a tribal-sounding beat upon the wood until there’s an uproar.

“Fine! You all wanna see a show,” he looks at Lucy and shoulders by her, “you’ll get a damn show.”

Chapter 28

All I get is one kiss from Landon before he’s through the doors and I’m unable to catch him. My heart feels like it’s about to damn near burst out of my chest. I can hardly hear from the commotion, from large bodies pulling Landon from me. I’m sucked into the crowd who are moving into the main area of the clubhouse. I look around, yelling out for Landon but my voice is raw.

This can’t be happening. No, no, no!

I grab at my head. I can’t be losing him, not again, not like this. I thought church was meant to be a vote, a VOTE! Not whatever’s about to play out here. I barge through some figures to take hold of Garrett’s arm.

“What’s vengeance?” I ask tugging on his cut. “What is he going to do?” He tucks me in his arm.

“Let’s get you out of here.”

“No! I am not leaving. Not a chance in hell. Just tell me what the fuck is happening?”

“Garrett, tell me what the fuck is happening!”

“You need to go. No ladies should see this.”

I slap him hard across his face so he gets the damn message. I’m not leaving.

“It’s…Last one standing stays in the club, sweetheart.”

“And the loser?”

Garrett swallows hard, considering if what he’s about to say is worth saying.

“Garrett, what happens to the loser?”

“He’ll…He’ll be lucky to walk out of here.”

Landon is bloodied and bruised. He’s not even cleaned up from his fight and yet he’s still going to do this. It will kill him. Kill him. He’s been through enough.

“You have to stop him.”

“I can’t.”

“You have to! He’s hurt. He can’t fight that monster.”

“He can, baby. He’s strong. He’s damn strong. Believe in him right now. This is happening. You can’t call off a fucking vengeance.”

The tears fall free but I push through to the front of the circle that’s formed. I cup my hands over my mouth at what I see. Mac already has his knife drawn as Landon circles him. My head shakes. I encroach further towards my love. “No, Landon! What happened to telling me we’d be safe?!”

He looks at me and smiles, a smile so telling I half believed he might survive this… But I see a flicker of doubt cross his brow.

I weep, loudly, but no one can hear me. I grit my teeth, stand two feet strong on the carpet and pray to Christ Landon has something up his sleeve.

Turns out his something was in his boot… Landon reaches down and draws the knife free. It’s not quite as long as the one Mac has been toying with tonight, but I can see the carefully honed edge is razor sharp. Landon is shouting something along with the club, but the deafening roar drowns out any meaning. He pulls his shirt over his head, revealing his battered and bruised body. Some of the damage I know from the accident… I’d traced those bruises with my fingertips… Others are new.

“Look, Lucy. The same knife that killed your daddy is about to kill your sweet Landon,” Mac yells with a devilish grin as he walks beside me. I want to throw up but I don’t let him see it affects me.

There is no referee and no official start. Mac sends a slice right across Landon’s chest. He retreats, a line of blood blooming under the lights.

“Stop this!” I shout. Garrett is beside me again, with his arms wrapped behind me, holding my arms and myself steady.

“Believe in him,” he whispers into me.

I don’t know how I can watch this. Already, the two have lunged toward each other, their shiny blades missing skin by mere breaths.

Mac slices again over Landon’s shoulder and he wails out again in pain. I can’t watch. I shouldn’t watch.

“It’ll be okay. They’re flesh wounds.” Garre

tt keeps encouraging me. “Landon takes them all the time.” I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse.

Landon lands a punch, another punch, then a knee to Mac’s stomach. He wheezes but forces Landon back with a vicious lunge, taking both of them to the floor. I scream as they tumble, arms locked. I can see Landon’s blade pressed into Mac’s shoulder, but it doesn’t seem to phase the man. He throws an elbow and connects hard with Landon’s face. I flinch and look away, breathing so rapid I might pass out.

A deep boom of cheer resounds around the room.

Oh shit.

I don’t want to look.

I press my hands tighter to my face but Garrett pulls them away so I’ll look again.

Landon’s back on his feet. I can’t believe it.

“Oh my God,” I whisper.

Mac lunges again. It’s clear he’s not going for superficial cuts this time. The knife drives forward toward Landon’s throat but he manages to dodge it at the last second. Mac lets out an ungodly sound, and that’s when I see it… Landon has driven his knife into Mac’s abdomen. His mouth tenses as he twists with his fist. Mac coughs, his eyes going wide. He looks down to the endless torrent of blood seeping from his wound onto the grey carpet. I want to throw up. Flashbacks of seeing Daryl on the ground in that crimson pool flashes back in my mind.

Conflicting emotions roll over me. This man had a role in saving me from my father… But he was also the man who kept me apart from Landon. This is the man who would’ve raped me if I hadn’t gotten away.

Mac falls to his knees and reaches out for someone. He’s looking for anyone who’ll stand by him…

Nobody reaches back.

Landon walks toward me from the other side of the ring.

Out of my peripherals, I see Mac arch his arm back. Then his blade catches the light. I leap past Landon with every intention of knocking Mac’s arm away before he can throw the blade.

I feel something ice-cold pierce through my chest.

There’s a sharp hiss of air from somewhere that isn’t my throat.

I panic and pat at myself. Then the wheezing starts. Every breath becomes a chore.

In…

Out…

Out…