Bruised Angel (River of Lies #2)

by Sammy King

  “I love you too” Chelsea said with tears in her eyes.

  Mason nodded his head and wrapped his arms around her waist holding her tight against him. When they both let go of each other and looked over at Grandpa he was still looking out the window with silent tears running down his face. Chelsea assumed the tears were for his wife and daughter. Mason and Chelsea stood, with Mason giving his Grandpa a soft kiss on the cheek. Grandpa looked up at them both and gave them a weak smile patting Mason’s hand. They were silent as they drove back home.

  When they arrived at the house there was a marked police car parked out the front. Chelsea felt panic begin to rise in her chest and she grasped Mason’s hand forgetting about his knuckles until he sucked in a sharp breath and winced. She glanced at him and let go of his hand.

  “Sorry” Chelsea said

  He smiled weakly at her and nodded with tight lips. Chelsea shook her head and ran her hands through her hair.

  “I don’t think I can take anymore shit Mason” Chelsea said quietly.

  Mason’s jaw was set firm and he nodded.

  “Me neither” he replied.

  They got out the car and went to go into the house. Blade met them at the back door and looked down at Chelsea. Mason looked up at Blade and shook his head.

  “Dad?” Mason squeaked.

  Blade shook his head.

  “No man not your Dad” Blade said as he glanced down at Chelsea.

  She watched as Mason visibly relaxed and went into the house, but Blade held Chelsea still so she couldn’t enter. She looked up at Blade confused. She was relieved that everything was alright with Knox but she couldn’t understand why she couldn’t go into the house.

  “Chels, I need to tell you something and I don’t know how you’re going to react to this” Blade said firmly looking down into her face.

  Chelsea looked up at him panic again beginning to fill her. Had the police found out about Duggar or her father. Was she going to be arrested? Was she going to be asked to leave Mason for beating up the whore the previous night? Chelsea’s hands began to shake as she ran them through her hair. Blade led her to a garden chair and forced her to sit down. Chelsea absently bit her nail and her legs bounced up and down. She heard movement behind her and saw Mason coming out the backdoor, his face white and his eyes filled with concern. He came and sat next to Chelsea taking his hand in hers. She frowned at the two men.

  “What is going on?” Chelsea asked shaking her head.

  “It’s your Mum and Dad Chels” Mason said quietly.

  Chelsea frowned and shook her head.

  “What about them?” she asked looking between Mason and Blade.

  “They were killed sweetheart” Chelsea heard Knox speak behind them.

  Chelsea frowned and looked behind her.

  “Who killed them? The cops don’t think it was me do they?” Chelsea said panic again rising in her throat.

  Knox shook his head and put his hand on her shoulder giving it a squeeze.

  “No, it looks like a murder suicide. It seems like your Mum killed your Dad and then shot herself” Knox said quietly not looking at her in the eye.

  Chelsea knew instantly that Knox was lying but could see behind him was a cop watching what was going on. She wasn’t going to call him on his lie in front of the cop. Chelsea felt numb. She didn’t know how to feel. She wasn’t sad that her father was dead. She had wished that on him for years. But her Mum. She didn’t know how to feel. She had always held onto hope that her Mum still loved, still wanted her, not that her actions were loving but Chelsea still held onto the glimmer of hope. She nodded her head and despite the numbness tears began to slip from her eyes and down her cheeks. Mason rested his forehead on Chelsea’s. The cop stepped forward and stood in front of Chelsea.

  “Chelsea your aunt has identified the bodies and she is organising to gather their belongings for you” he said gently.

  The cop reached out and touched Chelsea’s shoulder gently giving it a little squeeze.

  “I’m sorry for your loss” he said gently before nodding to Knox and Blade and leaving through the gate.

  Chelsea sat in silence listening to the car drive off. She looked between the three men who surrounded her. The three men who had become more of a family to her than anyone she had grown up with.

  “I don’t want their stuff” Chelsea said with a shake of her head.

  Knox nodded his head.

  “I’ll let Tracey know” Knox said and went to turn away.

  “Knox wait” Chelsea said.

  She stood and went to him, looking up into his eyes.

  “It was you wasn’t it?” Chelsea asked.

  Knox dropped his eyes and looked away. Chelsea touched him on the arm.

  “Knox I’m not angry, I wanted that arsehole dead, hell I shot the fucker. But my Mum; why her too?” Chelsea asked frowning.

  Knox looked away again when Blade came up to her.

  “Chels. Your Mum had moved back in with him” Blade said.

  Chelsea turned to face Blade as she curled her lip and instant hatred ran cold through her body. Her mother knew what he had done to her, what he had put her through, she had sat in the garden chair by the fire and cried over the things he did and then went back to live with him, to love him. Chelsea shook her head.

  “Then the cunt deserved what she got” Chelsea spat.

  Blade nodded slowly and looked at her.

  “Kiddo? Are you sure you are alright?” Blade asked.

  Chelsea looked up at them.

  “Right here” she said waving her arm around the clubhouse grounds.

  “Right here, I have found more love, more affection and more family than the seventeen years I spent with them” Chelsea said with tears springing to her eyes and a tilt of her chin indicating her parents.

  “My life has been one fucked up drama that even Shakespeare couldn’t write. But with you guys. I have felt more love in my little finger than I did with them” Chelsea continued, holding up her pinkie.

  She turned to Knox.

  “You are more of a father to me, you are what a father should be, you treat me with respect, you love me unconditionally and you care for me. That is what a father is meant to be” she said.

  Chelsea turned to Blade.

  “And you are like my uncle, a big cuddly uncle who always has his eyes on me. Who cares for me and wants to make sure that I’m happy. And that means more to me than anything they could have ever given me” she said with a frown.

  She then turned to Mason.

  “Don’t say I’m like your brother that would be weird” Mason said with a smile.

  Chelsea grinned and shook her head.

  “You are the greatest boyfriend that I could ever ask for. You said you would never leave me and you never have. Even in my darkest moments you have been by my side.” she said pushing the hurt from her heart for recent events.

  “I love you all with an unimaginable love” Chelsea said hugging each man.

  They all nodded and returned her hug. She stood and looked around the men in her life and watched as they all swiped at the tears in their eyes.

  “What is it with the women in this family, they all bring us to tears so easily. We are meant to be hardened men for fucks sake” Knox said his voice hitching.

  Chelsea smiled and shrugged.

  “Women” she sighed with a laugh before heading inside.

  She knew she should care that her parents were dead but it was like the final piece of the drama, the crescendo. The fat lady had sung and the torture, the hurt and the agony had come to an end. This was the true beginning of her new life. A new life with the most handsome man she had ever known, with a father that loved and protected her, an uncle who made her laugh and an angel for a sister who held her heart and helped heal in a way that no human could.

  Epilogue

  Knox and Blade walked up the driveway of the red brick house, the air was crisp and the moon was high in the sky. Blade pulle
d out a small pouch that held lock picking tools. Gently he guided the small thin metal wire into the lock, both men letting out the breath they had been holding when they heard the front door click open. Silently they put on their gloves and entered the darkened house. Knox and Blade had sat out the front watching for weeks and were shocked when they saw Maggie in the garden. They hadn’t been prepared to see her. Knox felt sick at the thought that Maggie could sit at his home crying over what Carl had put Chelsea through and then go back to that filthy piece of shit like nothing had happened.

  Knox shook his head and focused on the job at hand. The two men slowly crept into the bedroom. They could see the shadows of Maggie and Carl curled up in bed. Blade went up one side of the bed, while Knox went to the other. Knox held his hand up and counted down his fingers, as he put his last finger down Blade and Knox both reached out suddenly and covered their victim’s mouth as they woke them. Knox looked down into Carls bulging eyes and waved his hand with an evil grin plastered to his face.

  Just the sight of Carl made him sick. The things he could do to that child, it made his stomach churn and he wanted nothing more than cause him as much pain as he could. With his hand over Carl’s face Knox reached out and dragged him by the arm into the living room. He shoved Carl onto the couch and pointed at him, Knox’s hand still covering the piece of shit’s mouth.

  “You sit there and you shut up. You say nothing, not a single fucking word” he growled “Got it?”

  Carl nodded his head like the little performing monkey he was. Knox nodded and removed his hand slowly from Carls face, not taking it too far away ready to slap it back over his mouth should Carl yell. Blade came in behind Knox with Maggie in his arms and threw her down to the couch. Knox folded his arms across his chest and shook his head.

  “Fucking disgrace the pair of you” Knox spat.

  Knox turned to Maggie who looked away and instantly chewed her nail. It was the same action he had seen Chelsea do many times when she got nervous. He shook his head, throwing all thoughts of Chelsea’s little’s quirks out of his mind. He pointed at Maggie.

  “How the fuck can you do this Maggie?” Knox said with disgust. “That child sat and poured her heart out to you, she told you in detail what this piece of shit did to her and you come back here?”

  Knox could feel his heart beat starting to race as the anger filled his soul. His brain was starting to blur and he was starting to see red and knew if he didn’t get control of his anger he would end up making a mistake. Knox sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, calming his anger. Maggie shook her head.

  “I’m sorry Knox. I was just so lonely” she said as tears welled in her eyes.

  Knox shook his head and snorted. That was no fucking excuse, he thought. He shook his head again as he reached for Carl, whose eyes were about to bug out of his head.

  “What are you going to do?” Maggie asked with panic in her voice.

  “What you should have fucking done when you heard what this cunt did to your daughter” Knox snarled at her.

  Maggie shook her head with tears streaming down her face.

  “Oh no Knox please, don’t do that” she begged.

  Knox turned and snapped his head close to her.

  “Shut the fuck up or you will be fucking first” Knox growled.

  Maggie bit her lip and shrunk against the back of the couch. Blade pulled out another pouch from the back of his pants and put it on the coffee table, unravelling it. Inside the pouch was all sorts of medical instruments that they had got from Brady over the years. Knox looked Carl up and down who was starting to visible shake. His fear made Knox feel good. He wanted him to fear. Knox drew close to Carl and reached for the waistband of his pants.

  “Time for your punishment Carl” Knox growled through gritted teeth.

  Carl’s eyes were about to fall out of their sockets as he looked at Knox shaking his head from side to side. Knox nodded and smiled at him widely, narrowing his eyes as he towered over the shrinking man. With a quick movement Knox pulled Carl’s pants down to his ankles exposing his genitals and stood back. Both Knox and Blade stood with their hands to their chins looking at Carl.

  “Not much to work with is there?” Blade said squinting his eyes.

  Knox grinned a crooked smile and nodded. He hadn’t expected there to be. Fear had an uncanny way of turning the largest of cocks into press studs. Blade chose a thin scalpel and moved forward. Carl shook his head and tried to back away but hit the wall with his back.

  “Oh god; Knox please don’t do this” Maggie said from behind the men.

  Knox spun on his heel and grabbed her by the throat. Her eyes widened and she begun to gasp for air, clawing at his hands.

  “I won’t tell you again to shut the fuck up” Knox growled through clenched teeth as he tightened his grasp on her throat.

  Maggie nodded quickly as tears sprung from her eyes. He let go of her throat with a shove and she flung back into the couch holding her neck and coughing. When he turned around he saw Blade had Carl’s cock in his gloved hand and Carl was crying big fat tears.

  “Now just hold still this won’t hurt a bit” Blade said as he swiped the scalpel through the first layer of skin.

  Carl squeezed his eyes shut and let out a whimper.

  “So I lied, it’s going to hurt a lot” Blade said with a shrug of his shoulder as he sawed at Carl’s cock, releasing it from his body and holding it up.

  Carl turned white and his knee’s buckled as blood began to squirt from the arteries where his cock had once been. The blood began instantly soaking into the carpet, spraying up Blade’s leg. Blade dropped the severed penis to the ground and grabbed Carl by the arms.

  “Oh no you don’t” Blade said as he laid him on the couch.

  Carl’s blood continued to spray all over the living room. Maggie gasped and covered her mouth in horror, her face paling and tears streaming down her cheeks. Blade went to his bag and pulled out a syringe filled with liquid, flicking the syringe lightly, he stuck Carl with the needle and squirted the fluid into him. While Maggie sat on the couch with her hands over her eyes sobbing quietly. Blade returned to his bag and pulled out a small bottle with silver liquid inside, he poured some of the liquid onto the gaping wound in Carl’s groin, instantly sealing the arteries to stop them from spraying everywhere. Blade stood and slapped Carl on either cheek hard.

  “We can’t have you missing out on all the fun” Blade said as Carl’s eyes flicked open and bulged again.

  Knox and Blade smiled down at him. He fell to his knees off the couch and tried to crawl away but Knox stood on Carl’s hand. He yelped and looked up at Knox who shook his head.

  “No, no you stay right there” he said. “You take your punishment”

  Blade went back to the bag and pulled out another syringe holding it up and flicking it again.

  “This is the fun one, watch what this does” Blade said as he knelt next to Carl and grabbed his arm.

  Carl shook his head and tried to pull his arm out of Blade’s grasp.

  “Now, now don’t fight or I’ll bend the needle and I’ll have to get the other one out, and trust me when I say you don’t want me to do that” he said with a sweet smile.

  It always amazed Knox how evil Blade could become. Any other day he was a gentle teddy bear, but the minute he had to do dirty work he became the sickest and most sadistic cunt there was. It was only natural for Knox to have chosen him as his Sergeant at arms, no one else could do what Blade did. Knox focused back on Blade and Carl who was still trying to struggle. Knox stood over Carl and looked down at him waggling his finger.

  “Stop twitching. It will feel nice soon” Knox said with a smile nodding his head reassuringly.

  Carl frowned and shook his head.

  “Please I will apologise to Chelsea” Carl begged.

  “Don’t do that” Knox snarled curling his lip with disgust “Snivelling is the next worst trait to paedophilia. Oh and look your one of those slimy cunts
too”

  Knox shook his head and stood up, just as Blade slid the thin metal needle into Carl’s arm. He winced and looked at Blade with fear. Blade pushed the syringe and stood up, putting the empty syringe back in the pouch. Blade turned to Maggie who still had her hands over her face.

  “You’ll wanna watch this one. This is good” he said with a smile.

  Maggie lifted her head to look at Carl just as the solution started to take effect. Carl’s eyes widened as he began to twitch and involuntarily shake, his arms and legs shooting out at all angles like he was doing a solitary and painful dance. His face became red and he grabbed at his arm. Carl’s mouth opened as he writhed on the floor as his vein began to bubble and slowly explode throughout his body. Blood poured from his nose, ears, eyes and the place his cock once was, breaking the seal of silver Blade had used to stop the bleeding in the first place. Carl let out a silent scream as he folded himself into a little ball on the floor. Maggie gasped a deep breath and sat shaking her head. With a final silent scream Carl stopped moving and Blade stepped forward touching gingerly on his neck. Blade looked up at Knox and nodded letting him know that Carl was dead. Knox nodded and smiled slowly turning to face Maggie, narrowing his eyes and twisting his mouth into a snarl. Her eyes bulged and she began to shake her head from side to side.

  “Oh please no” she cried holding her hand up.

  Knox nodded and took her arms.

  “Don’t worry yours is going to be quick” he said taking the gun that Blade had in his hand.

  Knox held the gun and took hold of Maggie’s hand. She had her eyes closed and tears flooded her cheeks as she shook her head. The smell of urine reached Knox’s nostrils and he looked down to see the puddle forming at their feet. He ignored the puddle and slipped her finger with his across the trigger. He pressed the cold steel to Maggies chin, clicking back the lock and quickly pushing down the trigger. There was a sharp crack, as he was sprayed with blood and brain matter. Knox felt repulsion fill him as the wetness of her head oozed down his face. Her knees buckled and she fell to the floor. Knox let her go and heard her hit the ground with a thud. The gun falling from her hand and landing beside her, Blade handed Knox a paper towel and he wiped his face. Blade picked up the gun from where it had fallen. Knox standing in the exact place it fell so as to return it. Blade pointed the gun down at Carl and shot him three more times. Carl’s lifeless body jolting with each entry of the bullet. Blade turned and dropped the gun back down at where Knox stood. He had already packed up the pouch and put it back into his pants. Knox looked around the room at the two dead bodies that lay there and the oozing blood that was soaking into the carpet underfoot.