by Evelyn Glass
***
“Get up! Please get up!” Jess begged softly, clutching his shirt tightly in her fists as Scott slowly rolled over. At least he was moving. He staggered to his feet, and took an unsteady step back, watching as Val finally began to move. “Hit him! Hit him!” she whimpered, urging her champion on before his opponent could recover.
***
He was beginning to get his wind back as Val got to his feet, blood streaming from his shattered nose. “You fucking punk! I’m going tear your head off and fuck your skull!” Val snarled, charging him. Scott waited for Val to come, then threw his best punch, a right cross, straight into his face. It connected solidly, snapping Val’s head back, but didn’t stop him and they went down in a rolling tumble. Scott balled up on Val, keeping his arms in tight to deflect any blows, once again tucking Val’s head under his arm. He grabbed Val by the shirt and hauled with all his might, turning them over. The punching was over. Now it was ground and pound.
Scott adjusted his grip, pulling Val’s head down as he bound his right arm by encircling it with his left, locking it tight in his elbow. Val roared in rage and pain as Scott began to apply pressure. Reaching across is body, Val got his hand around Scott’s face and began to force his head back. He fought to keep his head down, but Val was just too strong. Scott released his hold on Val’s arm and rolled away, spinning around to face his opponent as he scrambled to his feet, and then launched himself at Val again.
***
Jess couldn’t breathe as she watch the two men as they rolled over each other, grunting, snarling, and crying out in pain before freezing for a moment, then tumbling over each other again. With another roar, Val slipped from Scott’s grip and reached up, placing his meaty hands around Scott’s face. She saw his thumbs searching for Scott’s eyes and her blood ran cold as she remembered Rick.
Scott punched Val in the throat before slapping his hands away from his face, and then grabbed the front of Val’s colors, rising up on his knees while he held him as he prepared to throw a left. Val grabbed the wrist holding him and ripped it free, using the leverage and momentum to force Scott off him and to his back. Scott kicked at Val as the bigger man drove in, his foot impacting him squarely in the chest and sending him staggering back. Scott bounded to his feet and scrambled away before turning to face Val again. Both men were covered in blood, though Val seemed to be the worst off by far, his right eye swelling closed and his nose a pulpy mess.
She heard screaming and looked to her right just in time to see Jodi and Angela go to the ground, snarling and spitting as they ripped into each other. Their fight lasted only a moment before a group of men pulled them apart, holding them as they lunged at each other and shouted obscenities. Angela could take care of herself, and she turned her attention back to Scott.
***
Scott panted as the two sides roared in excitement, trying to catch his breath as Val began to remove his colors and shirt, apparently tired of Scott using his clothes to his advantage. Val threw his clothes aside, standing naked to the waist as Scott was, but with a gaping hole in his crotch and down one leg where his pants had split. Val should be out of the fight by now, but he was so fucking strong! He needed an advantage or Val was going to wear him down. Scott looked around for anything to use, a stick or rock, anything at all, but saw nothing. Then he had a moment of inspiration and quickly unbuckled his belt and tore it from the loops. His pants felt disturbingly loose, but he needed the belt. As it whipped clear of his pants, he caught the end and formed it into a loop.
“You going to spank me now?” Val sneered, wiping at his face to try to clear his vision.
“Let’s just finish this.” Scott charged at him, using the belt to extend his reach, and with a flick of the wrist, whipped the belt around Val’s forearm. Scott hauled on the belt, pulling Val’s arm down to immobilize his devastating punch, then stepped in and threw a hard left. Val was tangled in the belt, but he was far from helpless and blocked the punch before grabbing Scott by the back of the head and pulling him forward and down.
Scott knew he was in trouble again the moment Val’s hand closed around the back of his neck. He strained back with every fiber of his being in a desperate attempt to keep his head up. If Val got his head down, it was over. Being able to use the strength in his entire body, Scott was able to power out of Val’s grip, but fell when Val suddenly lost his grip, the belt dragging Val down upon him.
Once again they wrapped up, grunting and straining. They were sweating profusely and were covered in dirt and grass, making it difficult to hold onto each other. Scott could feel his pants slipping down as he wrapped his legs around Val’s waist. Val threw a left into his side that felt like a horse’s kick, then another. Scott shoved his hand out, stiff-arming Val under the chin to force his head back and prevent another blow. Val began to growl as he took Scott by the wrist and, by slow degrees, pulled his hand away from his face.
If Val got his hand pinned down, the fight was over. Scott released his grip on him with his other arm and grabbed him by the back of his head and began pulling with all his strength to the side as he tried to twist his hips.
***
Jess watched as the two men lay on one another, Val between Scott’s legs, their clench as intimate as lovers. She began to gasp, unable to catch her breath as Val began to overpower Scott. She sensed from the way their muscles bulged, both putting everything they had into this one final duel, they were near the end game. She felt a touch on her wrist and her head snapped around, her breath and heart stopping in sudden panic. It was her mother, her hand going softly around Jess’s wrist, offering her silent support as her lover fought for his life on the ground in front of her.
***
Val finally pulled Scott’s arm away from his face, almost tearing his arm from his shoulder as Scott lost his leverage, but the sudden movement added just enough shift in his weight that Scott was able to tip Val to the side and off of him. Relieved of his weight, Scott slipped free, stumbling as his pants bound his thighs. He fell and quickly rolled to his back. As expected, Val was there, charging in like an enraged bull, and he fired a hard right foot into Val’s face. The blow connected and Val staggered back and fell, but the kick didn’t have the knockout power it should have because of the pants binding his legs.
As Val slowly struggled to his feet, Scott kicked his jeans off to clear his legs, losing his shoes in the process. Now was not the time for modesty. His side was killing him, as well as his right arm, and he knew he would be throwing no more punches with it tonight. Val was up, but he seemed dazed and he weaved slightly as he stood there, his hands up but out of position. Wanting to take advantage while he could, Scott charged back into Val, driving them, once again, into the dirt. Time to ground and pound. Val’s movements were weak and sluggish, but he was still in the fight. His massive arms went around Scott’s back before he could set up to begin throwing punches and held him, pinning him to his chest like a lover. Scott struggled, his face twisting in pain as Val tried to break his back while roaring in rage, pain and effort. Scott got his left hand against Val’s face and pushed with all the strength he could muster.
***
“Please, please, please…” Jess muttered as the men became still, once again, their muscles standing out in stark relief as they strained. She saw Val’s hands slip, unable to maintain his grip on his own blood and sweat slickened wrist. Suddenly Scott threw his head forward, smashing it into the back of his own hand and bellowing in pain.
***
He was losing and he knew it. Val was holding him down, giving himself time for his head to clear, and there was nothing he could do about it. He was barely holding his own as it was, and he could sense Val getting back into the fight. In desperation, he drove his head downward, not daring to release Val’s head, using his own hand to transfer the energy of the impact to Val’s nose.
No longer able to press down with his left hand, the pain incredible, certain he had broken the bones, he cried out h
is pain to the world. He knew at that moment he had made a mistake and he was finished. With both arms injured, he was defenseless and Val would now kill him easily. Then he realized that Val’s grip on his back was almost non-existent, and he threw himself off the man and Val rose groggily to follow, blood flowing in a torrent from his ruined nose and lips. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Scott scrambled behind the semi-conscious Val, and wrapped his left arm around his throat. Taking his left wrist in his still functioning right hand, Scott clamped down and pulled with every ounce of strength he had left.
Val’s arms came up as he suddenly came to life, reaching for his face, but Scott ignored his grasping hands, focusing on maintaining the pressure.
***
The crowd was roaring for blood, knowing the spectacle was nearly over, but Jess heard none of it as she watched Val’s fingers claw at Scott’s face, Scott jerking his face back each time Val’s sausage-like fingers found it. “Finish him…” she whispered, praying it was over. Both men were covered in blood and sweat, their skin glowing in the light of the motorcycle headlights like a scene from a horror movie.
Val roared again, driving back with his legs, forcing Scott onto his back as Val thrust his hips into the air, trying to break the hold, but Scott grimly held on, wrapping his legs around Val while Val clawed at his arms, opening bleeding wounds as he tried to break the choke hold.
“Give up!” Scott snarled, as Val again thrust his hips into the air, pulling Scott’s hips up with him and driving his shoulders down, trying to crush the will from Scott, refusing to yield.
***
“Please, please, please…” Jess began to chant softly again, unable to stay quiet, grasping her mother’s comforting hand with desperate strength, as Scott and Val snarled and growled, their teeth bared in feral sneers, blood flowing from Scott’s arm as Val continued to thrust and buck.
“Please, please, please…” As she watched, Val’s struggles began to slow, his attempts at escape less desperate, and she didn’t know if it was because he had broken Scott’s grip or Scott had finally beaten him. “Please, please, please…”
Scott rolled over, forcing Val face down into the grass, but still he held on, lying on his back with Val’s neck in bend of his elbow, his face still a mask of rage, his teeth bared in effort.
“Please, please, please…”
***
Scott released Val and, in a final act of defiance, shoved his face hard into the dirt as he stood and staggered back from Val. When Val didn’t move, Jess released her mother’s hand and ran across the circle, throwing herself into Scott’s arms. They tumbled to the ground as she began to cover him in rapid kisses, her heart threatening to burst from her chest in relief. She began to cry as his arms went slowly around her, holding her, his right hand stroking her hair softly.
“I won…” he whispered, lacking the strength to do more.
“I know,” she blubbered.
“I told you I would,” he said slowly, still stroking her hair.
“You did,” she whimpered as she wiped her tears from his face.
The crowd was beginning to mill around, several members bending down to check on Val. “He’s still breathing,” she heard a man say, but she only had eyes for Scott. He had saved her again.
“I love you,” she said softly, sniffing and trying to stop her tears.
“I love you,” he whispered. “Shhh… don’t cry… it’ll be all right.” Then he heard the sound of a gun being cocked.
Chapter Forty-Two
“Jason! What the fuck are you doing?” Ed roared as Jason pointed the gun at Scott and Jess as they lay on the ground.
“Just following orders.”
“What orders?” Chuck asked, his voice diamond hard. “We all agreed to leave our weapons in the house; you know that.”
“These came straight from Val. Scott isn’t leaving here alive.”
“Whoa! Hold up there,” Greg said. “Val agreed to settle this old school. We all heard him.”
“Yeah, well, he changed his mind.”
All the Grim Angels began looking at each other. “Kill him!” Jodi screamed.
“Don’t do it, Jason,” Greg warned.
Jason looked at the crowd around him. “What the fuck is wrong with you? He defied the club. He shot two of our brothers. He has to pay for what he did. We can’t let him walk or we’ll look weak!”
“This is bullshit!” Chuck spat. “I never liked this idea of kidnapping Jess in the first place, but I went along with it because Val’s the President, but now this shit? No, no way in hell. I’m out of it!” Chuck threw up his arms and moved to join one of the knots of brothers who hadn’t support Val’s actions.
Scott eased Jess off of him and slowly got to his feet, pushing Jess behind him as she rose to her own feet. “You little prick!” he snarled. “I’ll kill you for this!”
Jess watched as Jason smiled, the smile not touching his eyes, just like Val’s. “How? You’ll be dead.”
“Jason, I’m warning you, don’t do it,” Greg snarled, stepping between Jason and Scott. “Scott took Val down old school. He gets to leave and we won’t bother him. That was the deal.”
Jason looked around at the gathering of men and women again, now seeing only a few friendly faces. “What a bunch of pus—”
His eyes went wide at the same instant as the group heard the gunshot, and he staggered sideways then fell to the ground, holding his side. He looked up and to his left, his mouth hanging open in shock, to see Kat standing there, her Beretta Storm still in her hand. Every face turned toward her, stunned into immobility by her action.
“You fucking shot me!” Jason yelled as the pain began.
“Yeah, I did,” Kat replied, pulling the trigger again, the bullet hitting Jason in the chest this time. Greg and Paul, the two closest Angels, grabbed Kat’s arm and wrenched the weapon from her grip. She let it go without struggle as Angels crowded around Jason.
“What the fuck, Kat?” Greg asked, safing the weapon before someone else got hurt, or killed.
“It’s bad,” Phillip said, looking up from Jason.
“This had to end. Jess has suffered enough. No more, not while I’m alive,” she said.
A murmur rippled through the brothers and old ladies. Greg looked at Jason, then to Val. “Yeah. Enough is enough.”
Ed stepped forward and placed his hand on Greg’s shoulder. “Anyone got any problems with this ending, here and now?” Even the die-hard supporters of Val shook their head in agreement. “It’s done, then.”
Phillip stood up, his hand covered in blood. “He’s dead.”
“Good riddance,” Ed muttered. “I never liked that little prick anyway. Anyone who would shoot a brother like that is no brother of mine.”
Greg nodded in agreement. “Mine either.”
The phrase rippled through the crowd as the Grim Angels, Detroit Chapter, closed ranks.
“Chuck, Greg,” Ed said, calling a couple of Val’s closest Lieutenants to him. “Val said there was going to be some changes. What do you say we go make some?”
“Phillip,” Greg said. “Take charge of this mess. Get Val and Jodi back to their house and deal with…him,” he said as he waved a hand dismissively toward Jason.
“You can’t fucking do this!” Jodi screamed in defiance, sensing the change happening around her. “Val’s the fucking President! You can’t—”
“And somebody gag that bitch,” Greg barked, causing Alex to step up to her, his face hard. Jodi fell silent, glaring at him with hate in her eyes.
“How you doing, boy?” Ed asked Scott.
He felt ridiculous standing there almost bare-assed naked but he didn’t even know where his pants, belt and shoes were anymore. “I think he broke a couple of ribs, and maybe dislocated my shoulder. I’m pretty sure my hand is broken.”
Ed chuckled. “Yeah, but you should see the other guy,” he said glancing at Val. “To be honest, I didn’t think you could do it. Val is a he
ll of brawler.” He paused as he looked him over, then turned his eyes to Jess. “You two made quiet the pair. I wouldn’t have thought Jess here could take Karen, either. Karen has kicked more ass than any old lady in the club.”
“I had a lot to fight for,” Scott said, grimacing slightly as he pulled Jess in close.
“Me, too,” Jess added.
Ed nodded. “You both need to go get checked out. I’ll have someone drive you.”
“Okay, thanks,” Scott said, too tired to argue.