by Harlow Brown
I stormed out to her car, grabbed a handful of her hair, and wrapped it around my hand. Once I had a good grip, I yanked her out by the hair of her pretty little head. Taken completely by surprise, she screamed like a bitch,"Ow! Get off me. Help!"
"You aren't getting any help from anybody. You are mine now," I said through gritted teeth. I had her pinned to the ground, her hair still wrapped around my hand. I had a death grip on it, my knuckles turning white from the lack of blood flow to my fist.
"Charlie! What’s the deal? Why are you so angry?" she cried.
"Oh, I fully intend on telling you. Trust me. I'll start by saying that, if you can see in a few minutes, then you'll be back on the road. None of us are going to take the field with you. You are no longer a Regulator." With the arm that wasn't tied up in her hair, I tried unsuccessfully to put my elbow all the way through her face. Pure satisfaction took over momentarily when I heard the pop of her nasal bone snapping.
Agonizing screams of pain escaped her.
"That, Garyn, is for lying to me for three years. I thought of you as a sister."
Seeing as I had her eyes watery, she never saw the kicks to the ribs and kidneys coming. She was flopping around like a fish out of the water, so I put my foot on her throat. "I'm not done yet," I said with a grin, and then I bent down and straddled her. All at once, pent-up anger and sorrow powered my fists. I was throwing punches to her eye sockets, cheekbones, nose, and lips.
"That is for fucking my boyfriend." Smack! I hit her again, sweat pouring off my forehead.
"That is for acting like everything was fine when all along you were twisting the knife you stabbed in my back."
Smack smack smack smack
My body took over and I punched, hit, kicked, and slapped her, as tears flowed down my cheeks.
"Charlie, stop," I heard from Whiskey.
I was panting as I tried to catch my breath. He came over to pull me off her.
"No!" I gave him my if you fucking dare to touch me you will end up like her look, and he stopped midstep and just watched.
I turned my attention back to the bloody pulp beneath me and said, "The rest was for you getting in the car with Hensley the night you took my parents from me. The pain I inflicted on you will fade, but my pain remains. Your light will return again once the swelling goes down. I have a permanent darkness that is forever shadowed. No amount of light will illuminate it completely. Your scars will heal, and the wounds will dissipate. My scars are emotional, and they are tattooed in my memory forever. Everything I dished out to you is temporary. You took my family from me," I stated matter-of-factly as my breaths slowed down somewhat.
Smack Smack Smack
"Babes, enough!" Whiskey screamed as he pulled me off her. "You've done enough."
"How dare you! I finally get some revenge and you come in and stop me!" I sobbed as I beat my fists against his pecs.
"Save some for Hensley," he whispered in my ear.
My pounding fists stopped, but the liquid emotion didn't. I looked up into his eyes and saw a slew of things—pride, anger, joy, but mostly I saw love. Love and devotion.
Seeing as I was an emotional basket case, that made me lose it again. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me until I slowed the tears to almost a stop. Glaring at the bloody mess of a person I left down on the ground, I walked over to her and said, "You can have Hensley. I don't want him."
Shooter and Magnum were among the girls, taking in the show. I looked at Shooter and said as I walked back to Whiskey. "Get the no-good skank whore out of here before I finish her off.
"I'll handle it, Miss Charlie."
Magnum stood there dumbfounded and mumbled, "She be but little, but forget fierce. She’s mean as fuck!"
Sniffling, I chuckled and saw everyone clapping and hollering at me.
"Guys, thanks, but I need a minute. Please," I asked as I walked past them and found my way to the back patio.
Ahh, freedom. I inhaled the salty ocean air and shut my eyes.
I sensed Whiskey’s presence before he spoke. "You were amazing out there. All except when you glared at me. It was like you were possessed and were going to unleash on me if I came any closer."
"I would've."
"Everything else was sexy. The elbow to the nose, that was spot-on. Who taught you that?"
"Daddy. He told me that the elbow was the strongest bone you could use to defend yourself. But that's as far as the lesson went. It was trial and error afterward."
"How many times have you put it to trial?"
''One."
"One, like, one ever or one never?"
"One never."
"Damn, Charlie, you could be lethal." He stopped and looked at me with an oddness that was obvious.
"What?"
"This is so not the time to tell you this, but I'm going to. When you said no to me earlier, it pissed me off, and I was coming over to pull you off her. Then I saw your eyes and forgot I was pissed. Charlie, your eyes make me stupid. At that moment, they were solid silver with a blue ring around the outside so dark it was almost black. I knew by the drastic change that this was something you needed and that you meant business. It pissed me off because you defied me, but also that you have the ability to make me stop what I’m doing, like a damn toddler. No one has ever had that kind of control over me. I don't know how to process it. But damn, I see your eyes and everything stops."
"l wish I could change that—"
"No. I love them."
"It's kind of freaky. Admit it."
"Yes, but I'm into freaky. I'm into whatever you have. Whatever you are, I'm game."
"Speaking of, we need to get Iz and Amanda settled in so we can practice."
"Okay, let's go. We need to get back and deal with Hensley."
"I want him to live until after I win. That would be the cherry on top of a perfect day."
"Who says you’re going to win? No offense."
"Whiskey, if you take the field with the attitude that you might lose, then you’re already halfway beaten. If you take the field with an attitude that exudes confidence, then you already have a leg up on your opponent. And besides, I don't play to lose."
"Let's go inside and eat, and then we’ll get the girls settled." He paused and looked at me as if he were trying to see if the events of the morning really left me okay.
"What, Whiskey?"
"Your eyes are almost normal again. You’re okay with all of this?"
"Shit the bed, yes. Yes, I am. That epic beatdown quieted the devil that sits on my shoulder. You know, the one that’s negative and tries to get me down. I think the angel on the left beat the shit out of the devil on the right at the same time I put the beatdown on Garyn."
"I love you, babes."
"I love you too."
"Let's go before I tell you how fucking sexy you were and that I'd love nothing more than to take you upstairs and show you."
"Yes, let's go before I tell you that I'd like nothing more," I replied with so much truth. What I wouldn't give for a euphoric love session to distract me from my life.
We went in and ate a small bite. I couldn't eat a lot, not with my nerves frazzled as they were.
"You ready to go practice?" I asked the girls.
In unison, they all nodded and said yes.
WE ALL STARTED loading up the cars with our ball bags and gear. Poor Iz came up to me and said, "Charlie girl, I'm so sorry. I didn’t have any idea. Where is she, anyhow?"
"Don’t know, don’t care. Shooter was supposed to take care of getting her out of here, and I suspect that he did just that." I shut that conversation down quick, fast, and in a hurry.
They didn't need to know details. I honestly didn't have them to give even if I wanted, and that was fine by me. I trusted that Shooter did as he said.
"Girls, you can practice at the field beside Sunset Tattoo. You can follow Charlie and me. We can take three of you and still get bags." Whiskey said.
"Gypsy, you cool catching
a ride with them?" l asked.
"Sure. Meet you there. I will catch a ride with Rustin and Amanda."
"Baylee, you got Iz?"
"Do bears shit in the woods?" she smarted off and winked at me.
"Baylee, seeing as Garyn isn't with us anymore, you'll be in right field."
"Got it."
Once we reached the field, we all took our positions and fell into sync with one another. The transition of Baylee into Garyn's position was shockingly smooth.
Dare I say she was better?
Raige warmed up with me, and then we all took turns batting. Our bats were off some, but we were saving Raige's arm for the following day. There was no sense in overusing it in practice. After a couple hours passed, I called practice off. I could see that Baylee was going to work, and the rest of us looked sharp. As pleasing as that was, there was one more thing that needed to happen before the game.
I had some torture to inflict on a certain someone.
I HAD NEVER IN my life seen athleticism to that degree. Charlie not only commanded that field, she owned it. She had started this team with her dad, and it stuck together. The Regulators had been a team for years, and the experience showed. They looked like they belonged in the majors.
Charlie had a smile plastered on her sweaty face, the catcher’s mask half on her head and her hair a mess. Still in her gear and in the middle of her girls, I walked up to her and took possession of her mouth. I commanded her lips like she did her team, and she succumbed to my very public display of affection.
"Whiskey, what was that for?"
"I am so proud of you. You came here today and gave it your all after having a shitty start to your day. I'm blown away."
"True, it was stressful. I, however, got immense pleasure from beating the ass plum off her. It was very, very cathartic."
Meanwhile, back at the beach house, Riddick had arranged for the mirrors to be placed around as Charlie had asked, had the boat out by the dock, and the bat ready to go. He got brownie points for being thorough, I’d give him that.
"Whiskey, is there anything else you can think of?"
"Nah, Riddick. Good work."
I went up to get Charlie so we could make this happen and be done with him once and for all.
"Babes, you ready?"
She took a deep, soul-clearing breath through her nose, then closed her eyes as if she was thinking about it. As she exhaled, she replied, "Yes."
Simple. One word. Yes.
She was dressed in a tee shirt and shorts. She did have on makeup, though, which I guessed was for show, as I didn’t care if she ever wore it.
“Let's go. It's time to start inflicting some pain on the silly fucker."
"HOW'S THE FOOD here at club Chosen Legion? Up to your standards?"
"Fuck you. You know I hate everything that’s been brought to me."
"Yeah, you're right. I do. So how's the gunshot?"
"Hurts like a motherfucker."
"Good. Sucks, don’t it? To hurt so badly and not be able to make the pain go away?" I had arranged for his eyelids to be duct-taped open, so with his arms tied behind him, I started on the first eyelid, making sure the tape went clear down his neck through his hair, and repeated it on the other side. I glanced around and saw all the mirrors in place, so that no matter where he looked he had an eye full of Whiskey buried so deep in me that our souls were connected.
"Whiskey, can you come here, please?"
I softly dragged my fingers along Hensley's shoulders and up to his earlobe as I sexily strutted around him to get to Whiskey. I reached up and stroked my man’s cheek, then gently brought his head down to mine and kissed him like I wasn't ever going to see him again.
Breaking contact, I asked, "Can you see okay, Hensley? You're not going to want to miss this." I walked over to him and put eye drops in his eyes for him—you know, because it was only humane.
"There, now your eyes won't dry out." I walked back around to Whiskey and stripped down to nothing but my sexy panties and matching bra—black lace with red lacey flowers.
"Charlie. Do you know what you do to me?" Whiskey replied as he snaked his hand around my stomach and yanked me to him.
"I feel what I do to you."
Hensley scoffed. "Is all of this necessary? I ju—''
Walking with purpose over to him, making sure my tits were bouncing just enough to be sexy, I said in a harsh tone, "You put me through hell for years. I tried to get you to leave me alone, but you didn't. Then you decide to try to kidnap me. Please forgive me for wanting to torture you. I think an epic case of blue balls before I kill your worthless ass is just the thing to send you out with."
As I made my way back to Whiskey, rage bubbled under my skin. Suddenly, my plan wasn't enough. No, he needed to be tortured much, much more.
"You know, Whiskey, on second thought, I don't want to do this. I have other plans. He deserves more than to die with a hard dick and a tender bullet wound."
Turning to Hensley, I glared at him, put in more eye drops, and then ripped the duct tape from his bottom eyelids. Then the tops.
"Ah, fuck!"
"Let's go finish this upstairs, Whiskey. I don't want to share what we have with anyone, especially him."
Once outside the room, Riddick asked, "Time for cleanup?''
"No, I didn't do it yet. I need to make him suffer more. Pure torture. Pain. I want to inflict so much pain on him that he passes out from it. Then when he comes to again and is in excruciating pain, then I'll end him. Let him suffer and ponder my next move for a while longer. That’s the way I want it."
Whiskey turned me to face him. "Charlie, babes, you sure? You’re not going to worry about him during your tournament?"
"I can only assume Riddick and Shooter will be taking turns keeping door duty, right? I trust your boys if you do. I'm just not done torturing him. He did that to me for years. He needs to sweat it out."
"Riddick, you and Shooter are switching on and off. I'll try to pull in some help so you can rest. I need you both at the game. Who knows what the whack job has up his sleeve. Come here."
He complied and his eyes got big and so did the shit-eating grin on his face. He simply stated, "Who the fuck knew that concrete shoes were the latest fad? Too bad we were crossing Grand Lagoon when I learned that." Riddick grinned with delight.
Well then, I guess we know what happened to Garyn. For a brief minute, I felt a tinge of heartache for her. No. It wasn't for her but for the sisterhood I thought existed. That passed quickly enough once reason sat in and I came to terms with the fact that she never honored that sisterhood.
"Good work. I'll call Shooter to come relieve you." Whiskey proudly patted his shoulder. "Charlie, let's go," he said to me with pure delight on his face.
We tiptoed around so we didn’t get caught by the girls. Once we were in the room, I jumped into Whiskey’s arms and let him engulf my body, his love pouring over me. He twirled me and squeezed me tightly, telling me with no words that he was there with me for the long haul. That he loved and cherished me, all of me. Now more than ever, my heart belonged to him. This man and his brothers were risking so much for me. They were willing to go down for me simply because I was Whiskey’s.
So help me God, if these boys ever need anything, I will be the first to step up to the plate. I'd go to any lengths necessary to be there for them,
As my feet touched back down and I stopped spinning, Whiskey asked, "You okay?"
"Yeah. Just thinking about what you and your boys have done for me. I love you so much and fully believe that you are my person."
"You have a person?"
"Yeah, you know, the one who gets you when others don't. The one who can complete your sentences, who can either make you whole again or completely crush you, the one you miss when you even think about them being out of your sight for any length of time. You are my person. You are my other half, the other piece of my puzzle."
"Charlie," he murmured as he moved to kiss me.
It absolutely turned me to mush on the inside, so much so it pooled between my legs. "Whiskey, I need you," I panted.
"You got it, Charlie. What do you want?"
"You. Naked. On top of me. Now," I breathed.
"Take off your clothes, babes."
So he wants a striptease? I guess he’ll get a striptease.
Making quick work of my tee shirt and shorts, I threw them to the ground at his feet. His eyes flew back up at me, roaming my body and possessing my soul at the same time.
"Turn around slowly, Charlie. I want to see all of you."
I put my hands on my hips and spun in a slow circle.
"Charlie, baby, you are my dream come true. Come here."
"Um, not yet. I want to see you too. Strip."
"I have a better idea. Trust me?"
With a confused and disappointed pout on my face, I reluctantly replied, "With every ounce of my being."
"Good. Go lie on the bed face down."
I did as he asked and lay down on my tummy. His zipper slowly started making its way down, the sound bringing ecstasy to my ears, liquid to my core, and a smile to my face.
"Keep your eyes closed. I want you to feel me."
"I'm relatively sure I will feel you."
"No, Charlie, really feel me. No vision, only touch. Don't open your eyes until I say."
"Okay."
"Arms out at your sides, babes."
I did as he asked and stretched my arms out. His lips barely touched the tips of my knuckles. He delicately placed chaste kisses up my arm until he reached my back, where he kissed me harder, then sucked my skin into his mouth, leaving his mark on me. He repeated the same thing down the other arm and back up to leave yet another mark just below the first. Whiskey placed soft pecks down each side of my back, then tickled my spine with the tip of his tongue.
"Mmmm."
"You like that?"
"Mmhmm."
"You haven't seen anything yet, Charlie."
He nipped and sucked his way up and down my spine, and I writhed with anticipation.