Chapter 3
Beast
Fuck, can things really get any worse? Yes, yes, they fuckin’ can, and they have. It seems like I can’t fuckin’ breathe anymore. The last few months have been heaven and hell for me, it just seems to be getting worse, though. What happened to the days when things were quiet around the Clubhouse, and my girl was safe, happy, under strict guard, under her father’s protection? Not that I would change having her back in my life or let her go back there without me, but at least she wasn’t this scared and fearful girl.
I hate seeing her like this; it kills a piece of me inside that she feels like she always has to be on the defensive. She fears the monster will come back for her and her baby sister and it’s consuming her. I want to take all the fear away from her and bare all her burdens, but I know I can’t, but I sure as hell want to.
I can only love and protect her and Gigi right now, until the day the reaper comes for my sorry ass and takes me from them.
After getting Bella and Gigi settled in the bedroom with mom, Blaze and I head to the kitchen. On my way out of the room, I grab my laptop off my desk. I need to check out a few things on our unwanted guests.
We situate ourselves at the kitchen table, and I turn on my computer. I need to search the web for a few things and hack all Anton’s accounts again to track him down. Anything I can find on him and his men that are here will be a welcomed peace of mind.
I place the call to Gator while my laptop boots up.
“Beast, hold on, lemme get Ace on the line,” Gator says annoyed. The line goes silent for a minute. My laptop finishes and I start my search, googling anything worth looking into.
“Alright, I call this meeting to order,” Gator declares with the bang of his gavel. “I’m handing the floor over to my VP. Tell us what the fuck happened last night, Ace.” Blaze and I sit back and wait since we know what went down. I continue to do my thing online until I hear his words and freeze with my fingers over the keyboard.
“First, I need to do something I should have done a while ago. I’m claiming Julietta Maria Cavalli as my ol’ lady. Jules is off limits! She’s mine now!” Ace growls loudly through the phone and shocks the shit out of everyone.
Blaze and I exchange a look, and I place my phone on mute. Ace starts to tell the guys about what happened at the Club, and I tune him out.
“It’s about fuckin’ time that asshole got a clue. I knew he had it bad for her from the second he saw her. Now, I really need to sit down and talk with our brother,” I say to Blaze, and he laughs.
“I thought you were pathetic for not fuckin’ any of the bitches around here, once Bella got here. Then I realized, he was doing the same damn thing,” he says still laughing. Then he stops and gets serious. “From the moment his eyes met hers in her apartment he was lost. That was one of the main reason I backed off. Plus, you warning us to stay away and show her respect because she’s your family. He gives her the same look you give Bella. I hope I’m as lucky as you two are, one day.” I nod, agreeing with him because I saw the same thing he did. I actually think it all started that day he heard her voice on the phone. I saw a look into his eyes I couldn’t determine nor did I have the time too. Most of all, I wish the same for my brother, Blaze, that he finds the same happiness as us one day. When you find your other half, it’s like a calming peace that all of a sudden comes over you, and you feel complete. You become a whole new improved better version of yourself. You want the whole world to feel the way you do because it’s an incredible feeling to behold. For me, it all happened the night I finally held Bella in my arms after so many years, in that hospital room. That night everything changed for me, it was a feeling I never felt when I was around her when I was a kid. I always knew in my heart how I felt, but I always hid my feelings. When I finally gave into my desires and held her in my arms, is when I felt the peace wash over me. I finally felt like a complete person - like a piece of me wasn’t missing anymore - for the first time in my life. The other half of me was finally home where she always belonged.
Now, it’s time to get serious, I turn the mute off, and we listen in.
Two hours later, and a lot of arguing back and forth - on what we want to do and what we should do - and we finally have a solid plan. We go over what’s good and bad, quicker and safer for our women and children at the Clubhouses. We may not always see eye to eye, but we always do what is right for our family. I might add, I’m not thrilled about our decision, but the Club comes first, and I have a job to do. I am still the SAA of this Club after all.
We’ve gone back and forth a million times, for what feels like days. We can only come up with one solution that we all agree on doing. We’re at war, and we have to end it before it starts. So, we take out as many of the Macks as we can before they get to us. Our women and children’s safety has to come first, above all else.
The first thing on the agenda is to find Spooky and Devil, string their asses up and make them pay for all the shit they caused in our territory.
Gator’s sending 30 of our best men, from all the Clubs, to the Macks Clubhouse in Georgia. That includes Ace, Blaze, and me.
We need to find out what they’re hiding there.
We’ll get in, and get them contained. Then we’ll light up their Clubhouse and wipe them all out, taking out as many of those fuckers in one swoop.
Which means I have to leave mom and my girls for a couple of days and take care of Club business. It’s time to end this shit on our terms and fast.
“Let’s move on to other important shit. Romeo, what the fuck went down this mornin’?” Gator demands.
“Those Cartel/Mafia bastards must have been watching the house,” Romeo says with a sigh. “Cotton and I searched the area, and there was nothin’ to be concerned about, though. We got Cindy and the kids in her car this morning with no problems. As we approached the exit to get off the highway, those bastards came out of nowhere. Three black SUV’s approached us and tried to run Cotton and me off the road. We kept control of our bikes, but Cindy got separated from us for a few minutes.” He puffs out a breath before continuing.
“We found them a mile up the road, just passed the exit, stopped on the shoulder. Dusty had his gun drawn, and Shorty was freaking out in his arms in the back seat. I asked Cindy what the hell happened and all she would say was we had to get to Beast, fast. Shorty kept screaming for Beast too, so we hightailed it here. No one would tell me what the fuck went down and I was more concerned about calming their asses down. And for a small woman, Cindy can be very intimidating.”
He finishes, and I know what happened and my blood is pumping and ready for a fight. I still haven’t figured out, how I’m going to fix it on top of this war that just started.
“Beast, you got to fill in some of the blanks here for us, brother. They’re your girls’, and apparently, Shorty said something to you or Bella wouldn’t have flipped the fuck out the way she did,” Gator says sounding exhausted.
Here it goes, more shit to add to the pile we’ve already got accumulating around here.
“Antonio’s men gave them a message when they forced mom off the road,” I say still fuming from those asshats words. “The message was for me, Bella, and the Club. They said they’re coming after us all. He’s taking the Club out of commission and taking what’s his. Well, what he thinks is his anyway. He wants my Bella, Jules, and Gigi. Apparently, he had plans for them, and I screwed that up when I took them. He said he’s going to kill me in front of the girls to teach them a lesson. Like that would ever happen. I won’t go into the graphic details about the other things he said that scared Shorty. That was his personal message for me, but that’s it in a nutshell. That’s why Gigi freaked out so bad. She doesn’t want him anywhere near her big sister so he can hurt her again. She’s scared for Bella after what he did to her before they came here to us.”
The meeting room erupts in an uproar. I have to lower the volume on my phone because they’re all so loud.
Gator pounds the gavel a few times, calling the room to order. Once everyone in the room quiets down, he speaks, “Beast, I know you don’t want to do this, but I think it’s time you make a call to Ricco. He may be able to help.”
I sit in my chair, in my new kitchen, staring at the stove silently for a minute, and think about it. Ricco Del Mara is the head of the Families here in the U.S., and he is based out of Chicago. He’s the worst of the worst, but he always liked me and Bella when we were kids. Plus, he hated Anton, so maybe he would help us, and be on our side. It would be worth a shot if it will eliminate another full-blown war, especially one with the Italian Mafia.
If it keeps my girls and mom safe, I’ll give it a shot. I can’t let Anton get his hands on them. The things his men told mom and Gigi about what they want to do to them, made my stomach turn. One of his personal messages to me, he’s going to tear Bella’s pussy up, worse than he did the first time, and make me watch him while he does it. Never gonna happen, he will never lay a finger on my girl again. I will lay my life down for her if that’s what it takes.
He will also be taking what he thinks is his, Jules and Gigi, back to do as he pleases with them. He will use Bella and Jules as his own personal whores for his men until he gets what he needs. Then he’ll sell them to the highest bidder.
He’s going to train Gigi for the same life, unless he can marry her off, for money or a business connection. Poor Gigi is extremely too young to have heard the words those men used. As if I would ever let that happen. He will never touch Gigi or Jules, and he will never get the drop on me either.
“Beast, your girl freaked out really fuckin’ bad earlier. I know you said she was brutally attacked by this man, and we’ve all assumed he beat her, so what can we all do to make sure he pays?” Maddox says, fuming, wanting to help on his own volition, not as an obligation to the Club. He likes Bella and doesn’t want her or any women to have hands laid on them. Let alone be touched the way Bella was, even if he doesn’t know the extent of what happened to her.
“I’ll call Ricco when we’re done. Then I’ll figure some things out from there. Thanks, brothers,” I say, then I remember something. “Oh, shit I almost forgot. They said they know Skully has Bella’s friend, Cesare and there will be hell to pay for that too. When did Skully get Cesare out?” Gator never mentioned anything to me.
“They extracted him a couple of nights ago. They broke onto the Castellani estate and took him. He’s in bad shape, and their doctor is treating him. Doc said he could travel in a week or so. I was waiting till you got back so you could give your girl the good news. Skully and a few of his men will be accompanying him here. He has access to a private plane, and that’s the fastest and safest way to travel with the guy. He has a broken leg and ribs, and his shoulder was dislocated. He also had a concussion from all the blows to the head. He’ll make a full recovery Doc said, he just needs time to heal. He’s been asking to talk to Bella, but...” He pauses a second, trying to figure out how to articulate his next words.
“Antonio kept gloating to him about how he hurt her. Also, what he’s going to do to her and the girls, when he gets them back,” Gator growls and so do I.
Skully is the Prez of our cousin Club, Dragons Breath in Staten Island. When we called him a few months back to let him know we would be in one of his territories, he offered to help in any way he could.
He’s a sick, sick fuckin’ bastard. I can’t wait to get my hands on him. I’m going to become the ultimate beast and do some pretty despicable things to that bastard for sure. Things that would make a better man sick, but after what he did to my girl, it will help me sleep better at night knowing he got what he truly deserved.
It had better be very soon, very fuckin’ soon. Once we settle this war with the Macks, I’ll concentrate on finding the guys and taking his ass out once and fuckin’ for all.
We finish up with our meeting, and I hang up the phone. I have my orders, but before I make my call, I need to check on my girls and talk to mom.
“Brother, I’m going to check on mom, if Gigi is up and calm, will you take her to the Clubhouse kitchen. She can have lunch or ice cream, whatever the fuck she wants, just give it to her,” I say to Blaze, getting up and heading to my room. He knows what I’m asking him. I need her to stay busy, out of the apartment and away from me for a while.
“Sure, I’ll keep an eye on her for a while.” I leave him and head to my room.
When I open the door, my mom and Gigi are sitting on the bed talking. Bella is still fast asleep in between them. Gigi spots me and jumps up and into my arms. I kiss the top of her head and hug her.
“How are you feelin’, Mini Princess?”
“Better now. You’ll protect us from him, won’t you? Don’t let him touch my sister again, please,” she whines, her words grip at my heart. I give it to her straight.
“He’s never going to get his grubby hands on her again, don’t you worry. I’ll protect both of you and Jules from him and so will my brothers,” I ramble.
“Speaking of brothers, Blaze wants to take you down to the kitchen for lunch or ice cream. Are you up for that?”
“I could go for some ice cream.” She giggles and kisses my cheek before she leaves mom and me alone.
Once she’s gone, I take her spot on the bed next to Bella. My fingers are drawn to Bella’s long silky hair. I work them through to compose myself for this conversation with mom.
“Mom, I have to place a call to Ricco. I have to try and end this before it starts a war with the Mafia that is not my Club’s fight. I won’t let him get near the girls’ or hurt her again. He hates Anton and hoping that will work in my favor for him to help us. We already have one Club war to fight, we can’t fight the Mafia too,” I say reluctantly, looking up at her and seeing the tears in her eyes.
I have only seen mom cry once in my life, and that was when my dad died. This whole ordeal must have rattled her to the bone.
“Giovanni, if it keeps these girls safe, you do whatever you have to do. The horrible things those men were spewing must have your father and Dominic turning over in their graves. And his personal message to you about...” she says through tears not able to finish. Trying to control her emotions, she shakes her head before continuing.
“I’ve known that boy since the day he was born, I practically raised him, and I never imagined in my wildest dreams he would turn out this...psychotic. The things those men said he wanted to do to these precious girls, to that poor innocent little child, made me sick. You find that bastard, honey, and don’t show him any mercy, not one shred.
“An eye for an eye is what Dominic and my Lorenzo would have shown that boy. And that’s exactly what he deserves. You tear that bastard’s ass up before you tear him apart limb for limb! You make him suffer the same way he did your wife! Then you throw him to the fishes to pick at his despicable carcass!” The venom in her voice scares the shit out of me. I’ve never heard my mother speak like this in my entire life.
“I will,” I say around the lump in my throat. I clear it before I can continue to speak.
“I will, you can count on that, mom. Do you want to talk to Ricco with me?”
“I’ll call him, I have his direct number,” mom says, shocking the shit out of me yet again. No one has his direct number except for Uncle Dominic, or so I thought. Maybe dad had it in his things.
She pulls out her cell phone from her purse on the nightstand and places the call. I sit back continuing to comb my fingers through Bella’s hair to soothe myself.
I wait while she starts out with pleasantries, and they talk for a few minutes. It sounds as if she’s been in contact with him not too long ago. Then she tells him the reason for the call. It’s time to talk business, and with any luck, I can keep my girls safe with his help.
“Ricco, Sir, it’s been a long time.”
“Sure has, Giovanni, let’s cut the shit, tell me how the fuck you got involved in all this Family business up in New York?
“Dominic had a fortress over there, so how the hell did that happen. And where are all his kids?
“Why is Antonio, fourth in command, leading this shit show?” he demands all these answers from me immediately.
“Obviously, you don’t know he’s the one lead all this, Sir,” I say matter-of-factly. Then I tell him what I know and how I got involved in the Family business after all these years. Anton’s been working with the Mendez Cartel to take over the organization. He broke into their estate with Mendez’s men and killed Uncle Dominic and Aunt Amelia and brutally assaulted Bella. He may have killed Val, Romeo, Bash, and Lorenzo too. He wants Bella only to solidify his place in taking over the organization. I can’t bring myself to say the words to him, (he raped her) but he understands my meaning.
I fill him in on everything that's happened since the night all hell broke loose at the Castellani Estate. I also tell him I have all three girls, and soon I will have Cesare. I’m keeping them all in a safe and secure place. I also inform him that they are all under the Dragons’ protection and will not be leaving us and going back up north.
He’s irate with Antonio and agrees to support my Club, but most importantly me. He also says, he’ll work on helping find Bella’s brothers and will get back to me soon.
In the meantime, if I need anything, don’t hesitate to call him directly.
He adds that I had better keep my mom safe or he will have my balls. Not sure, what that’s all about, but it was an order all the same and not to be argued with.
What the hell is he thinking, I wonder? Is he into my mother or something? I’ll have to take a more in-depth look into that later.
When I’m done with the call, I tell her what I can about what’s happened and will be going on for the next couple of days.
Then mom leaves me with Bella to go check on Gigi. I call Gator and tell him about my conversation with Ricco, he tells me he’s going to inform Maddox about the call.
Maddox and Gator have been best friends since they were young kids. That’s why Maddox and his guys are always at our parties, even with us being the main chapter.
I gather my girl in my arms and lay with her.
I am wiped from the last few days and could use a nap with my love in my arms for a while.