BLOOD RETRIBUTION

by Blake Hudson

  “Oh and, I’m Scottish pal," Knox said before stamping his heel into the doorman's jaw, simultaneously yanking up on the broken limb, until his arm popped out of its shoulder socket.

  Walking away opening his phone Knox scrolls through his contacts, stopping at Southern Belle xxx, he tapped call.

  “Hey darlin’, I can’t get to the phone right now so ya’ll leave me a message and I’ll get back to ya’ll. Kisses.”

  "Susie, it's Knox… I have a bottle of scotch if you fancy a night cap… Call me.”

  Cause God knows, he certainly needed it.

  Chapter Three

  Thoughts

  Knox woke in a cold sweat, this wasn’t anything new, but tonight was better than some. This time at least he hadn’t awoken to his own gut wrenching sound of the names of brothers long gone. The hum of the air-con filled the room with a monotonous white noise. It was a comfort to Knox who could never relax or sleep in the quiet stillness. He pulled the white cotton sheet off himself and sat on the edge of the bed. The cold large marble tiles a welcome feeling as his feet met the floor. Knox reached over to the side table, fumbling about until he half opened his eyes to help find the glass of water that was eluding his fingertips.

  With a long exhale before standing, Knox looked at the empty glass in his hand swearing it was full before he went to sleep. He walked across the room to the en-suite, the half open blinds cast stripped shadows along the floor thanks to the full moon.

  Knox flicked on the shaving light over the mirror, after a flash of blindness his irises adjust to the sudden, almost painful light. Splashing water over his face Knox took a moment to look at the reflection staring back at him, as if the water was cleansing, not just the cold sweat away but the reason for it as well.

  Knox felt the bruise on the back of his neck from the butt of Semi Pros gun, then his right shoulder where there must have been something on the toilet wall he had threw himself onto. He reflected on how he evaded being taken in, twice, or had their intentions been more of the permanent kind. It was clear to him that whatever was going on around this woman he was on their radar now, and that meant his ability to watch over the woman was compromised.

  Knox thought about catching the next flight out of Malaga or buying one of the many unused midlife crisis boats filling marinas up and down this coast line. That could be a more viable stealthier exit out of Spain, lay low somewhere in the Med before picking up more work suited to his talents. There was always good paid work sooner or later, Dani took care of that. It’s not like you could go sign up at an agency for his kind of work. You had to know the right people, whether you were hiring or touting your services. If you didn’t know the right people you were pissing in the wind.

  Knox shrugged his shoulders before shaking his head. No, he would stick it out a bit longer. After all, the money was better than most and so far, nothing had happened he couldn’t handle. He gazed into the mirror as he ran two fingers over the seven-inch scar across his left oblique then down a few more inches to the crimson healed bullet hole and round to where it had existed. Rubbing it as if remembering the pain.

  Knox’s body was a time line of history, each scar a biography telling its own story of pain. His early military career and following years of strength and weight training had sculpted his body to athlete standards. A sportsman would know the time, dedication and sheer will power to achieve the physical level that adorned them in medals and success. But they wouldn’t know of the blood spilt or what it was like living with the horrors Knox’s training prepared him to succeed in. Knox’s medals were not for first place or runner up. His medals were for putting his life on the line for others, survival and valour. For as much as Knox honoured and respected them, he would trade everyone he was awarded in a heartbeat for the lives of his fallen brothers.

  Knox was drawn back from his thoughts by two long beeps combined with vibrations. Knox’s flip phone had a text message. A rare event as almost no one had his number.

  Making a girl wait? Not very gentlemanly Mr Knox. Stay safe and talk soon. Dani x.

  Knox’s mind filled with thoughts of Dani. He had only met her twice, but that had been enough. He wanted her full stop. He would never admit it to her, never mind say it aloud, putting the words out there to be heard by a protentional enemy. Dani was the only woman Knox new would be trouble. She is the one that would make him lose his edge, his focus, which was a dangerous combination in his line of work. There wasn’t one thing he would change about her. Dani had an influence on him he couldn’t understand, let alone handle. He wished it could be different. He wished he could let her in, but Knox new she was too good for him and he would only hurt her.

  Knox still couldn’t shake how she affected him. He wanted to see tears of desperation in her eyes. Those fucking eyes! Those eyes could bring him to his knees, yet his deepest desire wanted to see them looking up at him whilst she was on hers. He wanted to see them widen as she struggled to take his full length into her perfect warm lips. To grasp a fist full of her long blonde hair, bringing her back up to his level when he needed something more. To bend her body back under his and take her hard because he knew there was no other way for him. Knox’s eyes narrowed as they looked back at him in the mirror with undiluted hunger.

  “Hey… honey pie, get your fine ass back in this bed.” Said the sleepy sweet southern belle Susie.

  Knox looked down at the lower part of the mirror to see the bed sheets pull away to reveal the lovely lush and round ass lifting and rocking in a slow rhythm as if reliving their earlier pleasure.

  “Don't you know it's rude to keep a lady waiting.” Susie giggled as she pushed her hand down between her legs letting out a quiet moan as her body arches in pleasure.

  Knox fully aroused from his thoughts of Dani walked into the bedroom and stood over the temptress lay before him. Susie’s rich warm dark skin tone contrasting against the starched white cotton sheets.

  “My, my delicious, I do love a man who stands to attention,” Susie said rolling onto her back biting down on her finger as she opens her leg before Knox.

  Knox without a word, grasped her ankles pulling her to him, Susie playfully tried to get away turning onto her front pulling at the bed in vain. Knox pinned her down with one hand around the back of her neck the other grappling her hip. She lifted and pushed back into him as Knox knelt over her and bit down where her neck met the shoulder, followed by an aggressive unyielding thrust, he entered her…

  Lay nonchalant their skin glistened in an amber glow of the morning sunrise blead through the blinds. The cool chill of the air washed over them in a wave leaving a wake of goose bumps.

  Susie reaches for Knox’s cigarettes lighting one before placing it in his lips followed by a light kiss on his cheek. She took a second cigarette for herself then slipped off the bed and walked over to the large double sliding doors that lead onto the balcony. Knox watched the dark curvaceous silhouette pull the blinds too before sliding the door open. Susie stretched and twisted before leaning on the balustrade. She had a body to make grown men weep. Knox admired the view as he smoked, a view that got better as Susie turned around resting her elbows on the rail behind drawing Knox’s eyes to her pert natural breasts.

  “Well, that was intense…" Susie said before exhaling a stream of smoke up into the morning air.

  “You seemed like a different man… Who is she?” she said looking right at Knox.

  “Who is she? Not sure what you mean Lass.” Knox said with a puzzled look.

  “Who you were thinking about, it’s okay honey I don’t mind. It was wild, I liked it.” Susie grinned with that big, get anything she wanted smile.

  “What can I say, you got me all hot and bothered," Knox said as he got up and started getting dressed.

  “Was it something I said? Hey, I won’t bring it up again.” Susie turned away looking out onto the sea view. Malaga port in the distance to the right with a car ferry being loaded. Empty beach in fro
nt with a quite dual carriageway between.

  Knox once dressed, walked over placing one hand on Susie’s shoulder the other pinching her butt cheek.

  “I don’t know about you but you gave me an appetite, I am going to run down to the shop, and when I get back I’m making you breakfast. Bacon and eggs with me or do you like pastries?”

  “Bless your heart you are spoiling me, be careful Lucas, I may just have to stay if you treat me this well. But I have a better idea, let’s go back to bed, it’s an ungodly hour. I am sure I can help with that appetite of yours.” Susie said as she turned and wrapped her arms around Knox’s neck as she kissed it before looking up at him.

  “So very tempting, but you haven’t tried my eggs," Knox replied with a wink, stepping back.

  “Come on sugar, don’t make me beg, I want more.” Susie’s tone sounding a little annoyed and with a look in her eyes that was a little desperate. She grabbed at Knox’s waste band and pop his top button.

  “Okay…” Knox grabs both of Susie’s wrists, her eyes lit up as he leads her back onto the bed laying her down. He stood back and placed his fingertips on his popped top button waste and teased. Susie smiled and bit down on her lip, Knox smiled back as he did it back up.

  “Right you wait here and I am going to go get a few things, plus I need cigarettes. I won’t be long and I am sure we will have time to have more fun…” Knox winked and slapped her butt as he headed straight to the door.

  “Fine but your loss… I need to leave soon anyway…Croissant, no Danish pastry!” Susie’s got louder the further she heard Knox walk away, shouting the last part as the outside door shut to the apartment.

  Walking into his local small convenience store, Knox nodded and gave a little wave to the old woman working behind the counter. One who recognised him instantly. She smiled back and said “hola” as she picks out two boxes of Marlboro Red off the shelf behind her.

  Knox smirked to himself as he thought ‘I clearly spent too much here’. Walking down the aisles picking out what he needed, Knox spotted a young lad. The normal black hoody covering most of his face, with headphone leads hanging down and skinny jeans that Knox would never understand. Somehow, they could still be worn with a saggy arse, showing off most of his boxers. This was a pet hate of Knox’s. Harmless enough but this kid had looking shifty down to a fine art.

  Knox walked passed, looked him in the eyes and nodded before reaching for a jar of jam just in front of the lad.

  Now, why would a lad like him be looking at jars of preserves? Killing time waiting for the right moment, Knox hazarded a guess, he would keep an eye on him.

  Reaching the counter with everything he wanted Knox made small talk with the old lady. This lady was sweet but she couldn’t look anymore stereotypical. Like any number of retired women walking out of church after mass, taking an afternoon walk or better still sat on a bench in a group staring at everything and everyone. Spanish elderly women just had a look about them that made you wonder, will all the beautiful young Spanish women end up looking like that and if so… how? Just as Knox handed over his cash the hooded lad walked passed at pace.

  “No tan rápido chico… Estas olvidando algo.” Knox said asking him ‘not so fast had he forgotten something’ then took a grasp of the lad’s arm causing the clinking of bottles.

  An eruption of Spanish at a million miles an hour fired out of the old woman’s mouth, as she waddled around to give the lad a slap around the head. The young lad struggled and two bottles of booze fell out from under his hoody. Knox let go of his grasp of the lad, catching the first bottle easily. Seeing there was no time to catch the second Knox puts his foot under the falling bottle breaking its fall, as the young lad made a swift get away.

  “Conozco a tu madre, Conozco a tu madre.” The woman shouted over and over. Knox smiled at her after she said she knew his mother, then she turned her attention to him. Reaching up and cupping Knox’s cheeks thanking him one moment and blessing him the next, he felt good but also a little embarrassed.

  “Really no trouble at all, my pleasure… Damn Knox Spanish. Realmente ningún problema en absoluto no era nada realmente. Necesitas obtener CCTV,” Knox said again in Spanish then adding that the woman needed CCTV as he pointed up to the corners of the ceiling. But Knox was sure his words fell on deaf ears, due to the woman’s lack of stopping for breath. Now she was telling him he must come for dinner and is welcome anytime. He couldn’t help but accept and he would confirm next time he was in. Picking up the second bottle and placing in on the counter with the first. He placed his euros next to them and then spent the next few minutes trying to get away from the sweet, grateful store keeper.

  Returning to his apartment Knox paused a few meters from his door. The door and frame had been damaged and it looked like it had been pried open with a crow bar. Placing the bags down, Knox muscle memory kicked in and he felt for the gun in the back of his waist band, but it wasn’t there. He had left it in the apartment. School boy error Knox thought to himself…although in his defence he didn’t usually go to the store packing.

  Knox moved in closer and listened at the door. It was ajar by a few inches but he heard nothing. Slowly removing his belt Knox wrapped it around his fist making a loop. Stepping forward he used the front of his boot to push the door open, slowly rolling his foot as he stepped into the door.

  Knox’s mind raced, as Susie was in there when he left. But was she still in there, was she okay, was she dead? Knox pushed the thoughts away and cleared his head. With the door fully open, he surveyed the short hall of the apartment. Signs of a struggle were evident with artwork knocked off the walls, with the glass shattered in the frames on the floor.

  Knox stepped carefully, missing any glass, and looked to an internal door to his left which was the toilet, and then the kitchen door to his right. He checked the kitchen first, it was clear, so he made the most of it. Knox pulled out the largest blade from the knife block. After he placed his belt down Knox moved back to the hall, holding the knife with the back of the blade running along his outside forearm.

  A breeze was blowing through, the balcony door must still be open. Knox could now faintly hear random tapping as the bedroom blinds flitted in the wind.

  The main room, was open plan and sparse, and therefore easy to see it was clear. But now with the added mess of what little furniture there was turned over. What did they think they would find? Unless of course setting it up to look like a burglary. Knox owned very little just a large carry all which he didn’t really unpack. Renting fully furnished apartments meant no stress, no worry, leave at a drop of a hat type living.

  Moving over to the dining table Knox put a hand under as he kept his eyes on the door way to the only room he hadn’t been in, the bedroom. Feeling the smooth plastic tape over the hard edges of a handgun, he carefully pulled the gun from its adhesive binds.

  Knox felt better now being armed, letting out a silent yet deep breath. Checking the Springfield XDM was still loaded, he had hidden the weapon, yes, but assumption was the mother of all fuck ups, one Knox couldn’t afford to make and old habits die hard.

  Traversing the door to the bedroom, Knox knew this would be the most dangerous point, known as the fatal funnel. Standing at the side of the door way Knox lightly pushed with his boot the door wide open then took cover back behind the wall. No sound was heard other than the door knocking against a door stop on the floor.

  Bringing the gun to a close contact firing position at his chest, his eyes down the barrel. Knox scanned the available field of vision, mentally cutting the area he could see into sections of a pie, working at clearing each part.

  Three, two, one… Knox stormed the room point to point, always moving never standing still…but nothing!

  Susie wasn’t there, her clothes gone but bag left. Knox checked it, emptied it out onto the bed. Purse, makeup but no phone. Bed sheets on the floor half way towards the door, looked like she was dragged out of bed. No blood, no
thing damaged in the room. But the door was forcefully broken so she would have heard it, so she couldn’t have been surprised in her sleep. The apartment had been turned over but nothing was taken.

  Knox considered and scrutinised every detail. All the signs said she was taken, they screamed it in fact. And that didn’t feel right… was it too obvious?

  "Time to get the hell out of here," Knox said under his breath as he put his weapon in his waist band before packing up his small number of things.

  Knox left the apartment with his helmet and keys to his Triumph in one hand and his bag in the other. Reaching the road outside where his Bike lay waiting. Just as he was about to place the canvas carryall down on the bike, Knox spun around to the sound of wheel screeching. Hard revving alerted him as a white van skidded to a stop right in front of him. The side door flew open revealing two tactical dressed men, with black ski mask covered faces holding Susie gagged, arms behind her back with a gun pointed to her temple.

  “Knox, get in the van! Now!”

  Chapter Four

  The Nest.

  "Let the girl go," Knox said to the masked men, with a calm tempered voice laced with deadly intent.