by Coffy Paige
As he reaches down to pick her up a large arm comes from behind and puts him in a sleeper hold. Alex struggles at first, so much so that he’s able to turn their bodies towards the mirror to get a glimpse of the culprit. Before he passes out he can make out Mallory who’s choking him and Cyril is by the door watching with a smirk. Mallory whispers harshly, “Well now. Looks like there’s a lack of wind in your sails as well.” After that Alex drops like bricks.
Chapter 9
When Mallory entered the club Cyril was right there to inform him of what he’d just seen. The knowledge of Maizy stumbling to the restroom and Alex hot on her trail made Mallory run. Cyril had to pull him back and tell him to be cool. Walking in on Alex slapping Maizy had him murderous! When the piece of shit was down he punched him a couple of times before Cyril stopped him and suggested a better plan. Do it old school. Take him to the desert, beat his ass like a biker gang initiation, and then leave him to find his way back.
One call to Char’s husband and they had enough muscle to make sure Alex and his little friend didn’t run. Every time Mallory thought that maybe he was going to far he’d take a look at the rearview mirror. The sight of Maizy’s swollen face or whimpers and hisses from pain in her jaw just cemented his wavering decision. Alex was going to pay for what he did and no one was going to stop him.
Mallory hops from Cyril’s coupe and over to his neighboring SUV. They were discussing the game plan on handling the situation. Revenge was sweet but only when you knew it couldn’t come back to bite you in the ass. Precautions had to be made. He peers in to see Char holding an ice pack to Maizy’s jaw, “How’s she doing?”
“Much better. She’s coherent now.” Char gives Maizy the ice pack as she retreats to her husband’s car.
Mallory is looking intently at Maizy while she struggles to meet his gaze. “Are you…gonna kill him?”
Mallory shifts and answers solemnly, “Do you want me to?”
“No!” Maizy jumps up and meets his stare, “Mallory what are you going to do.”
Mallory eerily blinks before saying, “Baby just lie back and rest. I don’t want you seeing this.” He turns to walk away as Maizy leaps from the car to catch up with him. She pulls him back to look at her, “Look! He violated-”
“He didn’t touch me Mal’!”
Mallory continues on as if she weren’t talking, “Honey please go sit in the car.” With that he nods at Char to come over.
Maizy tries to hold her ground but Char soothes her, “Maizy don’t fight this. It’s going to happen. That fucker has it coming to him and this is how they handle things.”
Maizy’s spirited eyes flash back from sister to brother, “But what about civility?”
Mallory doesn’t answer as he strips his shirt off. Char gives the best answer that she can, “It went out the door when he decided to drug and rape you in a bathroom stall.”
Maizy’s shoulders slump as that terrifying thought echoes through her mind. Hot tears spring forth once more as shame freezes her over. It’s because of her that any of this is happening. Like the mind readers her and her brother are, Char comforts her as she leads her to the car. “Sweetie none of this was your fault. It’s all ours and this is the only way we know how to make it up to you.” Tears are now in Char’s eyes as she speaks, “I was wrong to let my bone head brother talk me into lying to you. But I have to tell you Maizy…I’d do it again if it means that I could still have your friendship when this mess is over.
Maizy looks over to her faltered friend and sighs, “I-I don’t know Char. You and Jenny were the first girlfriends I ever had. I confided so much in you two and…” Char’s lip trembles but she nods her understanding. Maizy feels awkward and honored at the same time. No one ever gave a damn if they hurt her feelings before. Now she has a team of people about to beat a man senseless for her. Whose life is this?
“I think-” Char’s head shoots up at the impending comment, “I think that we can start over and probably have something even more special.” They clutch each other in a deep hug and it’s Alex’s coughing, spitting, and cursing that breaks them apart. Maizy looks out the tinted windshield to Alex on the ground and both Mallory and Will standing over him, “so they’re just going to beat him up right?”
“Yeah hon, no prob. Fractured rib here, broken nose there then we ride off into the dust.” Char’s voice has no emotion behind it at all as she stares straight ahead.
“Broken?”
“Yeah. Mallory’s not going to be dirty about it. He’s going to give him a choice and if it’s the right one it won’t be any different than an actually fight but faster. It’s gonna get pretty bloody.” The alarm in Maizy’s eyes makes Char add, “On Alex’s part not Mal’s.” The nonchalance is still laced in Char. Maizy writes it off to her being used to the lifestyle. Looking out at a shirtless Mallory standing strong and menacingly over her attacker makes her heart beat faster in excitement from the brutal judgment he’s about to hand down. Looking at the pathetic pile of flesh she can’t even call him by his name anymore. She steels her emotions against whatever mercy she could muster. He was scum and didn’t deserve one ounce of her pity.
~*~*~
Alex wakes to the taste of iron and sand in his mouth. He lifts and finds himself inhaling a good bit of sand as well. His eyes strain as he lifts a hand to shield his eyes from the crowding pairs of headlights. Looking around he can tell he’s a ways out from the city. “What tha fuck is going on here?” Alex can’t see much with the lights blinding him.
Mallory kicks at his foot, “Don’t fucking speak until spoken to.”
Alex squints until he can make out the face, “James? Neanderthal you’re ass is mine. Kiss that cushy CFC contract goodbye as well as all your endorsements and that shitty show of yours.” He leans up on his knees and laughs gutturally after spitting out some bloody sand.
Mallory punches him square in the mouth, “I said don’t fucking talk!” Alex falls back while Cyril and Will come running.
Cyril picks up a groaning Alex, “I’d do as he says if I were you.”
“Cyril…what tha f-fucks goin’ on,” Alex sputters while spitting out two teeth. Before Cyril can answer, Will drags Alex’s drug dealer to the group.
The man is terrified as he eyes the three large men looming over a battered Alex. He breaks immediately, “I had no idea he was going to use that on someone. I thought it was for his personal use Neander- I mean..Mr. James, sir!
“You fucking rat bastard!” Alex howls.
The guy rages a bit against Alex, “No fuck you, you dick! Mallory ‘Neanderthal’ James walks in with a bone to pick with you over his girlfriend and you want me to stick up for you? Whatever is going to happen you brought it on yourself!”
Will, a man of little words, speaks for the first time, “We need to hurry this up so we can get the girls home.”
Mallory nods gravely before addressing Alex, “We’re fighting.” It’s common knowledge that Alex was terrified of ever stepping in the ring, most of all with Neanderthal James, again.
“The hell I am! Look at me!”
“Alex you don’t have a choice. Either you fight me willingly or my boys will hold you down while I beat your face in. After that we’re leaving your sorry ass here to find your way back.”
Alex trying to save face yet his voice wavers. “And what’s stopping me from going to the cops?”
“Your personal drug dealer’s testimony among the countless number of girl’s I will pay a P.I. to find.” Mallory dunks down to Alex’s level, “This is happening and I’ve covered all my basis to ensure the utmost secrecy. This is personal and I’d rather dish out my own brand of punishment.” He stands and nods for the men to back off. He waits for Alex to stand, “You just couldn’t leave her alone could you?”
“Tha fuck are you talking about man! H-how was I supposed to know you were dating the bitch?”
As soon as the ‘cha’ in bitch is out, Mallory’s fist connects with Alex’s jaw. “Get
your punk ass up!” He retreats into his fighting stance.
Alex quickly recovers with his charging shoulder in Mallory’s gut. Maizy’s shriek is loud enough for everyone to hear yet Mallory seems unaffected. He stands like a brick wall and brings an elbow to the center of Alex’s back. Once he’s on the ground, Mallory crawls on top and pummels him repeatedly.
Maizy’s hands are clamped around her face as her first boyfriend beats the shit out of a guy in the middle of the desert for her. Her shock was more from her shame of liking it than the act itself!
Alex maybe got one good shot but it bounces off like Terminator. Mallory’s rage is so past gone that it takes Cyril, Will, and the drug dealer to pull him off of Alex. With a shuddering sigh he turns to everyone panting and specks of blood splattered across his body. “Let’s go.” It’s a solemn response to end the night’s events. It’s dark, dirty, and bloody in more ways than one. When he goes up to his SUV that has Maizy waiting on him. They don’t say anything for a moment as he wipes away the residue of his savage act away. They all hug and get in their respective cars. Cyril is taking the drug dealer back and also to remind him that his confession is recorded for their use. Once on the road it’s obvious that Mallory and Maizy are searching for the right things to say to one another.
Maizy breaks the lingering silence, “What happens now?”
“Now we go home.” He can tell by her jumpy demeanor that he’s still not calm enough to expound on his feelings.
“What about him?” She looks back at Alex’s stirring figure wallowing in the dirt in pain.
His head snaps in her direction, “What about him?” When the alarm in her eyes registers, he immediately calms down, “I’m sorry sweetheart. When we’re all safely at home, I’m going to call someone to pick him up.”
“What if he tells?”
“He won’t.” His voice is deadly calm. Broaching room for no discussion on the subject after. They sit in silence until they’re closer to the city. He notices her sunken down position in her seat with her little legs under her. Drawn in to the precious bud again. Time for his amends so in a soft voice he says, “Maizah I just want to apologize again for any feelings of manipulation because those were never my intentions babe. I just wanted-”
“Just take me home.” She interrupts as she turns her gaze towards the window.
“Maizy-”
Her voice raises, “Please! I’m just so confused right now. I just need time.” Nothing else is said between them as he drives. It isn’t until she’s getting out that she says, “I’ll call you.”
“Why do I feel like you’re just saying that?” He understands her need for space but not if she’s just saying it to blow him off.
“I promise to call when I’ve figured it all out.” With that she’s out of the car much like their first date. The weeks to come are hell on them both. Maizy throws herself into her job. Most of her workouts were at home or runs in a nearby park. She couldn’t face Mallory because she wasn’t ready yet. When Char came over or vice versa, they focused mostly on their friendship and not on Mallory. Maizy knew that it was killing Char not to talk about it but it made their relationship stronger that she didn’t.
Maizy is still trying to figure out if this is what she wants from this relationship. Or maybe she should just slow down all together and find someone her tempo. She missed him so much yet she wasn’t sure if loving someone with his type of temper or directness would be her speed. Every time that thought came to her mind her heart hurt more than when she thought of the situation itself. It kills her to think of him not in her life all together anymore. One thing’s for sure, Mallory definitely wasn’t making it easy on her either. Between calls, gifts, and other wacky declarations of his love she was starting to break.
Mallory can’t focus on a thing but getting Maizy back. By the second week with no sight or contact with her, he begins the daily calls to her voicemail or her assistant. The calls turned to flowers and gifts by the beginning of the third week. Soon after that, he was sending in singing telegrams to her office. It was so public and blatant that when the media caught wind of it they of course blew it way out of proportion. Whenever the press asked him about his mystery lady he was discreet with her anonymity and honest about his feelings for her. He knew he wouldn’t be able to keep her a secret forever but he needed to make sure their life together was for certain.
His patience for that revelation was wearing thin though. Char clammed up tighter than ever about any info concerning Maizy. He couldn’t blame her. There was no reason for the both of them to be on the outs with her. The only saving grace is his training day with Will whom accidentally slips that the girls are all at his house for the day. The wheels start to turn in Mallory’s head and he asks Will, “Hey, you think I can come over after to pick up that DVD I let you guys borrow?”
Will pins him with a knowing look. Chuckling, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He tries to go into fighting stance but Mallory stays upright. Will gives in and stands with a sigh, “C’mon man. Char will kill me if I help you.” Will turns while taking off his gloves. It was painfully obvious training was over.
Mallory runs to jumps in front of his brother-in-law. “Oaky then don’t even mention that I’m coming. I can just come unannounced.”
Will looks skeptical before shaking his head, “No dice. All that estrogen seeing you pulling up to the house and they’ll instantly know I squealed.”
“Deny it. They can’t prove it. And I’ll be cool. I just want to see her. See how she’s doing.”
“I don’t know dude…”
“Please man. I’ll take full responsibility.” Will reluctantly gives in and asks to give him a thirty-minute head start. When Mallory exits the showers he feels like a renewed man. He doesn’t care what it takes but he doesn’t plan on going another day without his woman.
Char, Maizah, and Jenny are sitting around a gallon tub of ice cream while discussing Maizy’s latest office exploits at the hands of Mallory. They’re all laughing over their spoons as Maizy regales her story. “So I’m already expecting something huge because my assistant is looking like she’s about to piss herself when I get into the office.”
“Jenny takes a hug spoonful of the chocolate part before saying, “Wait so everyone at your office knows it’s Mal’?”
“No, they all think it’s a secret admirer.”
Char gets impatient, “Enough of that, what was the assistant antsy about?”
“She’s grinning with all 32 as she tells me my appointments for the day. I figured it’s probably just another bouquet of flowers or a gift she wanted me to open in front of her. She’s so nosy. Well I get into my office so I can shut the door on her but I couldn’t get in.”
Maizy pauses to take a spoonful of ice cream a little too leisurely for the girls’ taste so they prod her frantically. “Maizah!” Jenny yells.
Maizy obviously relishing all eyes on her laughs, “okay okay! It was filled with flowers. So many that I couldn’t get in!” She pulls out her phone to show a picture, “This was taken from outside of my door.” Sure enough there were flowers everywhere in different sizes and kinds. Then he sends me a text about me working too hard followed by an itinerary to a spa day and directions.” Jenny goes “aw” the same time Char sucks her teeth.
Both Jenny and Maizah snap to her and Jen says, “You don’t think that was sweet?”
Char rolls her eyes, “Of course I do but since it’s my brother I have a knee jerk reaction to think it’s cheesy.” They burst into laughter, “Well what did you do?”
“I donated all the flowers to the office, took a half day, then went to the spa.” She shrugs. They laugh again.
“What about Mallory? Are you going to call him soon?” Jenny continues but Char nudges her when Maizy averts her gaze.
“It’s okay Char.” Maizy jumps down from the stool, “It is the million dollar question.” The sudden silence of the conversation makes everyone look to her expectantly.
“I just want to make sure I’m making the right choice… ”
Char is the first to speak up, “Of course sweetie. No one here will judge you for your choice either way.” She puts her arm around her, “As much as I’d love for you to be my sister, I’d hate to not have you as a friend.”
Maizy begins to tear up, “I’m so glad to hear you say that.” She stops as she considers her next words, “As my friend, I was wondering if I could borrow something for a date tonight?”
Char face goes crestfallen, “What?”
“Oh my god Maizy, your dating someone else?” Jenny doesn’t know whether to be happy or worried for her friend. One thing’s for sure though, Char is crushed.
