Page 58 of Chaos & Carnage

“Fucking pole. Fucking Tez.”

“Mamma Dot know? She’ll go mad,” Magnet asked.

“Not gonna even ask.” Fury shook his head.

“Now that Tez has added all the extra security toTrouble, she’ll be well protected, at least.” Magnet tried to sound reassuring.

“Like she needs it,” I commented, rubbing my jaw from a memory of getting on the wrong side of her.

“Better get these drinks back to Suzy, or I’ll be getting the same.” Magnet slid the pint of beer and the glass of orange juice from the bar top. But as he turned, he nudged me in the arm. “Who is that with your kid, Chaos?” Magnet whistled his approval.

I turned to the doors, to where my brother walked in, hand in hand with the woman with long, flowing brown hair. I could see her from here. See those light blue eyes even in the pub’s darkness, each step bringing her closer.

I’d never seen her out of those green scrubs, other than when we fucked. Tonight, she wore a tight, black, lace top, with thin straps, tucked into light blue skinny jeans and over the knee boots.

And she was holding my brother’s hand, Caleb guiding her through the busy pub like the fucking cat that got the cream. My cream. My fucking cream.

“Chaos?” Magnet asked from beside me, sensing the darkness spilling from my soul.

But he was too late to stop me. The bar stool clattered sideways to the floor, the men in front of me staggering sideways as I pushed through them. My entire world had gone into slow motion, big, long slow steps carrying me forwards. Now my eyes were only focused on Caleb, and the fucking arrogant smirk on his face.

There was a shout beside me. A warning. An alert. Fury’s voice. But I couldn’t hear the words, anger filling my brain, the space in my ears, every single cavity it could possess. It wasn’t a red mist, it wasn’t even the faintest bit red. It was black. Pure obsidian black.

One stride out from Carnage and I leapt at him like an animal, my body connecting with his, knocking him to the floor, smashing down on top of him. His eyes shut momentarily, snapping open in time just to see my fist coming towards his face. The blow snapped his head sideways. A woman screamed. Caleb scrambled underneath me, quickly freeing his arms to get them up to his face so that my next punch connected with his forearm.

“Cade! Cade! Cade, man!” he shouted from the floor, where I had his body pinned.

I punched again and again, connecting only with his arms, but the last blow I sneaked under his guard, hitting him in his ribs, hearing the heavy thump and the rush of air. Good. I hoped that hurt the fucker.

Hands grabbed my arms, and I flung my body around, flailing, trying to dislodge them.

“Chaos! Chaos!” someone shouted.

Another set of hands, pulling at my other arm, but right now I felt like I had the strength of a seriously fucked off bear. But it was the arm that wrapped round my throat that took hold, another arm folding over the top. I tried to get my chin down, but I’d been too distracted by pummelling my brother’s face to feel it coming on, the arms now pincer squeezing the side of my neck. Now the blackness of anger changed to the mottled darkness of unconsciousness, my body feeling featherlike, wispy, useless.

I opened my eyes, staring at the ceiling, the disco ball bouncing lights all over the pub. Faces peered at me. Music thumped in the background, and inside my head. I scrambled to my feet, blood and oxygen not returning quickly enough to my legs, where I wobbled. Caleb sat on the floor, still. Blood running from his nose, soaking into the white t-shirt. Magnet, Fury, Reap and Indie surrounded us.

“Where’s Alice?” I demanded, searching the darkness for her.

“The girl?” Indie asked.

“Yes, the fucking girl. My fucking girl. Where is she?” I growled.

Indie shot me a warning look in answer.

“Suzy and Heidi have her in a booth, Chaos,” Fury answered.

Caleb rolled over, taking a second whilst on his hands and knees and making me want to kick the fucker hard in the stomach. Then he stood, staggering a little.

“You lot, kitchen. Now.” Indie signalled at the five of us.

“Hang on. I need to see Alice,” Caleb muttered.

“No, you fucking don’t, prick.” I took a step towards him, stepping into Reaps tree like arm as it came down in front of me to bar the way.

“I’ll not tell you lot again. Now.” Indie barked.

“Alice will be fine, boys,” Magnet added, smirking. “She’s with the ol’ ladies. She’ll be fine.”