Claim (Fury Brothers #5)

35. Beau

35

BEAU

I shot a quick glance at Bell. She was alive, her face filled with that determination of hers.

There was blood on her shirt.

My muscles tightened. Carr would pay for that. Along with everything else.

The killer looked around, his gaze settling on me.

“You told him?” he snarled. “You didn’t come alone.”

“Yeah, you wanted her alone, didn’t you?” I took a step forward. “You wanted easy prey. You’re a coward.”

“I’m not easy prey,” Bell said. “I’ve learned a few things lately, the biggest one being that having someone at your back makes all the difference.”

“Get on your knees, Carr,” I growled.

The man hesitated, and I knew he was looking for a way out.

“Now!”

Lightning fast, he lunged at Bell.

“Don’t fire!” I cried. “Don’t hit Bell.”

But my girl wasn’t afraid. Her punch snapped Carr’s head back. There was no fear on her face.

Damn, she was something.

Quickly, I tucked my gun into the waistband of my cargo pants and advanced. I wanted to use my fists. I wanted him to hurt.

Carr’s eyes widened. He lifted the knife.

When he swung at me, I aimed for his arm. My blow hit his forearm, and I heard bone snap. The knife flew out of his hand and hit the wall. He cried out.

“Take me on,” I said. “I’m not a young, defenseless woman.”

I landed a hard jab, then a right. I hammered blows into his torso, his body shuddering under the impact.

Bell stepped closer and punched him in the stomach. We hit him together.

“That’s for Karina.” She punched him again. “That one’s for Allie.” Bell’s next punch had blood flying from Carr’s mouth. “That’s for the other women you killed.” A vicious uppercut to the man’s gut. “That’s for me.”

He doubled over, cradling his midsection.

I glared at him. “Dante, Simon should be here soon. Call him.”

“Will do,” my brother replied.

Carr stayed bent over, breathing hard. It sounded like he couldn’t breathe properly through his nose, and I shot him a grim smile.

“I told you that it ends here,” Bell said.

The killer looked up. “You were supposed to die. I imagined it so many times.”

“Sick fuck,” Colt muttered.

“Your power over me is gone.” She looked at me and smiled. “I’ve learned not to be afraid.”

“I can still make you hurt.” With his left hand, Carr whipped another knife—a switchblade—from his back pocket. It snicked open and he hurtled forward.

At me.

It all happened so fast. I tensed.

“No!” Bell yelled. She ran forward and hit Carr from the side.

I watched as they hit the flimsy front windows. They crashed through and glass shattered.

Horror filled me as Carr and Bell fell out the window.

“Bell!”

I heard my brothers cursing. I sprinted for the front door. Crossing the porch in two strides, I leaped over the railing.

“Bell!” My heart was in my fucking throat.

“I’m all right.” She pushed herself up. She was lying on top of Carr in the overgrown bushes.

I scooped her into my arms, expecting to see her cut up and bleeding. She had a few small cuts on her face, but otherwise she looked okay.

“Angel?”

She cupped my cheek. “I’m all right, Beau. He broke my fall.”

“Shit,” Dante muttered.

My brothers stood nearby, as always, having my back.

Still holding her tight, I turned to look.

Carr lay on the ground, moving weakly. He was covered in shards of glass and bleeding heavily. One large shard was lodged in his neck. He coughed and I saw blood on his lips.

Bell watched him impassively.

That’s when I heard the sirens. A moment later, blue and red lights lit up the cabin as several police cars pulled up.

Simon jogged over and saw Carr. “Hell.” He turned. “We need the paramedics.” Then the detective looked at me and the woman in my arms. “Is Bell okay?”

“I’m okay,” she replied.

“She went through the window with Carr. He took the brunt of it.” I held her tighter. It could have been a very different outcome.

“I wasn’t going to let him stab you,” she said.

“I would have dealt with him.”

Her gaze narrowed. “You can protect me, but I can’t protect you? No way. I wasn’t going to let that man hurt you.”

“Bell…” I just hugged her tighter and she buried her face in my neck.

“I need to take everyone’s statements,” Simon said.

I nodded, then moved over to the front steps. I sat down with Bell on my lap.

“You have glass in your cheek.”

“I don’t feel it.” She smiled. “He’s done. He can’t hurt anyone ever again.”

“Yeah, angel. He’s done. Because of you. Because you told me about the note he’d left you. Because we made a plan.”

I hadn’t loved the plan. It had required her to face Carr alone for a few minutes while my brothers and I had gotten into position, and that was a few minutes too long for me.

“We won.” She pulled me close and kissed me. “Thank you, Beauden Fury. For helping me, protecting me, and teaching me to stand on my own.”

“You were already doing that, you just needed someone at your back.”

“I’m glad it’s you.”

I held her close as the cops and paramedics bustled around. I wished I could have her back always.

But I already knew that the clock was ticking to the moment when she’d leave. She was finally free to live her life as she chose.