Dark Beauty

one

The flashbacks never end, they continuously play over in my mind, watching her get into the SUV, pulling over to the side of the road, and then watching it burst into flames. It is engraved in my memory, no matter how hard I wish to forget.

I remember everything so distinctly as if it had happened yesterday, I don't know if it was the trauma or how I chose to cope afterwards, but every second since then seems like a long-awaited death.

I remember the look on Axel's face, I remember the sobs coming from Megan, and I can still smell the burning rubber.

I don't think I could have prepared for the impact that a single moment could have on my life, how in seconds my world was ripped apart, and after years I haven't gotten any sense of happiness.

Yet these words, four simple words that would mean nothing in any other situation, slowly round my brain, touching every nerve it can find.

I stand there and wait, I need to hear them again, I need some type of confirmation that what I heard wasn't just my mind playing tricks on me, and I'm given that when Marcus repeats "the tracker is online."

The tracker. Her necklace.

Marcus was on the phone when Axel walked into the room, he just stood there looking at me. I could tell he already knew what was going to happen.

We both knew.

Megan was the last person with her and she vanished. I had known Megan for years and so had Axel, so was strong and fought for everything, she left for a reason, and she would stay hidden until she decided to be found.

Megan had always been stubborn, from the moment we met she tried to fight me about almost everything. I saw her as my sister, my blood, and her vanishing was how she thanked me. She ran away when things got hard and left everyone else to suffer.

I felt confused, how did she have it, the last time I had seen it, the memory was a complete blur in my mind, from a night that I have relived a thousand times. I don't even remember if she was wearing it that night.

She's a fucking coward.

It almost hit me like a truck, my space was invaded by both Marcus and Axel, a space that held the haunting memories of Lyla.

I ran my hand down my face, my throat felt like it was closing, I couldn't breathe. "Get the fuck out," I yelled, my arm shooting out towards the door.

The words escaped from my throat, the air continuously getting thicker before it slowly became breathable again. I breathed in deeply, I was quickly left by myself in the room, the only sound was the door shut.

I was weak, I knew that, and so did everyone else. Yet, I couldn't show it to them, they needed a strong leader not acting on impulse. And I can't walk away, you don't walk.

I gripped the handle, turning it slowly, Axel stood outside, pacing as I shut the door behind me. " You know, it's okay to think about her sometimes, she loves you."

His words sounded completely toxic.

'Loves' as if she was still capable of feeling anything.

I gave him a simple nod before walking down the hall. I could feel him walking behind me in silence, he knew not to push, and I was grateful for that.

Marcus sat on the couch, his laptop sitting on the coffee table.

"Marcus, where are they?" I questioned approaching him.

I didn't listen to exactly what he said but what he confirmed, that they were less than 5 minutes away. I knew who would also come, and I knew that he had no probable ground of stepping foot in this house.

"I don't want Dante here, I can only assume that he fought his way to get here when he heard there was a meeting. But he has no responsibility, he is simply useless." I spit out, useless son of a bitch.

It didn't take very long for the sound of the vehicles pulling up in the driveway. I knew who had loyalties, I didn't need many people, just those who had earned my trust.

I opened the door letting them in before I watched Dante angrily run up the stairs, "what the fuck is this about Easton."

"Dante, as you've been told several times you aren't needed, leave." I shrugged, shutting the door.

"She's fucking dead Easton, Lyla's dead! Get the fuck over it and stop blaming me!" He screamed from the other side of the door.

I swung the door open, ignoring the long sound of it banging off the wall. He stood there, I didn't realize I drew my gun, putting it up to his head.

"Choose your fucking words wisely, Lengui."

Once a coward, always a coward.

I closed the door leaving him outside, he didn't deserve to know anything about Megan. But knowing them both, they were cowards. They deserved each other.

"Alright, listen up," I started, as I approached the small group of men I trusted.

"Megan's back, she has something that belongs to me. I want her alive, I have no use for a dead body that is full of knowledge of where she has been. If she advances first, you shoot to injure not kill. Do I make myself clear?"

I watch as the group nods their heads, I look over at Axel before speaking again, "We leave in less than 5, I don't want to lose this lead."

They all disperse around me, leaving Axel and me alone in the living room.

"Maybe you should stay back, we could go alone East," He suggested.

"No Axel, I'm fine."

"What are you going to do if we really do find her?" He questioned.

I slowly ran my hand down my face. What the fuck was I going to do? Not even I had thought that far, the future seemed like forever away.

"It's not if, it's when. And I have no idea."

"You know, your father is thinking about coming back. He doesn't believe that you're fully fit for this anymore."

I let out a heavy sigh, looking at him, "as if he doesn't already control every aspect of this bullshit."

I shake my head, attempting to clear it, before walking away from him. When I open the door, I'm met with the dark reflection of the clouds. 3 vehicles sit in the driveway, all the same make, model, and colour.

As if slowly trying to psychologically mock me.

I make my way towards the vehicle that solemnly waits for me, the driver sits in silence and makes no advancement to have a conversation. It had been the same for almost 2 years now since Brian left, the number of new drivers that were thrown in and out of the ring. None of them talked, none of them cared, but why would they?

I am Easton Salvetti, afterall.

A cruel and heartless man, who killed the only woman he ever loved.

Everyone knew the story, or what they believed was our story. But our story never really seemed to begin, as my story continues, yours ended. And as I come to find it, nothing truly ends.

It's all just another beginning.

"Follow them," I wave, dismissing his look in the mirror.

My eyes stay on the window, the dark clouds rolling by.