Chaotic (L.O.R.D.S. #7) — Chapter no 17

SEV EN TEEN

EV ERETT

Twenty years old can’t see anything. Nothing but darkness. They say that whenI one sense is taken away, the others intensify.

I can’t give an opin ion, because right now, I can’t see, feel, or hear anything. I can’t move.

I’m wrapped in some thing tight, my arms crossed over my chest, and there’s some thing cover ing my head. Rubber in my mouth. I’ve been here before. A straitjacket and a ball gag. So I can’t fight and bite.

There’s a gnaw ing at the back of my mind that I’m lying down or maybe I’m standing up. I can’t tell. My pussy and ass are full of… some thing. They softly vibrate. Enough to feel it but not enough to have any pleasure from it. It’s ir ritating, to say the least. To be kept right on the edge.

I fight the re straints but get nowhere. It’s strapped too tight. My arms have gone numb and my body tired.

I’m grabbed roughly, and then the hood over my head is re moved.

I blink rapidly at the harsh light.

“Hello, dolly. How are you feeling?”

I try to talk, but the large rubber ball in my mouth pre vents it. My jaw is sore, and saliva pours from my cracked lips.

He slaps the side of my face, and my eyes spring open, the harsh

light blind ing me.

“Wake up, Eve. This isn’t nap time.”

That buzzing between my legs gets more intense, and I arch my back, moaning.

g Heat licks my skin as if I’m out side sitting under the sun. It’s so

hot. Almost un bearable.

“You’re close, Eve. I can tell.”

I hate proving him right. No matter how much I fight, he al ways wins because he cheats.

“You just need a little help to get there.”

I start to fight with all I have and scream into the gag when he pinches my thigh. Then I feel the prick of the needle, and my body melts into the floor. I moan, and he reaches out, pushes my hair down my sweat-covered face, and smiles at me. “That’s it. Come all over it, Eve. Show me that you can be trained to be a good girl.”

That feeling intensifies, and my eyes roll back into my head as a wave washes over me. I’m drowning, the feeling taking my breath away.

“That’s a good whore. You’ve got another hour, and then I’ll let you free.”

When I’m able to open my eyes, I see nothing but blackness, and I know the bastard either turned off the light or put the hood back over my head.

I blink, the memory fading away, and I re alize my bathwater has gone cold. Pulling the drain cap, I stand, grab my towel, and dry off.

I’m proud of you, Eve, Adam had told me.

Who is proud of some one for being a whore? That’s what I was for Kashton tonight. A slut who needed to be fucked. It was like mus cle memory. I mean, obviously I couldn’t deep throat like I was trained to do, but that’s like anything else. You have to use it or lose it.

Something tells me Kash will pre fer me on my knees. Every man has a preference on what hole they like to fuck. And it makes my stomach turn to think about how willingly I keep giving my body over to him.

Killing provokes an adrenaline rush like no other. The odds that I might not survive get me all excited. Then to know that Kash had been following me…I was weak in the knees for him.

Bile churns in my stomach, and I place my hand over my mouth, gag ging. Fuck. Not again. I try to swallow it down, but I find myself running to the toilet once more and getting sick.

Sitting back on my heels, I flush the toilet and catch my breath.

Standing up, I brush my teeth for the second time, scrubbing so hard I make my gums bleed, and gag when I run it aggres sively over the back of my tongue. Trying to re move any trace that Kash‐ ton was there and the lingering taste of acid.

Grabbing my cell, I turn off the bathroom light and place my phone in the cradle on my night stand, turn ing on music. Needing noise. I spent too many years in silence, and I can’t do it tonight. I hear voices that aren’t there. Well, they were there once. It’s the screams of those of us being tortured and trained. Someone was always cry‐ ing. Even if they were gagged, you could still hear mum bled sobs.

It was terrifying, but it also had to do with the drugs. They altered and magnified emotions. It was al ways a strug gle—in the back of my mind, I knew it was wrong, but my body craved it.

“THE PURGE” by In This Moment fills my room. It’s not loud enough to shake the walls, but loud enough to drown out anything Kashton re lated.

I crawl into bed naked and pull the covers up to my chin, leaving the light on. Yawning, I settle into the mattress, the bottle of Jack doing its job. I might not be addicted to drugs, but I rely heavily on al cohol. Neither one is good for me. But it’s not like it’ll kill me. If it

were up to me, I’d already be dead.

KASHTON Mu sic fills the bathroom, and I frown, wondering what the fuck she’s doing. I thought she was going to bed.

I close the closet door and flip on the light, turn ing to confirm I have been in her closet. One wall’s filled with designer bags; another has various sizes and shapes of high heels. Some even look like some thing a stripper would wear.

Opening her draw ers, I find her underwear—thongs, boy shorts, and G-strings. She didn’t come in here to get dressed, making me think she went to bed naked.

My cock was inside her less than an hour ago, and I’m al ready hard for her again. Especially after what she said to Adam. She thinks she can just fuck me and I’ll walk away from her?

I can handle him.

No. You can’t, angel. You think you’re sick now? Just wait. I’ll make you disgusted by the sight of me. I’m going to be everywhere in your life. All-consum ing.

She’s going to be mine in every way. In cluding my wife.

I come to a section that is noth ing but black clothes. Studded belts, black leather pants, and matching tops. I see some thing that catches my attention, making me frown. I pick up the hanger and

look over the mate rial.

It’s a bulletproof vest.

Looks to be custom made. More feminine than any I’ve ever seen before. It’s got plates in the front and back, Velcro over both the shoulders and across the waist but tailored to fit a smaller frame.

And it feels lighter than most.

What the fuck does Adam have her do that re quires a bulletproof vest? This isn’t some thing she can hide under a crop top when she’s try ing to seduce a man in a bar.

This is some thing you wear under a hoodie when you’re pre pared to get shot at.

Is she a cop? I know Adam works with them.

“We buried you,” I state the obvious, sitting on the private jet.

“Your body…It was cold. It wasn’t like Haidyn’s fake death where he sat in a morgue. You fuck ing shot your self…you had no face.”

Adam runs a hand over his dark hair. “Yeah.” His green eyes meet mine. “Although it wasn’t my body. We had to pull some strings.”

“We?” Haidyn asks, shooting a look at the other two men on the plane with us. They say nothing.

“So, what…you’re a detective or a cop?” I wonder, looking at Adam.

“CIA?” Then I joke, “Hitman?” Fuck, I feel like anything is possible right now.

“Not neces sarily.” He shakes his head, chuckling.

“Then what the fuck are you?” Saint growls, tired of fake deaths and games.

Adam slaps the detective on the back. “He’s my boss. For the past four years, I’ve been undercover, working in a top-secret division that specializes in hu man trafficking.”

I’ve seen it with my own eyes that she kills men. And the dead woman found in the cemetery…she has to be on the inside. She knows too much, and they’ve planted that body to take her down.

I re turn the vest and get back to going through her things. All her draw ers are full of clothes or accessories. Not sex toys. Not a single one. Which I find suspicious. What kind of woman doesn’t have

some sort of toys?

Does she not even touch herself?

Turning, I spot a box in the far corner. It’s hidden underneath some jeans hanging up, so it’s easy to miss.

I walk over to it and pull it out to find it’s taped shut. Re moving my pocketknife, I flick the blade out and run it along the top of the tape, slicing it open. Putting it back in my pocket, I free the lid. “Bingo.”

Tipping it on its side, a dildo falls out. It’s on the smaller side, no more than five inches long. It doesn’t vibrate or anything. Next thing is a large red ball gag. “Now we’re talking,” I say, pulling out a strait‐ jacket.

We have one at Carnage, and this one is al most identical. It’s legit.

Grade A. Not some fake knockoff, and I wonder if Adam had this made for her too.

The thought has me fisting the mate rial in my hands. I wad it up and shove it to the side. There’s also a blind fold, hand cuffs, and a set of nipple clamps.

I place everything back in the box, closing the lid and shoving it back under the jeans. Mr. Fells said she bought this house a few years back, and this box was taped, so that tells me she hasn’t been in it in a long time.

That makes me feel a little better, but not much.

I crack open the closet door. The song has changed to “Push” by Matchbox Twenty, and I slowly make my way through the darkly lit bathroom and peek into her bed room. She’s facing me, an arm stretched out under her pillow, eyes closed, and plump lips parted.

She’s passed out. Walk ing over to her bed, I pick up her cell, exit the playlist, and go to her re cent calls. FUCK FACE pops up. I’m not sure if his contact name is a good or bad thing.

I text Adam from her cell that I’ll meet him after all.

He answers im mediately.

Meet me at the house. You remember the address, right?

Fuck. What house? I’m about to re spond with ano when he sends

another one with the address.

Just in case.

I read it over and delete the text. I put it back and open up her playlist, making sure it’s just how she left it. Then I turn to leave but pause. Very gently, I run the tip of my fin gers over a bruise on her cheek, pushing her hair out of her face. One of those fucking bas‐ tards in the mo tel room hit her. I should have busted in there sooner.

She doesn’t move. I lean down and hover with my face over hers before I softly kiss it, needing to feel her skin on mine. She feels warm on my lips.

Fuck, I want to crawl into bed with her right now. Would she fight me? Tell me no? Something says no. She’d let me do whatever I wanted to her. But she’s had a rough night. The empty bottle of Jack on her nightstand proves it.

So instead, I whisper, “Sweet dreams, angel. I’ll see you soon.”

Then I pick up her phone to do one last thing before I leave her house.

I figured three in the morn ing would be the best time to meet up with Adam. She’d be home in bed, sound asleep for the night. He said he was on the jet and would be back in a few hours.

Eve is still heavy on my mind when I find myself pulling into a gated drive way. Thankfully it’s al ready open. Other wise, I’d have to use the call button and tell on myself.

I want to turn around, rush back to her house, and wake her up with my head between her legs. But this is important. I need infor‐ mation, and he can give it to me.

I pull up to the modern black house and get out of my car. This must be the house Haidyn gave to Adam. He mentioned it on the private jet when Adam re vealed he was still alive.

Haidyn stands and digs into his pocket, pulling out a set of keys. He re moves one from the ring and holds it out to Adam. “Here.”

“No…”

“Take it. I bought that house for you. It’s always been yours.”

I en ter the double doors, and he must hear me, because he calls

out from a room down the hallway.

“I’m in the office.”

Walk ing down the hallway, I take the first door on the left and en‐ ter.

“Eve—” Adam looks up from the desk. “I should have known.” He sits back, shak ing his head. “Let me guess…you bugged her phone.”

“I was hiding in her closet.”

He sighs.

“And since I’m sobored, I thought I’d come and get some an‐ swers.”

Adam runs a hand through his hair. He’s frustrated and nervous.

Which just pisses me off. “I—”

“How the fuck do you know her?” I demand, getting to the point.

He glances away, jaw sharpening.

“You saved her from Dollhouse, right?”

“No,” he says immediately, eyes finding mine again. “I didn’t even know where Dollhouse was located until Bill took us there to save

Haidyn.”

“But she was there,” I go on.

“She…” He pauses and slams his elbows onto the desk. Leaning over, he runs his hands through his hair again.

Yep. I caught you, mother fucker. “Adam,” I snap.

“Yes,” he growls, slapping his palms on the surface. “But Bill was the one who re moved her from Dollhouse.”

“And by Bill, you mean herdaddy.” That has to be the man the re‐ altor was telling me about. The one who bought her house.

He doubles down. “I don’t know what you’re talk ing about.”

“Christ, Adam. Why are you lying to me? Bill had her over for din‐ ner the other night. Sin and Elli were there since Bill mar ried his mother. He called Eve his daughter, but when Sin brought this to our attention, Haidyn got Charlotte involved, and she was unaware he had other kids. So why now? Why show her off to everyone now?”

“Be cause Isabella was his wife,” he shouts, and then takes a deep breath. “Now Isabella is a prisoner at Carnage and Bill is free of that

bitch. Bill wants Everett to have a life. As close to a nor mal one as she can. This is him giving her that.”

Normal? She’s killing men. That’s nothing close to normal. “How long was she there for?” I ask, sitting on a couch.

“I don’t know.” He shakes his head, and I narrow my eyes on him.

“I swear.” He throws his hands up. “She doesn’t talk about it, and neither does Bill.”

“How was he able to get her out?” I ask softly, bowing my head,

believ ing him.

“I don’t know.”

I lift my head, grinding my teeth.

“I’m telling you the truth. Bill and I are not close. Well, weren’t close. I don’t know what he paid or who he bribed. Hell, maybe it was Isabella herself he talked into letting her go. Be cause as far as I know, he was mar ried to Isabella when Bill pulled Eve out of Doll‐ house. But I prom ise, I have no clue. That’s some thing you’ll have to ask Eve or Bill.”

If that timeline is correct, that means shewas a doll that night on theIsabella.

“What re venge did you prom ise her?” I try, re membering every‐ thing that was mentioned on their phone call.

He shrugs. “Eve hates men. Rightfully so. I promised her she could rid the world of them.”

I snort. “At the cost of her life. Those guys tonight both got hits on her.”

He looks away from me, unable to make eye contact. They both

know the risk when she takes a job.

“And what do you get from this?”

He frowns. “What do you mean?”

I hate that I’m even going to ask this because I al ready know the answer. “Are you fucking her? Is that what you get? You give her jobs, and she has to fuck you in re turn?”

“No.”

He answers fast. Too fast. As if he knew I’d ask him. “But you have

fucked her.”

He bows his head and sighs. “Yes.”

I jump up from the couch, and he stands from the chair be hind the desk. “It’s not like that. It was one time, and we were both drunk—”

“So you took ad vantage of her?” I snap.

“No,” he growls. “Look. I need you to understand…fuck! Telling you it meant nothing makes me look like an ass, but telling you it meant some thing makes it a lie.” He falls back down into the chair and glances at me. “You can’t say that you haven’t done the same.”

I rub the back of my neck because he’s right. I just fucked her hours ago with two guys she killed in the same room. I went into the mo tel knowing I was going to fuck my girl. No matter what I had to do to get it. “I went through her things tonight while at her place.”

His brows pull together. “And?” He places his elbows on the desk and leans forward. His interest tells me he hasn’t done the same. He wants to know what I found, which just fur thers my point that my girl is closed off. Keeps to her self. I’m going to knock down every wall she has.

“She had a box of…items. Straitjacket, blindfold, hand cuffs, dildo… but other than that, there were no other toys I could find.” He tilts his head to the side. “I just find it odd, ya know? We had sex tonight, and she gets sick to her stomach afterward…” Sex is a weapon when it comes to the Lords. You either take it or you re ceive it.

He runs a hand down his face. “Eve doesn’t…have sex,” he finishes.

“With anyone?” I clarify.

“No one.” He leans back in his seat. “Ob viously, you overheard her tell me that you two had sex, but I’m going to tell you the same

thing I told her. Be care ful.”

“Care ful with what?”

“Eve. If she doesn’t fall in love with you, she’ll most likely kill you,” he says matter-of-factly.

I smile at that. “If you’re not on the verge of death, are you even

living?”

He shakes his head and chuckles.

“There was one other item I found in her closet.” He arches a brow.

“She had a bulletproof vest.” He looks away from me, and I know I

was right. “Eve got it from you. The question is, why the fuck does

she need one?”

“It’s just a pre caution.”

“For what?” I de mand.

“Eve wants to be more involved—”

“Pull her back,” I interrupt him, hearing enough. “She’s going to get killed. You’re going to get her killed.”

“She’s saving women, Kash,” he whispers. “I understand that it’s hard to see from your point of view, but she’s doing what oth ers can’t.”

I fist my hands on my thighs. “She’s putting her life in danger.”

“It’s her life,” he argues, as if that’s a good enough reason. “And until she comes to me and tells me herself that she wants to pull back, I’m going to continue letting her do what she wants.”

It just proves that I need to step in. Make sure that she has some‐ one to pro tect her when things get hard. She’s going to get in too deep and won’t be able to pull herself out. I can do it.

Sighing, I lean back against the couch and tell him, “I saw her on theIsabella.”

He frowns at my change in subject. “When…? The night of our ju‐ nior initiation?”

I nod. “Yeah. I saw her when Saint and I were headed to the poker room be fore we killed his mark. She was standing with an older man. Then after we killed Saint’s men, I saw her again when you guys were blowing up my cell looking for Haidyn.” I run a hand through my hair. “She ran into me. The man said he was ‘paying’ for her, and he took her into a room. I heard her screaming and I burst in and killed him. Then she ran.” I leave out the part where I fin‐ gered her. It’s none of his business.

“Wait.” He holds up a hand. “The ripped dress…the heels? Those

were hers in the owner’s suite?”

I nod.

“And the guy who was ‘paying’ for her…”

“Was my initiation, but I didn’t know that when I killed him.”

He frowns, rubbing the back of his neck. “You think she was work‐ ing for Dollhouse then? If she was there with him?”

“Seems so. You said Bill didn’t save Eve until after he was al ready mar ried to Isabella. Haidyn killed her husband that night on the yacht. It makes sense.” I shrug. “But you know more about Everett than I do.” I don’t know how Dollhouse works. Do they allow the slaves to leave? I would think they’d be afraid one would talk. Then again, I guess when you’re brainwashed, it’s hard to think for your‐ self. The victims could be too terrified to speak out and tell some one what is happening to them for fear of being punished if they don’t end up escap ing.

Shaking his head, he says. “I didn’t meet Eve until a year later…our se nior year. After I went into hiding.”

“She was in hiding as well?”

He leans back in his chair. “My boss intro duced me to Bill, who in‐ tro duced me to Eve.”

Byboss, I’m guessing he means the detective we met on the pri‐ vate jet. “And?” I de mand.

“And she went to Ve gas with me for a little bit.”

“With you? As in you two lived together?” I growl. That’s more than

fuck ing one time.

“No. She helped me.”

“With what, Adam?”

He looks away and sighs. “With Ashtyn.”

“Are you fuck ing kidding me?” Of course she did.

His eyes narrow on mine. “I couldn’t just walk up to my sister. I needed some one who could keep an eye on her with out throw ing up red flags. By that time, Bill was mar ried to Isabella, and Eve wanted to be as far away from here as possi ble. So she went with me.”

I shake my head. “So you’re saying that if Ashtyn sees her, she’s going to know who she is? They were friends?”

“No.” He frowns. “Eve doesn’t have any friends.”

That’s the second time I’ve heard him say that. “What about Bill?

You didn’t trust him with Charlotte, yet you trust him with Everett?” I had my doubts about Bill, and I’m still not sure how much we can trust him.

“I knew Isabella had a daughter, but I didn’t know who she was un‐ til Haidyn had me dig into Charlotte. When I found out who Char‐

lotte really was and that she was Isabella’s daughter, it immediately threw up red flags. I knew a little of what Eve had been through, so I thought Isabella was setting up Charlotte for the same fate. And I wasn’t sure how much I could trust Bill, since they were married.”

It sounds reason able, but I’m not sure I believe it. “So now that Ashtyn is back at Carnage, you and Eve have re turned to Pennsylva‐ nia?”

“Eve went back and forth between here and Ve gas. She works for the Lords at the cathedral. She needed to keep up ap pearances.”

The confes sionals and offer ings. I nod in understanding.

I get up, re move the two dead guys’ cell phones from my pocket, and drop them on his desk before I turn to walk toward the door. As my hand wraps around the handle, I turn to him and say, “Don’t tell her to run away again. She’s not going anywhere.” I open the door to leave.

“Kash?” I turn once again to give him my full attention. “If you de‐ cide to…pursue her. Then you better be damn sure she’s what you want. She’s been through a lot.”

I want to know everything about my angel, so I ask, “What aren’t you telling me, Adam?”

He fixes his al ready straight tie. “Since Isabella is finally gone, Bill and I have been trying to gain access to Dollhouse.”

“What do you meangain access? The guys walked right in for the founders’ enhancements after Haidyn was out.” I’m the only one who hasn’t taken them. No reason to. I don’t want to fuck ing live longer than I have to. Not for the Lords—to serve them. I’d rather die with dignity than continue to be their little bitch.

“There are so many hid den places across that land. Ru mor has it, there’re tapes and files about every victim who spent time at Doll‐ house.”

I grind my teeth, but honestly, I’m not surprised. It’s Lords 101.

You record everything you do. Either to brag about later or to use as

blackmail. “Find them.”

“I’m trying,” he grinds out.

“And when you do, I want everything on her.” I’ll destroy anything that includes her name or face from that god-aw ful place.

He gives a nod. “You have my word.”

I snort. “Your word is shit lately, Adam.” With that, I yank open the door.

“I sug gest you keep this conver sa tion be tween us.”

Slamming the door shut, I turn to face him. “Excuse me?”

“Eve is against running right now, but if she finds out you know too much, that will be the only thing on her mind. And it won’t be a situ‐ ation like Saint and Ashtyn…” He shakes his head. “You’ll never find her.”

“Are you threatening me?” I growl. “Going to try and take her from

me?”

“I’m telling you she has re sources.”

“You’re telling me that you’d help her hide?” I’m not surprised. He kept Ashtyn from Saint, knowing where she was. “I’m not as forgiv‐ ing as Saint is.” I’ll cut his fuck ing hands off and sew his lips shut be‐ fore I let him take her.

He holds his hands out wide. “Bill wants to keep her safe just like you, but he’s willing to ship her off in order to do that.”

I scratch the back of my head, getting an idea. “I’ll go with her. If that’s what will get her away from here…the job…”You.

He smiles as if he’s reading my mind. Turning, he opens a filing cab inet and pulls out a few folders. He drops one on the desk. “An‐ gela Morrow.”

“Am I supposed to know who that is?” I rub my tem ples. Fuck, I’m getting a headache. I should have crawled into bed with Eve.

“You should.” He nods to the folder. “Everyone should know her name.”

I step up to his desk, pick up the file, and read over the informa‐ tion. My stomach drops when I see that she’s twelve. Found naked in a field. Decap itated— “Christ.” I close it and toss it onto the table.

He slaps the second folder down. “This one was sixteen. Car found aban doned on the side of the road. She was on her way home from her boyfriend’s house. Body was never found.” Then the third. “This one was twenty-five. Husband re ported her missing when she didn’t ar rive at work one morn ing after dropping their three-year-old off at

daycare. She was six months pregnant.” I get a sickening feeling in my stomach. His next words confirm my suspicion. “Her body was re covered three months later. The baby had been cut from her. She also had no organs.”

My narrowed eyes meet his, and he leans forward, placing his fore‐ arms on the desk. “This is why Eve does what she does. She can’t save these women, but with every man involved in this ring she kills, she helps pre vent another person from being raped, taken, or mur‐ dered.”

It’s noble. I won’t lie. I’m proud of my girl. Most wouldn’t be as strong as she is after what she’s been through, but it doesn’t change anything. “I don’t care how many she wants to save. I will not allow her to risk her life for theirs.”

He chuckles, and I want to slam his face into the desk. “I wish you luck, man. I do. You’re going to need it.”

With that, I storm out of his office, slamming the front door behind me when I leave the house.