Chaotic (L.O.R.D.S. #7) — Chapter no 74

SEV ENTY-FOUR

EV ERETT

had to go to my house after I killed the man at the mo tel. II needed a few things before I drove to Bar rington and made the call to Kashton. Now it’s time.

I pull off the two-lane road and bring the car to a stop. Opening up my purse in the passenger seat, I re move my Kimber Micro-9 Au‐ rora. I double check to see one round in the chamber and seven in the magazine. Then I make sure the safety is off.

I pick up Kashton’s white zip-up hoodie and slide it on. I zip it all the way up in order to conceal what I have underneath.

Getting out of his car, I lift the back of my hoodie and push the bar‐ rel of the gun into the waistband of my jeans. I want to have the el‐ e ment of surprise, so that’s where it has to be.

If I was a praying person, this is where I’d ask God to save me. But I’m not here for me. I’m here for my husband. I knew when I read the text on that Lords phone that I’d die today. For him.

My black boots that I changed into at my house thump on the steps as I make my way up to the double doors. Taking a deep breath, I grab the old handles and shove them open.

They creak, and I stomp my way through the entrance and smash through the second set of doors.

Four men dressed in black jeans and matching hoodies stand in front of the Lords’ altar. All of them wear masks and their hoods are up. I wish I could say I’m not scared, but the rope that hangs from each end of the altar makes my stomach knot.

They’re going to tie me to it and torture me. The thought of them recording it and sending it to Kashton makes me want to vomit. He

doesn’t need to see that. His imagination will be bad enough.

“You wanted me. Here I am.” I hold my arms out wide. My voice echoes throughout the large space.

The one on the far right steps forward. “We wanted your husband.”

How do they know we’re mar ried? Not many do. “Always the brides maid. Never the bride,” I chide, rolling my eyes.

The one next to him steps forward. “Oh, I think we can make do with Mrs. Pierce.”

The way he says it freezes me where I stand. They’ll def initely record whatever sick shit they’re going to do to me and send it to Kash. They’ll keep me alive long enough to send him a mes sage as to where I’m at, and he’ll come running. Then they’ll get him too. It will all be for nothing.

That’s why I can’t leave here. Not the way I walked in.

“Where’s Rhett?” one of them demands.

They could only be re fer ring to one man. “The guy you sent to the mo tel to kidnap me? He’s dead.”

They grunt, and the one on the far right readjusts his stance.

“We going to get to it or just stand here and talk?” My fin gers itch to reach for my gun. Four against one isn’t the best odds, but I’ll take as many as I can with me.

I have a vest on. I came as pre pared as I could. If there’s the slightest chance I can survive this… “I didn’t expect you to be so enthusias tic.” The one on the far left tilts his head to the side in thought.

“I did,” another laughs. “She’s a whore. And whores love to be used.”

“Only my husband can call me that.” I lift my chin with a smile.

They all laugh. “Well, we’ll make sure to call you that when he watches us fuck you.”

I fist my hands. Kashton will rip their heads off if I don’t do it for him.

“Come here.” The one on the far right turns and taps the Lords’ al‐ tar with his hand. The sound bounces off the high ceilings. “Get un‐ dressed and lie down like a good whore would do.”

“You didn’t think I’d be that easy. Did you?” I arch a brow.

Yes. They did. They expected me to be carried in by the guy that I killed in the mo tel room. He was sent to pick me up and deliver me by whatever means were nec es sary.

The sound of a gun cocking behind me has my pulse racing. Fuck.

There’s another. He was probably out side, and I didn’t even bother checking. I was al ready running out of time. I spent too much time on the phone with Kash.

“Strip,” the dis torted voice commands behind me.

I spin around and come face-to-face with a new Lord dressed in a cloak and mask, but they seem smaller, shorter. “No.”

A laugh carries from the mask-covered lips before “Take off your clothes!” is shouted at me, the gun pointed at my face shaking in their hand.

I stay where I’m at. If they want me naked, they’ll have to cut my clothes off me.

“Are you deaf?” The gun is shoved into my fore head, forc ing me to arch my neck, and I swallow at the feel of the cold metal.

“I’ve been close to death before. It doesn’t scare me,” I say, try ing to control my breathing. I’m terrified. Not for me but for Kashton.

The longer I take, the more likely it is he’ll find me. What if he has a tracker on his car? Surely not. Or Haidyn and Saint would have found us while we were hiding out at Blackout.

The gun is lowered and a mocking laugh is hurled my way. “We’re not going to kill you. Not right now, anyway.” Then the gun is fired.

I lose my hearing first. There’s nothing but a loud ringing. Then the pain takes over. It’s like a hot flash but a million times worse. Blink‐ ing rapidly, I re alize I’m on the floor in the middle of the aisle of the cathedral.

With shaking hands, I run my fin gers over my right leg, and it’s wet. Lifting my hand, I see it’s covered in blood. A burning sensa tion takes over my chest, and I suck in a deep breath.

“Get her up,” the one who shot me orders. “Get her undressed and se cured to the altar.”

I grip my thigh, trying to stop the bleeding, but it’s not going to do any good. I feel around, try ing to see if it went through, but I can’t tell.

That burning intensifies as I’m grabbed from behind and yanked to my feet. Then I’m thrown over a shoulder and a scream is ripped from my lips as I’m hauled to the Lords’ altar. I should fight, but I’ve got to use this time to my ad vantage.

My adrenaline is pump ing, but my blood pres sure will drop with how much blood I’m losing. Right now, my body is in fight-or-flight mode.

“She’s wearing a vest.” The guy grunts at the feeling of the bulk of it dig ging into his neck and shoulder.

“So fuck ing re move it,” someone orders.

I’m tossed onto the altar and groan as they go to either side of the end and each grab an ankle. I roll over onto my side, reach behind me, and grab my gun. I get a shot off into one of them be fore they even notice.

The ringing re turns, and I’ve lost all hearing once again. I don’t re‐ alize I’ve been shot a second time until I’m lying on the floor on the back side of the altar. Blood runs from my left arm, and I grit my teeth. At least I can hold the gun with my right hand.

Fuck. I’ve got to kill them before I die. I have to take them with me. I won’t leave them be hind to hurt Kashton.

I get up and slam my back against the side of the altar, trying to calm my breathing and lis ten for any sign of move ment, but my ears are ringing. Blood pools under me from the bullet wound in my thigh. I need to wrap my belt around it, but my left arm is useless, and I refuse to let go of my gun.

“Come on, Eve,” one of them taunts me. “You’re not one to hide.”

The vest re stricts my move ments more than I’d like, but if I take a bullet to the chest, I’m dead within seconds. I can’t chance it.

A figure steps into my sight, and I don’t even think before I fire.

One of the guys falls to the floor, a mask still cover ing his face, but the blood begins to pool underneath his life less body.

“Fucking get her,” someone barks. “There are more of us.”

I’ve got six bullets left. It’s now or never. I go to stand up, but some thing wraps around my throat from behind. I look up to see some one lean ing over the altar, and the belt around my neck tight‐ ens to the point where it cuts off my air.

I have to stand in order to re lieve the pres sure, but I still can’t breathe as they drag me across the altar. I’m shoved into it, pinned against the front. The belt feels like it’s cutting my skin in half.

Reach ing over my head, I fire, and then the belt is re leased. I fall to my knees, coughing and sputtering as drool drips from my lips.

Three down. Two to go.

A scream erupts from behind me, and I spin around to fire, but I’m knocked back with what can only be another bullet to my vest. The force of the bullet takes away what little breath I have. I lift my gun and fire off two more rounds aimlessly. I’m losing and running out of time.

I fall to my side and begin to crawl to the back of the altar, needing a second to re group. I’m unable to catch my breath, and I don’t know if it’s from being choked or another bullet.

Unable to move a mus cle, I lie on the cathedral floor, looking up at the high ceilings, and a calmness washes over me. Finally. After ev‐ erything I’ve done wrong in my life. I was able to do some thing good for someone.

I hope Kashton understands why I did it. What he means to me.

That I would have given the world for him to have what he de‐ serves.

My vision begins to blur, and I choke on blood that fills my lungs.

I’m dying, and it wasn’t for noth ing.

I had a purpose, and I was able to save a life instead of taking one.

A blurry figure steps around the altar, and I lift my gun, my hand shaking as I pull the trig ger, fir ing off another round.

My eyes fall closed as they laugh. I missed and don’t have the en‐ ergy to try again. “Goodbye, Eve,” their distorted voice says before another round of shots fill the cathedral.

KASHTON “Who the fuck texted you the ad dress?” Saint demands.

“It’s unknown,” I answer, my knees bouncing. While we were at Bar rington, I got a text that Eve is at the cathedral. We called Tyson and filled him in, but he’s farther out than we are. Adam called me and said she hadn’t been ar rested. I’d rather my wife be in jail than at the cathe dral.

“Your car is here,” Haidyn announces when he barrels into the park‐ ing lot.

I don’t even wait for him to bring the Cadillac to a stop before I’m jump ing out and running up the steps and inside. Once I enter, I come to a stop, looking over the blood-covered floor. It’s smeared down the aisle and covers several of the pews.

It’s everywhere. Pud dles of it. And in some places, it’s splattered. I count three dead bodies while I search for my wife.

“Eve?” I call out, and her name echoes in the silence. It makes my heart race to think that any of this blood might be hers. “Eve?”

“What do you need us to do?” Ryat and Sin enter with Hai dyn and Saint. Hooke follows behind them. He was at Carnage when I got the call and tagged along to do whatever he can to help.

“Check the office,” I order, and they take the side door by the stair‐ case.

I rush down the aisle, checking both sides to see if she’s hiding be‐ tween the pews, but don’t find anything. Coming up to the altar, I see the blood on it and walk to the opposite side.

There’s a hand print. “Think I found some thing,” I call out, and Hai‐ dyn and Saint come run ning to ward me.

Kneeling, I see the altar has a door that slides shut, and it’s cracked open. I yank it back and a hand falls out onto the floor. It’s covered in blood, but you can’t miss the emerald-cut diamond on the ring fin‐ ger.

“Eve.” I grab her arm and yank her out of the confined space. Her body falls to the floor, and there’s so much blood, I can’t tell where it’s all coming from.

Haidyn presses his fingers to her neck. “She doesn’t have a pulse.”

I unzip the hoodie to see she’s wearing the bulletproof vest that was hanging in her closet. “Have to get it off. Hang on, Eve.” I yank on the Velcro straps, and Haidyn helps hold her head as I push it up and over her before tossing it aside along with the hoodie. “Start compres sions,” I order him.

He positions his hands on her chest and presses down. The sound of her ribs breaking makes me flinch.

“Fuck,” he curses, yanking his hands back.

“What are you doing?” I bark. “Keep going.”

“I’m breaking her ribs.” His large eyes meet mine in horror.

“Fucking break them,” I snap. Bones will heal.

He places his hands back on her chest and presses down.Crack.

“Sorry.”Crack. “I’m so sorry…”

I tilt her neck back, opening her airway, pinch her nose, and breathe into her blood-covered mouth.

“She’s not…” Ryat trails off as he and Sin come back.

“Fuck.” Sin places his hands on his head and sighs, looking down at her.

“Go to the basement,” I rush out, try ing to think of what’s here that we can use. “The triage…find me adrenaline.” It has to be here. I’ve

seen them use it before.

“Kash—”

“Fucking go,” I shout at them, interrupting Saint. “Now.”

Ryat and Sin both take off, and I go back to breathing into her mouth.

“Come on, angel,” I say, feeling her neck again for a pulse while Haidyn counts with each chest compres sion, apolo giz ing for hurt ing her. “Come on.”

“See if you can find the source of the bleeding,” Haidyn barks at Saint.

He drops down at her feet and rips open her bloody jeans. “She’s got a bullet wound in her thigh.” Saint undoes his belt and ties it tightly above it. “Another in her arm. Doesn’t look like either one has an exit wound.”

“Take my belt.” I sit up straighter but refuse to re move my fin ger

from her neck.

He does so and ties it off as well.

“Another in her upper chest, underarm area.” He goes on search‐ ing. “Looks like it went right between the opening of her vest. It… I…”

“You what?” Haidyn growls. “Spit it out.”

“I need to pack it with some thing.”

“Then find something,” Haidyn snaps at him.

“Here”—Hooke yanks his shirt off—“use this.”

“Got it,” Sin calls out as they re turn, and he hands me the syringe. I bite off the cap as Haidyn sits back, and I shove it into her chest, plunging the adrenaline right into her heart.

“Come on, Eve. Come back to me,” I say, looking down at her. But nothing happens. I rub my knuckles roughly into her sternum. If her ribs breaking didn’t do anything, my hands won’t. “Give me another one.” I look up at Sin.

His face falls, and Ryat places a hand over his mouth. “That…that was all there was.”

The sound of the double doors opening echoes in the cathedral, but I ignore them, knowing it’s just Tyson and his guys.

“Start com pres sions again,” I order Haidyn.

He immediately goes back to CPR, and I breathe into her mouth, willing her to live. To not leave me.

I don’t understand. The adrenaline should have worked. She’s a founder, for fuck’s sake; she has the enhancement. It should have helped.

“Kash.” A hand lands on my shoulder, and I shove it off. “Kash, man…”

“No,” I shout at Saint, knowing exactly what he’s going to say.

“She’s not dead.” I look at him, and he knows. I’ve failed her. “Find some thing to pack her chest.”

His soft eyes take in her bloody body before they find mine once more. “She’s gone, Kash,” he says softly.

“No.” I shove Haidyn off her and pull her limp body into my lap. I hold her, squeezing my life less wife to me. “Please…” My throat closes, and I bury my head in her bloody neck. “Don’t leave me. I need you. Please, angel,” I beg her to come back to me, knowing it’s

not going to do any good.

She’s gone.

“Goddammit,” Haidyn shouts, walk ing away from the altar.

I rub my shaking hand down the side of her bloody face. “Come on, angel. Wake up. Open your eyes. I need you. Please don’t do this. I need you.”

“Find who the fuck did this.” Saint jumps up, barking orders. “Scan the building, the cemetery out back for any more bodies. I want all

these dead Lords taken to Carnage and whoever else you find. Col‐ lect their phones and search their cars. Now. Move it.”

The sound of some thing breaking echoes through the vaulted ceil‐ ing, and I know it’s Haidyn destroying shit.

“I counted three bodies,” Ryat hollers at some one. “No other cars than Kashton’s and all of ours in the parking lot.”

“Pl-ease,” I whisper, running my bloody hand through her now straw berry-blond hair. So much blood. Everywhere. It’s dripping off the tip of her fin gertips while we sit in a puddle of it. “Open your eyes, Eve. Look at me. I need you, an gel.”

“I’ve got Tyson’s men searching the perimeter.” Sin an nounces.

“No. No. No,” I mumble to myself, re fus ing to accept it. “You can’t do this…to me.” How could she leave me like this? She wouldn’t.

I lay her back down, being gentle with her head, and start com‐

pres sions on my own.

“Kashton.” A hand touches my shoul der.

“Don’t touch me,” I shout, pulling away to push my palms into her chest.

“Kashton. Stop.” I’m yanked back and I go to swing at whoever the fuck pulled me from my wife, but I can’t get my heavy arms to work as I’m pushed into the back of the Lords’ altar. Tyson’s face is sud‐ denly in front of mine, his hands on my shoulders. “I’m sorry, Kash… she’s gone.” I can’t breathe. “We need to get her out of here. We’ve got to leave. Get her to Carnage.”