Chapter 48 Kashton
FORTY-EIGHT
KASHTON
We pull up to Carnage, and she growls. “I told you to take me home.”
Coming to a stop, I reach around my seat to the floorboard, grabbing my hat and slipping it on. “This is your home.” I get out of the car and go over to open hers.
“Kashton, no.” She tries to stay in her seat, but I pick her up and carry her up the steps and inside.
Entering the hospital wing, I bark, “Where the fuck is Devin?”
“I’m right here. What’s wrong?” he asks, coming down the hall.
“She ripped her leg open.”
He ushers us into a room, and I set her on the gurney.
“I said I’m fine,” she argues, trying to get up, but I push her down by her shoulders.
“Restrain her,” I order Devin.
Ninety-nine percent of the people he sees here are prisoners of Carnage. Every bed, table, or gurney we have is outfitted with restraints for the prisoners who need medical attention. They can’t be trusted.
“What?” Eve gasps, her wide eyes on me. “Kashton…no.” She starts to fight, but Devin is quick at getting her wrists in the medical restraints and then her ankles.
Once done, I let go of her, and she narrows her eyes on mine.
“I fucking hate you.” She throws her head back onto the gurney, and a sob breaks through. “I…hate you.”
Devin cuts open her jeans with a pair of scissors, and I sit down on the couch next to the bed, dropping my head in my hands, listening to her cry.
“She’s ripped it open. I’m going to have to numb the area, clean the wound, and stitch it.”
“Then fucking do it,” I snap at Devin.
He leaves the room, and I stand, running a hand down my face. I walk over to the side of the bed and push her wild hair from her tear-streaked cheeks.
“Please?” Her bloodshot eyes meet mine, and they look like the same ones I saw on the tapes. When she begged Evan not to hurt her.
Am I doing the same thing? Am I hurting her by keeping her here?
No. I’m helping her. I’m protecting her from them.
If she goes back to her house, Evan could show up again and hurt her.
Or worse, she could kill herself before he gets the chance.
She admitted to us that she’d had the thought.
Haidyn wasn’t wrong that she needs help. I’m going to be the one to do it.
I have to protect her from the world and herself.
“Please, Kash.” She arches her back and slams down onto the gurney.
“Let it out, angel,” I tell her. Maybe she will exert herself and fall asleep.
Her body tenses as she pulls on the restraints, a cry ripping from her lips.
“It’s okay to be mad,” I tell her.
The door opens, and I expect it to be Devin, but it’s Haidyn. “What the fuck happened?” he barks, rushing in with Saint.
Fuck this day. “She’s fine.” I want to slap myself. It’s the same thing she told me, and I called her a liar.
He looks at the restraints and her blood-covered jeans, how she’s got her head turned toward me, away from the door while she sobs into the pillow.
He steps forward, and I walk around the end of the bed. “You need to leave.”
“Kash—”
“Get the fuck out, Haidyn,” I bark. I’m not in the mood to deal with him right now. One thing at a time, and my girl always comes first.
Saint rushes to close the space between us, his hands on our chests. “Not in here,” he urges.
Haidyn turns and leaves, with Saint following to calm him down.
I walk back over to Everett and sit down, taking her hand in mine. I hold it, but she doesn’t hold it back. It lies limp.
She tries to pull it away, but the restraints don’t allow it. “I’m sorry, Eve,” I tell her, running my free hand over her soft hair. “I’m so sorry.”
She’s going to hate me. Fine. Let her hate me. This is who I am. A Lord who controls his Lady. She may not be my wife yet, but she will be, and I’m going to do a lot of things that she isn’t going to agree with.
The door opens, and I look up to see Devin with all his supplies. “May I speak to you for a moment?”
I let go of her hand and move to the other side of the room, where he whispers, “I can numb the area, but there’s always a possibility she’ll tear them open again if they don’t have the time to heal.
” I glance over my shoulder, and she’s struggling in the restraints, trying her best to get free while she cries so hard her body trembles.
I place my attention back on him. “Sedate her.” I know what he’s asking, and she needs the rest. He needs her calm in order to help her, and I’d rather him not have to do this to her again.
He nods. “Yes, sir.”
Returning to her side, I cup her cheek, rubbing the remaining tears away, and kiss her forehead while Devin prepares the syringe. He rubs the alcohol on her upper arm before he gives her the sedative.
“You’re going to be okay, Eve. I’m not doing this to hurt you,” I explain.
Her body relaxes into the gurney, eyes on mine when they grow heavy, but as they close, she whispers, “You’re just like them.”
I lie next to Eve in our bed. She’s been out for about an hour now.
I keep fucking up. Nothing I ever do is right or good enough. I’m trying, but that doesn’t matter.
My tatted knuckles softly brush her hair from her bruised cheek. I’m going to rip Evan apart. Tear him to fucking pieces with my bare hands.
I’ll make sure she gets the revenge she deserves.
My cell rings and I roll over to pick it up off my nightstand. Bill lights up the screen. “Hello?” I ask, getting out of bed, not wanting to wake her. Devin said she’d be out for a few hours, but I want her to get as much rest as she can.
“I received a video,” he says in greeting.
I frown and pull the phone from my face to look at my messages. “I don’t see anything new to the group chat.”
“It came to me. Personally.”
“Okay.” I draw out the word. “What’s on it?”
“I’m going to forward it to you. Call me after you watch it.”
Click.
I lean my head back and close my eyes, taking a deep breath. My phone beeps in my hand, and I open it. Stepping out onto my balcony, I take a quick look at her in bed. She hasn’t moved. Falling down into a chair, I press Play on the video.
“Where is she?” Bill demands, standing in a hallway with Isabella.
“William—”
“Don’t lie to me. Trent told me she’s here.” He gives her his back and shouts. “Everett?”
“She’s not going to hear you,” Isabella states. She stands in a pair of high heels and an elegant black dress. It looks like Bill caught her before a dinner date with her husband—his best friend.
Bill spins around to face her, and she holds her hand up. “But I will allow you to see her.”
Bill snorts at her choice of words, but Isabella holds all the power.
The cameras change to a new hallway, and they enter a room. Evan sits behind a desk, typing away on his cell. He stiffens when he looks up to see his father with Isabella. “What are you doing here?” Evan demands, getting to his feet.
“He’s here to see Everett.”
Evan gives a rough laugh. “There are no visiting hours.”
“Don’t test me, Evan,” Bill growls. “I want to see her. Now.”
His son straightens his shoulders and opens his mouth, but Isabella says, “Take us to her.”
“She’s in isolation at the moment.”
“Why the fuck is she in isolation?” Bill demands.
“She’s being punished?” Isabella arches a brow at Evan, and he nods. “Well”—she waves a hand in the air—“five minutes can’t hurt. Take us to her.”
Evan clenches his jaw and stomps past them out of the office, and they follow after him.
The cameras change once more to another hallway, and they come up to a door. Evan grabs a set of keys from his pocket and goes to open it when Bill asks, “What’s this red light?” He points to it on the wall.
“Live feed,” Evan answers through gritted teeth.
“Turn it off,” Isabella orders him.
Evan pulls his cell from his pocket and does as he’s told. Opening the door, it creaks as light filters into a small concrete room from the hallway.
“Eve.” Bill rushes to the girl lying on the floor.
I cover my mouth with my hand when I get a look at her. She’s on her side, arms tied behind her back with rope that wraps around her waist and upper chest. Her thighs and ankles are also tied.
The room can’t be any bigger than four feet by four feet; she couldn’t even stretch out to lie flat if she wanted to, and there isn’t a single light in the room.
“Everett?” Bill shakes her, but she shows no sign of consciousness. “What’s wrong with her?” he demands, but neither answers him. He feels her neck for a pulse and curses. Then he yanks his suit jacket off and lays it over her. “She’s freezing.” Then he starts to untie her ankles.
Evan steps forward, but Isabella reaches out, placing a hand on his chest, and shakes her head at him. He tenses, stepping back.
“What did you give her?” Bill snaps. “It’s obvious she’s been drugged. And when was the last time you gave her something to eat?”
“It takes forty-five days to die of starvation. She’s only been here two weeks,” Evan quips.
Bill looks up at him with narrowed eyes. “You allow this?” He glances at Isabella. “He’s killing her.”
Isabella checks her watch and sighs. “Take her to the infirmary.”
“What?” Evan growls. “But she’s—”
“I’ll give you one million for her, but she leaves with me. Now,” Bill interrupts him.
“Absolutely not,” Evan snaps.
“You don’t get to decide,” Bill tells him and looks at Isabella. “You’re going to sell her anyway. I’ll buy her now. Two million.”
She arches a brow in thought.
“She’s not being sold.” Evan crosses his arms over his chest.
“What?” Bill snaps looking back and forth between them. “What is he talking about?”
“We’ve found better use for her,” Evan answers.
Bill’s face whitens when he asks, “What the fuck is it?”
“She’s going to be a recruiter.” He gives an evil smile.
“No.” Bill shakes his head. “She’ll never do it.”
Evan throws his head back. “Eve will do whatever I tell her to do. I’m the one she answers to. I’m the one who gives her orders.”
Bill runs a hand down his face, stressing. “Three million.”