41. Chapter 40
Chapter 40
Roman
“ F ucking hell. Isn’t this quite the fucking setup,” Echo whistles.
The venue is packed with expensive cars, all being parked by valet. We pull up to the front, greeted by a servant hired exclusively for this event.
“Your keys, sir,” The valet says with a practiced smile.
I’m ready to drag this man out and beat him senseless in the car, but Echo answers for me.
“Roger that, bud.”
Echo hands off the keys, his men stationed outside in tactical gear, poised to raid the place at Echo’s command.
As we exit the car, other couples glide into the church, dressed in their finest for the evening.
Echo pats the valet on the shoulder, nudging me forward.
“You can’t kill every single person involved in this. These workers probably think this is just a party,” Echo murmurs. “Keep your fucking shit together, Roman. ”
We approach the front doors, greeted by another server.
“Name?” He asks, grinning as he scans the list on his clipboard.
“Roman Briar,” I snap.
The server’s eyes move to the top of the list, and he smiles.
“Ah, Father, welcome. And your guest’s name?” He inquires.
What’s Echo going to pull out of his ass for this one?
“Jacob Harkins,” Echo lies smoothly.
The server looks down the list, nodding with approval.
“Welcome, Mr. Harkins.”
He lets us both in, and I glance at Echo.
“He’s tied up in the van right now. My guys grabbed him before he could make it to his car. I’ve got his I.D. in my pocket,” Echo says, a satisfied grin on his face. “I told you, Roman, this isn’t my first rodeo.”
Inside, the space is crowded with dozens of people. New faces lock eyes with me, each one dressed to the nines.
The air is thick with the stench of money—Botox and facelifts, a testament to the wealth on display.
“Keep your head up, Roman. The night has barely begun,” Echo whispers. “Now, I’m going to socialize. Try not to kill anyone.”
He breaks off, finding himself in conversation with a nearby group.
Fat fucking chance I do that—
“Roman,” A voice cuts through the din.
I peer through the crowd and spot his golden eyes—Luca.
He strides over, looking smug, dismissing the man and woman trailing behind him .
“What the fuck are you doing here—”
“I could ask you the same thing, Father. If you’ve come for Eden, I’m sorry to say she won’t be up for bid very long. My parents have saved a great deal for tonight’s event,” He grins.
He fucking knew.
All this time, he knew what was going on.
“That’s why you befriended Eden?” I hiss. “You knew about this bidding—”
“Had you not fucked what was mine, she wouldn’t be in this bidding at all,” He snaps, his rage stoking mine. “I was willing to keep her out of it, but I suppose she needs true discipline from someone who isn’t you,” He smirks, tugging at the necklace around his neck.
I recognize the chain. I step toward him, fists clenched.
“I doubt you want to make a scene here, Roman. We do have guards of our own,” Luca smiles, nodding towards the men in suits watching the crowd.
“I couldn’t allow Eden to go up for her bid wearing this ghastly thing,” Luca says, pulling the chain from beneath his shirt. My gold band hangs from the end.
“Where the hell is my girl?” I demand, fury boiling over.
“An hour ago, she was on the floor, learning a little discipline from me,” He grins, my stomach sinking. “She was so nervous, tight as hell. Perhaps you can still smell her on my fingers,” He hisses, dragging his fingers towards my nose.
Grabbing his hand, I’m two seconds away from shattering his bones.
“You fucking hurt her?” I growl, finally seeing fear in his eyes .
“Maybe if she had taken it instead of screaming, I wouldn’t have had to—”
I drag his hand down, squeezing until something breaks. I cover his mouth, pulling him into a corner away from the guards' wandering eyes. Sobbing, I pull the gun from my waistband, pointing it at his lower stomach.
“I could kill you and your parents before those guards even notice. There’s a silencer on this pistol,” I warn, glaring at him. “Now take me to my girl and those children, or so help me God, I will bring this church to the ground—”
“Roman,” David’s voice cuts in, breaking up Luca and me.
Walking with another member of their little cult, both men are dressed to the nines.
Perfect.
Glaring at Luca, I see he knows better than to speak.
“I didn’t know if you’d make it. The bidding is just about to begin,” David smiles, smug as ever.
“Perfect,” I hiss. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Guided into the main cathedral, I see that most of the altar’s usual decorations have been moved, revealing an unsettling display.
A red satin chair now dominates the altar, with a beautiful young woman standing beside it, holding a sign with bidding prices .
Forced to take a seat next to David, Luca hides his mangled hand, positioning himself toward the front of the room.
I scan the area for Echo, but he’s nowhere in sight.
“If you try anything fucking stupid, I will make sure the guards put a bullet in your skull,” David hisses, patting my thigh with feigned sympathy.
I check the guards; there are too many people between us. They wouldn’t reach me before I could deal with David and his loyal follower.
Perfect.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the 10th annual bidding,” Announces the man who had been shadowing Luca. “I know you’re all eager to see this year’s lot, so I won’t waste my breath on theatrics,” He jokes, eliciting a few chuckles from the audience.
Do they think this is fucking funny?
The man smiles as he looks around. “I’m thrilled with the turnout this year. Your generous contributions keep our organization running. Happy bidding, and may God grace you all this evening.”
As he takes his seat, the lights dim. My hand grazes the hilt of my pistol.
I could kill them both now. I could—
Jesus fucking Christ.
Bruised and worn, she stumbles onto the altar, her face red and swollen from what looks like countless slaps. Staggering, she needs two people to help her get to the satin chair .
Dragged, her heels scrape the floor. The red dress she wears is so sheer, it’s nearly transparent under the harsh light.
Petrified, my heart sinks as her head remains bowed, refusing to meet the audience’s gaze.
Eden.
My Angel.
"Isn’t she quite the looker—"
Seizing the back of David’s head, I force him down in what appears to be a grimly affectionate embrace. With the barrel pressed firmly against his chest, the layers of his clothing offer the necessary buffer to muffle the shot. My sole intent is to eliminate every soul around me. As the gun fires, David's body slumps, his hand instinctively clutching his chest before collapsing against me, almost as though he’s nodding off in my embrace.
I catch David’s follower's startled gaze. He barely has time to react before he too finds himself in a similar hold.
The crowd, transfixed by Eden, remains oblivious to the subtle disturbance unfolding around them.
"We will start the bidding at two million," The announcer’s voice drifts through the air as signs rise around me, indicating the opening bid.
Fucking animals.
Another pull of the trigger, and the follower's eyes widen in shock. His body slumps onto my other shoulder, both men now bleeding from their wounds, gasping silently for breath.
The dimness of the room cloaks the blood seeping onto the floor.
“Slowly bleed out, you fucking pigs,” I whisper. “And know the Devil waits for you. ”
I tuck the pistol back into my waistband. The bidding number climbs ever higher as Eden’s head lifts just slightly before—
“Sold,” The announcer declares, gesturing toward Luca’s proudly raised sign.
Seeing him revel in his victory, I struggle to contain my fury.
“She will be waiting for you in the lobby. Bring in the next bid.”
As Eden is dragged across the floor once more, her head finally lifts, her gaze scanning the crowd.
Her voice rises in desperate cries, her eyes locked on a young girl being brought in, lifeless and carried by a single woman.
“Fuck all of you!” Eden screams. “Hannah, wake up!” Her voice cracks as she reaches for the young girl, battling whatever they’ve injected into her.
I must act now.
I have to—
“Homeland Security! Everybody get down on the fucking ground!” A commanding voice pierces the chaos as gunshots erupt. Tactical officers storm every exit.
I shove David and his follower aside, allowing them to writhe in pain, and sprint toward the altar. Luca, faster than I, is already clutching Eden, trying to drag her away.
We collide with the red chair, my knuckles driving into his face. Anger blinds me as I feel nothing but a surge of red.
Eden’s focus remains on the young girl. In our tangled struggle, Luca seizes my pistol from beneath my shirt. I fight to keep it from him, my grip tightening around his throat. Clawing at my hand, he fights until he gets the opportunity to toss the pistol away from the both of us. Fear encompasses my chest at the sound of the weapon sliding across the floor.
“There will always be more of us,” He hisses through clenched teeth.
“And I will always find you—”
His words are silenced as a burst of blood splatters my face. A perfect hole forms on his forehead, steam rising from the wound.
Shakily, Eden picks up the scattered pistol, her gaze locking onto me with a mix of fear and disbelief. The young girl, still hidden behind her, trembles.
“Roman?” She whispers, her voice breaking as she lowers the weapon, tears streaming down her face.
Rising to my feet, it feels as though God Himself has finally graced me with His presence.
And she stands right before me.
I rush to her, enveloping her in my arms, kissing her with a fervent desperation. Her tears blend with mine as I hold her as close as I can, savoring the moment of our reunion.
Hearing the frantic shouts of Echo’s men, my world narrows to Eden. Her body quakes in fear as her forehead rests against mine.
“You came for me,” She whispers, her voice barely audible.
“It’s all over, baby,” I promise, trying to offer her solace. “It’s all over—”
A gunshot echoes through the room. Eden’s eyes widen, and a choked gasp escapes her throat.
"Eden?" I call out, desperate.
Her gaze drops to her hand, clutching her torso where crimson begins to seep through. Her body tilts backward, supported only by my desperate grip.
“No, no,” I shout, turning my head to see David with a gun, a sinister smile curling his lips .
Echo’s men respond with precision, taking David down with a fatal shot to the head. Others begin extracting children from the hidden spaces of the church.
Gasping, I refocus on Eden, my hands pressing firmly against her wound.
“I need help!” I cry out, watching her eyes flutter as her blood pools beneath her.
“Damnit, I need fucking help!” I shout again, seeing the distant flashing lights of the approaching medical vehicles.
A hand grips my shoulder, and I snap.
“I’m not fucking leaving her—”
“Roman,” Echo’s voice cuts through the chaos. “We’ve got medical services from town. EMTs are coming in,” He hisses, and men and women with medical bags rush toward us.
“I’m not leaving her!” I shout again, feeling the one thing I never thought I would—tears—trail down my cheeks.
The last time I cried was when my mother died.
Who knew this moment could feel even more excruciating?
“Roman, they will help her, but I need you to let them work—”
“No, no—”
“Give it to me,” Echo demands.
I watch in a daze as an EMT hands Echo a syringe.
“What are you—”
Before I can react, Echo plunges the needle into my neck. A cold rush of sedative overtakes me.
Collapsing onto the floor beside Eden, I see her motionless form being lifted onto a gurney. Struggling to stay conscious, I reach out for her, turning onto my back. The stained glass windows above reflect the flashing lights of the service vehicles.
Perhaps God answered my prayers tonight.
Yet, I wonder, what would my life be without Eden Faulkner?
Perhaps He will grant me one last miracle.
Mark 9:23: "If you can? said Jesus. Everything is possible for one who believes.”