Chapter 10 Everett #2
I’m walking through Blackout when I spot Haidyn and Charlotte heading toward me as the crowd parts for them.
It’s weird to see them together, him holding her hand, them both wearing wedding rings.
Not because I never thought he’d settle down, but because I just never saw it happening with her.
Especially after I found out who she really was.
I thought it had to be some kind of trick. A fucked-up joke.
Surely, he would have told me that he had fallen in love. That he’d found the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. The one he was willing to give up his life for.
I was in denial.
Haidyn made Charlotte that video of him sitting in her living room, and I watched her listen to him tell her that he loved her while also explaining that he had to leave her. She broke down. Right there in front of our eyes. And I knew she loved him too.
I was being a selfish bitch. We have been through so much shit together—initiations and training. It was such a dark time in our lives—we only had each other for so long. I hated having to miss seeing him be happy. And that I hadn’t gotten to see him fall in love.
I was going to bring my brother back, and I was going to make sure that the love of his life was alive and well.
No matter how mad I was that he didn’t include me in such an important part of his life.
He made me her guardian, and I had to swallow my pride no matter how hard it was.
He gave me a job, and I wouldn’t let him down like everyone else in our lives has.
It’s different with Saint. We always knew he’d marry Ashtyn. And I knew deep down he’d bring her back to Carnage one day. It didn’t matter whether it was four years or twenty, he was going to find his Lady.
“Hi, Kashton.” Charlotte speaks over the music, getting my attention, with a smile on her face. She’s got this sweet and innocent look to her. It’s cute. Especially knowing what kind of man Haidyn is. He’s given so much up for everyone else. I’m glad he finally found the one.
“Hey.” I nod to her and then look at Haidyn. “What are you guys doing here?”
I’m surprised he lets her set foot inside Blackout, knowing she’s pregnant. I mean, he can protect her, but still, anything could happen. This place went up in flames not long ago. Though I guess at some point, you have to understand that you can’t control everything.
He shoves his left hand into the pocket of his jeans. “What do you mean? Didn’t you read the text?”
“Text?” I question. I’m just here to have a drink.
“Tyson included you in the group chat.”
Digging into my pocket, I pull out my cell and see that I’ve got several messages. I didn’t hear it go off over the music. Scrolling through the chat, I see a response in the group that makes me sigh.
This will be fun.
“I’m going to escort Charlotte upstairs. The girls are up in the apartment,” Haidyn tells me, and I nod to him.
I make my way to Tyson’s office and pile inside. Ryat stands over by Ty’s desk, arms crossed over his chest. Saint is already here, slouching in a chair.
Sin sits on the couch. He doesn’t even glance my way, and I hate how much I care.
He’s getting ready to be a dad. Devin and Gavin are going to deliver the babies any day now, and I hate that I won’t get to be there for him.
That is another happy moment for a friend that I’d be honored to be a part of.
But of course, I fucked it up and will have to miss it.
A man I’ve never seen before sits next to Sin. Makes me wonder what the fuck is going on and why we’re all here.
The door opens behind me, and I step to the side as four men enter—Ty’s minions. They help him run this place and bury his bodies. “What’s up, boss?” Alex asks.
Tyson stands from his desk, buttoning his suit jacket, and gestures to the couch on the opposite side of the room. “Have a seat, boys. We’re waiting on one more.”
While everyone gets comfortable, I choose to stand by the door, leaning up against the wall as it opens.
When Haidyn enters, Tyson claps his hands. “Okay. This is homicide detective Haynes.” He points to the man sitting next to Sin, and everyone looks at Tyson, wondering what the fuck is going on. The Lords don’t deal with law enforcement. Of any kind. “You’re up.” Ty nods to him.
The detective gets to his feet and opens up a backpack. He then starts to pass out manila envelopes to each of us. I already know what it’s going to be. I feel like I’m having déjà vu. It’s like the night on the jet with Adam, Bill, and the detective.
Reaching in, I pull out the stack of papers.
The one on top is a profile picture of a naked woman, hanging upside down.
The barbed wire wrapped around her ankles is what keeps her hanging from the tree limb.
Her skin has ripped open from her struggle and the weight of her body.
Her arms are secured behind her back with the wire as well.
Blood runs down her bruised skin into a puddle on the ground.
Her once short golden hair now looks strawberry blond.
She’s covered in bruises, and short cuts run horizontally across both thighs.
“Fuck,” Alex hisses. “How many were found this time?”
“Seven,” the detective answers. “One recovered each day of the week.”
“Lords related?” Sin is the one who asks, putting his attention on the second photo, this one of another woman.
The man sighs. “Not that we’ve found, but the investigation just started.” Haynes looks at Ty. “Tyson and I have an…understanding. I bring him information about cases like these.”
“I’m confused about what you want us to do.” Colton is the one who speaks, running his hand down his face, looking stressed. “Are we supposed to be stepping in? Working with the police?”
“No.” Tyson shakes his head. “We thought this ended with Luke, but it didn’t. Then, when Haidyn married Charlotte, Dollhouse was brought to our attention.”
I feel Haidyn’s body stiffen next to mine at the mention of his wife. He drops his envelope onto the coffee table, not even bothering to look through the rest of it. He’s seen enough.
“Everyone that we know of, or who we thought was involved, is now at Carnage, and these seven girls have been raped, tortured, and mutilated…” Ty goes on, shaking his head. “It can’t be a coincidence. Someone is still running the show.”
“LeAnne?” Ryat offers, slamming his envelope onto Tyson’s desk as well.
“It makes sense. The bitch was able to go under the radar for a long time before Matt thought he killed her. Now she’s supposedly moving here.
She still has no clue that we’re aware she and Isabella are twins, but surely she knows her sister is no longer running Dollhouse. ”
“Has Blakely spoken to her lately?” Finn asks Ryat.
“Fuck no,” he barks. “And she won’t be. I’ve got that bitch blocked everywhere I can. And if she shows up at our house again, I’ll blow her fucking head off her shoulders.”
The detective adjusts himself in his seat at Ryat’s confession, and I wonder just how much Tyson has told him about us. I mean, the guy has to feel threatened just being in the room with this many Lords.
“What if this happened before we found Dollhouse, and this is them getting rid of what they had?” Haidyn suggests.
“Autopsy results aren’t back yet, but estimated times of death puts them dead long before they were found,” the detective adds.
Colton shakes his head and looks at Haidyn.
“We were at Dollhouse with the others to save you, and you were the only person on the property other than Hudson and Isabella. We checked every inch of that place. So if they were at Dollhouse, then someone gave them a heads-up and moved them before we arrived.”
“Bill,” Sin says. “When Saint asked him how he could be so sure that Haidyn was at Dollhouse, he said he had someone on the inside. But there was no one else there to ‘help’ us.” He sits back and crosses his tatted arms over his chest. “I thought it was too easy how we were able to get Haidyn out of there. But I figured that for once, luck was on our side. Maybe Bill gave them a heads-up that we were coming and gave whoever else was there plenty of time to run so we couldn’t question them.
They could have held these women somewhere else and then killed them. ”
“Thought you trusted Bill?” Haidyn asks Sin, and I feel like I’ve missed out on a conversation they’ve had.
“Honestly…” Sin sighs, “I don’t think I trust anyone anymore.”
Me. He means he no longer trusts me. I have the urge to explain myself, but now is not the time.
“What is happening with Dollhouse?” Tyson asks Haidyn.
“Nothing. Charlotte doesn’t want anything to do with that place. And as far as I know, since Isabella was a Lady—Bill’s wife—everything was left to him.”
“What would Bill want with it?” Ty growls.
“I haven’t spoken to Bill, and I know Charlotte hasn’t.” Haidyn shrugs. “So your guess is as good as mine.”
When someone is brought into Carnage, they’re dead to the world. On paper, they’ve been given a death certificate with a date and cause of death. Isabella no longer exists, which means whatever she has is given to her spouse unless specified.
“Maybe it was left to LeAnne,” Ryat offers.
“Doesn’t make sense,” Colton speaks up. “Let’s say LeAnne is aware we know Dollhouse exists.
She had to know that Haidyn was there. And that Bill knows about it as well.
If he is on our side, no one would be operating out of there now, because what’s to keep any of us from just dropping by on any given day?
No. They would steer clear of there right now.
But…” Colton snaps his fingers and sits up straighter. “What about the house?”
“What about it?” Haidyn inquires.