Chapter 59
BLAIZE
“We need to talk,” Hunter said, barely giving me a chance to wipe the sleep from my eyes. I hated that I gave her a key to get into my home. If it was anyone else other than her and Hawke, I would probably shoot them. The sound of her voice made it sound serious, though, and she had my attention.
I quickly dressed in tights and a tank top before following her downstairs so Kadence could sleep peacefully. She grabbed her iPad, muttering something angrily under her breath. She was livid, but I still didn’t have a clue as to why.
“What’s wrong?”
She ran her hand down her face with a frustrated huff. “Everly.”
I arched my brow. “You woke me up and took me away from my woman to tell me about yours?” I questioned.
“Blaize, stop being coy. Everly is the reason Dominic was here, and why Kadence got hurt.”
My back straightened, and the world went red around me. Everly was the reason Kadence was almost killed. I was going to find her, and I would make sure her death was long and painful. “What the fuck did she do?”
“She used me to get it, Blaize.” Hunter sounded angry. “She knew my passcode to my iPad. She’s the one who hacked into the security cameras. Blaize, Everly was the one who sabotaged the shipments. She’s working with Elijah’s brother.”
“Hunter, if she’s working with Ethan West…she planned Layla’s death? She shot Fallon?”
Hunter pressed her lips together, her cheeks turning a few shades darker.
“Yes, and I was the reason she has access to everything. I should’ve known.
Everly wanted to know things about the Reapers and you, but I wouldn’t say anything.
I wouldn’t betray you like that. I never understood why she didn’t like you. ”
I think back to the first time I met Everly.
It was six months after I lost my wife, and I wasn’t in a good head space.
I hated everything and everyone, and contemplated suicide many times before Hunter knocked some sense into me.
Everly looked at me with disdain. Now the fake smile she plastered on was filled with malice and ill intent.
At the time everyone had a look of disdain and judgement, so it didn’t send red flags.
But there was one time she wanted me to fuck her.
I was drunk and barely remembered the exchange, but I had enough common sense to tell her to fuck off.
That was around the time I swore off sleeping with the people who worked for me.
If she tried earlier, she might’ve got the upper hand and put a knife in my chest if she managed to get in my bed.
She slipped into my club, got close to my second, and used information to hurt me.
Everly stabbed a knife in Kadence’s back, pretending to be her friend while plotting to kill her.
Betrayal hurt a lot worse when she planned for me to kill her.
She got close to Kadence, infiltrated her friend group, saw the way I reacted to Kadence when she first arrived in my town and started working for me.
Kadence told her everything that happened between us and Hunter; she probably let something slip as well without meaning to.
How did Everly work for me without letting her hatred and rage show? If she was fucking Elijah West or doing anything with him, she should’ve been angrier than she was, but she just seemed pissed all the time.
“Are you positive it’s her?” I questioned. Last time I jumped into something head first without questioning anything, I hurt the woman I loved. Everly meant nothing to me, but I wouldn’t hurt someone innocent, especially since Hunter had feelings she wouldn’t admit for the woman.
“Yes. When I saw it, I used my security measure. I saw her on camera, Blaize. She took my codes. And I might’ve hacked her laptop.
She’s been planning your downfall for years.
Your routes, your weaknesses, the best ways to hurt the Reapers.
It was hard to do anything until Kadence got here.
Once Kadence got here, she had a window of opportunity. ”
I clenched my jaw tightly. I knew emotions caused weakness, but now I had to protect Kadence.
She was my biggest weakness, and I refused to let this traitorous bitch hurt her to get to me.
And then I remembered Damon telling me a name.
“Did Everly go by a different name? Or is Everly the fake name?”
Hunter quickly looked through some files on her iPad. “Ava?”
“Fuck. Send me what you have, unless you want to take a trip with me to Bellevue?”
She tensed, but quickly hid it. “No. I’ll send you a file. I should’ve caught it sooner when she told me to quit and break ties with you if I wanted to stay with her.” Hunter threw her iPad down, frustration radiating off of her like a furnace. It took a lot to get a reaction like this from Hunter.
“You loved her.” It wasn’t a question because I knew the truth. She wouldn’t react like this if she didn’t have feelings for Everly.
“What I felt for her meant nothing, because she betrayed us and hurt Kadence.”
“What do you need? I know you, Hunter.”
“I’m fine, Blaize. I’m always fine. I’ll figure out where she is, and then I’ll kill her myself.”