Chapter 37
THIRTY-SEVEN
EVELYN
“Why the fuck is she here?” Anthony roared, interrupting Kade while pointing at me.
Kade looked at Anthony and I with a puzzled expression. “You two know each other?”
“I would think so, considering she’s my stepdaughter,” Anthony seethed, balling his hands into fists at his sides.
Before standing up, I discreetly sent a 911 code to Chief to let him know my cover was blown.
I stood up and put my hands out like I was caging a rabid animal. “Kade, I can explain...”
Kade’s face turned bright red from rage. Machine walked into the Hive and instructed everyone to leave the room except us.
“It’s quite simple, Ghost, you have managed to let the ONE person who I did not want to have access to my files to have access.” Ricci glared at all of us. “Kade, meet Evelyn Myers, aka my stepdaughter.” A cruel smile spread on his lips. “Tell me, Evelyn. How’s mother dearest doing?”
I lunged at him but was intercepted by Kade’s arm around my waist.
Ricci laughed. “So, I take it you’ve heard the news then.”
A shrill shriek ripped from my lips as I tried to lunge at Ricci again while Kade pulled me back. Burning hot rage scorched through every cell of my being. “Enough, Evelyn,” he sneered at me.
I wished the ground would open beneath me and swallow me whole. This couldn’t be happening. Especially the day after my mother died.
Machine placed a hand on Ricci’s shoulder, and raised his eyebrows, indicating it was time to leave. As they got to the door, Ricci spun around. “You better fucking clean up your mess or I’ll–”
Kade cut him off. “I would think twice before you finish that sentence. I’ll be in touch soon.”
When the door clicked shut, Kade spun to me and pinned me to my desk by my throat. I wheezed from the impact and tried to escape Kade’s intense hold.
“What the actual fuck, Evelyn?” He squeezed harder. “Who the fuck are you?”
My eyes began to lose focus from the lack of oxygen. Just as I was about to fully black out, Kade released his hold on me. I coughed and sputtered while rubbing my neck that was surely bruised from his fingers.
“Kade–”
My phone began to ring. When I didn’t answer and tried to speak again, my phone began to ring again. Glancing down, the caller ID showed it was the facility my mother had lived at before she died.
“Answer it,” Kade ordered.
I hesitantly picked up the phone. “Hel-hello?” I stammered.
Kade mouthed the words ‘speaker phone now’ which I obeyed.
“Yes, hi Ms. Myers, this is Gina again. I wanted to see if we could meet to start making arrangements for your mother. The investigation will be wrapping up shortly—”
My brows furrowed. “Investigation?”
“Oh yes, right. For any death, we need to ensure that we get an incident report and internal investigation completed.”
“When will it be complete?”
Kade stood as still as a statue as he listened to the conversation.
“Should be done by this afternoon.”
“Okay. Once it is finalized, we can talk. I’m currently in uh, a meeting.” I glanced over at Kade who now his arms had crossed over his chest.
“No problem, Evelyn. I am so sorry again for your loss. Your mum was a great woman.” I hung up the phone before saying goodbye.
“Your mother? Not your grandmother?” Kade began to pace while scrubbing a hand down his face. “How much was a fucking lie?”
I stood up straight. “No! It wasn’t all a lie.” I took a step forward as he took one back. “Kade, I… this was not the plan… you and me...”
He scoffed. “I don’t believe you. But I do know how I am going to get the information I want.”
I was no longer seeing the man who I had fallen for. Instead in his place was Ghost, the Mafia Don. Grabbing my forearm, he tugged me to the door. I began to pull back, but my efforts were futile.
“Where are you taking me?”
Kade ignored my question before handing me over to Machine. “Take her to the interrogation room,” he ordered.
I cried in protest. Annoyed with me, Machine threw me over his shoulder and entered the elevator.
We reached what seemed like the basement as Machine walked down the corridor.
The hallway was lined with dim floor lights, stale air, and lacked ventilation.
It wasn’t until Machine was putting me down that I realized we were in a room where there was only one chair with some sort of cuffs secured to the legs.
I knew at that moment that I had lost the battle to Ricci.
I didn’t fight Machine as he bound my wrists and ankles. He didn’t say a word but he didn’t need to. The expression of hurt and betrayal was evident on his face.
Kade walked in just as Machine finished binding me.
Walking behind me, Kade placed his hands on the back of the chair. “Do you know who I am, Evelyn? Do you know who you just made an enemy of?”
I gulped and didn’t respond. His lips brushed my ear. “I am Ghost. The mother fucking king of the mafia.”
He pushed off my chair and I winced as the chair jerked. Tears began to fill my eyes. He was standing in front of me now with his arms crossed on his chest. Machine leaned on the cement wall near the only door of the room.
I met Kade’s cold brown eyes and nodded.
“So here is how this is going to go, Evelyn. I am going to ask questions, and you are going to answer them.” Kade took off his cufflinks and placed them in the pocket of his dress pants. “If you don’t, you will die, along with all of your loved ones.”
I glared at him and clenched my teeth. “Fine.”
As time passed, I let myself break down, grieving my mother’s death and the death of my relationship with Kade.
I had lost feeling in my limbs a while ago. All I could see in the dark room was the illuminated EXIT sign near the door.
I cried until there was nothing left in my system. As I began to doze off, the light turned on, and the door to the room was shoved open.
I jerked awake and blinked my eyes several times to get used to the light. Kade walked in first with his laptop cradled under his arm. Behind him, Machine rolled a metal cart in front of him.
Kade placed his computer on the seat across from me and walked over to the cart to grab a water bottle.
Unscrewing the cap, he walked over to me. “Open your mouth.”
Feeling too weak to fight, I listened, knowing I needed the water. The water felt good as it soothed my raw throat.
After allowing me several gulps, he placed the bottle back on the cart. “So, Ms. Myers, we are going to try this again. Why don’t you start by telling me about who you work for.”
I met his eyes. Eyes that once held love and compassion toward me. Was he feeling this heartbreak, like I was?
“I work for a special operations team.” I kept my focus on the floor.
Kade squatted in front of me. “I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Domino’s is your headquarters, isn’t it?”
I nodded. In the corner, I heard Machine curse.
“What was your assignment?”
I glanced up at him, trying with all my might not to break down. “I was to infiltrate information regarding Ricci through your systems.”
He nodded his head. “I see. And why would a team be focused on taking him down?”
“Ricci has destroyed the lives of so many. I’m sure a smart man like yourself can understand why a man like that needs to be taken care of.” My tone was sarcastic.
When I didn’t explain any further, Kade out a sigh.
“And what is your real identity?” he bit out.
“I am Evelyn Myers, which you heard from Ricci. But my team calls me Phantom.”
Kade’s eyebrows shot to his hairline, a soft curse falling from his lips in recognition of my identity. His longtime nemesis was sitting in front of him and had been in front of him all along. He scrubbed a hand down his face and began to pace, cursing in Italian.
“Kade, I swear not all of this—” I started before he cut me off.
“Save it, Phantom,” he sneered, emphasizing my code name. “So you’ve known since Vegas who I was to you and you didn’t think to mention it?”
Tears began to fall down my cheeks at his anger. I wanted him to understand that things had changed during my assignment. Wanted him to know that it wasn’t all a lie. But I could tell I wouldn’t get anywhere with him. He was too consumed with his rage.
“Yes, but—”
He cut me off once more. “But, nothing! You knew and lied to me! Fuck, and we...” Kade stopped his thoughts. I could tell he was torn between his anger and his feelings for me.
“Kade, I swear I didn’t mean for things to get so out of hand. We were never supposed to become—”
“Don’t even go there, Per l'amor del cielo! Questo non può succedere!” he cursed. I wasn’t sure what he said but I could tell it wasn’t anything pleasant.
“Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you?” He stopped in his tracks, holding my gaze.
“I’m already dead. You can’t kill what’s already gone.” My voice sounded flat now, and I meant every word. I was numb now, accepting whatever fate was coming my way. There was no reasoning with him and it was clear he didn’t want to even accept that I was more to him than his nemesis.
Kade walked over to the cart and began picking up different tools and placing them back down. “You know, I think we are going to play some more.” He picked up a paring knife. The overhead lights reflected on the flawless metal.
“I didn’t take you for someone who likes to play with their food,” I muttered.
He looked over at me with a cruel smile on his face as he twirled the knife in his hand. “Oh, baby, I’m not. But I do know someone who is.”
A knock on the door sounded, before Ricci and two large men in black suits walked into the room. My heart started racing, pounding against the walls of my chest. Bile filled my throat.
I glanced back at Kade, panic in my eyes.
Kade let out a sardonic laugh. “A butcher cares about his craft. So, I'll let the pro take care of you.”
Ricci got into my face and grabbed my jaw. “I am going to have so much fun with you, my darling daughter.” His piercing blue eyes looked like the ice that surely pumped through his veins.
I tried to move my head from his grasp, to no avail. When I couldn’t get out of my restraints or away from the grasp, I spit in Ricci’s face.
Ricci raised his other hand back to strike at me. Before it could come down, Kade grabbed his forearm and handed him a tissue. “I’ll get her ready for you.”
Ricci let out a frustrated growl before moving away from me.
Kade glanced down at me while placing the knife at my clavicle.
“Tsk, tsk, Evelyn. You wanted to hunt a ghost and the big bad Butcher… Well, now the hunter will become the hunted.” He removed the knife before taking a syringe off the cart.
I began to thrash. I didn’t want to die.
“I’ll be sure to see you in Hell, Phantom.” He handed Ricci the syringe.
“Please! Kade! Don’t do this!” My breath began to pick up as panic took over me.
Kade turned away. “Get her out of my sight.”
The two men that accompanied Ricci came over to the chair and released my restraints before one of them threw me over their shoulder. I thrashed in the man’s hold and met Kade’s eyes.
Betrayal, hurt, remorse, pain, and mourning all radiated from his being.
“Oh, Evelyn, you soon will learn,” I heard Ricci say before I felt a pinch in my neck. Before I could respond, I was met with darkness.