I took a breath. “After Machine brought you downstairs to the basement and you confirmed you were Phantom, I reached out to Chief.”
Her eyes bulged. “You know him?”
“I was beyond pissed at you, and still am, by the way, for lying to me. But I needed to set that aside and finally make an alliance that would speed up my plans to take down Ricci Enterprises. Chief and I created a plan and when I went to execute my part, some of Ricci’s men tagged along to ensure I blew up Domino's. Machine just barely got everyone out in time. Chief and Badger were too close to the blast. Chief had alerted Aaron as soonas I reached out to him, but from my understanding, Ricci’s men grabbed him when he showed up at RSS demanding to see you.”
Evelyn opened her mouth and closed it like a fish. “But why do you want to take Ricci down?”
“The scumbag was close friends with my father. When my father died, I assumed all of his contracts and alliances, both inside and outside of RSS. That included the Butcher, or as you all call him, Ricci.”
A female nurse with dark-brown hair and pale-green eyes announced herself as she entered. She gave Evelyn a kind smile and barely met my eyes when she glanced in my direction. “Hi Evelyn, my name is Sandra. I am one of the nurses tending to your team. What would you say your pain level is at? One being no pain and ten being the worst pain of your life.”
Evelyn fiddled with the white sheet that was draped over her lap. “Um, I would say a six.”
The nurse gave a nod. “Okay, I will be back with some pain meds. We want you to be as comfortable as you can. You are severely dehydrated, and you may experience some unpleasant side effects from the drugs that were administered prior to arriving here. I’ll be getting you some IV fluids to help with hydrating you.”
“Thank you, Sandra.” Evelyn’s voice was kind and unwavering. I tried not to be annoyed at the pleasantness that she was showing to everyone but me. But I knew once I was done explaining everything, there would be no more reason for her to give me an attitude.
I waited until Sandra returned with all of the medicines. Once she was done and out of the area once more, I resumed.
“Is the pain easing?”
Evelyn closed her eyes and sank back onto the bed before nodding.
“Do you want to rest? We can talk later.”
“No. I need answers. For instance, why are you helping my team... In a warehouse?”
I leaned back on the chair and braced my palms on my knees. “I’ll get to that. As you know, I am not just the CEO of RSS. Ricci has been interfering with some of my other business relations and is trying to tarnish my family name by trying to force my hand into the skin trade.”
Her brows pinched together. “This still doesn’t explain why you helped my team after you found out who I was.”
I leaned forward once more. “Contrary to what some people believe, I do have some semblance of an understanding of right and wrong. And while the lines in my world are blurred, I know one thing for certain. Ricci needs to be taken down. Collaborating with your team will not only benefit your team, but also me.” This was not at all what I had planned to say to her. I had planned to tell her I was helping her because I would do anything for her.
Despite her lying to me, I didn’t care. I would do anything for her. Because… I loved her.
“So, you are only helping because it benefits you?” Evelyn gritted out.
“I have to see the big picture, Evelyn. In this situation, I am not allowing feelings to get involved more than they already are. I am helping your team to fight a mutual enemy. Aaron’s death was unfortunate?—”
She cut off my words. "Unfortunate?!" Evelyn screamed. “Get the fuck away from me!”
And I did just that, pissed at myself for pushing away the one thing in my life that I loved more than my need for retribution against Ricci.
FORTY-FOUR
EVELYN
Chief and Kade had come to an arrangement to take down Ricci per my request. Despite the two weeks that had passed, I still had nothing to say to Kade.
I couldn’t talk to him. Not after everything. However, I understood that as the "IT gurus", we would need to work together. We also needed to keep up the fictitious story that I was being held captive by Kade until Ricci gave him instructions for the auction.
I had no idea how Kade had convinced Ricci of the story, but asking him was the last thing I wanted to do.
Kade opened RSS up to us to use as the clean-up crew continued to pick up the rubble that was once Domino’s Gym. It felt like some cruel joke. As if the rubble was a physical representation of my shattered heart.
Today was our first team meeting since the explosion. Chief still was wearing a sling and had some cuts on his already burn-scarred arms that were finally starting to heal.
Badger refused to let smoke inhalation bring her down, although she wasn’t a hundred percent better yet either.She still volunteered at the local women’s shelter and taught self-defense classes.
