Page 95 of Mended Souls
“Jealous?”
She huffed. “Of her? No. But I didn’t expect her to fall in love with you. I wanted her to kill you, but making her suffer again sounds perfect.”
“If you’re trying to kill me, maybe learn what a gun is, ‘cause all your other attempts fucking sucked, bitch.”
Everly screeched as she lunged for me. I wasn’t running from her or letting her get the upper hand. She wanted me to be a scared damsel, but I wasn’t. I was pissed the fuck off with her antics and her attempts on my life. Shebetrayedme. She stabbed me in the back while calling my ex to kill me because she was too much of a damn coward to do it herself.
I sidestepped, causing Everly to stumble. Little did I know the two-faced bitch had a knife, and she cut my shin. Everly kicked my leg, and I fell to the dock. I was sick and tired of this bitch trying to hurt me.
“Why are you doing this?” I hissed. “Blaize wouldn’t fuck you?”
She laughed bitterly, kicking my side before straddling my hips. “Please, I wouldn’t let that bitch touch me. You should’ve fucking died sooner.”
I moved my hips to get her off of me, but she wrapped one hand around my neck and grasped the knife in the other one. If she wanted to kill me, she would have to work a lot harder. “Maybe you should’ve tried harder bitch.”
She hissed in frustration, bringing the knife down. I grabbed her hand, holding the knife back.Fucking hell, Kadence, think.I used all my strength and I pushed her off of me, taking a deep lungful of air. Stumbling to my feet, I checked my leg and saw a deep gash. Hey, it could be worse.
“Kadence!” Blaize shouted, and my attention turned towards her, which was mistake number two. Mistake number one was listening to anything that fell from Everly’s lips, even if I was hesitant and kept my distance.
Part of me wanted to believe a woman I trusted wouldn’t hurt me, but what more could I expect when my life was nothing but pain and betrayal by people who said they would never hurt me? My father taught me that first. Blaize was repairing it. And now Everly shattered it once more.
A sharp pain radiated down the back of my head as I lost my footing. The next thing I remembered was the death grip water had on someone before darkness.
CHAPTER 72
BLAIZE
Iwatched in horror as Kadence fell into the water as Everly laughed wickedly. “Seems like you have a choice, Blaize—save the woman you love or chase me. How would everyone feel if you let Kadence die?”
I would deal with Everly later, but I wouldn’t let Kadence die. Not like this. I didn’t think and just raced for the pier, diving into the water and grabbing Kadence’s unconscious form. She might’ve felt a connection to her brother in the water, but call me a selfish bitch because I refused to let the two of them be reunited this soon. Kadence was mine, and I would give my last breath to save her life.
I swam us back to the pier, pressing Kadence against a post until I could get her back on the dock. Swimming to the shore was off the table with how far the shore was. “Hey, come on princess.” I smacked her face. “Come on, baby.”
Whoever decided to add a net ladder on this pier was a goddam genius, because now I had a way to get my girl to safety. I tied Kadence against the net so I could jump back on the pier. Kadence started coughing and panicking as I grabbed her arms. “Come on, princess, deep breath. I got you.”
When I got Kadence fully out of the water, I kept her on her side with her head in my lap as she coughed and tried to catch her breath.
“Hey, you’re okay, princess.”
“I. Am. Tired. Of. That. Bitch. Trying. To. Kill. Me.” Kadence huffed between breaths and coughs. I laughed, enjoying the sound of my bratty girl. She laid on her back, taking a moment to breathe fully. “Fuck, I really hate water.”
“Are you okay?”
“I don’t think so, but physically, other than a headache, I’m fine. She used my fear and tried to kill me. I want her dead.”
I pushed her hair away from her face. “Have Doc check you out?”
She shook her head. “I’m fine.”
“Kadence, she hit you in the back of the head…you almost drowned.”
She closed her eyes for a moment, a strained breath escaping her. “He can check me out, but at Annika’s apartment. I already know you are going to raise hell to find her, and I don’t want to be alone.” I should’ve known she didn’t want to be alone after this, but she was right, I would be looking for Everly. “I want you to look for her. Don’t feel guilty for leaving me. Kill her.”
“Come on, let's get to Annika’s. I’ll have Doc meet us there.”
I was done playingthis game. Everly signed her death certificate, and I would scour the territories to find her and kill her. Kadence was safe at Annika’s apartment, and Doc met us there ten minutes after I pulled up. I had one of the guys retrieveKadence’s car from the pier while I drove to Hunter’s. She was there for the last two days while I figured this shit out. I refused to let her get hurt because of Everly, Ava—whatever the bitch called herself.
When this was done, I would be with Kadence and I would never let her go. Everly would pay for hurting her. If she was desperate to hurt me, then she needed to kill me without hurting the people I loved. But I already knew she would take the coward’s way out, because they knew how I reacted when they took my wife and daughter. I was a woman who loved with fierce passion, and unfortunately that was my weakness.
