Page 12 of The Devil's Chaos

“I need you to do your little nerdy magic and delete all the camera footage from inside and outside the club from tonight.”

“Wanna tell me why I need to do that?”

“Because I may have set a fire.”

“A fucking fire, Kai!” Theo asked as he coughed, and it sounded like he was mid-sip of a drink when he started coughing.

“It was a small fire.”

“Archer is going to kill you,” he managed to say through his coughing fit.

“Can you do it or not?” I challenged him, letting my gaze fall on a group of barely clothed dancers that had stumbled out of the front entrance.

“Of course, I can. I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“When have I ever let Archer or The Brotherhood down? I know what the hell I’m doing.”

“Okay, man,” Theo sighed, and the sound of the keyboard clacked in the background before he continued, “Footage deleted. Anything else?”

“Just the information on her.”

“I’ll send you what I have. To be honest, there isn’t a lot. It looks like daddy dearest kept her pretty locked up and under his or Alexander’s control. I’m not sure what you’re looking for, but are you sure it’s smart to poke the beehive?”

“I’ve been poking beehives my whole life, why stop now?” I chuckled darkly as my gaze fixated on Haven, still in her tiny but ripped black bodysuit, drenched from head to toe, walking barefoot toward the back of the building. “Let’s poke this beehive and see if we can’t get the Queen to emerge.”

“Call me if you need backup.”

“Will do.” I hung up and tossed my phone into the cup holder, never taking my eyes off Haven. She stopped suddenly, her body tensing as she turned around sharply, her gaze piercing through the night as if searching for an unseen threat. I saw how she paused and scanned the parking lot like a frightened lamb surrounded by wolves. She could sense my presence, but she couldn’t see me.

Shaking her head, she quickly got into her Range Rover and sped off into the night. I followed at a safe distance as she hastily navigated through the busy streets.

She was a clever girl who knew someone was following her, so when she almost collided with another car, I slowed down just enough for her to think that she had lost me or that I was a figment of her imagination. Eventually, she pulled into the parking garage of an upscale high-rise apartment complex that looked expensive and difficult to get into. I parked across the street and scrolled through the files Theo had sent to my phone. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for me to find her address, which included her penthouse number, 7201, and the code needed to access the elevator that would go to her floor.

As the rain began to fall, I crossed the street, and a soft drizzle danced on the wet pavement, creating an otherworldly glow as I entered the building. The sound of my boots against the pavement echoed through the empty foyer, and the security guard barely spared me a glance as I stepped into the elevator, punching in her code and riding it to the twentieth floor. The ascent was smooth and silent, the only sound being the gentle hum of the elevator moving upward. When the doors slid open to reveal a luxurious hallway adorned with expensive artwork and elegant lighting, I could hear the muffled sound of music coming from one of the units. Otherwise, the floor seemed eerily quiet.

I followed the sequence of numbers on the door until I arrived at 7201. Taking a deep breath, I raised my hand to knock but hesitated. What was I hoping to accomplish by seeking out Haven in her home? Was it curiosity or something more primal driving me?

Whatever it was, I jimmied the lock and stepped into her lavish penthouse. My senses were on high alert as I cautiously navigated through it, straining my ears to listen for her presence. Quietly moving through the apartment, I admired the elegance of everything. The rich ebony flooring and ornate Victorian furnishings exuded an air of decadence and wealth. It was perfectly arranged, a façade of perfection hiding a sinister truth.

Her life wasn’t her own, and it never had been.

This space was the only thing she had control over, and it showed.

Standing in the shadows, I barely breathed as I watched her pour herself a glass of whiskey.

Then another.

And one more for good measure.

When she undressed, I watched her like a wolf watching their prey.

Unmoving.

Silent.

Obsessed.

Hungry.

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