The Devil’s Chaos (The Brotherhood #2)

34. Thirty-Four

34

THIRTY-FOUR

HAVEN

“ Y our brother amped up the security firmware on his cameras, so Theo can only disable the cameras for five minutes at a time before they reset. Once you’re inside, you’ll need to move quickly before the whole compound knows what you’re doing,” Kai explained.

I nodded.

“If anything happens, text and we’ll come in and get you,” Archer said.

“If something happens, I’m as good as dead. There’s no use getting anyone else killed.”

Archer’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t argue. He knew I was right. This mission was a solo endeavor.

Kai’s brow furrowed. “Don’t talk like that. If things go south, we’ll find a way to get you out.”

“I will get Mila out safely,” I responded flatly, straightening my sparkly red dress. Sometimes, I had an air for dramatics, and Alex did say he wanted me to wear the red dress he liked. Why not wear it as I rescued Mila as a fuck you? If I was going to die tonight, at least I looked good.

“We’re not leaving you,” Kai echoed.

I appreciated his optimism, but we all knew the reality of the situation. Infiltrating my brother’s compound was a suicide mission. If I were caught, there would be no escape, no rescue. Just a swift bullet to the head, courtesy of my dear brother.

If I was lucky enough.

“I’ll be fine,” I lied, forcing a confident smile. “In and out, just like we planned.”

Theo handed me a small earpiece. “Keep this in at all times. We’ll be monitoring from outside the fence.”

I took the earpiece and nodded.

“We’ll be on comms the whole time. The moment you’re in trouble, we’ll know,” Kai watched me with an uneasy gaze.

I fitted the device into my ear and took a deep breath. “Just focus on your part of the plan,” I told him, fixing my hair as I headed to my car.

Archer and Theo stayed back, but Kai followed.

“Haven, be careful in there. Don’t take unnecessary risks.”

I met his gaze, a wry smile tugging at my lips. “You know me, always the cautious type.”

I slipped into my sleek black Lexus, the engine purring to life as I hit the ignition button. Kai lingered by the window, his expression tight with worry.

“I mean it, Haven. Don’t do anything reckless. Mila will likely have questions, but you don’t have time to answer them. You need to get out of there as fast as you can. We’ll be waiting at the edge of the compound on the hill. Follow the fence down until you see an opening. I—we’ll be waiting.”

I knew this might be the last time I saw him, and truthfully, there was so much I wanted to say to him. But there was no time. Instead, I reached out, my fingers grazing his cheek. “I’ll be back before you know it, with Mila safe and sound. Trust me.”

Kai leaned into my touch for a fleeting moment before stepping back, allowing me to pull away. As I sped off into the night, I caught a glimpse of him in the rearview mirror, watching me go, his silhouette fading into the darkness.

The drive to the compound was short, the road winding through the darkness. I parked near the back, hoping not to alert anyone.

“I’m here,” I whispered, hoping they could hear me on the other end.

“Remember, you only have five minutes before the cameras reset. Make every second count,” Kai reminded me.

“I got it.”

Kai’s voice crackled in my ear. “Cameras going dark in three, two, one…”

The red lights on the cameras winked out.

“See you on the other side,” I announced before opening the door to the staff entrance.

Taking a deep breath, I headed inside, moving swiftly but also trying not to draw attention to myself. My heels clicked against the polished floor, echoing in the stillness. My brother was preoccupied with some esteemed guests in the club, so I moved quickly down the stairs to the basement. When I approached his bedroom door, I could hear Maddie inside. When I opened the door, I saw her hit Mila across the face with a loud crack.

“Maddie!” I shouted. “Alex needs you upstairs.” I leaned up against the doorframe, feigning nonchalance.

Maddie snapped her head in my direction, hatred burning in her eyes. “I’m not done,” she protested.

“Okay, I’ll tell him you’re busy leaving bruises on his plaything. It’s your funeral,” I scoffed as I turned to leave, hoping she didn’t call my bluff.

“Wait. Wait! I’m coming. We’ll continue this later, Mila.”

“I won’t bother waiting up,” Mila responded.

I chuckled to myself. Mila had some fire in her.

Maddie shot me a menacing glare before following me into the hallway. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. I enjoy seeing you so flustered, that’s all.”

She came to an abrupt stop before stalking toward me. “Watch yourself, bitch. I could end your life if I wanted to,” she hissed.

“Promise?” I teased. “Don’t get my hopes up.”

Maddie sneered at me, her eyes narrowing into slits. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you? But you’re playing a dangerous game, Haven. One of these days, your luck will run out.”

I met her gaze unflinchingly. “We’ll see about that. Now, run along. You don’t want to keep my brother waiting.”

With a final glare, Maddie stomped off, her heels clicking angrily against the floor. I waited until she disappeared around the corner before returning to get Mila.

I slipped inside, closing the door behind me. “Stand up!”

She looked up at me, her face bruised and swollen from Maddie’s abuse. Despite her injuries, there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes. I helped her stand up, moving to untie the ropes that bound her wrists behind her back. Rushing to Alex’s wooden desk, I ran my hands underneath it, smiling when my hands touched the cold metal of his stashed handgun. I checked the magazine before sliding it back in and pulling back the slide to load a bullet into the chamber.

“Wait, please don’t shoot me,” Mila pleaded.

“I’m not going to shoot you, you idiot. It’s just for protection. Stay behind me, and stay quiet. I move fast, and you need to move faster. We only have five minutes before the cameras reset and alert the entire compound that I helped you escape.”

“You’re helping me escape? But why?” she asked. “You’re his sister. Why would you help me?”

“Kai told me you’d ask a lot of questions,” I huffed impatiently. “It doesn’t matter right now. We don't have much time. Can you walk?"

She nodded, pushing herself to her feet with a wince. I wrapped an arm around her waist, supporting her weight as we approached the door. The clock was ticking, and every second mattered.

"Kai, I have Mila. We're heading out now," I whispered into the comm.

We exited the bedroom and proceeded down the hallway, moving as quickly as Mila's injuries would allow. I could hear the muffled thump of music from the club above us, the bass vibrating through the walls.

Static crackled in my ear before Kai's tense voice came through. "Roger that. Cameras will reset in three minutes. You need to move fast."

I quickened my pace, half-dragging Mila along as we raced through the corridors, hiding in the shadows when guards passed. I took her through the back hallways, knowing there would be less foot traffic. If all went well, in the next thirty seconds, we would be at the door that led out near the dumpsters and, subsequently, the back of the compound. We turned the corner, the red metal door in sight, and I yanked her toward it.

“One minute, little lamb. Move faster,” Kai reminded me.

My heart sank when Maddie’s voice shouted behind us. “Hey! Don’t fucking move, or I’ll shoot you.”

Fuck.

I turned around first, putting Mila behind me. Maddie had a gun pointed right at my face. “Maddie, put the gun down,” I tried to keep my voice calm.

“Haven shut the fuck up!” Maddie shrieked angrily. “Wait until your brother discovers you tried to help his little pet escape.”

“It’s not what it looks like,” I insisted. I needed to keep her calm and make her think she was in control. Otherwise, she might get spooked and blow my brains out purely by accident. I shifted my body, positioning myself in front of Mila completely, just in case.

“The way I see it, I get to knock out two birds with one stone,” she chuckled. “I get to kill the bitch that took Archer from me, and I get to quiet the annoying cunt of a sister that is always getting special treatment from her brother.”

I recognized the maniacal, unhinged look in her eyes. One or both of us weren’t making it out of here alive.

“Alex will kill you when he finds out.”

“Not when I tell him about this little escape plan of yours. I think he will reward me for murdering his traitorous little sister,” she sneered while keeping the gun pointed in our direction. “The real question is, who should I shoot first? Any volunteers?”

“Maddie, you don’t want to do this,” Mila pleaded with her.

“Oh, but I do though,” she smiled, turning her attention to Mila, wholly consumed with madness.

The time to act was now while she was distracted. I raised my gun and fired off several shots, gun fire echoing through the tiny space. Maddie fell to the ground with a pained yelp, and I didn’t wait for her to get up. Grabbing Mila by the arm, I opened the door to her freedom and shoved her through it. “Stay close to the fence until you reach the hill. Archer is waiting for you there.”

“Wait! Aren’t you coming with me?” She turned to face me.

Her eyes shifted down to my stomach, where I held my side. Maddie had gotten a lucky shot, and it was deep. Blood seeped through my fingers, and I could feel my strength waning.

“You’re hurt. Come with me, and we’ll get you to a hospital.”

I shook my head, giving her a sad smile, gritting my teeth against the pain. “I can’t go with you.”

Her eyes widened with the realization that I was going to die because I saved her. “But you’re hurt,” her eyes widened with horror as she moved to support me.

“I’ll never make it before the cameras turn back on. I’ll be fine. Mila, listen to me. You have to go. Archer is waiting for you. If you don't make it out now, all of this will have been for nothing.”

“Thirty seconds,” Kai’s urgent voice sounded in my ear.

Tears streamed down her face, but she nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I'll come back for you, Haven. I promise,” she insisted stubbornly, even as her legs trembled from exhaustion and pain.

I managed a weak smile. “Don't make promises you can't keep. You need to go. Now!” I pushed her clear of the door, my blood-slicked hand leaving a red smear on her shirt.

With a final anguished look, Mila turned and ran, disappearing into the night. I sagged against the wall, my vision blurring at the edges. The sound of shouting voices and pounding footsteps grew louder, drawing closer. I slammed the door shut behind me.

I smiled as I heard the traffic over the comms. Mila had made it, and she explained to Kai that I wasn’t behind her and I wouldn’t be coming.

“Haven? Haven, what's your status?” Kai's frantic voice crackled in my ear.

I coughed, tasting copper on my tongue. “Mila's safe.”

“What about you? Are you okay?”

I closed my eyes, a wry chuckle escaping my lips. “Not exactly. Maddie caught me. I’m hit pretty bad.” I pressed my hand tighter against the wound, feeling the warm blood seep between my fingers.

There was a pause, and then Kai’s voice tightened with barely controlled panic. “Haven, listen to me. You need to get out of there.”

“There’s no time,” I cut him off, my words slurring slightly. “The cameras will be on any second now.”

“I’m not leaving you behind!” Kai shouted, his voice cracking.

“You have to. We both knew the risks.”

Silence stretched between us, broken only by the sound of my labored breathing.

“Haven…”

“It’s okay,” I whispered. “This was always a one-way trip for me. We both knew that.”

“Don’t say that. I’ll come to get you. Just hang on.”

“No,” I rasped, shaking my head even though he couldn’t see me. “It’s too late for that. You have to get Mila out of here.”

“You are so close to freedom. I will protect you. The Brotherhood will protect you. I can’t leave you,” he insisted fiercely.

“You have to.” My voice was growing weaker, and the edges of my vision were darkening. “I’m sorry… I wish we had more time.”

“Don’t you dare say goodbye. Don’t you fucking dare!” His anguished plea tore through my heart.

“You know me…I was never good at goodbyes.” With trembling fingers, I pulled the earpiece out, letting it fall to the floor. I smashed it with my heel, scattering its pieces down the hallway in hopes that they would go unnoticed in the chaos before what had just happened right under his nose.

The compound erupted into chaos as alarms blared and guards shouted orders. I could hear their heavy footsteps approaching, the sound of impending doom. I slumped against the wall, my blood smearing a crimson trail as I slid to the floor. The gun clattered from my weakening grasp, my fingers too numb to hold it any longer. The shouts and footsteps were getting closer, echoing through the corridors like a pack of bloodthirsty hounds closing in on their prey.

I knew it was only a matter of time before they found me.

Before Alex found me.

A bitter laugh bubbled up in my throat, turning into a wet cough that sent searing pain lancing through my abdomen. Of all the ways I thought I might go out, bleeding to death in the bowels of my brother's compound after betraying him wasn't high on the list.

But I didn't regret it—not for a second. Mila was safe and free, and that was all that mattered. I had made my choice, and I would face the consequences, whatever they might be.

This was it—the end of the line. I had always known my luck would run out eventually, but I never thought it would be like this—bleeding out in a dimly lit hallway, alone and abandoned. I had done what I set out to do, even if it cost me everything .