“You,” I pointed to Mikes back-up. “Check the perimeter.”

They nodded, grabbed their weapons from there holsters and ran around the sides of the property. I nodded at Callum and Josh telling them to follow me. We checked the front door first, luckily for us it’s unlocked, stupid fucks. Guess they weren’t expecting any visitors, well too late motherfuckers, I was here, and I was coming for you.

I pulled down the handle slowly, careful to not make any noise.

Pushing the door inwards. I peeked my head around the frame with my gun in hand, clear. Stepping inside. I took in my surrounding’s this place was fucking huge, I had no idea where to look first.

I walked around the ground floor of the house, checking every room and so far, I’d came up empty.

There was a set of stairs that led down to what I can only assume was a basement. Me and the boys started down the stairs, creeping on to the steps quietly, the door was ajar, which set off alarm bells in my head. I pushed it open and winced when it creaked. Stepping inside the room. My legs almost gave away, spots of blood were all over the concrete floor. Some fresh and some dried. I wanted to vomit.

“Fuck,” Callum breathed harshly.

“Shit,” Josh said, shaking his head looking around the room. Both of their eyes were wide in horror. “No man, fuck no.”

“Where the fuck are they Kaden?” Callum turned to me, his expression was angry, but his eyes were hurt and angry. Deep down we all knew whose blood this belonged to, it was killing us.

“There here man, I know it w—”

A heart wrenching scream stopped me mid-sentence. Josh, Callum and I shared a look of rage, we bolted up the steps. We ran down the hall way, following the noise of Eva’s cries, fuck she was hurt, this was all my fault. I could and would never forgive myself for this.

My heart was racing at an irregular speed, I could hear it drumming in my ears. Guilt was now replaced with rage, rage like I had felt never before, I felt it consuming me, right now I needed this rage in order to survive.

When I got my hands-on Anton and Ben, I was going to rip their heads from their bodies. They’d wish they’d never had met me, you don’t fuck with what was mine and Eva was mine.

The screaming stopped, we were met with deafening silence. We’d passed many doors that were empty, but there was one door left and it stood right in front of me.

I dragged my hand down my face and braced myself for the worst. Mike’s guys had caught us up, they were now following behind us.

“You guys ready for this?” I asked both Callum and Josh.

“Fuck, yes. Let’s give these motherfuckers what they deserve,” Josh told me, anger rolled of him in waves.

“Ok. But brace yourself, because anything and I mean fucking anything could be waiting for us behind those doors.”

“We’ve got this,” Callum said to me.

Nodding my head. We crouched and made our way towards the door. Mikes guys stepped in front of us and kicked down the door.

They fired off their guns before I had even entered the room. I didn’t flinch nor react when I heard the sound of a gun being fired, I had been surrounded by this chaos most my life.

Finally entering the room, I didn’t think anyone could prepare themselves for what my eyes saw. My stomach fell to my ass and bile rose to my throat. Voices were raised all around me, but I didn’t hear them. I ran over to were Eva was lying face down on the floor, her blood soaked into the cream coloured carpet. The room was a fucking blood bath. Ben was sitting in front of her, in the corner of the room, holding his neck with his hands, bruises were forming around his neck, he looked at me in horror. Without thinking I grabbed my gun and shot him in the head, his head fell backwards and thumped against the wall. I felt no remorse, if I had the time I would’ve made him suffer, I would have ripped him apart, but time was something I didn’t have.

“You motherfucker,” Anton growled from behind me. “You killed my nephew.”

“And you’ve stabbed my brother and sister you piece of shit,” Callum shouted, looking over my shoulder. Callum had the gun pointed at the back of Anton’s head.

“Don’t,” I warned him. “You’re not a murderer,” standing up. I faced Anton. “This is for my fucking parent’s,” I punched him in the jaw. “And this, this is for hurting what’s mine you piece of shit,” I pushed the barrel of the gun into the centre of his forehead. Looking him straight in the eyes, I saw nothing but darkness, he didn’t care, he never had, he was glad that he had hurt what was mine, he was proud. I pushed the gun harder against his forehead, he didn’t flinch, he knew what was coming next. I blew his brains out and watched his body crumble to the floor.

I needed to get my girl out of here, I had wasted too much time already on these monsters. I grabbed Eva and cradled her to my chest. She was still breathing but barley, she needed a fucking hospital.

“Baby,” I whispered. “Stay with me.”

“Kaden,” she croaked.

“Shush pretty girl, don’t speak, just stay with me,” looking at her made me feel guilty all over again, I felt sick to my stomach. Her face was pale, it illuminated her bruises and cuts. Her dress was torn and dirty, I could see bruises scattered beneath the torn material. She would be left with reminders, she would be scarred, but that wouldn’t be the worst of it, she would never forget any of this mentally, she would be tortured with nightmares. It killed me because I could do nothing to prevent them.

Callum and Josh were crouched beside Caleb, they looked up at me with teary eyes, it gutted me even more. “He’s not fucking breathing man.”

“Grab him,” my voice was hoarse with emotion. “We need to get them to the hospital,” they didn’t move, they just stared at me in shock. “Now!” I shouted.

Callum cradled Caleb into his arms. He was struggling with the weight of his brother’s body.

The room was filled with dead bodies. I had one hell of a mess to clean up, shit I couldn’t think about that right now, I would have to get some of Mikes men on this. Shit my girl was cradled to my chest, holding on by a thread and there was nothing I could do to help her. Tears stung the backs of my eyes. I needed to get my shit together. I needed to keep strong for my girl.

The three of us hurry through the house. Reaching my car, I instruct Callum to go with Mikes team with Caleb. And Josh is to drive my car while I sit in the back with Eva.

We barrelled through the hospital doors, me with Eva in my arms and Callum with Caleb in his.

People stared at us for a moment, in a state of horror. Then everything happened so quickly. Eva was pulled from my arms and placed on a stretcher. They did the same with Caleb. Nurses and doctors piled around the both of them, shooting of instructions to one another, everyone was working at a fast pace, they were saving their lives.

Callum, Josh and I stood there still, feeling useless. Our clothes were now soaked with blood, their blood. It made me hate myself that much more. I was consumed by guilt, this was my fault, this was my life they had both been pulled into. The only thing that mattered now was they were here, we had gotten them here and the nurses and doctors would help them.

They got wheeled through another set of doors, but we were told to stay behind and go into the waiting room.

For hours, we paced the floor, dragged our hands down our faces, pulled at our hair in frustration. We all felt sick with worry, but we also were running thin when it came to being patient.

Melody, Elaine, Liv and John had arrived hours ago, prior to Callum’s phone call. The three women were huddled together, holding each-other in their embraces, supporting one another, tears silently fell down their cheeks, praying for Eva and Caleb to make it through. John stared blankly into space, not knowing what to do or what to say or how he could help. Josh and Callum sat beside each-other, their heads faced the floor, to hide their emotion. And me, I was holding on by a thread. The anger was still there, but the emotions I felt inside were ripping me apart. I wanted to scream, yell and fucking cry. I hated this, I hated feeling this way.

This was all my fault, I fucked up. I’d said this over and over, but I couldn’t forgive myself. I don’t think I ever would. Had I not told Eva I had been back in London, she would’ve never have been in this situation. I loved her though, even then I loved her. She was my heart, she made me whole, she gave me everything I needed. I didn’t care about anything or anyone else all I cared about was her. She was my home, she made me who I was, she made me a better man. I needed her to survive, because if she didn’t, I wouldn’t. I would be a shell of a man without her.

Eva and Caleb were stable. They’d both been placed in medically induced coma’s. They both suffered with swelling around the brain, due to the blows they had received to the head. Caleb’s leg was in a cast because his shin had been shattered, he had internal bleeding surrounding his lung, from where the knife had been plunged into his back. He nearly didn’t make it and unfortunately, he was still in critical condition and had to be kept in intensive care for the next twenty-four hours, it was touch and go with him, for now we kept him in our minds and prays, hoping like hell he was strong enough to pull through, but if I know Caleb, he would fight this.

Eva had suffered with three broken rips, a puncture in her lung which was complicated to repair but they were able to, we were told she would need to be on medication to insure her lung would repair and was able to function again. She had severe swelling around her eyes and jaw, she had cuts on her head, they would now scar. She was doing better, that was a good sign.

Looking at her and her brother gutted me, it was killing me. How could they have been taken right from under my nose, I used to think I was a smart man, but I was wrong, I had kept tabs on him, but he was hidden, completely of the radar. How did I not suspect Ben, I should’ve kept more of an eye on him, if I did, I could’ve dealt with this sooner. This guilt was becoming overwhelming.

I wish those motherfuckers were alive again. I would torture them like they tortured Eva and Caleb, I would rip them apart, gut them, cut off their limbs, I would obliterate them. This anger they had made feel was dangerous and out of control.

“Kaden honey. Go home get showered and get some rest.” Melody said with her hand placed on my shoulder, it gave me comfort I so desperately needed.

Looking over my shoulder. Her eyes were bloodshot, from lack of sleep and crying too much. She had been home, but she didn’t look rested, then again how could you rest knowing your children were lying in a hospital bed in a coma.

I sighed heavily, “I can’t,” my voice was hoarse. “I can’t leave her, I need to be with her,” I looked at Eva lying in the bed. She looked, fragile, vulnerable and broken. I’d been here all night, I hadn’t left her side, I hadn’t let go of her hand, hadn’t eaten, drank, slept. I’d done nothing but sat here and bare my soul to her, begging for her to forgive me for our petty argument, begging her to forgive me for being taken because of my shitty life and what I had been involved in. I hoped she would still love me.

I wished it were me in that hospital bed instead of her. I wished this had never happened. But what use was it thinking of the ifs and buts, because it wouldn’t change a damn thing.

Melody squeezed my shoulder, “you need the rest Kaden. I’m not asking you to go home, I’m telling you to. And if anything changes, you’ll be the first to know”

Raking a hand through my messed hair. I stood up, turning around, I kissed Melody’s cheek and told her I’d be back as soon as possible, she informed me to take my time. In which I wouldn’t, because with Eva lying in a hospital bed it would be impossible for me to rest.