Page 75 of Beautiful Chaos

I maintained a straight face, trying to appear unreadable, but on the inside, I was in a state of panic, feeling as though I was losing control over everything within me.

I had no idea what was happening to me. I felt sweat dripping from my forehead, but my body shivered. My breaths were labored and the sounds around me suddenly became muffled. The steady ringing in my ears was so loud.

What’s happening to me?

Moments later, my eyes rolled back, and my head drooped. I became aware of the surrounding voices, yet I couldn’t piece them together to understand what was being said; The voices intensified, becoming louder and more furious, but still, they meant nothing.

I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn’t. I had lost control over the movements of my body. It felt like I was trapped in a shell of myself.

After what felt like an eternity, I was being moved. My wrists were released, one after the other. The sudden absence of my body weight from my joints was an excruciating agony. My entire body was on fire. I wanted to scream or thrash or fight back, anything to gain an ounce of control over my situation, and what felt like the end of my life. Still, at every attempt nothing happened.

Loud bangs caused the ringing in my ear to become even more audible, and a harsh metallic smell assaulted my senses.

I felt strong hands wrap around my waist catching me as I fell forward at my release. I heard some mumbled words against my neck as I was lifted and laid against what I could only assume was a hard chest. The vibration of movement and the sound of more mumbled words lulled me into the darkness.

Chapter 52

JASPER

My hands were still raised as I watched him look around the room in victory. He smirked as if he had already won the battle. Little did he know this was the plan all along. I looked over to Harper, but what I saw across her face was gut-wrenching.

Terror and fear filled her eyes as she tried to keep her head held high. Hiding her true feelings from everyone, but me. She was bruised and deflated. I wanted so badly to hold her, to get close enough that I could remove all the chains and cuffs from her beautiful porcelain skin.

Whoever bound her was fearful of her escape, this was evident in the excessive use of bindings. I smirked at the idea of her giving them hell when they were trying to get her up on display like that. If I knew her at all, I knew it knew she didn’t make it easy for them.

Her eyes glossed over as I set my gun to the ground. My heart sank when the unshed tears filled her eyes, her chin rose higher. I knew it was a big risk. I had to let her know we would get out of this basement alive. I needed to relieve her worries, even if it was almost over.

Being so close to my beautiful goddess while she was in distress, unable to comfort her, was tearing me apart and fueling my rage.

I looked directly into her sorrowful green eyes. Despite, being red and swollen, they were the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen.

Look at me, baby. Look at me. I need your eyes. I willed her silently, to look in my direction, and when she finally did. She was blank. Lost. If the sight of her so broken didn’t pierce my heart, then the emptiness glaring at me from my sweet, beautiful girl certainly did.

I glanced at Malice, who had just lowered his gun and smirked, seeking approval from the handful of men surrounding us. I surveyed the room, counting his men, and watched the shadows flit across the small window, as my backup prepared to take these assholes down. That’s when something caught my eye.

Harper’s face paled and her eyes rolled. She sunk lifeless. My heart stopped and my vision blurred, I lunged for her. Startling Malice, who was completely unaware of what was happening to her. He pulled his gun and placed it on my head, but I didn’t care. I proceeded to free Harper from her restraints, checking her pulse to find it faint.

I need to take her away from this place now!

“Hold on baby, it’s almost over,” I whispered into her ear, slowly releasing her arms. They were stiff and I was thankful she wasn’t conscious to feel the ache I knew she would be feeling.

“Now!” I screamed.

The door burst open, wood splinters, and debris scattered. The deadbolt, once attached to the door frame, flew off and smacked the poor shmuck guarding it in the face, distracting Malice, and his gun, which was still pointed at me.

I threw my arm up and knocked it out of his hand. It made a clattering noise against the concrete as I dropped down, tucking my head and cradling Harper’s limp body, shielding her from what was about to happen.

Hector, accompanied by two other men I didn’t recognize, came out from their hiding spot and positioned themselves in front of me and Harper. The sound of guns firing, and bullets ricocheting followed shortly after.

Harper mumbled something incoherent. I held her tighter against my body, my lips against her temple trying my hardest to keep the flying bullets away from her unconscious frame.

“I’ve got you, baby, it won’t be long now. You are going to be okay, Doll, please be okay.” I murmured into her ear. My words carried the weight of a plea, a prayer, whatever it took to get her back to me. I didn’t know if she could hear me, but if she could I wanted her to know I was right fucking here.

* * *

The gunfire slowed, but I hesitated before lifting my head. Only to find that most of the men surrounding me had collapsed into heaps on the floor. My stomach churned as I spotted a pair of overpriced penny loafers on someone in a leather jacket with dark hair, facing the wall across the room. Releasing Harper would be the only way to reach him, so instead, I yelled toward what I could only assume, was Max sprawled on the floor.

“Max. Damn you, get up!” Praying he would look at me, I watched closely for any sign of life left in him. I watched for the rise and fall motion of breathing, but he was still.