His Redemption

Chapter Eighteen

Eva's pov

The drive felt endless.

Evangeline sat trapped between the two armed men, her soaked clothes clinging to her skin while tears silently streamed down her face. Her hands shook uncontrollably in her lap.

Who are these men? And why did they kidnap me? She wandered.

Did Celeste make them do this? Did she do this so she could finally get rid of me?

Did she hate me that much? To want to kill me?

Her mind raced in endless circles, every thought colliding with the next before she could breathe.

Her mind then drifted to her boss. Where she laid on the ground in a pool of blood.

She hoped that Mrs Hart pulled through. She didn't deserve to get hurt because of her. The old women was compassionate with a gentle soul. She was kind enough to offer Eva a job when no one else wanted to. And as for Brayden she hoped he wasn't mad at her. It was her fault his grandmother had gotten shot, she stood up for Eva and in the end she got hurt and she's probably fighting for her life.

I could never be happy and at peace, she thought as the tears rolled down her face. My life is always going to be miserable. My own family hates me, my mother especially, the one who had given birth to me despises me. The only person who truly cared about me is Soren.

Eva lost in her thoughts hadn't realized the SUV parked on the curb near a building with its glowing sign, tinted windows, and pulsing lights.

The doors opened and Eva turned to see the men getting out.

“Get out,” the taller one sneered.

Evangeline hesitated for a moment.

But then her eyes widened when the man pressed his gun against her shoulder.

“Now.”

Terrified, she climbed out into the freezing rain. Her shoes splashed through puddles as the men dragged her toward the back entrance of the club.

They walked down a narrow staircase led underground, the loud music fading into an eerie silence with every step.

The basement beneath the club was dark, cold, and hidden away from the chaos upstairs. The air smelled of damp concrete, alcohol, and something unsettling lingering beneath it all.

"Sit," the man said shoving her down the chair.

Another appeared with a thick rope in his grip. A cruel smirk crossed his face as he

began tightening the rough rope around her wrist first, not the injured one that was still in a sling. The fibers bit into her skin as he pulled hard enough to make the knots strain.

He moved quickly looping the rope around the arms of the chair again and again until there was barely any room to move.

Eva struggled, the chair creaking beneath her, but the man only tightened the restraints further. He secured another

around her ankles, forcing her legs against the chair legs.

A sharp sting pulsed through her hand, making every small movement painful. She gritted her teeth ignoring the throbbing pain.

He got up smirking at her.

"You can't run now neither can you scream," he said clicking a photo of her.

"Not like anyone's going to help her," the shorter one pipped.

Eva's heart sunk hearing the man say that. It was true nobody was going to save her not her family and definitely not Soren because he has no idea where she is.

The man grinned staring at her photo. "When Killian sees this he's going to lose it."

Eva froze, her eyes widening. Was Killian the one who had abducted her? And if so why did he do it?

She shook away those negative thoughts.

No, he wouldn't do it. Killian wouldn't hurt her. He isn't like that.

"What do we do next?" the same man asked.

The taller one who had dragged Eva out of the store spoke.

"We wait for the boss to tell us what to do next."

"Why can't we have some fun with her?" The shorter one with wavy blond hair asked.

A cold wave of dread settled deep in her stomach the moment those words were spoken.

"Nicholas gave me strict instructions not to touch her," the taller one said.

Nicholas? Who's he? She wandered.

"Then I'm going to head to the club,"

He replied. "I need a drink."

"Don't be to long," the taller one said.

Her heartbeat seemed to calm, the overwhelming panic giving way.

Seeing the man that wanted to hurt leave the basement, the metal door crashed closed behind him.

Suddenly the sharp ring of a phone cut through the silence. The taller man pulled it out of his pocket and answered it.

Eva watched the man speak over the phone in another language one she couldn't understand.

The man soon ended the call and pocketed the phone, he then walked over to Eva and crouched to her level.

"Looks like you will need to be out for a while," he smirked.

Panic hit her like a sudden shock, cutting through thought and leaving everything scattered.

What did he mean by that? Was he going to hurt her?

Eva's eyes widened with alarm as the man pressed a cloth firmly over her mouth and nose. The smell was strong and bitter, it smelt like a chemical smell making Eva caugh.

The room seemed to tilt around her while muffled sounds echoed in the background. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, her body going limp against the chair as exhaustion and disorientation took over.

_________________________________________________

Eva felt someone shaking her, gripping her shoulder as the person tried to pull her back to consciousness. “Wake up,” they said firmly, their voice cutting through the haze. Eva's eyes were still shut, her head lolled to the side.

Another shake followed, stronger this time, accompanied by repeated calls of her name.

"Eva wake up!"

Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open, unfocused and heavy with exhaustion. Confusion clouded her expression as she struggled to understand what was going on and who they were until her eyes landed on the ground.

Eva's eyes widened in horror.

The three men that abducted her were laying on the ground dead.

"It's okay," the man infront of her murmured.

Eva looked up, tears blurred her vision.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I promise," the man said as he began to untie the ropes on her.

"I'm Colton," he said, loosening the rope on her wrist. "I'm friends with Killian, he sent me to get you," he explained.

Killian? He sent his men to rescue me? Eva thought she'd never get out of here and no one was coming to rescue her.

Relief hit her so suddenly it almost felt overwhelming. She was grateful that he helped her but what she didn't understand was why she was abducted in the first place? And who were those men? Who was Nicholas and what did he want with her?

Eva was confused and exhausted. She needed a good rest and when tomorrow came she will find out.

Once Colton loosened the restraints, he carefully but gently helped her to her feet, steadying her when her knees nearly gave out.

"Can you walk?" he asked softly.

Eva nodded.

"Okay, let's get you out of here."

_________________________________________________

Colton's grip on Eva's arm was steady as he guided her toward the doctors room.

Colton had informed Killian that he had to take Eva to the hospital because of her hand.

Killian was enraged assuming Nicholas’s men hurt her but when Colton told him what Eva had told him earlier on when he asked her in the car how she had gotten hurt. Eva told Colton that she slipped and fell at work.

Colton knew she was lying but left it. He knew Killian wouldn't let the matter rest until he found out who hurt her.

As they entered the doctor's room it was quite and clean, with a calm, clinical stillness that felt almost too controlled.

The air carried a faint scent of antiseptic, sharp but not unpleasant, mixed with the subtle smell of paper, latex gloves, and disinfectant wipes.