Chapter 5

CAMILLE'S POINT OF VIEW

The parking garage of the hotel where i lodged was too quiet. My heels echoed against concrete, each click bouncing off empty cars and shadowed pillars. It was late, past midnight, but something felt wrong. Off.

My confrontation with Rose and my family had left me drained, empty except for the cold satisfaction of finally seeing behind her mask. I fumbled with my key fob, wanting nothing more than to get to my hotel room and plan my next move.

A car door slammed somewhere in the darkness.

I stopped, listening. Nothing but the hum of fluorescent lights and the distant sound of traffic.

My phone buzzed in my purse. Rose's number. I declined it, but not before noticing my signal had dropped to one bar.

Perfect.

Footsteps behind me. Multiple sets.

I walked faster, cursing my choice of heels. The hotel's elevator was just around

the corner, past a row of concrete pillars. If I could just...

"Going somewhere, Mrs. Rodriguez?"

A man stepped out from behind a pillar. Tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in black. Professional. Two more appeared behind me, cutting off my retreat.

Not a random attack, then.

despite my racing heart. "And I have a dinner reservation, so if

It wasn't a nice

carrying after

remain anonymous." He stepped closer.

didn't let him finish. The pepper spray caught him

my heels as I sprinted for the elevator. The other two men shouted,

there. Just a

yanking me backward. My purse went

nice." The first man's voice was rough with

hands gripped my arms. I fought, kicking, scratching, but

be difficult." The first man wiped his streaming eyes. "Said you

had Rose written all over it. Her parting shot, making sure I

you're going to kill me," I spat, "at least have the guts to look me

Just a message. A reminder of what happens to

caught me in the stomach, driving the air from my lungs. I doubled over, gasping, but the

life." Another blow, this one

blood. My vision blurred, pain shooting through my body. But I wouldn't cry. Wouldn't give Rose

"That's enough."

voice cut through the garage like

from the

woman. Tall, elegant, probably in her fifties but

more than my car, her

that caught me. Sharp, intelligent, and

one of my attackers started,

have a very bad day." The woman's voice was ice. "Release

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