SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 170

The first explosion rocked the cabin, sending dust raining from the tunnel ceiling. Alexander and Stefan pressed forward, fighting against the urge to retreat. Behind them, the passage began to collapse.

"Move!" Alexander shouted as they burst through the exit into the stormy night.

Rain hit their faces like tiny needles. The boathouse stood twenty yards ahead, its weathered blue paint visible in the lightning flashes. Two armed men guarded the entrance, their attention fixed on the main cabin as it began to burn.

Alexander signaled to his team, spreading them into position around the clearing. Stefan crouched behind a fallen tree, his heart hammering against his ribs. From inside the boathouse came the sound of raised voices.

"The boat won't start!" a man yelled.

"Fix it!" Rose's voice, sharp with panic. "We need to leave now!"

Alexander caught Stefan's eye, mouthing the words: _Three. Two. One._

The team surged forward. The guards spun, raising their weapons, but Alexander's men fired first, non-lethal rounds that dropped both men to the wet ground.

"Breach!" Alexander ordered.

The boathouse door splintered inward. Inside, the scene unfolded in chaotic snapshots:

Rose standing on a small dock.

A speedboat bobbing in the water.

Three more guards, weapons ready.

And Camille, her wrists bound, her face bruised, but her eyes fierce with defiance.

"Down!" Alexander shouted as gunfire erupted.

Stefan dove behind a stack of old barrels, the smell of long-ago fish bait stinging his nostrils. Alexander and his team returned fire, the space filling with the deafening crack of weapons and shouts of pain.

Through the chaos, Stefan saw Rose dragging Camille toward the boat. Camille fought back, making herself as difficult to move as possible, but she was weakened from captivity.

Without thinking, Stefan launched himself from behind the barrels.

He stayed low, using the firefight as cover. Neither Alexander nor Rose noticed him skirting the edge of the dock, moving closer to where Rose struggled with Camille.

"Stop fighting me!" Rose hissed, yanking Camille's arm. "This is your fault! It's always your fault!"

Camille twisted, trying to break free. "It's over, Rose. It's been over for a long time."

Rose's face contorted with rage. She raised her hand to strike Camille just as Stefan reached them.

Stefan grabbed

face before hardening into hate. "You!" She kicked at him, connecting

grip on her arm. "Rose, stop. There's nowhere to

gunfire slowed, then stopped. Alexander's team had subdued Rose's men. Only the

eyes. She reached into her pocket

back," she snarled, pointing it at Stefan, then swinging it toward Camille.

"Rose...." Stefan began.

higher. "I should have killed her properly the first time. I should have watched my men kill

of the dock, weapon raised. "Put

laughed, the sound brittle and broken. "It's not finished until I say it is." She pressed the gun harder

poured down, soaking them all. In the distance, the main cabin blazed

lowered

smirked. "Now

his eyes off Rose. His face showed nothing, but Stefan recognized the tension in

Stefan," Rose ordered. "Move away

his ground. "Let

play happy families again?" She shook her

from you, Rose," Camille said quietly. "You always had a place. A home. A

everything you couldn't be!" Her grip on the gun trembled slightly. "Why can't you be more like Rose, Camille? Rose gets better friends. Rose is more social. Rose

inching to the side, using the distraction to get

attention. "I know what it's like

"You

careful step

The perfect businessman.

gun hand

was unconscious stirred, reaching

Everything happened at once.

The guard fired wildly.

Alexander lunged forward.

spun toward the

Camille, pushing

she had

Stefan's shoulder. Hot, searing pain that stole his breath and sent him crashing to his knees. He heard shouting,

of pain,

scratching and biting like a cornered animal. The gun flew from her hand, skittering across the wet

Rose screamed, slamming her fist into Alexander's

locked his arms around Rose, pinning her own to her sides. "It's over," he

limp so suddenly that Alexander nearly lost his grip. Then, with a cry of pure rage, she twisted

moment, Rose teetered at the edge of the dock, her eyes wide with surprise. Then she

was faster. Two men

on his face, gentle but urgent. Camille knelt before him, her

me," she commanded. Her voice seemed to come from far away.