4. Camille

Chapter 4

Camille

T he dim hospital room felt oppressive, the sterile walls pressing in on me as I sat beside Kage’s bed. My fingers clung to his, like holding him tethered to the world was the only thing keeping me grounded. Sleep wasn’t an option—not with the constant replay of the cliff edge, the car teetering, the sound of Davis’s gunshot echoing in my head. Every time I closed my eyes, I was back there, gripping the steering wheel, cold sweat dripping down my palms as the Bugatti swayed.

“You need to sleep, Camille,” Dante said from across the room, his voice low but firm.

“Not happening,” I replied, my voice sharper than I intended. “Every time I close my eyes, I’m right back on that cliff.”

He stepped closer, crouching beside me, his gaze heavy with concern. “You’re safe now. Remember that. He’s safe now.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the door creaked open, cutting me off. I turned, expecting a nurse or doctor, but instead, Bianca stood in the doorway.

“Bianca?” Disbelief and something sharper tangled in my voice.

She still looked like Bianca, flawless in her designer clothes, but her skin was pale, drained of its usual glow. Concern pushed me to my feet, and I almost ran to her…until I remembered how she’d left for California and completely ignored me. I doubt that if something horrible had happened to her, she’d be standing here with her hair gently curled, full makeup, and wearing her Prada jeans and Louboutin boots.

“What, no hug?” she teased, though her tone sounded forced.

I blinked. “Do you know how many times I texted you? How many calls you ignored?” My words snapped like a whip.

Her smile faltered, and she glanced between me, Dante, and Kage’s unconscious form. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Okay, yeah, I’ve been MIA. But I’m here now, aren’t I?”

She stepped closer, arms outstretched like she expected me to just fall into her embrace. “Seriously? You think you can just waltz in here and act like nothing’s happened?”

She winced. “I know, Cami. I screwed up. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” My voice rose, incredulous. “That’s it? You vanish for weeks, ghost me when I need you, and all you’ve got is sorry ?”

Her jaw tightened, a flicker of guilt in her eyes before she turned to Dante. “Help me out here?”

Dante shifted his weight, crossing his arms as he moved to stand behind me. “Not my fight,” he said coolly. “She’s got a point.”

Bianca’s mouth flattened into a thin line. “Fine,” she snapped. “I met someone, okay? Some guy. He swept me off my feet, promised me the world, and then—shockingly—turned out to be a lying piece of shit like most men are.”

“Wow,” I said, blinking. That wasn’t the explanation I expected.

“Are you okay?” I asked her.

“You mean aside from losing my internship, almost getting kicked out of school, having to tell dad about it and then being demoted back to Tier Three?” she asked sarcastically. “Sure, I’m just peachy.”

She’s been demoted from Tier One to Tier Three?

Holy shit.

I wanted to hug her. To tell her I was sorry, that it would be okay. But the betrayal of her silence still stung. The room filled with an awkward tension as I struggled to balance my anger and the bond we shared.

Bianca turned to Dante, offering a weak smile. “Thanks for looking out for her.”

“I always will,” he replied simply, his tone unwavering.

Bianca flinched, the unintentional knife twist visible in her eyes. She took a step closer. “Can we talk? Outside? I’ll grab an Uber afterward, I promise.”

I hesitated, glancing at Kage, still lying unconscious. Leaving him felt wrong, but... this was Bianca.

“I’ll stay,” Dante said, his voice steady. “If anything changes, I’ll text you.”

I nodded, but I squeezed Kage’s hand one last time before kissing his forehead. “I’ll be right back,” I murmured, hugging Dante tightly. His arms wrapped around me, grounding me for a moment before I followed Bianca out into the cool night air.

We walked in silence for a few moments before Bianca broke it. “Three guys, huh?” she said, her tone teasing. “I’m impressed.”

I shrugged, not sure how to respond. After all, I hadn’t even told her that Ty, the new guy at school with the facial scars we’d once talked about, was the boy who’d broken my heart after our Italian love affair two years ago.

Oh, God. Speaking of ex-boyfriends… Did Bianca know about Silas? I chewed my lip, trying to figure out the best way to tell her.

“Bianca… About Silas…”

Her expression closed off. "Don’t worry about it," she said flatly. "I know what he did and what happened to him. He got what he deserved, just like that cop you sent over the cliff."

Wow, she really had been brought up to date.

“How—”

“I have my sources. And here’s the thing, you’re still in danger. Real danger. And it's not just because of what happened tonight or the men who attacked you a few days ago.”

Her tone sent a shiver down my spine. “What are you talking about?”

“Students are going missing. And not just disappearing. They’re being taken . You need to leave Crimsonvale. As soon as possible.”

* * *

"What do you mean kids are going missing?"

Bianca glanced around, as if ensuring we weren't overheard. "I've been talking with the conciliantis , who told me her concerns that there's something dark happening on campus. For the past few years, Tier Three students have been vanishing. Just like Amy Groover. Remember? She was paired with some old guy in Queens. Everyone thought she ran away, but no one's heard from her since."

The gravity of her words hit me like a ton of bricks. "And you think she was kidnapped?"

Bianca nodded grimly. "Kidnapped. Enslaved. Killed. Who knows? Remember Rebecca Alneny? How she went back to France at the end of last semester without any warning? And Sammy O’Donnell? Before you came here, he left for his home country too; all he left was a note in his dorm room. Kennedy King just texted her roommate weeks after she packed up and left, telling her she was back living with her parents, but nobody’s been able to confirm it. All the stories are too similar, too convenient. There's always an excuse why no one can get in touch with them."

I swallowed hard. "Shit! And now you're back in Tier Three."

"You know I can handle myself. We’re talking about you here.”

I felt a surge of irritation at her casual dismissal of the danger. "And you think I can't take care of myself? I'm not some helpless damsel in distress, Bianca." Granted, I’d been attacked and almost run off the road, but I’d fought back. Even as Kage, Dante, and Ty had come to my rescue, I’d had a real hand in saving myself, too.

She reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I know you're tough, Camille. You’re a storm, remember? But being tough doesn't make you invincible.”

The night air was cool against my skin as I stood there, trying to digest everything Bianca was saying. I pulled away, frustration bubbling inside me. "So, what? You just waltz back into my life to tell me I'm in danger and need to run away? That's bullshit."

"You were roofied ," she reminded me. "Attacked by three men. Then you almost flew off a cliff. And you don’t think you should get yourself as far away from here as possible?"

I crossed my arms, my mind racing. “I survived all that, Bianca.”

“And to keep surviving, leaving Crimsonvale is the safest option for you right now."

"I can't just run away," I protested, my voice barely above a whisper.

"And I can't lose you,” Bianca shot back, her voice hot with certainty. "I know you hate this, but please, just consider it."

I saw the real fear in her eyes. Despite her recent erratic behavior, my sister loved me just as much as I loved her. She was my best friend. And it was only hours earlier that I’d been faced with the possibility of losing someone I loved, having to decide whether to escape the Bugatti while Kage was still in it.

Most importantly, Bianca and I, along with our younger sister Elise, all lost our mother. Even though Bianca hid it better, I knew how traumatic that had been for her. I couldn’t just dismiss Bianca’s worry for me out of turn. Yet the thought of running away wasn’t a real option for me either. "I'll think about it," I conceded, not wanting to argue further.

Bianca nodded, then added, "And you can’t tell anyone what I’ve told you. Especially not any of the guys you’re involved with. We absolutely don’t know who we can trust."

I felt a shiver run down my spine, automatically wanting to deny her request.

Kage, Dante and even Ty had risked their lives to save me.

But could I say without a shadow of a doubt that I trusted them completely?

Even Kage was still a closed book in many ways.

I trusted them to protect me, but when it came to other students…

The word trust felt heavy, almost foreign. In a world where secrets were currency, trust was a luxury I wasn’t sure I could afford anymore.

"I hate this," I admitted, my voice breaking slightly. "But I’ll agree to that, at least for right now. But what about the conciliantis ? Are you so sure you can trust her?”

“The only one I trust completely is you . But I’m inclined to believe her for now.” Bianca reached out, squeezing my hand. "I just want you to be safe, Cami. That's all that matters. If you’re staying, even temporarily, you need to go on as if everything's normal. We can't do anything to arouse suspicion."

"I get it. Act normal, don't ask questions."

"Exactly. And you need to search your chateau for bugs, cameras, or mics. We don't know who's watching or listening."

"I will," I assured her, already planning a thorough search of the chateau.

Bianca gave me a long, hard look, as if trying to imprint the seriousness of the situation into my mind. "Be careful, Cami. And remember, trust no one."