60. Dante

Chapter 60

Dante

“ P lay dead,” I murmured to Camille just before I lifted her into my arms. Immediately, she closed her eyes, her body going completely lax. I couldn't help but admire her bravery. She was ready to play her part in this dangerous charade, trusting me to carry us through.

I called out to the men who were about to take Simone outside. "Got another one for you!"

Both men turned. “Who the fuck are you?”

"The university president caught her snooping around his house," I lied smoothly. "Told me to bring her here, said to treat her the same way as the other one."

His eyes lit up, a disturbing glint of anticipation in them. The other, more skeptical one, eyed me warily. "And how do we know you're not bullshitting us?"

Without missing a beat, I lifted my shirt just enough to reveal the hastily drawn tree 'tattoo' on my hip – in the dark, it needed to pass. I clenched my jaw, waiting for him to satisfy himself – was it going to be enough?

After a moment, the one carrying Simone said, “Bring her here.”

As I moved closer, I scanned the area for any sign of an opening, an opportunity to turn the tables on these bastards. The one with his hands free reached for Camille, the gleam in his eyes that of a predator inches away from his prey. My heart pounded against my ribcage, not with fear, but with the simmering rage of a storm about to break. “Here you go,” I said.

In that split second, as he reached out, greed and anticipation painting his despicable features, Camille struck like lightning. She launched herself out of my arms and onto the man, who fell to the ground under the impact of her weight. He stumbled into the other man, who also lost his balance, dropping Simone on the ground. He reached for a weapon, but I dealt with him quickly. My fists were relentless, hammers chiseling away at his defiance, each blow a sentence in the story of his defeat. His attempts to dislodge me were futile, his strength ebbing away with each second, until finally, his resistance faded, his consciousness slipping away into the dark abyss.

When I looked back at Camille, she’d risen to her feet with her captor. She kneed him in the groin. The impact was immediate and devastating. His face contorted in agony, a silent scream frozen on his lips as he crumpled, a heap of misery on the cold ground.

As I turned to Simone, her eyelids fluttered, signs of consciousness returning to her battered form. I gripped her arm, trying to pull her back to reality.

"Simone, can you hear me?" I asked, urgency lacing my words. She groaned, a sound filled with pain but also life.

"Wha...what happened?" she mumbled, confusion clouding her eyes as they struggled to focus on me.

"We got you. You're safe now," Camille assured her as she rushed to her side.

Before we could rejoice in our small win, the piercing wail of sirens sliced through the night, red and blue lights painting the dark with ominous strokes. Camille and I exchanged a glance, the unspoken question hanging heavy between us: were these cops coming to help us or hurt us?

As the police cars skidded to a halt, officers emerged, their hands on their holsters, authoritative voices cutting through the tension with commanding bellows.

"Hands up! Everyone, hands up now!"

Without hesitation, we complied, our hands raised in surrender.

That's when Officer Conroy stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the scene with a professional detachment that did little to hide the surprise flickering in his eyes. His focus landed on us, and with a decisive nod, he ordered, "I need Dante and Camille cuffed. Now."

A guttural sound escaped me. "You're not cuffing her," I growled.

Camille's hand found mine, her touch a silent plea for calm. "It's okay," she said, her voice steady, her gaze locked with Conroy's. "He just needs to secure the scene. Don't you, Conroy?"

The officer met her stare, a flicker of understanding passing between them. "That's right," he finally said, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.

As the cuffs clicked around my wrists, the sound of tires screeching on the asphalt tore through the relief that had just begun to settle over us. Heads turned in unison towards the noise, every muscle in my body tensed for what might come next. But as the dust settled and the car doors flew open, relief washed over me in an overwhelming wave. It was Kage, Ty, and Bianca—alive, albeit not entirely unharmed but alive.

Kage, with that stubborn look of determination that seemed permanently etched onto his face, limped towards us, supported by Ty on one side and Bianca on the other. The sight of them sparked a surge of emotion so strong it nearly bowled me over. Camille's face lit up, tears of relief and joy shimmering in her eyes as she ran towards them.

"Jesus, Kage, you're a sight for sore eyes," I greeted him, clapping him on the shoulder, carefully avoiding his injuries.

Kage grunted, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Wouldn't miss this reunion for the world. How's Simone?"

Camille, who had enveloped Bianca in a tight hug, pulled back to look at Kage. "She's awake," she said, her voice thick with emotion. Camille threw herself into Kage’s arms then held out her arms for Ty, who joined in the group hug. I wanted to join in but held back.

The moment was broken by the approach of Officer Conroy, his expression a mix of concern and professionalism. "We're going to need to take statements from everyone," he announced, eyeing Kage's injuries with a frown. "And you," he said, pointing to Kage, "need to be checked out by a medic."

Kage started to protest, but Camille cut him off. "You're going, and that's final. We've all been through hell tonight. I want to end it with the knowledge that we’re all safe. Then I want to find Elise.”