Chapter 7 - THE MAN ROMAN REFUSED TO BECOME AGAIN
Elliot took Camille from her parents’ house four days later.
Not because security failed completely.
Because Camille insisted on returning home.
She needed the wedding dress gone.
Needed the flowers gone.
Needed to sleep once in her own childhood room without the ultrasound sitting on the bed.
Roman objected.
Politely.
Then less politely.
Camille went anyway.
Federal protection parked outside.
Her parents were home.
Nadia came.
The world did not end.
Until 8:20 p.m.
A delivery driver arrived carrying a garment return bag from the bridal boutique.
Camille’s mother opened the side door.
The driver showed identification.
Correct company.
Correct order number.
Correct return authorization.
Camille stepped into the hall.
The driver removed his cap.
Elliot Crane.
She recognized him one second too late.
He grabbed Diane.
Gun against her side.
“Quiet.”
Camille stopped.
Her father stood in the kitchen.
Nadia was upstairs.
The federal agents outside saw nothing through the curtains.
Elliot looked exhausted.
Wild-eyed.
“You come with me.”
Camille stared.
“No.”
He pressed the gun harder against Diane.
Her mother gasped.
Camille’s chest froze.
“Okay.”
Diane shook her head.
“No.”
Camille looked at her mother.
Then Elliot.
“I’m coming.”
He forced Camille through the garage.
Into a delivery van.
Zip tie around her wrists.
Phone removed.
No dramatic struggle.
She knew better.
Survive first.
Think second.
The van moved.
Elliot sat opposite.
“You ruined everything.”
Camille almost laughed.
“Apparently I’m very powerful.”
“If you had married Trevor—”
“You’re blaming the canceled wedding?”
“He would have left.”
“With my money.”
“Yes.”
“At least you’re honest.”
Elliot’s face twisted.
“Dominic wants the federal archive number.”
“Serena already gave it.”
“We know.”
“So why me?”
“Roman.”
There it was.
Camille felt cold.
“He cares about you.”
“Does he?”
Elliot smiled.
“Yes.”
Camille did not know what to do with the warmth that rose despite terror.
“That seems like his problem.”
“It’s yours now.”
The van entered an underground garage.
Old hotel.
Closed for renovation.
Elliot moved her upstairs.
Dominic waited in a ballroom stripped to concrete.
Ironically.
Another empty wedding-like room.
Camille almost laughed.
Dominic Kessler was fifty.
Silver hair.
Expensive coat.
The kind of man who looked legitimate until you studied how everyone else moved around him.
“So.”
He looked at Camille.
“Trevor’s bride.”
“Former.”
“Roman’s new weakness.”
“Allegedly.”
Dominic smiled.
“I like you.”
“That makes one of us.”
He sat.
“What do I want?”
Camille stared.
“You tell me.”
“The archive.”
“Federal government has it.”
“The number is only the door.”
“Then what’s the key?”
“Serena’s testimony.”
Camille understood.
Dominic wanted Serena silenced.
“You want Roman to bring her.”
“Yes.”
“He won’t.”
“He might for you.”
Camille laughed softly.
Dominic’s expression changed.
“What?”
“You don’t know him.”
“And you do?”
“No.”
She leaned back.
“But I know one thing.”
“What?”
“He is trying very hard not to be the man you expect.”
Dominic’s smile faded.
Camille hoped she was right.
Roman received the video at 9:06.
Camille on a chair.
Hands bound.
Dominic behind her.
Request:
Serena in exchange for Camille.
No police.
No federal agents.
Roman watched once.
Then again.
Serena stood beside him.
“No.”
Roman looked at his sister.
Dominic had demanded her.
She was refusing.
“Camille—”
“Would refuse too,” Serena said.
Roman closed his eyes.
Rebecca Sloan entered.
“We track the video.”
“They’ll move.”
“Yes.”
“What if we run out of time?”
Rebecca looked at him.
“Then you trust us.”
Roman laughed bitterly.
“Not my strongest skill.”
Serena stepped closer.
“You trusted fear instead of me for years.”
He looked at her.
“Try something else.”
Roman nodded.
They traced audio.
Construction sounds.
Aircraft.
A church bell.
Nadia recognized the ballroom wall pattern from an old Chicago hotel.
The Carrington Grand.
Closed for renovation.
Federal teams moved.
Dominic called Roman directly before they arrived.
“You bring Serena.”
“No.”
Silence.
Camille heard through the speaker in the ballroom.
Dominic smiled.
“Then I kill your woman.”
Roman’s voice remained calm.
“She is not my woman.”
Camille’s breath caught.
Dominic laughed.
“Cold.”
Roman continued.
“Camille belongs to herself.”
Her eyes filled.
Of all moments.
That sentence.
“She will hate me if I trade Serena for her.”
Dominic’s face hardened.
“She’ll be alive to hate you.”
Roman paused.
Then:
“She would rather I listen.”
Camille closed her eyes.
Yes.
Dominic moved the gun toward her.
Then sirens sounded outside.
Elliot shouted.
Dominic struck Camille hard enough to knock the chair sideways.
Chaos.
Federal agents breached.
Elliot ran.
Roman entered behind tactical officers despite explicit instructions.
Camille saw him.
“Idiot!”
Even then.
He almost smiled.
Dominic grabbed her by the arm.
Gun near her head.
Roman stopped.
Not reaching for a weapon.
No threat.
“Let her go.”
Dominic laughed.
“You really changed.”
Roman looked at Camille.
“Are you hurt?”
“Ask me later.”
Good.
Still her.
Dominic pressed the gun closer.
“Give me Serena.”
Roman said:
“No.”
Camille breathed.
Correct.
Dominic’s face twisted.
“Then watch.”
Before he could move, Elliot appeared from a side corridor.
Gun raised.
Not at Camille.
At Dominic.
“Enough.”
Dominic turned.
“You.”
“You left me.”
“You failed.”
Elliot’s hand shook.
Then Trevor’s voice came from somewhere outside.
Recorded audio.
Federal agents had played Elliot’s own confession through a loudspeaker.
Elliot froze.
Distracted.
Rebecca shouted.
Agents moved.
Camille dropped her weight.
Dominic’s grip slipped.
Roman pulled her clear as agents tackled Dominic.
A shot fired.
Elliot fell.
Shoulder.
Alive.
Handcuffed.
Dominic screamed threats until they dragged him away.
Camille shook violently.
Roman held her.
Then loosened immediately.
“Can I?”
She looked at him.
Even now asking.
“Yes.”
He pulled her against him.
Camille buried her face against his chest.
“I knew you wouldn’t bring Serena.”
“I almost did.”
She pulled back.
“What?”
Roman looked ashamed.
“For ten seconds.”
“Then?”
“I heard your voice in my head telling me I don’t get to decide everyone else’s life because I’m afraid.”
Camille laughed through tears.
“I’m extremely annoying.”
“Yes.”
She touched his face.
He stared.
“Camille.”
She kissed him.
Brief.
Shaking.
Terrible timing.
Perfect.
When she pulled back, Roman looked stunned.
“That was not gratitude.”
“Good.”
“And it was not permission for you to become impossible.”
“I was already impossible.”
“True.”
Outside, Dominic Kessler was placed into a federal vehicle.
Elliot followed under guard.
Trevor remained hospitalized and charged.
Vincent remained detained.
The network was collapsing.
But the moment Camille remembered later was not the arrests.
It was Roman saying she belonged to herself when another man tried to turn her into leverage.
Trevor had wanted a wife he could use.
Dominic wanted a woman he could trade.
Roman had finally understood the difference between loving someone and owning their choices.
And that was when Camille became afraid of something entirely new.
May you like
Not Roman Vale.
Falling in love with him.
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