Camila felt her heart squeeze when she heard a particular sound, turning wide-eyes to Samuel as her heart seized in her chest.
“Was that…” she started, her voice breathy, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. Still, she was pretty sure she’d just heard a gunshot, and there were more following the first one.
Samuel had an alarmed expression as he pulled his phone out and made a quick call. He didn’t step away from Camila, just wrapped an arm around her and held her close. She moved closer so she could listen into the call.
“What’s happening out there?” Samuel asked briskly as soon as the call was picked up.
Camila could just faintly understand the other person, but she did hear what was going on outside.
“We have a bit of a situation on the outside.”
“Is Adrien there?”
“No, Mr. Kane, it’s not your brother, it’s several assailants. We’ve called for backup already, but it appears that it’s the group of convicts who escaped the prison at the same time your brother did.”
Samuel gritted his teeth, grinding them so hard Camila wondered if it hurt. She couldn’t even feel fear, knowing that there were people shooting it out with the police not too far from where they were. She just felt numb all over, and she couldn’t stop listening in.
“What happened?” Samuel asked, his voice a low growl.
“We do have some news on your brother’s escape. It appears that he paid a few people, including some guards, to help with the escape. He was the mastermind behind it all, and the people outside of your house are probably being paid by him as well. Please stay inside, our people will be handling this. Backup should be arriving soon.”
The call was hung up immediately after he finished speaking, but Camila didn’t really feel reassured.
How could she? A bunch of convicts Adrien had let out of prison were in a gunfight with the police just outside of the mansion. She didn’t realize it until Samuel took one of her hands in his and he turned to her with a look of concern, but her whole body was trembling, and it was very visible. She blinked up at him, but couldn’t seem to find any words to give him.
“It will be okay, sweetheart, the police are taking care of it,” Samuel murmured. “I am sorry for this. Everything should have ended when Adrien was arrested. He should have spent years in jail for all of this.” He looked down at her in concern. “He will spend the rest of his life in jail if I have any say about it.” He pulled her close and kissed her temple.
Camila, scared as she was, nodded. “I just want to be happy and be able to relax. This is just…” she let her words trail off, not even sure how to put into words everything she was feeling.
“I’m so sorry. I never would have expected Adrien would turn into this, a prison escapee. A fugitive running away from the law.” He sounded so confused and regretful. “If I had known, I swear, Camila, I would never have brought you into this house. I would have made sure he was taking his meds, I would have—”
Camila placed a finger over his lips and then kissed him. “I know,” she murmured. “This isn’t on you, Samuel, it’s on him.”
“I just don’t understand when did Adrien turn this way? How did I miss this?” Samuel shook his head. “I mean, surely there must have been something that led to all this, right? I just… my parents never said…” He frowned and set his chin on her head as he held her close.
“You couldn’t have known. You were gone for many years, and then your parents dying, you could only go by what you knew. This isn’t your fault.” Camila leaned back and looked him in the eyes. She was still terrified, but there wasn’t anything Samuel could have done differently and she didn’t want him thinking there was and blaming himself.
Camila glanced across the room at the windows. She wondered if Adrien was out there somewhere. Was he watching? Was he waiting out there somewhere for them to make a move? The walls were thick and the windows were secure, but they were all that was separating them from all the trouble outside. Thinking about it did nothing to lessen her fear.
So many ‘what if’ scenarios flashed through her mind. The worst of them involved someone dead, and a part of her couldn’t help thinking this was exactly what would happen.
Another gunshot rang out. The sound was plenty muffled, but it was an unmistakable explosion from a gun. She’d never heard one in real life, but she knew they were terrifying.
She wanted to move to a window or something, if only she could actually see what was going on, she wouldn’t be so afraid. Just standing there and wondering what was going on made her feel worse. Still, her body wouldn’t move a single inch, her mind trying to shut itself down so she wouldn’t have to deal with what was happening.
Suddenly there was the sound of shattering glass and they all dropped to the floor.