Camille's POV "I'm at Fleur de Sel. We need to talk." Caesar's message glowed on the screen, dismantling every defense I had put up. At the hospital, he'd said he would stay away, that he was dangerous… yet here I was, a lovesick fool, ignoring every warning. He needed help. The arson attack on Lush had been vicious. And besides, Caesar had gone back into that burning building to get me. I didn't need anything else to trust him. Against my mother's wishes, I ordered a rideshare, using the excuse that I needed to see Lucy and find out how she was doing. But I went to the address he'd given me instead. The meeting place was far too isolated… far too quiet. Why would Caesar meet me there? The restaurant looked like a facade in the middle of nowhere. I ignored the tightness in my chest, the instinct screaming that something was wrong. I got out of the car, which drove away almost immediately, and walked a few steps, looking around. The street was deserted, and the restaurant was

Julia's POV I paced back and forth, my heels echoing against the dirty concrete floor, keeping time with my impatience. The air in the room felt heavy, thick with irritation. Romeo leaned against the wall, watching me in silence as though he were enjoying a particularly interesting show. "You've been pacing for more than ten minutes," he commented, his voice calm, almost bored. "Can I ask why?" I stopped abruptly and turned toward him. It was hard to explain that Camille irritated me… that she irritated me even while trapped there, only a few yards away. "The delay is making me anxious," I said, leaning against him. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "That sounds like more than anxiety. The reason you're irritated is pretty… predictable." He looked at me seriously, an analytical expression on his face. I fought the urge to tell him to shut up and leave me alone. "What do you mean?" I asked, putting on an innocent voice. Romeo uncrossed his arms and c

Caesar's POV Only when I felt Camille's weight in my arms could I finally breathe. Until that second, I had been a man suspended in limbo. The memory of walking into that room and finding nothing but emptiness still haunted me. It had felt as though the ground had vanished beneath my feet. The possibility that I might have arrived too late terrified me in a way I had never thought possible, and for a moment, I nearly lost control. But now she was here. That was all that mattered in that moment. Everything else could wait. I didn't let go of her for a second the entire way, and Camille seemed to feel the same way, curling into my arms. "We're going to a hospital," I broke the silence, my voice coming out rougher than I'd intended. "I don't need a hospital, Caesar… I just want to get out of here," she murmured, her voice exhausted. "It'll be quick, I promise," I insisted, lowering my head to kiss the top of her forehead, feeling the warmth of her skin. "I just need to kno

Julia's POV "The baby is fine, but I recommend that you rest for the next few days," the doctor said after examining me. I rested my head against the pillow, feeling the pain pulsing through my face. Camille had broken my nose, and now my face was swollen and bruised. Every throb reminded me of her, but more than anything, it reminded me that I'd let her slip through my fingers. And it consumed me. I couldn't take strong painkillers because of the pregnancy, so all I could do was endure it. The pain in my body and the damn pain of failure. "She'll rest. I promise she won't leave the house," Viktor said firmly, before I could even respond to the doctor. I slowly turned my head to look at him. Who the hell did he think he was? That possessive tone, as though he had the right to make decisions for me, made something inside me boil. Of course I wasn't going anywhere. I was wanted by the police now. Caesar hadn't simply shown up to save Camille. He'd come prepared for war,

Lucy's POV The door to Red Rose closed behind me with a muffled thud, and the cold early-morning air hit my face like a shock. My body was still warm from the pole routine, my skin slightly damp, the muscles in my legs and arms aching. I didn't want to admit to Fabian that I was a little short of breath. I probably should have waited a bit longer before getting back to work. There was still plenty of activity around the club, with luxury cars coming and going. It would be better to request a rideshare farther away so the fare would be cheaper. I decided not to go too far and walked toward an intersection. My thoughts kept returning to Julia. Even though I'd only caught a glimpse of her, I was certain it had been her. She'd been in one of the VIP booths upstairs, surrounded by shadows, glasses of liquor, and intimidating-looking men. I hadn't seen her face for more than a moment, but it had been enough. I should have taken a closer look. I clutched my purse against my body