Page 43 of Freeing Camila

The air around Jeeves went still. No birds. No wind. Just the ringing silence of aftermath.

He stood there, breath ragged, heart aching—not for the man he’d just killed, but for the girl who’d suffered under him.Cammie.

The air hit him like an oppressive wave. He looked up through the break in the trees, stars scattered above winking out like shattered glass. Somewhere under that same sky, she was sleeping. Safe.

Jeeves lowered his rifle slowly, staring down at the man who’d once called himself a shadow.El Sombra.

Not anymore.

He was just a man. And now, he was gone.

But in the back of his head, he knew it wasn’t over yet. Not for her. Not for him.

Her father was still free. Valeria was still at large.

Only when those two were brought down would he breathe a little easier.

He exhaled hard, running a hand down his face. His palms were shaking—not from fear, but from fury. He’d ended the man who’d tortured her.

He’d do it again.

Without hesitation.

Would the man who’d shattered her life meet the same end? Only time would tell.

One thing he knew for certain. Whatever it took, he would protect her.

He just hoped when he told her the truth, she’d understand why he misled her . . . and how much she meant to him.

CHAPTER17

Little Victories Bucket List No.34: Bubbles

The Bell Creekcentral square buzzed with activity two days later as Cammie sat on a worn wooden bench, her laughter mingling with the sounds of children playing while chatting with her friends on her phone. The sun warmed her skin, a sure sign spring had arrived. “Tell us about the guy,” Elodie enthused.

“Well,” she began.

“Oh, she’s smitten,” Kenna declared.

“How can you tell from just that one word?” Monica asked.

“Oh, I can tell. It was the same with all of you.”

“She’s got a point,” Carly added. “There’s a certain inflection in the voice when we’re talking about our guys.”

“All right. Fine. I guess,” Cammie relented, laughing till tears slipped free. “I’m smitten with Wade. He . . . mmm.”

“Yeah, he is,” Ashlyn crowed.

“He’s been helping me with my bucket list.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet,” Kenna cooed.

“What have you done so far?” Elodie asked.

“Let’s see. He took me on a motorcycle ride.”

“Which one did that cover?”

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