Chapter 49
Nina’s POV
The smoke curled thick and choking around us, turning the cracked service door into a hazy portal. Amanda’s hand slipped in mine, slick with sweat and grime, as we pushed forward. My crimson gown hung in tatters, the satin heavy with dust and soot, clinging to my skin like a second layer of fear.
The alarms blared in relentless pulses, red emergency lights bathing everything in a bloody glow that made the shadows dance like living things.
My lungs burned with every breath, and my legs felt like lead, but we had no choice. Run or die.
The figure in the shadows stepped into the red light. A man—tall, broad, dressed in black tactical gear like the others, but his face was hard, eyes cold under a visor.
He raised his gun, the barrel steady and pointed straight
