Page 118 of Caterina

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Not wanting to eat, but grateful for something that will delay the inevitable, I take the plate and sit down at the table.

The food is delicious, I'm sure. But I taste nothing.

I force it down anyway.

I am acutely aware of every single person in the room. Their conversations, their movements, their glances in my direction. It feels like I’m on display.

My phone buzzes.

It’s a text from my Head of Security at the casino.

All quiet here. A few journalists sniffing around. We’re handling it. Are you okay?

I’m fine, I text back. Keep me updated.

I put my phone down.

My phone buzzes again.

This time it’s an email from my assistant.

The Board wants to schedule an emergency meeting.

Not a good time. I'll let you know when.

As soon as I set my phone down, it buzzes a third time.

This is getting ridiculous.

I pick it up.

It’s a news alert.

Deadly Shooting at The Regent Club Hotel and Casino.

I click on the link.

The article is a mess of speculation and misinformation. It talks about "an apparent gang-related incident." It mentions "multiple casualties." It has a picture of the casino's entrance, with police cars and flashing lights.

There are no casualties, I want to scream. None who matters anyway. Just the three men who tried to kill me. The ones who shot Adrian. And I'm not exactly broken up about that.

But I can't scream.

So I take a deep breath and put my phone down.

My food is gone.

My coffee is cold.

The trap is set.

And I'm about to walk right into it.

I push my chair back and stand up. I don't bother to announce what I'm doing.

I just walk out of the kitchen and make my way up the stairs, my feet heavy.

The hallway is just as I left it. Dim. Quiet.

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