No More Waiting (The James Family Book 3) by C.M. Steele

my hand I hurried to the exit before I ended up trapped. The smell of fire and smoke was coming from the kitchen. The smoke was building when I found the exit. Making my way, I spotted him again and shot at that fucker, striking him once before rushing out the front door.
    My head was spinning, and I couldn’t breathe deep enough. I knew that if I didn’t get help soon, I’d be at the mercy of the fire and Mann if I didn’t kill him. My body buckled and I collapsed on the stone pavement. Crawling away from the house, I opened my eyes to see Clint and Cameron coming toward me. I shouted a warning, “He’s armed.”
    I could hear Clint telling me to hang on, just as I heard footsteps behind me. Shit, Mann was still alive.
    “You! You need to die. You ruined me for that little whore,” he snarled at Cam, coming closer to us. I reached for my gun just as I heard several loud pops, and Mann’s body fall behind me. After that everything went black.
     

19
    Vanessa
    The moment Cam came home, I was downstairs wanting answers, but he was gone just as fast as he came. Tim left the house, and I wondered if Cam knew where he was going.
    “Where did Cam go?” I asked, looking around my father and at the front door.
    My dad wrapped his arm around my shoulder, giving me a squeeze before he said, “There was a break-in to their new house.” I gasped because I knew that it wasn’t just a random incident. With everything going on, it had to be Mann.
    “It’s Mann, isn’t it? Daddy, where’s Tim?” I asked. My hands were shaking with nervous anxiety.
    “I don’t know where he’s at. Cam said he couldn’t get a hold of him. As for the house, it could be Mann or just someone who saw the furniture moving in. We don’t know, but Cam is going to the place to check it out with Clint and the cops. Why don’t you go sit down, baby? You don’t look like you feel well.”
    “I’m worried about them. It’s all my fault.” I started to pace the room back and forth from the door to the window and back again. My dad stopped me in my tracks.
    Looking me in the eyes, he said, “Vanessa, get a hold of yourself. You know damn well that no one is to blame for this but that bastard. He wants revenge for getting caught. Do you know there were several girls who caved to the pressure? You and your brother saved so many more from that abuse of power and loss of dignity. It took a lot to tell Cam. We are very proud of you for doing so.”
    “I didn’t know that about the others,” I admitted softly. The news shouldn’t have shocked me, but it did. I stood there lost for a moment in a world of confusion. Cam had been right to do what he did, but at the same time it almost cost him his life and even now, his and Tim’s lives could be in danger.
    “We didn’t want to tell you, but you needed to know.”
    I looked up from my feet back to my father’s face and stated, “I still need to find Tim.”
    “Go check on Natalie, while I make some calls okay. I’m sure if she’s up she’s probably freaking out too.”
    “Okay.” He was right. Natalie loved Cameron so much that she would be pacing their rooms. So I headed upstairs to check on her. I knocked on her door, but she didn’t answer. I didn’t hear any pacing or anything. Testing the handle, it was unlocked. She was passed out on the bed. I closed the door quietly and tiptoed back downstairs.
    The moment I got down there my dad asked about Natalie. “How is she?”
    “She’s sleeping. Any news?”
    “Not yet, but can you do me a favor and tell your mother that I’ll be in my office?”
    “Sure,” I muttered and went to find my mother. She was in the kitchen, baking of course. She loved to cook. I loved to eat. It was a wonder that I was so damn skinny. Although being home and full of love, I managed to put back on some of the weight I had lost.
    “Mom, dad…said that…” I had to hold my nose. Something smelled funny to me and I wanted to puke.
    She had her head