DISASTER DINNER II

I couldn't stop myself from shaking, even with the hot water that splattered on my skin, and ran down from my hair to my feet.

Exhaling softly, I turned off the shower.

I stepped out of the bathroom, my skin ice cold despite my bathrobe, the heated floors, the hot bath I'd soaked in for the past one hour, and the thirty minutes of torture of letting hot water beat my skin.

It was early morning, hours after the Monteros robbery. Even if it was the start of a new day, I was still stuck on that showroom floor where a gun was pointed under my chin, and evil was staring back at me.

The entire incident had lasted less than ten minutes before backup security arrived and neutralized the situation.

I couldn't sleep after everything that happened. I was still in denial even as Daniel was taken by the paramedics.

Daniel got hurt because of me. This was a heavy burden on me, but I still couldn't stop thinking of what-ifs.

What if the backup had arrived a little too late?