It was just after seven in the evening. Mark and Jessica were curled up together on the couch in the cozy living room of the guest house, watching a movie in quiet contentment. The soft flicker of the screen cast a warm glow over them, the only sounds being the occasional crunch of popcorn and the low hum of dialogue from the television.
Then, without warning, the unmistakable sound of keys turning in the front door shattered their peace.
Mark sat up instantly, disentangling himself from Jessica’s embrace, every muscle tensing. No one was supposed to have access to this space—certainly not uninvited, and definitely not at this hour. His first instinct was to reach for something he could use as a weapon, but before he could even move from the couch, the door swung open.
Two women stepped
