The knock echoed again, harder this time, like a warning. The sound seemed to rattle straight through the thin motel walls and into my chest. Adrian stood still in front of the door, gun raised, eyes steady but burning with a cold fire that frightened me more than the men outside.
The voice came again—calm, almost casual. “You don’t want to make this messy, Adrian. Step out, and we’ll talk. Daniel said he’d prefer you alive.”
Adrian’s lips curved into something that wasn’t a smile. “He always did like pretending mercy was part of his plan.”
He turned to me, his voice low and controlled. “Get under the bed, Emma. Now.
“No,” I whispered. “I’m not hiding—”
“Emma.” His tone sharpened, cutting through my fear. “Please. Just do it.”
Something in his eyes told me this wasn’t the time to arg
