The air inside the warehouse was thick with dust and dread, each breath scraping down Ruby’s throat like sandpaper. Her pulse thundered as the two massive figures stepped out from the shadows, silent, broad-shouldered, radiating menace.
Mr. Stevenson’s pleasant façade melted away, his smile twisting into something cruel and mocking. “Turns out,” he said, his tone dripping with satisfaction, “we never needed your expertise after all.”
Terror clawed at her chest, threatening to swallow her whole, but she forced herself to stay calm. Panicking wouldn’t save her now. She straightened slightly, every instinct screaming for her to run, even as she realized there was nowhere left to go.
And as the cold realization of the situation settled over Ruby, she became consumed with worry that no one
