The silence after the man’s challenge felt heavier than the threat itself.
“Make your move, or lose everything.”
No one moved.
My pulse hammered so loudly it almost drowned out the quiet hum of the security system. The intruders stood in a loose circle around us, their faces still hidden in shadow. Whoever they were, they were not rushing. That alone made the moment worse. People who rushed made mistakes. These people looked patient.
Adrian’s fingers tightened around mine for half a second. Not panic. Not fear. A signal.
Wait.
I kept my breathing slow, forcing my body to stay still even though every instinct told me to react. My eyes moved carefully from one figure to another. Three of them now. The first man who spoke. The tall, silent one beside him. And the third, who had stepped
