Cole and Elara stood behind the long front counter and understood right away that help would not come from uniformed officers today. Before the first sign of trouble Cole had sent his own urgent message. He called the people he trusted most. His brothers Elias and Gideon plus his nephew Lucas were already on the way. They knew exactly who was coming and what kind of fight waited here.
“They will be here in minutes,” Cole said low and sharp while he pushed heavy crates and metal display racks across the open space. “We hold them back until then. We do not run. We do not give ground. Every inch of floor we keep makes it easier when they arrive.”
Elara worked beside him moving fast and steady. She knew the style of the Black Ring better than anyone else here. She knew how they moved in grou
