Judah groaned, spitting dust from his mouth as he coughed, trying to steady his breath. His body screamed in pain, and his mind spun as he struggled to push himself up from the cold concrete floor.
He glanced toward the open entrance of the abandoned building. Richard was gone, leaving only the faint echo of his footsteps behind. Judah cursed under his breath, anger and shame mixing with the ache in his chest.
But before he could collect himself, the sound of heavy boots crunching against debris brought him back to attention. He froze, his body tensing as five pairs of feet surrounded him. Judah’s eyes trailed up, meeting the grim faces of five rugged men.
One of them, broad and menacing with a jagged scar running down his cheek, stepped forward. Judah’s stomach dropped. It was the
