Back at home, Maisie sat in the living room with Hazel curled up beside her. The night felt too quiet, too heavy. Aidan had warned her to stay vigilant while he was on the mission, but she hadn’t expected the uneasy tension that was eating her up from the inside.
There was a knock on the door. Maisie froze, her heart pounding. She glanced at Hazel, who was fast asleep, and rose slowly. She wasn’t expecting anyone.
The knock came again, louder this time.
Taking a deep breath, Maisie approached the door, peeking through the peephole. What she saw sent a chill down her spine, Oliver. And he had a gun.
Her hands trembled as she stepped back from the door.
“Maisie, I know you’re in there,” Oliver’s voice called out. “Open the door, or I’ll break it down.”
Maisie acted on instinct. She sla
