Emily's POV
The morning started with the kind of noise you only hear in nightmares. A crash. The unmistakable sound of shattering glass. And then, heavy thuds, followed by a grunt of pain. My heart leaped into my throat as I bolted upright, still tangled in my thin blanket.
What the hell was going on?
I stumbled out of bed, yanking my bracelet to check its position before tiptoeing to the door. The sounds grew louder—furniture scraping, more crashes, and... voices.
Male voices.
My chest tightened, panic gripping me as I pressed my ear to the door. "Where's the money, old man?" one of them barked, his voice guttural and sharp, like gravel grinding under a truck.
"Please... I... I don't have anything, Damon!" my father wheezed, his words broken and faint.
Dread rooted me to the spot f
