Nathan’s POV

The minutes dragged like hours. Every tick of the clock on the wall seemed louder than the last. The woman sat frozen on the couch, her daughter curled in her lap, their fear bleeding into the silence. My men waited in absolute stillness, weapons at the ready.

Then the growl of an engine cut through the night.

We exchanged a glance. Cade moved to the window, peering through the curtains. “It’s him.”

The front door swung open, and Elias Rami stepped in, his hair slick ...