The city slept, or at least it pretended to. From the penthouse, the lights below seemed serene, a soft glow over streets and avenues, yet Alexander knew the quiet was a lie. Danger never waited for convenience, and tonight, he felt it crawling closer, circling their lives like a predator.

Amelia was seated on the couch, knees drawn to her chest, staring at the faint shimmer of the skyline. She had cleaned the apartment earlier in an attempt to restore some sense of normalcy but the air still ...