The bell above the pawnshop door shrieked as it was torn open.
The sound cracked through the shop like a gunshot.
The teller barely had time to look up before Maximilian crossed the threshold. His presence instantly filled the narrow space with fear. The air tensed around him while his men fanned out immediately, boots heavy against the floor as they swept the shop with sharp movements. Micah stayed close at his side, her eyes already scanning the corners, counters, and exits.
“Everyone stay where you are,” one of the men barked.
The teller froze.
Maximilian’s gaze cut straight through the room, searching not for the displays nor the merchandise, but the absence of a woman who should have been there. His jaw clenched and his eyes hardened.
In just three strides, he reached the counte
