Lucy lay in bed, tossing and turning. No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t block out the sound of gunshots from earlier. Her mind kept replaying it, Barry’s cold aim, the masked man falling, the screech of tires. She pulled the blanket up to her chin and shut her eyes tight, but sleep refused to come.
A faint creak made her freeze. Heavy, steady footsteps echoed down the hallway. They were slow but firm, the kind that made the air feel heavy. She didn’t need to guess who it was, only one man in the house walked like that.
Pushing the blanket aside, she slid out of bed and opened her door. Barry’s broad back came into view as he walked toward his room. The dim lights from the hallway lamps cast shadows along his tall frame.
“Master” she called softly.
He stopped and turned his hea
