Jamie didn’t expect a knock this early.
He had just finished putting the dishes away, wiping down the table, and taking the morning meds Maya had set out for him before she left — barely two hours ago, when a soft, deliberate knock echoed through the apartment. He frowned, tossing the dish towel onto the counter as a flicker of unease crept into his chest.
When he opened the door, his breath caught. He recognized James immediately — and behind him stood another man, taller and bulkier, someone he didn’t know but who looked intimidating.
“Mr. Horton?” Jamie’s brows furrowed.
“What—what are you doing here? Is Maya…?” His voice cracked before he could finish. The panic was already setting in.
“Is May okay? Did something happen to her?!”
The sharpness in his voice turned brittle. His pr
