His breath caught in his chest. His hope rose for a second. Maybe it's her. Maybe it's Cora. I need to talk to her. I'll beg. I'll do whatever she wants. Just let me out.
He waited.
The footsteps drew closer, louder with every beat of his heart. The five men didn't flinch. They remained at attention, unmoving. Then, the door slowly creaked open, and the figure of a man stepped into view.
James's face fell, It wasn't Cora.
It was a man tall, well-dressed, clean-cut, with sharp cheekbones and piercing eyes. He looked about James's age, but his presence filled the entire room like a fog. There was a coldness about him, not loud or aggressive, but calculated and dangerous. The kind of man who didn't shout to get your attention he just looked at you, and you knew.
James's heart pounded as the man walked closer.
Then, the moment that sealed it each of the five strong men who had looked like immovable statues just moments ago bowed deeply toward the man.
