1The day my father pulled back the blanket covering my pregnant body, the lies my husband and mother-in-law had buried for months died in a single heartbeat. They had convinced everyone I was weak, emotional, and struggling with pregnancy. They never imagined my father would uncover the bruises they forced me to hide—and they had no idea he wasn't just my father. He was a U.S. Army colonel.

My father reluctantly agreed, locking the heavy steel door of the panic room from the inside. I stood alone in the dark basement for a moment, listening to the heavy silence of the house above me.

I walked back up the stairs, my combat boots making no sound on the wooden treads. I moved through the living room, ensuring all the curtains were tightly drawn. The house was pitch black, illuminated only by the faint, eerie glow of the moonlight seeping through the cracks.

I positioned myself in the kitchen, giving me a clear line of sight to both the front door and the backdoor leading to the porch. I checked my weapon one final time, the cold steel grounding me in the reality of the moment.

Suddenly, the electronic security tablet on the kitchen island flashed red.

Perimeter Breach: Sector 4.

Sector 4 was the dense tree line near the oak tree where Lily had found the locket. Silas hadn't waited an hour. He was moving in now.