The men exchanged a look, their faces masked but their fear palpable. The first one sneered, though there was a hint of desperation in his eyes. "You think you're untouchable, Hartley? You're just as much a pawn in this as she is."
Michael's expression hardened. "I said, who sent you?!"
The man didn't answer. Instead, he spit on the ground, a defiant glint in his eye. "You'll find out soon enough."
Michael's grip tightened on me, his gaze never leaving the assailants. "Get out!," he growled, his voice dripping with menace. "And tell whoever sent you that if they come near her again, they'll regret it!."
The men hesitated, but one look at Michael's unyielding stance was enough to make them reconsider. With a final, defiant glare, they turned and retreated, disappearing into the night.
