"Let her go!" Ethan bellowed, his voice echoing with authority. "You have no idea who you're messing with!"
The masked men froze, momentarily caught off guard by the sudden confrontation. I took advantage of the moment, trying to wiggle free from their grasp.
"Xandria!" His voice broke the tension, filling the void that had been suffocating me since I was taken.
Ethan. The relief flooded through me, and I felt a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.
"Ethan, help me!" I cried, my voice trembling with desperation.
"Hold on!" he shouted, his expression fierce.
The standoff felt eternal, the tension thick enough to slice through. The masked men exchanged nervous glances, clearly reconsidering their options.
"You're making a mistake," one of them spat, but I saw the uncertainty flicker in his eyes.
"Let her go, and we won't involve the authorities," Ethan warned, his voice low and steady.
