Suzy thought of Derek, who was staying across the hall, and turned to the two men.

"I’m heading over there for a bit. In about half an hour, come over and we’ll have dinner together."

"Sounds good."

After receiving their agreement, she left the apartment and made her way across the corridor with practiced ease.

The moment she stepped inside, she noticed Derek standing by the window.

"What are you looking at?" she asked.

At the sound of her voice, Derek spun around. His face lit up instantly.

"Suzy!" His eyes sparkled with delight. "You’re back already?"

"Already?" Suzy slipped into her house slippers and walked toward him.

"Yeah. It hasn’t even been ten minutes."

He glanced at the electronic watch on his wrist before striding forward and wrapping his arms around her.

He had been convinced she would be gone much longer. The fact that she had returned so quickly filled him with relief.

At the very least, it meant nothing had happened between her and Thomas that he desperately didn’t want to imagine.

"Thomas didn’t come back with you?" Derek glanced toward the doorway and found no one else there.

"Uncle Leonard dragged him into another gaming session." Suzy laughed. "I told them to come over in half an hour for dinner."

Derek nodded thoughtfully.

A video game... He still couldn’t picture Thomas as someone who enjoyed gaming.

"Weren’t you standing by the window just now?" Suzy asked. "What were you looking at?"

"Oh, that."

Derek took her hand and guided her toward the glass.

"There’s a group of people downstairs. I’ve been watching them."

Suzy raised an eyebrow and followed the direction he indicated.

Sure enough, several figures stood below. Three young men dressed far too lightly for the weather. One was broad-shouldered and powerfully built. The other two were of average build.

The three seemed completely unaware that anyone was observing them. They appeared to be discussing something among themselves.

Outside, the world had become a frozen wasteland. Snow drifted steadily from the sky. The temperature continued to plunge. Ice had already begun forming across the flooded streets.

Yet despite the brutal conditions, the men wore only thin jackets and lightweight pants.

They were visibly shivering. Their cheeks had been whipped red by the icy wind.

Every few moments they stamped their feet for warmth while repeatedly glancing toward the same distant direction.

Suzy couldn’t hear their conversation, but judging from their gestures, they seemed to be waiting for someone.

Only three people. Not four. Could these really be the group Liam had warned her about?

Or were they someone else entirely?

"When did they get here?" Suzy asked.

"No idea. I just happened to glance outside and saw them."

Without a word, Suzy opened a nearby drawer and pulled out a pair of binoculars.

"I want a closer look."

Derek arched a brow. "You even have binoculars?"

Suzy smiled. "I have a little bit of everything."

Lifting the binoculars to her eyes, she focused on the figures below.

The enhanced view immediately sharpened their features.

All three were reasonably handsome. The two slimmer men were clearly twins. Their facial features were almost identical, perhaps seventy percent alike. At first glance, distinguishing one from the other would have been nearly impossible. Even their builds were nearly the same.

The larger man possessed a rugged appearance. He had a strong jawline, deep-set eyes, and a prominent nose, carrying the unmistakable look of someone from northern regions.

The only thing they all had in common was how miserably cold they looked.

Their faces were flushed red from the freezing wind as they continued stamping their feet while waiting.

And they really were waiting.

Moments later, another figure emerged from the direction they had been watching.

A young man.

He was about the same height as the others, lean and slender beneath a black athletic jacket.

Though technically old enough to be called a man, his youthful features made him seem more like a student.

His appearance was clean and refined. Dark-framed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. He looked exactly like the kind of straight-A academic every teacher adored. The top student sitting quietly in the front row.

Now there were four of them.

Exactly four. The number matched Liam’s warning perfectly. These had to be the people he had seen.

After the young man arrived, the group resumed their discussion.

The burly man appeared to be leading the conversation while the others listened. Then, suddenly, the bespectacled youth lifted his head.

His gaze turned directly toward Suzy’s building.

Toward her.

Suzy instinctively stepped back. For a split second, she could have sworn their eyes met.

A chill ran through her.

What frightening awareness.

"Suzy?" Derek’s hand settled gently on her shoulder.

Lowering the binoculars, Suzy frowned.

"I think one of them noticed me."

Derek’s eyes widened.

"Seriously? From that far away?"

"Yes."

"But you’re behind glass."

He pointed toward the window.

"They shouldn’t be able to see you, right?"

His words brought her back to reality.

The apartment’s windows were specially treated one-way glass.

She could see outside, but people outside couldn’t see in. Logically speaking, the young man shouldn’t have seen anything at all.

Realizing this eased some of her tension.

Slowly, she stepped forward again and raised the binoculars.

The four men had already begun moving away. Their figures faded deeper into the swirling snowstorm.

Then the young man stopped. He turned around one last time. And looked directly toward her building again.

Suzy’s heart skipped.

He definitely sensed something. Whether it was intuition or extraordinary perception, she couldn’t tell.

Either way, it was unsettling.

Eventually, the four figures disappeared entirely into the snow.

Suzy lowered the binoculars and walked over to the couch. Derek followed and sat beside her. Casually, he switched on the television.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I’m wondering whether they’re enemies or allies."

The television flickered to life. A game automatically loaded on screen.

Suzy glanced at it.

"Planning to play?"

Derek turned toward her and blinked playfully. "Want to join me?"

She shook her head and leaned against his shoulder.

"Not really in the mood."

Derek’s expression softened.

"Whatever comes, we’ll deal with it."

His voice was steady and reassuring. "Don’t worry. I’ll protect you."

A smile tugged at Suzy’s lips.

Instead of responding directly, she asked, "What do you want for dinner?"

"Anything is fine." He answered obediently.

Suzy looked out at the snowstorm raging beyond the glass.

"In weather like this..." Her eyes brightened. "How about a hot stew?"

Derek’s face lit up instantly. "That sounds amazing."

A steaming hot stew on a freezing winter day... Just imagining it was enough to make anyone happy.

"Then you can cook," Suzy teased. "I’ll prepare the ingredients."

Derek immediately rose from the couch. "I’ll help."

At that exact moment, movement sounded from the front door.

The door opened, and Leonard and Thomas walked inside.

"You’re here already?" Suzy looked at them in surprise. "That’s early."

The agreed half hour hadn’t even passed yet.

"We came to help."

That was what Leonard claimed.

Yet the moment he spotted the game loading on the television screen, he completely forgot his original purpose.

Without hesitation, he plopped onto the couch and grabbed a controller.

Suzy glanced between Derek and Thomas before making a decision.

"Thomas, come help me."

Then she turned to Derek.

"You can keep Uncle Leonard company and play with him."

Derek’s gaze shifted between Suzy and Thomas.

His lips pressed into a thin line.

After a long moment, he finally nodded.