"And when Lilith finds you—because she will..you'll beg for mercy," Ava growled. "You'll wish it was the sharks instead."
For a long moment, silence filled the dock.
The waves crashed louder than before.
Then—
Bria's expression twisted into something dark, something ugly. The kind of face that had ruined lives behind closed doors.
Her smile was gone.
"You little rat!" she snapped, her voice rising like a scream wrapped in velvet.
She pointed sharply at one of the masked men.
"Loosen her ropes."
The man looked confused. "Ma'am…?"
"Did I stutter?!" Bria barked. "Loosen her rope. Let's see how loud her mouth is when she's swinging over the ocean."
Ava's face turned pale for a second as the man stepped forward.
He bent down and began loosening the rope at her ankles.
Nova struggled beside her. "Don't touch her! Stop—!"
"Try anything," Bria warned him, "and I'll let you dangle next."
