Elizabeth’s POV

Darkness pressed in around me. My hands were tied, rough ropes biting into my wrists. My legs were chained, cold metal pressing into my skin. A gag muffled my cries before they could escape.

Two huge men stood on either side of me. I had never seen them before. They didn’t speak. Their faces were hidden in shadows. Only their size, their strength, and the threat in their silence terrified me.

I tried to move, to free myself, but the ropes held firm. My fingers ...