Aliyah’s POV

The first thing I felt was pain.

Not the sharp kind that comes and goes, but the deep, bone-crushing agony that makes you want to disappear completely. Cohen dragged me out of the basement by my hair, ignoring the way I screamed. His grip was iron, and every step he took tore another piece of my strength away.

When he pushed the door open, I was blinded by the harsh light that poured from the chandeliers of the large compound. The air outside was cold and biting, but the ...