Ava’s POV
We delved farther into the gorge, the crunch of our boots against the sharp stones bouncing off the sheer cliffs like a bunch of eerie murmurs. The buzz from spotting the Silverbloom had faded fast, swapped out for this wild urge to bolt from this damned woods. My chest throbbed, my thoughts drifting back to Liam’s rough palms, squeezing, taking me hard until I was breathless, that recollection now twisted by Lucy’s vicious rumors of me screwing Steve right there on the street, her venom choking out my whole world.
“Oh, Rhea,” I gasped, fighting for a deep pull of the damp chill, icing up my insides, the haze twisting dense all around, wiping out the view.
“It’s gonna pay off, Ava,” Sarah huffed close to my ear, her tone gentle, aiming to boost me. “We’ll wrap this up quick, s
