The car ride felt eternal, each bump in the road jostling Catherine’s thoughts as much as her body. The dim interior of the vehicle seemed to grow darker with every passing second, her captors’ silence amplifying the tension in the air. Catherine kept her breathing steady, refusing to let them see any hint of fear. She wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction.
The leader, the one with the scar running down his jawline, sat in the passenger seat, barking occasional instructions to the driver. The other two flanked Catherine in the back, their imposing frames blocking any possible escape. She glanced sideways, her gaze flickering to the man on her left, noting the bulge of a concealed weapon under his jacket.
They had thought of everything—or so they believed.
After what felt like hours
