MARIA POV
The gas station door slammed shut behind him, leaving me alone in the silence of the SUV. My wrists throbbed from the tight zip ties, the rough plastic digging into my skin with every twitch. I bit back a grimace, my teeth clenched as I willed myself to think clearly.
I couldn’t ignore the exhaustion weighing me down—the hours of driving, the oppressive tension, the ache in my muscles from being bound in the same position. But more than that, the unknown gnawed at me. What was his endgame? Why had he taken me, and where the hell were we going?
My stomach growled loudly, echoing in the stillness. Great. Add hunger to the list of things making this nightmare worse.
I peered out the window, scanning the eerie landscape. The flickering light above the gas station cast spora
