The gravel crunches under my boots as I step out of the car.
Night has settled heavy over the estate. The headlights slice through the dark, catching dust in the air, casting everything in hard shadows.
The engine stays running.
I don’t turn it off.
I walk straight to the boot.
Pop it open.
The smell hits first—blood, sweat, and metal.
Matteo shifts inside, a rough breath leaving him as the light spills over his face. He’s slower now. Weaker. Still defiant.
I reach in and grab the chains.
Cold metal wraps tightly around my hand, and I yank hard.
His body jerks forward as I drag him out of the boot. His feet scrape against the edge before I pull again, forcing him out completely.
His knees slam into the gravel.
The sound is dull.
He groans through his teeth, body folding for a
