Maria Reyes
I was suffocating on the floor, each breath was a struggle against the pressure still crushing my windpipe—the marks left by Darian’s hands. My body lay helpless on the cold floor. It took away my warmth and contrasted with the fire still burning where his fingers had pressed into my skin. Every muscle felt tight from the shocking violence. My ribs ached with each shallow breath, a dull pain beneath the sharper sting in my neck. Everything hurt.
Slowly, I managed to lift my head just a little. There he was, crouched next to me, looking like an angel in a dark suit. He wasn’t looming, but he dominated the space. His piercing ice-gray eyes held me in place. It wasn’t just a look; it felt like a weight pressing on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I wanted to shrink away, to
