“She messaged me last night,” he cut in sharply. “Just two words. Help me. When I rushed to the hospital, her bed was empty. This was all that was left.” His eyes burned into me, sharp and accusing, like he’d already decided my guilt.
My mouth went dry. “This has nothing to do with me.”
In a blink, he surged forward. His fingers clamped around my throat, crushing the air from my lungs. His face twisted, rage spilling out unchecked. “You told me yesterday that Lilith hurt you. And now she’s vanished. You expect me to believe this isn’t revenge?”
I clawed at his wrist, choking, but forced myself to meet his eyes. “I don’t know where she is,” I rasped. “I swear. I didn’t do anything.”
But Thorne never believed my words. Not once.
Instead, he gestured coldly.
Tristan was dragged forward like he weighed nothing, his arms bound behind him in that humiliating, exaggerated way meant to make a spectacle of him. They dumped him onto the asphalt directly in front of a car.
“Tristan!” My heart dropped so fast it hurt.
The headlights flared, blinding. I barely had time to inhale before the engine revved.
The car rolled forward.
There was a sickening crack.
“AHHH!” Tristan screamed, his body jerking violently. “Aria! My leg—my leg!”
My entire body shook. “Brother!” I screamed until my throat burned. “Thorne, stop! What are you doing to him? Are you insane?!”
His voice was calm. Too calm. “I warned you. From now on, the car moves every minute. We’ll start with his limbs.” His gaze locked onto mine. “If you don’t tell me where Lilith is within three minutes, the next stop will be his head.”
“Please—no!” Tears streamed down my face, blurring everything. “I don’t know anything! Why can’t you believe me? Just once—please believe me!”
I had never felt so helpless in my life.
Tristan writhed on the ground, his face ashen, sweat soaking through his clothes. “Aria…” he gasped. “Don’t listen to him… save yourself…”
Thorne scoffed. “One minute gone.”
He lifted his hand.
The car jerked forward again.
This time, it crushed Tristan’s hand.
The scream that tore from him ripped straight through my chest. “My hand! Aria—I can’t feel my hand!”
“No—stop! Please stop!” I collapsed to my knees in front of Thorne, grabbing at his coat. “I’m begging you. Don’t hurt him anymore. If you think I did this, punish me instead. Kill me if you want. Just—please—don’t touch my brother. Please… believe me.”