Nia’s Pov
I groaned, trying to gather myself, to push through the haze. My chest burned from the impact, my head throbbed with a merciless rhythm, and every breath felt like fire scraping through my lungs. Instinctively, my fingers reached for the knife, desperately wanting something solid, something sharp, something I could use to defend myself.
Then came the boot. Crushing. Relentless. Down on my hand. Pain shot through me like lightning, white-hot, unrelenting, and I couldn’t stop the scream that tore from my throat. My hand was pinned beneath the weight, every nerve alight with agony. Tears burned my eyes, but I couldn’t blink them away fast enough. My body trembled, unable to move, paralyzed by both fear and pain.
I forced myself to look up, every ounce of me shaking. And there he
