Emily's heart raced as the car door closed behind her. She was trapped, alone and vulnerable. Julian's eyes locked onto hers, his gaze piercing and cold.
"You shouldn't have tried to manipulate me, Emily," he said, his voice low and menacing. "You shouldn't have tried to get inside my head."
Emily's voice trembled. "I wasn't trying to manipulate you, Julian. I just wanted to understand you."
Julian's laugh was mocking. "Understand me? You think you can understand me? I am beyond understanding, Emily. I am beyond redemption."
The car began to move, and Emily's stomach lurched. She had no idea where they were going, but she knew it couldn't be good. She tried to think, to come up with a plan, but her mind was a blank.
"Where are we going?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
Julian's smile was sinister. "Somewhere you'll never want to leave."
Emily's mind raced as the car sped through the streets. She was trapped, at Julian's mercy. And she knew she had to think fast if she wanted to survive.
She tried to reason with him, to appeal to whatever humanity was left in him. "Julian, please. Whatever you're planning, don't do it. Just let me go."
But Julian just laughed, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You're not going anywhere, Emily. You're mine now."
The car turned a corner, and Emily's heart sank. They were heading out of the city, into the darkness of the countryside. She was running out of time, and she knew it.
With a surge of adrenaline, Emily made a desperate move, lunging for the door handle. But Julian was too quick, and he caught her wrist in a vice-like grip.
"Don't try to escape, Emily," he whispered, his breath hot in her ear. "You'll only make things worse."
Emily's heart was racing, her mind reeling with fear. She was trapped, at the mercy of a monster. And she knew she had to think fast if she wanted to survive.