"Does it hurt, Aria?"
The question echoed in the dimly lit room, laced with mockery and cruelty. Aria bit down hard on the inside of her cheek to stop herself from flinching. Logan stood before her, his expression twisted into a smile that didn't reach his eyes, the faint glow of the moonlight casting sharp shadows across his angular face.
She didn't respond, refusing to give him the satisfaction of her pain. The silver chains around her wrists burned, searing her skin and filling the air with the faint scent of scorched flesh. Logan's laugh was low and cold as he stepped closer, crouching in front of her like a predator savoring its prey.
"You know, I thought breaking you would be easier," he said, his tone almost conversational. "But you've grown a spine. It's annoying."
Aria's lips curled into a defiant smirk despite the agony coursing through her body. "I guess you'll just have to work harder, Logan."
