"The best thing you can do in this situation," the man began, his tone cold and authoritative, "so your stay here is as comfortable as possible… is simple."
He paused, making sure she was paying attention.
"Don't run. Don't scream. Only speak when spoken to. Do you understand?"
Abby gave a hesitant nod.
Without another word, the man, Na, reached out and ripped the tape from her mouth in one swift, harsh motion. The sting of it shot through her skin, and for a split second, she almost cried out. Her lips trembled, a soft moan of pain rising to her throat.
But then Na shot her a warning look. It wasn't threatening, just... sharp. A reminder. Like she'd already broken a rule.
Immediately, she clamped her mouth shut, swallowing the sound. She didn't need him to say it twice.
