The fog at Dock 17 clung to Aria like a wet blanket, dampening her jacket and curling around her hair in smoky tendrils. Each step on the metal grates rang sharp, echoing in the empty space. The water lapped against the pilings, a constant reminder of the abyss below, a mirror to the danger surrounding her tonight.
Lorenzo trailed a few steps behind, silent, alert. Every shadow, every sound was a potential threat. Yet, even in the tension, his presence grounded her, tethering her to something solid amid the chaos. His hand brushed hers once in a subtle reminder: she wasn't alone.
Aria didn't feel fear. Fear was a tool she had honed to a razor's edge. Tonight, Sebastian would finally understand the cost of underestimating her.
The crates ahead were stacked like a fortress, steel and wood forming jagged barricades. Somewhere in the fog, Sebastian waited,?calculating, patient, cold.
