82: When She Takes Control

Allison's POV.

The abandoned building loomed in the secluded area of Aria, its crumbling exterior and shattered windows hinting at the horrors contained within. James and his men dragged me inside, their grip unforgiving as they hauled me across the dusty floor. The place was a nightmare—walls lined with grimy, rusted tools used for torture, their menacing presence casting long shadows in the dim light. The air was thick with the scent of decay and fear.

They shoved me to the ground, and a jolt of pain raced through my body, igniting the old bullet wounds that still throbbed with every move. I winced but refused to cry out. Guns were trained on me, their cold metal a stark reminder of my precarious situation. My phone buzzed incessantly in my pocket, its shrill ringtone piercing the silence. James, his face twisted in anger and curiosity, yanked it out and glanced at the screen.

“Williams?” he spat out the name with a sneer, his expression darkening. “That bastard Williams. Leading my