I swallowed.

Fight or flight kicked in and it robbed me of the ability to talk--to beg. I didn’t want to run because he'd find me. I didn’t fight because I couldn’t escape whatever he was gonna do to me.

It shouldn't be a surprise considering Silvio was a power that could easily shatter me, capable of ensnaring me in an inescapable grip. He was masterful in his ability to bend and manipulate, rendering any notion of his words as mere empty threats utterly futile. In my eyes, he existed as a figure of unwavering power, someone I knew deep down I should have never underestimated.

Silvio directed his gaze...