Satisfied that the meeting was safe, he leisurely extended the phone back to her. In his twisted mind, he believed he held all the reins. He thought he was breaking a desperate woman, failing to realize that Selina had spent years learning to be smarter, more strategic, and—when necessary—just as manipulative as the cruel world that had discarded her.
A sharp, annoyed gasp escaped her lips, her courage momentarily flickering at his proximity and the sadistic smirk playing on his face.
"I'm not stupid enough to call the police," she said, snatching her phone back with a show of trembling defiance. "I have kept to my word. You should do the same."
The man took a predatory step closer. Selina stumbled back, her heel catching on the uneven concrete.
"I'll keep my word," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "But I've been thinking... clearing your name now won't benefit me as much as I originally thought."
"What do you mean?" Selina asked, her eyes wide with a well-acted fear.
