"Torture me instead," Sophie blurted out, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and desperation. She could not bear the thought of Kia suffering on her behalf. He didn't deserve this. He was just trying to do his job, and now he was caught up in this chaos because of her.
The leader paused, and then the sound of his laughter filled the room. It was loud and cruel, almost mocking, as though Sophie had said the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.
"Torture?" he repeated, his voice dripping with amusement. He laughed again, louder this time, like it was the funniest thing he'd heard in ages.
"Who said I'm just going to torture him, Sophie dear?" the leader said, his voice suddenly turning cold, almost disappointed. "You really think so little of me after all this time?"
"Whatever you do to him, do it to me instead," she said, her voice faltering only slightly.
