Page 50 of Siren's Salvation

"Surely you’ll show mercy," Sassy pleads, her voice barely above a whisper.

I can't help but feel a twinge of pity for her, despite everything she's done.

It's a fucked-up situation, no doubt about it.

But, actions have consequences, and Sassy's choices have led her here.

Zane steps forward, his face a mask that would chill you to your core. "Only to the people who deserve it," he says, his voice low and menacing. "Not those who hurt us over and over again."

I watch as he approaches Sassy, towering over her.

She shrinks back, but there's nowhere for her to go.

Zane continues, his words measured and deliberate.

"I'll tell you what's going to happen so there's no guessin’ games here. If you are pregnant, you'll have the baby, and then when that baby is born, it will be a transfer of life—it will live, and you will die. A bit poetic, don't you think?"

The silence that follows is deafening.

I can hear my own heart pounding in my chest, the weight of Zane's words settling over all of us like a heavy blanket.

It's a harsh sentence, but I understand the reasoning behind it.

This betrayal can't go unpunished.

I glance over at Siren, wondering what she's thinking.

Her face is unreadable, but I can see a flicker of something in her eyes.

Respect?

Fear?

It's hard to tell.

As I watch Sassy's face contort with fear and anguish, I can't help but think about the complex web of loyalties and betrayals that have led us to this point.

Life and death decisions are made in the blink of an eye, and where the lines between right and wrong are often blurred beyond recognition.

Sassy's face drains of color, her eyes widening in horror. "No!" she shrieks, her voice cracking with desperation. "What will happen to my baby?"

I watch as Zane's expression hardens, his jaw clenching.

He speaks with a cold finality that sends chills down my spine. "The baby will be taken care of, treated as our own."

Sassy's hands fly protectively to her stomach. "No," she hisses, defiance flashing in her eyes. "This baby is Boomer's. He's going to get his child."

A dark chuckle escapes Zane's lips, and I can't help but admire his ability to remain so composed in the face of such drama.

"He won't," Zane says, his voice dripping with certainty. "Because he won't even know the baby's born, or that you had it."

I lean forward, intrigued by the psychological game Zane's playing.

He locks eyes with Sassy, and I can see her shrink under his gaze.

"I'll bet you just found out," Zane continues, his words sharp as a blade. "And given the love triangle you're in, you haven't found the perfect opportunity to tell him the news in a way that will be to your advantage."

Fuck me, I think, impressed.

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