The cabin had never felt colder.
Ethan sat in the armchair, head bowed, hands gripping his thighs. His silence was loud, vibrating with frustration and something far worse—helplessness. Every passing hour had chipped away at his pride, and now, there was almost nothing left.
Almost.
Cole wasn’t done with him.
“Ethan.” Cole’s voice was a calm command as he entered the living room, Maya and Olivia flanking him like trophies. “We’re going to play something new tonight.”
Ethan didn’t respond.
Maya walked over, kneeling between his legs, tilting his chin up with two fingers. “Look at me when I talk to you.”
His eyes lifted, but the fire in them was a dying spark.
Maya’s smile was all sharp edges. “You’re still clinging to the idea that you have control. So we’re going to teach you how t
