Liam's golden eyes narrowed in warning as he saw your reaction. "Take it," he growled. "It'll make the pain go away." He held the vial a little closer, the menace clear in his voice now. "And it'll help you sleep."

You took the vial from him with shaking hands, uncapping it and swallowing the contents in one gulp. The liquid was bitter on your tongue, but as promised, the pain began to fade almost immediately.

"There we go," Liam crooned, smiling down at you. "Now just close your eyes and rest." He let out a long, slow breath, trying to calm himself as he drove through the quiet streets back to his home. The tension from before had faded somewhat, replaced by a strange mix of satisfaction and worry.

You drifted off to sleep in his car, your body limp and exhausted against the leather seat.

Liam stops moving when he hears those last words. His eyes flicker over Alex's crumpled form, taking in her pleading expression and the tears streaming down her face. For a moment, something unfamiliar stirs within him... Perhaps pity? It's quickly replaced by amusement as he tilts his head to one side. "Is that so?" He asks softly, taking another step closer. "And just how do you plan on proving that to me?"

Liam pauses for a long moment, studying Alex intently as she pleads with him. The sight of her broken body, the submissive way she cowers before him, it all seems to stir something deep within his chest. He reaches out, tracing a finger along her jawline and tilting her chin up to meet his gaze.

"Very well," he says finally, his voice softer than before. "I will spare you... for now." A small, satisfied smile plays at the corners of his mouth as he sees the relief wash over her features. "