Rhian's body trembled as he pushed himself up, his arms shaking under the strain. He could taste blood in his mouth, feel the ache in every muscle. But he refused to stay down.
Justin stepped forward, his movements calm and deliberate. His boot pressed against Rhian's chest, forcing him back to the ground. He leaned down, his eyes cold and focused.
"You know what the problem is with your kind?" he said, his voice low and steady. "You think you belong here. You think you have a place in this city."
Rhian's jaw tightened. He tried to push up again, but Justin pressed harder, the weight of his foot crushing the breath from his lungs.
"I've watched your kind," Justin continued, his tone almost conversational. "You poison this place. You crawl out of your holes and pretend you're something more than what you are. They let you in, thinking you could be tamed, thinking you could be controlled."
He leaned closer, his eyes narrowing. "They were wrong."
