Chapter One

The night was calm, the streets humming with the quiet lull of a city that never truly slept. Streetlights flickered, casting long shadows as a sleek black Rolls-Royce cut through the night, its tires humming softly against the pavement.

Antonio Romano sat behind the wheel, one hand resting lazily on the gear shift while the other tapped against the steering wheel. His sharp jawline was set, his dark eyes focused ahead, yet his mind was elsewhere—somewhere between the ruthless deals he had handled earlier that evening and the ever-growing emptiness that lurked in his chest.

Then, it happened.

A flash of headlights. A loud screech. The sharp impact of metal against metal.

Antonio's car jerked violently as another vehicle collided with his.

His grip tightened, jaw clenching as he maneuvered the wheel, keeping control just before his car spun out into the middle of the road. His heart pounded—not out of fear, but frustration.

With a slow, deep breath, he exhaled through his nose before shoving the door open.

His long strides carried him toward the other car, the soft glow of the streetlights reflecting off its dented front bumper.

Then he saw her.

Jasmine Harrington sat in the driver's seat, hands gripping the steering wheel as she processed what had just happened. Her deep brown eyes were wide, lips parted slightly as she blinked in shock.

Antonio's irritation wavered for a split second. She was… beautiful. Even in this disheveled state, her long waves of chestnut hair framed her delicate face perfectly. Something about her pulled at him in a way that nothing ever had before.

Jasmine let out a deep breath and pushed open her door, stepping out carefully in her black ankle boots. She looked up—and the moment their eyes met, a strange tension settled in the air.

For a man who had spent years mastering control, Antonio found himself forgetting how to breathe.