chapter thirty-one

Chapter 31

The night was eerily quiet as Jasmine made her way home from the clinic. She kept her head down, her bag slung over her shoulder, and her keys gripped tightly in her hand. Konrad's message lingered in her mind, sending a shiver down her spine.

Stay alert. They're getting closer.

She'd been careful. She hadn't seen anything suspicious, no strange cars following her, no unfamiliar faces lurking in the shadows. But that didn't mean the danger wasn't there.

As she approached her apartment building, a strange unease settled in her chest. She scanned the street out of habit, her fingers tightening around her keys. That was when she noticed it—subtle but undeniable. A black SUV, parked just down the street. The same one she had seen yesterday.

Her pulse quickened.

She reached the front steps of her building and fumbled with her keys, trying to act normal. But her instincts screamed at her to move faster, to get inside before—

The sound of a car door opening sent a jolt of fear through her.

Jasmine didn't turn around. Instead, she forced herself to breathe evenly and pushed the key into the lock. Just as she twisted the doorknob, she heard footsteps—heavy, deliberate, getting closer.

Too close.

She barely had a second to react before a strong hand clamped around her wrist.

"Where do you think you're going, sweetheart?" A deep, unfamiliar voice sneered behind her.

Jasmine's breath hitched, and she twisted instinctively, trying to yank her arm free. The man was tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in dark clothing. He wasn't alone—two more men stood behind him, their faces obscured by the dim streetlight.

Panic shot through her like ice.

"I don't know who the hell you think you are, but get your hands off me," she snapped, her voice steadier than she felt.

The man chuckled, tightening his grip. "Oh, I think you know exactly who we are, Jasmine." His lips curled into a smirk. "Antonio Romano's little secret."

Her stomach dropped.

She knew it. The Johnsons.

She forced herself to stay calm, despite the way her heart pounded in her chest. "I have nothing to do with him," she said, her voice laced with anger. "You're wasting your time."

The man's smirk deepened. "Oh, but see, that's the thing… Romano doesn't seem like the type to keep people around for no reason. And right now, we need leverage."

Jasmine's blood ran cold.

She barely had a second to react before another man reached for her. But this time, she didn't hesitate.

She moved on instinct, slamming her elbow back into the first guy's ribs. He grunted in pain, his grip loosening just enough for her to break free. She turned sharply, bringing her knee up hard—right between his legs.

The man cursed loudly, stumbling back, but she didn't wait to see the damage. She spun, ready to run—

A hand grabbed her hair from behind, yanking her back with brutal force. She let out a sharp cry as she was dragged off her feet, struggling wildly.

"Feisty little thing," one of the men growled. "Too bad you're not going anywhere."

Jasmine's breath hitched as she fought to pry his hands off her. Panic clawed at her chest, but she refused to freeze. She twisted sharply, stomping down hard on his foot. When his grip loosened for a split second, she wrenched free—

A loud crack split the air.

The man's body jerked violently before he dropped like dead weight to the ground.

A gunshot.

Jasmine barely had time to register what had happened before another shot rang out, striking the second man square in the chest.

The third man spun, reaching for his weapon, but he was too slow.

A figure emerged from the darkness, moving with lethal precision. A single bullet tore through the remaining attacker's skull before he could even react.

Everything was silent.

Jasmine stood frozen, her breath coming in harsh gasps. The bodies of her attackers lay sprawled on the pavement, blood pooling beneath them.

And standing a few feet away, gun still in hand, was Antonio Romano.

His face was unreadable, his expression dark as he lowered the weapon. His suit was immaculate, not a single drop of blood on him, as if he had just stepped out of a meeting instead of a violent encounter.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, slowly, Antonio tucked his gun away and took a step toward her.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice low, controlled.

Jasmine swallowed hard, still shaken. "No," she managed, though her hands trembled slightly. "I'm fine."

Antonio's gaze lingered on her for a moment before shifting to the lifeless bodies at his feet. His jaw tightened.

"They were sent by the Johnsons," he stated coldly. "They wanted to take you. Use you against me."

Jasmine shivered at the implication. "And what would you have done?" she asked, her voice quiet but firm. "If they had taken me?"

Antonio's gaze snapped back to hers. There was something deadly in his expression, something raw and unforgiving.

"I would have burned their entire family to the ground."

The way he said it, so matter-of-factly, sent a chill down her spine.

Jasmine exhaled, trying to steady her nerves. "This… this is exactly why I don't want to be involved, Antonio." She looked at the bodies again, her stomach twisting. "I don't want to be part of this world."

Antonio didn't move, didn't react right away. He simply watched her, his expression unreadable.

"You already are," he said quietly. "Whether you want to be or not."

Jasmine clenched her jaw. "I didn't ask for this."

"No," Antonio agreed. "But now they think you're important to me. And that makes you a target."

She wanted to argue, to tell him he was wrong. But the proof was right in front of her, bleeding out on the pavement.

For better or worse, her life had just changed forever.

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