mango_latte

When Jasmine’s car collides with Antonio’s, she expects nothing more than an accident report and a headache. But from the moment he lays eyes on her, Antonio is captivated—her beauty, her presence, the quiet fire in her eyes. She’s been hurt before, and love is not something she’s searching for. All she wants is peace, warmth, and a place where she feels safe.

But Antonio is not a man who walks away from what he wants. And from the moment he sees her, he knows—he wants her.

HIS ENDEAVORS

The scent of gunpowder still lingered in the air. Jasmine's pulse was finally beginning to steady, but her mind raced as she tried to process what had just happened. Three men—dead. Antonio—standing over them like death itself. And her—caught in the middle of something she never wanted to be a part of.

She exhaled shakily, looking at Antonio. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes burned with something she couldn't quite place.

"We need to leave," he said, his tone firm but controlled.

Jasmine blinked. "Leave?" She shook her head. "I'm not just going to run away. I have a life here."

Antonio's jaw tightened. "You think you can just go back to your apartment after this?" He gestured toward the fallen bodies. "They know where you live, Jasmine. If I didn't get here in time, they would have taken you."

A shiver ran through her. She hated that he was right.

Still, she crossed her arms. "And what, Antonio? You expect me to just pack up and disappear into your world? That's not happening."

Antonio studied her for a long moment, then sighed. "I'm not asking you to join my world. But whether you like it or not, you're already involved. The Johnsons see you as leverage against me."

Jasmine's fingers curled into fists at her sides. "Why? Why do they even think I matter to you?"

Antonio was quiet for a moment before he finally said, "Because they're looking for my weakness."

Jasmine stared at him. "And am I?"

Antonio didn't answer right away. Instead, he took a step closer, his presence commanding. "Right now, you're a loose end, Jasmine. And in my world, loose ends don't survive."

Her breath hitched. The weight of his words settled deep in her chest, making it harder to breathe.

A sudden buzzing sound broke the tension. Antonio pulled out his phone, glancing at the screen before answering.

Jasmine couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, but she could see Antonio's expression shift—his already cold demeanor becoming even more lethal.

"I'll handle it," he said before ending the call.

He turned back to her. "They're regrouping. More of them will come."

Jasmine swallowed hard. "Then what do we do?"

Antonio's lips pressed into a thin line. "You're coming with me."

"You don't have a choice." His voice was sharp, but there was something else underneath it—something almost desperate. "You're not safe here. And I won't let them take you."

The finality in his tone left no room for argument.

Jasmine let out a frustrated breath but knew deep down she couldn't stay here. Not after what just happened.

"Fine," she said. "But this doesn't mean I trust you."

Antonio's lips quirked into something that wasn't quite a smirk. "I don't expect you to."

Then, without another word, he turned and led her away from the bloodstained pavement, away from the life she had known.

And Jasmine had the sinking feeling that once she stepped into Antonio Romano's world, there would be no turning back.

Chapter Thirty-two