Chad's POV He doesn't reply to me immediately but instead passes across some coded message to the rest of the men, and they take their sweet time circling us, forming a tight barricade around the car. I clench my fist, knowing that this situation is one that I won't be able to get out of easily.What do you want from me? I say, trying for another approach."You're asking unnecessary questions, man," the masked man says in a gruff voice. He raises his weapon, pointing the gun directly at my head. Anything that makes him pull the trigger at this point leaves me completely dead. The reality is enough to bring shivers down my spine. I purse my lip, thinking desperately for any means of escape. What is happening? My mind keeps on turning up completely blank, and honestly, it leaves me very much frustrated. What do you want from me? I find myself asking at this point. All I'm doing is trying to get the conversation going and stall him for as long as I can while waiting not so patientl
JASMINE'S POV"Do you think he's gonna break up with me?" My voice breaks into another sob, and tears flood down my eyes anew.Amelia, my foster sister, and best friend, pulls me into her arms, caressing my back. "I told you already, he won't. This is just another fight and soon, it'll be forgotten. Like all other fights you both have.""Sure, but do other couples fight as much as Chad and I do? Before, it was once a month. Then it became once every week. But now, it's every day. And I can't help but feel he doesn't love me anymore…""Of course, he does. Why would you say that?""Because I can't help but feel he doesn't love me anymore. Am I ugly? Did I stop being beautiful?"It's insane that I'm questioning my facial features as they are the best attributes I've got. And the attention from men that I get comes mainly because of my pretty face.But Chad makes me feel rather ugly. It's like nothing about me fascinates him anymore. He makes me question my worth, and that stuff is killin
NICO'S POVStaring right at the window at the clouds sinks my heart into a depressing pit. I spot the wing of the plane through the window, flying my ass back to New York City.I feel sullen and like an irreparable wreck. The thought of Jasmine has my heart and mind in shackles. I can't stop thinking about last night and what happened between us.Exploring every inch of her body was the only way I could get them stuck in my head. She's fucking gorgeous. And it kills me to know I left her in that suite, without as much as a goodbye."Shit," I groan, shutting my eyes, reveling in the thoughts of her. But a firm hand taps my shoulder, forcing my eyes open."Wake up, man. We need to talk." Fabio says, sitting opposite me, adjusting his belt. A while ago, he was banging the busty stewardess."Sure. What is it?" I ask impatiently. He's my best friend and right-hand man. I love him to bits but right now, he just put a hold on my thoughts of Jasmine and it has me feeling very irritated."Isn'
JASMINE'S POV"What did you just say?" I ask, unable to comprehend every word I just heard.The woman, Italian, I guess, judging from her features, squeezes her face in what seems like a brewing irritation.Hope she forgives me but I'm still very confused right now. First, I woke up with a heavy grogginess, unsure of where I was. But then the shiny chandelier, the room, the sheets, the smell of sex, and the heavily mesmerizing smell of the man from last night joggled my memories.I gasped, recalling just what I did last night. How insanely aroused I was and when he kissed me, how shamelessly I'd fuddled with his shirt, begging to be fucked."You're messing with my mind, baby girl. That's pretty dangerous." His husky voice had warned. But I was too crazily aroused to hold back.And then he'd graciously taken me up on the offer, pinning me on the bed and riding me through one ecstasy to another. I remember it all and right now, it's not so appealing anymore.Because it means I just chea
JASMINE'S POVMy feet feel sore standing two hours straight and it pains me that the meeting is far from being over.I should have gotten used to it since I've had this secretary job for like two years. Chad found me this job through his connections shortly after we began dating.This company is the second largest in the city. Chad's company is the largest but he didn't want me working with him in the same company. He said tongues would wag unpleasantly and he'd be accused of mixing business with pleasure.With these reasons, he offered the job to Amelia instead and got me a job here. Back then, I had no problems with him working together with Amelia. I trusted her with my life. Right now, I feel so stupid for ever doing that."Jasmine?"I look up, and realize the meeting has ended. Half the hall is empty now, and my boss, Mr. Logan, is standing in front of me. Seems he's trying to go out and I'm standing in the way of the door he wants to go through.But then, there are two doors in
JASMINE'S POVThe snickering behind me gets pretty uncomfortable and disturbing. I glance subtly at the two American blondes who have their hands clamped over their mouths. What's their problem? And how can they be so childish in such a serious situation?Right now, we're being addressed by one of the managers of the hotel we work in. And maybe his deep Italian accent is a bit too rough to the ears, I still don't think it's nice to laugh at him the way the girls are doing.It's a very stupid and gutsy thing to do, considering the fact that they'll be fired instantly if he catches them.I maintain a straight face, listening to his every word. He's talking about a huge party that will be held in the grand hall in an hour. There will be important guests, including Nico Ferrari, the rumored owner of the hotel and the man who typically runs the city."OMG, Nico will be here?" One of the girls gasps. And this time, I share in their surprise.It is shocking news. I've been here three years a
Jasmine's POV"Good to see you again, baby girl."I stare back at Michelangelo as he stands imposingly in the doorway.His faint Italian accent strikes a chord in me, adding to the air of superiority around him, and I can't even look away.My mind tells me to slam the door in his face and get the hell away from this place, but even if I wanted to do just that, I couldn't find the strength to move. It was like I was in the presence of a god, and good lord, it wasn't just any god.He takes a step closer to me, and I find myself stepping back instinctively. Now, I'm only vaguely aware of the fact that I am slowly being cornered against the wall."Well, I never imagined our reunion to be like this," he continues and chuckles a little.He places his hand on either side of the wall, trapping me under him, and licks his lips with a grin.I find myself unable to look away.What happened to the tears and heavy emotions just a while ago? Everything seems to have frozen in time because of the ma
NICO'S POV—She literally ran away. I let out a frustrated growl and stepped out of the room myself. I don't understand why she doesn't want to meet me. I left the rest of the group at the penthouse just to go after her, only for her to slip out of my grasp again.Not that I ever imagined I would see her again in the first place. Even if my inner wolf kept telling me that she was my mate and that I was supposed to go after her, I never quite had the chance to do that. And three years was enough for a man like me to conclude that some things are just not meant to be.But now, she is here again. Just maybe I would be spending a longer time in America this time."Where have you been?" Fabio asks in a whisper as I slip into the seat next to him.The men are staring at me, and I can feel their noses all up in my business as they silently demand some kind of explanation.I give them my best "fuck off" smile and pour myself a glass of martini."I went to take care of something," I whisper ba
Chad's POV He doesn't reply to me immediately but instead passes across some coded message to the rest of the men, and they take their sweet time circling us, forming a tight barricade around the car. I clench my fist, knowing that this situation is one that I won't be able to get out of easily.What do you want from me? I say, trying for another approach."You're asking unnecessary questions, man," the masked man says in a gruff voice. He raises his weapon, pointing the gun directly at my head. Anything that makes him pull the trigger at this point leaves me completely dead. The reality is enough to bring shivers down my spine. I purse my lip, thinking desperately for any means of escape. What is happening? My mind keeps on turning up completely blank, and honestly, it leaves me very much frustrated. What do you want from me? I find myself asking at this point. All I'm doing is trying to get the conversation going and stall him for as long as I can while waiting not so patientl
CHAD'S POV"It's not over yet," I tell myself as the car drives down the road. Now that I know for sure that I can't get Jasmine to myself, I dedicate my time to exposing Nico instead.It's not like I hate him, it's just that when it comes to Jasmine, I feel genuinely remorseful of my actions in the past, and I want to make sure she ends up with someone better than me at least. Nico, though well-dressed and handsome and all, didn't cut that aspect.I grit my teeth, my hands tightening by my sides. Luckily my driver doesn't take notes—or maybe he does—and he knows better than to talk unnecessarily or try to make up conversations.Fine, maybe I was a bit jealous of Nico, but that doesn't matter now. If I was to be completely honest, nothing much matters to me right now.I still have the car now driving down and arriving in the main road. There is only a tinge of satisfaction that I feel from seeing Nico's angry face. Now that will be a bonus that I will be sure to remember for a long ti
JASMINE'S POVAfter the episode with Chad, I don't know what to think anymore. Or more specifically, I choose not to think of anything. It's just too dangerous to let my thoughts move around unrestrained in my head after everything that happened.And I don't think that I've seen Nico so damn angry in my life. I shudder from the thought. I don't even need to evoke my senses to visualize his emerald green eyes spitting fire and the look on his face filled with pure rage.I can swear that he was ready to kill someone back there, and I can only imagine what would have happened if I wasn't there to stop him. I shake my head, chasing away the thought. I don't want to think that Nico has no self-control over the dangerous side of him.The car parks and I look up. "We are at the company, ma'am," Richard informs me. He steps down from the car and opens my side of the door for me. I give a nod. I was too preoccupied in my thoughts to even notice that we had long arrived back at the company.I s
NICO'S POV I watch her stumble back in shock, her eyes widening. She seems really surprised to see me.“What are you doing here?” she mutters, her voice shaking.I don’t give a direct answer but instead step inside the room and scan my eyes around the forum. Someone is there, sitting in the living room. I recognize his features immediately.The fucker, Chad, is here. But what the hell is he doing in the hallway? And why did she let him in?My eyes turn back to fall on Jasmine. There is a sense of fear in the air. I can guess that an argument has taken place here.“What are you doing here?” I speak directly to Chad.Chad stands up from the seat and stares back at me, his eyes defiant.“Well, I’m sure that I have my own freedom of speech and movement, Nico Ferrari,” he speaks, his voice full of malice.Like a glare, I glance through the corner of my eyes and see the way Jasmine is trembling. I’m sure that this motherfucker said something to her, and I don’t like him. His mere presence
Jasmine's POV The black sedan car was parked in front of my house, just a few feet away from the man who brings back unnecessary memories. I would want to tell the driver to slow down and say, "Look at it closely," praying against hope that it wasn't what it seemed to be.Finally, we stepped past it and came to park in the garage. I stepped out of the car immediately and searched around, however, to find this man leaning against the door of the house walls—none other than Chad himself.Hell no, why does he keep on appearing? I wonder to myself and walk up to him cautiously. I know that I have to be careful. I don't know what he wants.Frankly speaking, I've not been able to tell if he's appearing or not appearing at unpredictable timings. And not to talk of the way he behaved towards Nico—almost like he knew something I didn't.I shook my head. I'm not going to doubt Nico. Not now that I finally seem to be getting along and agreeing on something. He just has to step out of the way.P
Jasmine's POV Nico smiles lightly, but he doesn't tell you because he's going to disclose the information any moment soon. He stands up and kisses me lightly on the cheek. "I know, but you don't have to worry about it. I'm going to sort this all out in a couple of days." I know and understand that this is something that he has to do himself.In the meantime, I say equally, "That's enough. Since I'm already in the company, I might as well get to work."Nico looks like he is about to object, but I raise a hand, telling him, "I'm not going to just sit around and let you treat me like a princess."He smiles. "Are you sure you don't want that?"I roll my eyes and shake my head. "No, I would like to actually be useful and earn my position here."Nico sighs, knowing that he won't be able to convince me otherwise, since I have a pretty strong gut when it comes to finding my place. "I'll call you if I need anything."I nod and wave at him as I step out of the office. I appreciate the fact th
Nico's POV I look up and see my manager step into the office. He briefly graces us, me and Jasmine. His poker face faults us for a while, but he quickly masks it with another professional one. If he has his own reservations or questions, he doesn't ask any of them, but instead stands patiently by the door, waiting for me to acknowledge him. I raise an eyebrow at him, wondering what he wants with me now. I just barely stepped foot into the company, and personally speaking, I had hoped to spend some time with Jasmine in private. There's still a lot of things that she is yet to understand, and I want to make her do so to the best of my ability. However, of course, coming to the company, I could only have imagined that there would be work waiting for me. It's not like my manager could be here to see me go idle for more than half an hour. "I'll be right back," I whisper to Jasmine, and carefully remove my hand from hers. That also leaves me holding her in a tense grip. I regret it; ho
Jasmine's POVHe stares back at me without a change in expression. Suddenly, those deep green eyes that seem to read even my soul jump into the line of one beat. I find it hard to believe that I can ever do the case. I take it is worth trying to think of what to do. No one is ever prepared for this kind of situation, and what proves to come is what proves to remain.Finally, I take a deep breath. Even though I pretend that I don't know what's happening, and I'm entirely shocked by the way things are progressing, deep down, I seem to already know all the answers. I tend to question if I already decided to give him a chance, and don't want to go, then what's wrong with right now? That's the question that I ask myself."Well, he's your son," I point out quietly. "Of course you can't take care of him." He pulls me into a hug immediately. "Thank you," he breaks down on my shoulder. And only then do I realize that he has been holding his breath. It kind of makes me smile as well. Touching t
JASMINE'S POVIt's late in the night when I finally arrived back in Los Angeles. After bidding Nico goodbye and taking Michael with me to the apartment, I feel like I'm finally done for the day. It has been a very long one. First, I had to get Isabella and Michael ready for the information exercise. I still did not go here before, but all in all, I would say that they are much better than I thought. I feel a bit of relief now, even though I'm back in the enemy's lair. But for some reason, I do feel like Michael is actually here to take care of me this time. I feel if all they want is a second chance, then I might as well give it to him. After all, there's no harm in trying, right? Also, I thought I'm still on my guard, though.I think as I enter in the combination lock and turn back, watching as the bright red Ferrari zooms out of the compound, I try not to think too much about him as I push open the door. Isabella carries an already sleeping Michael inside the house. The house feels