CHAPTER 34
Nina let out a sharp sigh but got into the car anyway.
Jasper closed the door behind her and walked around the hood. She stared through the dark windshield, trying to figure out how her life had suddenly turned into this.
There was no answer. Just a low thrum of anxiety and a subtle tension that settled over her the second Jasper slid into the driver’s seat and tapped his fingers once against the leather steering wheel.
The car pulled away smoothly, and Nina reached for her seat belt.
Silence filled the cabin. He seemed deliberately focused on the road, never once looking over. She, on the other hand, studied his profile out of the corner of her eye—the sharp line of his jaw, the straight nose. Everything about him felt familiar and, damn it, infuriatingly, calm.
She wanted to say something. Anything, just to break the tension. But her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth. The argument outside the restaurant had left her too raw, and if she spoke now, it would be acid instead of words.
She only started to relax when she noticed the car turning onto a familiar street.
Her street.
“How is Lynn?” Nina asked quietly, unable to hold the question back. Her voice was barely a whisper.
Jasper’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel, his gaze sharpening.
“We had an agreement,” he said coldly. “You don’t ask about her.”
Nina flinched.
“I don’t wish her any harm,” she shot back. “It’s just… curiosity. I do care.”
He turned his head sharply toward her. His look was razor-sharp.
“You should’ve cared earlier. Before you left her at an orphanage.”
The words felt like a physical blow.
Nina clenched her teeth and turned to the window. Breathing felt impossible. He was right—and at the same time, how dare he? If things had been different... would she have given the child up? Was he the only one who got to be cruel?
A few long seconds passed. Then Jasper, letting out a rough breath, apologized.
“I’m sorry,” he said hoarsely, eyes still on the road. “That was unnecessary.”
The pain didn't fade, but at least they were here now. Nina spotted her house and unbuckled, ready to bolt the moment the car stopped.
“Thanks for the ride,” she said quietly, opening the door.
Jasper opened his mouth to speak—but the opportunity vanished.
Men rushed the car from both sides. Their faces were hidden under hoods; their movements were quick and practiced. One of them yanked the driver’s door open and dragged Jasper out. Nina froze.
“Hey—!” ripped out of her, but the sound drowned in the heavy, dull thuds.
They knocked him down and started kicking. Jasper tried to get up, but there were too many of them.
“You’d better stay away from other people’s women,” one of them said coolly. “Tonight’s just a warning. Ignore it, and next time you won’t walk away.”
It didn’t sink in right away.
Was it Frank? Or did Jasper have a married woman?
“I’m calling the police!” Nina yelled, the first thought in her mind, but someone shoved her hard. She fell, her shoulder slamming into the car. It hurt, but she barely felt it through the fear.
Jasper doubled over from the gut punch. Someone was clearly aiming for his face.
Everything happened too fast—shadows flashing, muffled impacts, Jasper’s ragged gasps.
And then everything changed.
A loud screech of tires cut through the night. A black SUV skidded to a stop nearby. Four men jumped out. One carried a taser, another a baton-like stick. They rushed in, and the attackers immediately backed off.
“Shit, move!” someone barked.
They broke and ran.
Nina was still on the ground, pressed against the car. Her heart was pounding, air stuck in her chest, her whole body shaking.
One of the men hurried to Jasper and helped him up.
“Mr. Garth, are you okay?”
Jasper grimaced and dragged a hand over his jaw, smearing blood across his face.
“Where the hell were you?” he rasped. “This is the kind of security Nolan pays for? Another minute and I’d be dead.”
The man frowned but answered evenly.
“You told us to keep our distance. Not to draw attention. We were a hundred yards away. We were a minute late. Impressive how much damage they managed in sixty seconds—looks like you never boxed a day in your life,” he added dryly.
“Didn’t expect it,” Jasper muttered. “Didn’t have time to brace.”
Only then did he turn to Nina.
She still hadn’t gotten up, shaking, staring at him—at the blood on his cheekbone, the torn collar of his shirt. Fear and fury twisted in her chest.
Jasper stepped toward her and asked hoarsely,
“Are you okay?”
She nodded.
“Help her,” Jasper said to one of the guards. He didn’t reach for her himself.
The man immediately offered his hand. Nina took it and stood slowly, her knees trembling.
“I’m fine,” she said softly. “Just… give me a minute.”
Jasper was breathing hard, bracing his hands on his knees. Blood still ran down his chin.
“Find those bastards,” he ordered grimly. “I want to know who they are.”
“Our guys are already on their trail,” someone replied into a radio. “We’ll catch at least one. We’ve got the area locked down.”
“Great,” Jasper muttered.
Nina stepped closer, still unable to believe this was actually happening.
“You need a hospital,” she insisted. “What if a rib’s broken? Your nose is definitely broken.”
“I’ll live,” he grunted, wiping his face with his sleeve and smearing more blood.
He straightened slowly, wincing, and nodded to one of the guards.
“Leave a couple of guys here,” he said calmly. “Keep eyes on Nina’s house until we know who did this.”
“Understood.”
Nina listened, unable to sort through the chaos of feelings—gratitude, fear, anger, helplessness.
Probably all of it.
She wanted to offer something. To invite him in. She had a first-aid kit, bandages, antiseptic, ice in the freezer. But when she opened her mouth, the words dried up.
He looked at her again. The anger was gone. Only exhaustion remained.
“It’s okay,” he said quietly. “Go inside, Nina.”
She swallowed.
“Okay,” she replied softly. “Thank you.”
She turned and walked toward the house. Once in the yard, she stopped and leaned her back against a cold tree trunk. Her heart was still racing, palms damp with sweat, legs rooted to the ground.
Jasper and his men must’ve assumed she’d gone inside. Their voices carried easily now.
“We caught one,” an unfamiliar voice said. “He broke immediately. Order came from Frank Osborne.”
Nina froze.
“Looks like he didn’t know who you were,” the man continued. “They were just supposed to scare off the guy hitting on his wife.”
A dry, short laugh followed.
“Well, damn,” Jasper replied dryly.
Nina pressed a hand to her chest. Her heart dropped straight into her stomach. It was Frank. How dare he? They were getting divorced. It was over. He’d betrayed her. Walked away from their family. And now he wanted her defenseless?
Nina swallowed hard.
Was he really ready to go that far just to make sure she never even thought about moving on?
This wasn’t jealousy. It was possession—sick, dangerous, and destructive.