Entwined Hearts: A Billionaire Romance 

streaks of orange afterglow. She stood by the car, caught by the tail end of the day-it was just perfec

calmness of the whole day that they had shared. He looked down at her with

read through her chest. "Me too," she said so

For a second, she wondered if he might kiss her. Instead, he reached out and brushed a stray lo

second. She moved fast into the laughter to cov

ulling at his lips as he turned to his ca

llights were gone down the road, there she still was, just smiling to herself. Her feet were on the ground ye

mained on the road, stayed with Jayla, her smile, her the less-than-labored way they con

ivering shadows would appear at the peripheral of his line of vision. As his car moved closer, he saw three men hu

ponding as it turned onto the side of the road. He leaped out without eve

ice boomed across the roa

eartbeat, surly defiance laced their faces. One of them s

ackward. The other two were diving on Axel's back, but he was prepared, and his body was in auto mode, all th

er strength and, with her elbow, hit the third man in his diaphragm; he then hunched over in pain. The other two m

ned to where Jasmine slumped against the wall; her breathing was in shuddering gasps. Bruises

asked, taking a

ks to you." She winced as she fought to stand up straight, now softer,

rm. "Let's get you out to your car.

could move. She walked to her car and let herself rest against it for a mi

t was over now and her voic

t smile reassurance thrown her way. "J

id, controlled, as she looked up at his face. "Y

Axel nodded towards her car. "Get home safe. And maybe. Get that

ally succumbing to the exhaustion.

h his heart still racing. It was not an evening well planned, but he felt so

ached, events of that night replaying themselves in her head-those men, the

ing from the adrenaline, but she felt relief layering on the fear, immense and almost overwhelming. As she tried to shake th

p. Her face hurt, and her limbs were heavy; there was not enough energy in her to answer calls from Jade and Jayla inside the hou

self fall on the bed. The silence of the night was heavy, thick around h

ed looks. Do you think what happened to he

right," Jade responded, now walking towar

e? You okay?" Jayla hushed out again, while he

espo

this time. "Jasmine,

ing

furrows of her face pressing

, sil

already rising. "Something's wrong," Jade whispered, her h

her face gone white, her eyes wide and wild with anger. Neither spoke, though, befor

ile the door slammed shut once

r heart racing. Both sisters just stood

ed, her voice trembling as s

swer except the sil

aking unsteady breaths now. Still, she could hear Jayla at the door; she knocked ag

beyond the do

oncern and confusion. Never had Jasmine been this way, never so closed, so f

for now. We'll check on her in the morning," she whispered, though

ide her tummy go away. Something had gone wrong wi

e filled between them. Jade fell into her bed in her room, anchored

anger in her eyes out of her mind. Her chest had this knot that refused to untangle. Her fingers tapped restl

linked hard in sudden surprise. A

oc

expected, this was not it-not after that last conversation sputtered

d opened the message

azy week, and I just wanted to check-in. Are you s

features against the heaviness of

her response, much fa

now whether you were serious about that or not. But yeah, it

ately - much sooner t

't have invited you if I didn't."

of the exhibition, of art-of all of the little details of life. Each message from Broc

chest a little warm with the tension. For one moment, Brock's

trokes. The thoughts of Axel wouldn't leave her head. Since the weird moment with Jasm

The memory of it fluttered her heart once more. He was kind and soft, and in those instan

nto the chair. She could still feel the ghostly touch of his fin

ral to be false. Rising, she whirled across the room, her arms circling out from her, her mind replaying their day

rtbeat quickened, for Axel's name was flashing across the screen. "Hey. I've thought a

my head out today, bro. Made it home in one piece, and I'm counting down the days to do this all over

again. Then she hit the send, feeling

ed her eyes, bits of the night's events replayed themselves behind her lids-the outlines of dark figures looming over her, their tugging hands, and a voice choki

as security in it. He had come from nowhere, angry and qu

er arms around them, taking a deep breath

; bruises throbbed with every smallest movement of her face, but it

asy or free tonight. And the silent darkness of the room couldn't take away that which stuck to her skin that night. And she ran the

e over the whole house. It gave one the impression, in the

r phone. A new message sat there from Brock, and in her eyes lit a little smile. She peered at it, already

d in her mind to rest a soft smile on her face, but as she sat up, her mind segued back to Jasmine. The w

ked out of her room, padding

lled, knocking softly as she called, "Jasmine?" Her v

rhaps Jasmine had drifted back to sleep. Then she heard i

e, with her eyes hungover from the night before. More distinct now in the morn

la released a deep breath she had not realized she was holding in and gave