Page 71 of Humility

“Yeah, after the fact. I looked like a fucking idiot hiding the screen from her,” I growled. “I’m surprised she didn’t call the cops on me with the suspicious look she gave me.”

“You mean idiot is not your norm?” Angelo smirked.

I pointed at him. “Fuck you. I’m taking Jasmine to dinner tomorrow night, and you’re not stopping me.” He narrowed his eyes. “And if she wants to have crazy car sex, then I’m going to make sure it’s a ride she doesn’t forget.”

“Don’t you fucking dare,” Angelo snarled and stepped toward me.

“Whoa, what is happening in here?” Dario walked in carrying takeout bags.

“You talk to that asshole, but I’m taking her out tomorrow night, and nothing other than a bullet to the head is stopping me.” I stomped out, my heart pounding in my chest. That was the first time I’d stood up to Angelo, and it felt good.

Bang

I ducked at the sound of the gun and patted down my body as I whipped around to see a hole in the drywall. The bullet had missed me by a foot and hit the opposite wall.

“Stop fucking shooting in the house. You’re going to kill someone,” Dario yelled.

“That’s the point.”

“Crazy fucker,” I yelled back, then ducked and ran just in case he decided to take another shot.

I was falling for Jasmine, and it was the most dangerous and stupid thing I had ever done. But I didn’t care. She was worth fighting for.

Chapter Thirty-Three

JASMINE

I thought I couldn’t contain my excitement yesterday, but I jumped out of bed like I was shot out of a cannon. Not only had I managed to withstand the allure of the Absolem once again, but today, I was turning over the unused beds in the greenhouse, readying them for seeds. I’d made enough yesterday to pay for half of a month’s rent, and if I could do that three times a month, I could pay for the house and essentials without having to dive into my reserve.

I also fell asleep thinking of Enzo and our date tonight. It was hours away, but adrenaline coursed through my body with the thought of finally being alone without his phone ringing. His boss really did seem like a jerk of the first order. If I ever met him, it would be hard not to give him a piece of my mind.

Dressed and ready to face the day, I jogged down the stairs and made a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs and a smoothie. It was still dark outside when I stepped into the brightly lit greenhouse, but I wanted to start early on the rest of the beds. By my calculation, if I could get the grow cycles down, I would have fresh items every week. Filling the rest of the greenhouse would take a lot of work, but I was determined to do it.

Taking a sip of my smoothie, I sat it down on the edge of the first bed and grabbed my tools. I was looking down when a flash of something caught my eye. A cool trickle of fear traveled down my spine as I stared at my reflection. I couldn’t see outside, but it felt like someone was watching me. My eyes strained to see if anything moved. Nothing did, but was that better or worse? My gut screamed worse.

I lived in a world of betrayal and ruthlessness, and from a young age, I’d learned to trust my instincts. The sound of my breathing was loud as I held perfectly still. My eyes darted back and forth, looking for any threat while hoping it was nothing more than an animal.

Thump, thump, thump.

My heart beat louder than a drum in my ears, and I reached for my phone, but it wasn’t in my pocket. I was starting to think I had overreacted when I looked down to the bottom of the glass, and there, among the darkness, was a hand. A blood-curdling scream lodged in my throat as my gaze traveled back up, and a set of eyes stared in at me.

I stood frozen, like a rabbit caught in headlights, as my brain caught up to the fact that someone was really there—a man in a mask. Bolting for the house, I pushed through the door just as the outside entrance to the greenhouse smashed. Screaming, I turned and fumbled with the lock, hating that I hadn’t gotten Enzo to fix it, too. I just got it bolted as not one but two men slammed into the door, and it groaned and cracked.

Weapon and phone were the only words running through my mind as I ran for the kitchen. My blood ran ice cold with a crash. Glass shattered, and the only door separating me from the intruders broke apart. Yanking open the knife drawer, I grabbed the first handle I could as boots thumped closer.

All my life, I’d prepared for a moment like this—a time when someone broke in and wanted to hurt either my papa or me—when I would need to fight back to survive, and yet now that the moment was here, my hand shook with fear. Even though I always knew it could happen, I never believed it would.

There was no way to get to the stairs or my phone now, but I darted out of the small kitchen that would act like a trap and ran for the front door, switching off the light as I did.

“What the fuck?” The one guy growled. His voice was familiar, and yet my brain couldn’t place from where.

“Get her,” the second man said, but he’d altered his voice, making him sound like a robot.

The darkness slowed but didn’t stop them. I stuffed one foot in a sneaker as they reached the light switch. The second one didn’t want to go on, but I didn’t care. I was running out of precious seconds and unlocked the front door as the light came back on.

I glanced over my shoulder and wished that I hadn’t looked. The men were tall and dressed all in black, including a mask that covered their faces. They had to be wearing contacts because their eyes were bright red like demons had just crashed into my house.

Holding up my weapon, I fumbled with the door handle. They hesitated, giving me a glimmer of hope.