He Hates Me (Hate & Love Duet 1)

By the end of the day, I am once again exhausted. Thankfully, the traffic isn't too bad and I arrive home at dusk.

I notice a car in front of the building that doesn't look like it belongs one bit. I recognize it. I've seen it before.

It's that guy, Lucio. Jas' employer.

I furrow my brows, beeping the keys to my car as I approach the building. A man is standing in front of the car, and he smiles like a snake when he sees me, sending shivers down my spine. My eyes find the spider tattoo on his hand, and I shiver involuntary when I see the creepy, crawly legs etched permanently into his skin.

"Can I help you?" I speak up loudly when I'm near enough for the sound to reach him. The guy smirks and I give him a wary look, crossing my arms and coming to a stop in front of his car.

"Perhaps," he says with a smooth Italian accent. "I'm looking for Jasper."

"I don't know where he is." I raise an eyebrow. Even if I did, I wasn't going to tell this guy. "Anything else?"

He takes his hands out of the pockets of his expensive suit and approaches me with long, confident steps. He grabs me by the chin, surprising me when he pulls me closer. "You think you're all that because you're the dog's flavor of the month? He doesn't give a shit about you, little nurse."

I slap his hand away and the bastard laughs at me as I stumble back. He didn't grab me hard, but humiliation still sears my skin where his fingers rested on it. "Get the hell away from me."

"I have every right to be here. I'm not trespassing – this is public property. Now let's clear a few things up, you and me."

He approaches me again and I shrink back, immediately hating myself for being weaker than him. I want to smash his face in for scaring me, but I know I'm helpless, and given the guy's background, I wouldn't be surprised if he was carrying a gun somewhere.

I swallow and glare at him as he continues his calm, cool speech.

"You're nothing to him," he says. "He doesn't do love, or feelings, or relationships. The sooner you realize that, the better. And I'd encourage you to make it as soon as you can, little nurse. The man's got work to do and he has no use for some sad little bitch hanging around him waiting for a glimmer of his affection."

How dare he speak to me that way?

I don’t care if he’s connected to the mafia, but I won’t be disrespected by him or anyone else.

“Is that why he’s always with me?” I lift my chin. “Are you perhaps jealous?”

“You fucking bitch –” he lunges at me and before I can retreat or run, someone pulls him away from me.

I watch in horror as Jasper backs the guy up against his own car and slams him down on the hood.

In a split second, three guards get out of the car I'd presumed was empty, all pointing guns at Jas' head.

He punches Lucio anyway.

“Stop it.” I tremble, calling his name over and over again to shift his attention before he gets himself killed.

But Jas is blind and deaf to everything. All he sees is the red mist in front of his eyes, descending and blurring his vision until all he wants to do is fucking kill.

"Jas, please!" I cry out again, screaming when one of the guards points their gun at me.

Jasper retreats back at the threat, his eyes still glimmering with tension.

Lucio motions with a hand for the guards to aim away, and they do. The man picks himself up, chuckling as a trickle of blood runs down his chin. He wipes it off before buttoning his blazer.

"That was the last time you disrespect me," Lucio tells Jas calmly. "You might have thought yourself a master, but once a dog, always a dog. You’ll pay for this."

He gets in the car and slams the door, while the guards do the same. The vehicle speeds off while I try to catch my breath and Jas stares after them with distaste.

"Where did you come from?" I demand once we're alone. "Are you following me again?"

He doesn't answer. Just looks over at me, gives me a onceover as if to make sure I'm in one piece, then turns on his heel and walks away.

"Jas!" I call out after him, but he there’s no reply.

I watch his retreating back until he disappears around the corner.

I just know we'll both end up in trouble.29JasperMy head spins with a thousand scenarios as I make my way back to my apartment.

After I left my little Petal’s side, I’ve been running a background check on the locations she’s been in for her whole life. I did that before, but I didn’t have the current information back then.