Ares's POV
The hallway was a thick, suffocating shadow. The lights had died completely, leaving only the faint red glow of Zara's device blinking like a heartbeat in the darkness. My boots echoed as I sprinted toward the storage room, adrenaline snapping through my veins.
"Jasmine! Say something!" I shouted, my voice bouncing off the walls.
A metallic click reached my ears… a sharp, deliberate sound. My heart dropped. The last thing I wanted to imagine was Zara having her hands on her again.
I skidded to the door, pulling it open. The room was dark, but not pitch-black. Zara's silhouette stood firm in front of Jasmine, her posture rigid, almost statuesque. My pulse hit my throat.
"Step away from her." I growled, my fingers brushing the gun I hadn't even drawn yet.
Zara didn't flinch. Not an inch. Not even a blink. "Ares," she said softly, almost sweetly, "you really shouldn't have come."
