Ashton wound up the hair dryer cord and set it on the nightstand. Looking into Briar’s eyes, he said, “Of course. Just like you coaxed me to sleep, I’ll coax you. Now, get under the covers.”

    Without a second’s hesitation, Briar dove under the nket, pulling it all the way up to just below her eyes. “I’m all tucked in, Ashton. You should go sit over there now.”

    She thought Ashton would say something else, but to her surprise, he obediently walked over to the sofa and sat down. Except for those burning eyes of his, he didn’t look dangerous at all.

    Still, Briar didn’t dare let her guard down. The intimate time they had earlier today made her heart flutter just

    thinking about it. It was honestly mortifying. It was even more embarrassing than waking up to find herself sleeping in Ashton’s arms.

    Ashton always knew how to squeeze every bit of value out of any situation. Even Briar could inever /iget the upper

    hand when she was with him.

    But thankfully, this time Ashton seemed to be a man of his word. He stayed on the sofa the whole time, one hand

    propping up his head and the other drapedzily over the armrest, right up until Briar was drifting off to sleep.

    He lounged there, lookingpletely at ease, eyes closed. Briar couldn’t tell if he was actually asleep or just

    resting. Either way, he seemed totally harmless.

    Briar was exhausted. She figured there was no way Ashton would be shameless enough to do anything to her

    while she was asleep. So she let her guard down and drifted off into a deep sleep.

    About ten minutes after she’d fallen asleep, Ashton, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened

    them.

    He got up and walked over to Briar’s bed. Looking down at her peaceful, defenseless face, with an unusually gentle look in his eyes, he cautiously leaned closer. Seeing that she didn’t react, he quietly lifted the nket and slipped

    in beside her.

    If Briar had known that this sly man was nning something like this, there’s no way she would’ve let herself fall asleep so soundly.

    But her body reacted before her mind could catch up. When Ashtony down and pulled her into his arms, she instinctively buried her face in his chest, breathing in his familiar scent, her head unconsciously nuzzling against

    him.

    Ashton’s gaze grew even softer. ‘Nothing warms my heart more than someone trusting you without even thinking about it,‘ he thought. He bent down and pressed a gentle kiss to Briar’s forehead. “Go to sleep.‘

    While things were all warm and romantic on one side, in a rundown warehouse on the outskirts, it was a whole different kind of hell for some people.”

    13:26

    AU

    36%

    “Ugh…” With every agonized scream, a man covered in blood was being beaten like a rag doll by four or five men in ck. If they hadn’t deliberately avoided his vital spots, he’d probably be dead already.

    “Mr. Garza, please, have mercy. I swear. I don’t know anything…” The man spat out a tooth, blood, and spit dribbling down his chin as he begged, barely able to speak.

    In the shadows of a corner of the warehouse, someone sat shrouded in darkness. The dim light couldn’t reveal his

    face, only the glowing tip of a cigarette moving back and forth. “All your men have been pinned down by Ashton’s crew, and you’re telling me you don’t know anything? Jake, do you really believe that yourself?”

    Jake was stillpletely out of it. He had no clue how Ashton’s guys managed to track down his crew. If it hadn’t been Brandon who came to nab them, he would’ve thought Ben was setting him up.

    “I swear. I don’t know anything! Please, Mr. Garza, have mercy… Please, just let me go!” The more Jake thought about it, the more terrified he got. He dropped to his knees, banging his head on the floor as he begged Ben for his life, sobbing uncontrobly.

    For street punks like him, as long as they could stay alive, they’d do anything, even if it meant groveling or calling someone “Dad” right then and there.

    Ben flicked his cigarette into the light. “End him.” They’d been beating Jake for a whole hour. For a coward like him, he was already at his absolute limit. That just proved he really didn’t know anything. No point wasting any

    more time.

    “No! Mr. Garza, please, spare my life! I can make it right, I swear!” Jake broke down sobbing, his fear overwhelming

    him.

    It was all because of his own greed. That 1.6 million dors had blinded him, and now he and his crew were stuck in this mess. If he’d been caught by Ashton’s people, he might’ve had a shot at survival. But once Ben gave up on someone, there were only two oues left: either get killed, or end up as a guinea pig in theirb.

    No matter what, it was a death sentence. Ben was more ruthless than Ashton.

    But Ben was already on his feet, leaving with his bodyguards in ck. The only ones left were the five men who’d just beaten him up. Jake was plunged into utter despair. ‘It’s over! I’m definitely gonna die today!‘ he thought.

    The five men in ck sneered as they closed in on Jake again, raising their guns in front of his terrified eyes. Jake squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for death toe.

    Bang! The gunshot rang out, but Jake didn’t feel any pain. Confused, Jake peeked open one eye and saw that the man who had just aimed the gun at him was slowly copsing, a bullet hole in the guy’s forehead, the guy’s eyes wide open in shock. He didn’t even know how he’d died.

    Jake stared in disbelief at the group of people who had appeared at the warehouse door, mumbling, “I… I’m saved! Haha… I’m saved…”

    It was none other than Brandon and his crew.

    13 26 Thu, 21 Aug

    36%

    413)

    Jake copsed to the ground, reaching out to Brandon, practically offering up his hands to be tied without a fight. ‘Thank God. If I’m caught by Ashton’s people, at most it’s just a beating. Beats getting dragged off to someb and cut up like a guinea pig,‘ he thought with relief.

    “Brandon, they got away.” One of his men came back from a side door, looking pissed. “We were toote again.”

    Brandon didn’t seem surprised at all. He just waved it off. “Doesn’t matter if they got away. Let’s just take this guy

    back.”

    “Yes.” The man grabbed Jake and tossed him into the car like livestock. Then the whole crew swaggered off

    without a care.

    Once the car was far enough away, Brandon nced in the rearview mirror at several vehicles speeding off in the opposite direction, a cold smirk tugging at his lips.

    Some people thought they were ying everyone else for fools, not realizing they iwere /iactually the throwaway

    piece in someone else’s scheme.

    “Ashton, everything went smoothly. That guy ‘escaped,‘” Brandon called Ashton to report.

    Ashton replied, “Good. Make sure you keep tabs on him. This time, don’t let him slip out of the country.”

    “Got it, Ashton. Don’t worry about a thing,” Brandon said.

    In the bedroom, Ashton’s face was icy cold, and the murderous aura rolling off him was enough to make anyone’s

    blood run cold.

    Briar picked up on the danger, letting out a soft whimper, her brows furrowing as she began to stir. Ashton instantly smothered his killing intent, giving her shoulder a gentle pat. “It’s alright. Go back to sleep.”

    But Briar still woke up. Half–awake, Briar hadn’t even realized how close they were. She caught the chill in Ashton’s

    eyes and asked, “Ashton, what’s wrong?”

    田

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