A Game of Control
Jasmine should have looked away.
She should have broken the stare, turned back to the dance floor, and continued pretending she wasn't being watched.
But she didn't.
Because there was something about Asher Donovan—something undeniably dangerous about the way he looked at her.
It wasn't the kind of interest she was used to.
It wasn't shallow or fleeting.
It was calculated. Controlled. Like he was studying her, figuring out what made her tick.
Like he already knew.
---
A Drink and a Dare
Rita had vanished—probably off causing trouble somewhere—so Jasmine made her way back to the bar.
Asher was still there, still watching.
"Did you enjoy the show?" she asked, sliding onto the stool next to him.
Asher smirked. "Immensely."
Jasmine rolled her eyes. "You should try dancing sometime. Might help with the brooding judge aesthetic."
He took a slow sip of his drink. "And ruin my reputation? I think not."
Jasmine shook her head. "Shame. I was going to challenge you to a dance-off."
Asher arched a brow. "Oh? And what's the wager?"
Jasmine considered. "Loser buys drinks for the night."
Asher's smirk deepened. "I don't lose."
"There's a first time for everything."
A glint of amusement flickered in his gaze. "You're feeling bold tonight."
Jasmine shrugged. "Maybe I'm just tired of being careful."
Something shifted in Asher's expression—something subtle but unreadable.
"Careful is boring," he finally said.
Jasmine lifted her glass. "Then here's to being reckless."
They clinked their glasses, the tension between them thrumming like a silent dare.
---
A Familiar Shadow
Jasmine was halfway through her next drink when she felt it.
A presence.
An unwelcome one.
She turned her head—and froze.
Luke.
Standing near the entrance, scanning the room. His gaze swept past the crowd—until it landed on her.
Their eyes met.
Jasmine's stomach twisted.
For a moment, just a moment, she felt that old pang of longing, that stupid part of her that still remembered the good times.
But then she remembered everything else.
The lies. The betrayal. The way he had let her suffer in her own home.
And just like that, the moment was gone.
Luke's expression changed when he noticed who she was sitting with.
His entire posture stiffened, jaw locking as his gaze flicked between her and Asher.
Jasmine turned back to her drink, pretending not to care.
Asher, however, didn't bother with pretense.
He followed her gaze, clocking Luke immediately.
Then he leaned in, voice low. "Isn't that your ex?"
Jasmine took a steadying breath. "Unfortunately."
"Interesting."
Jasmine glanced at him. "What's interesting?"
Asher tilted his head, studying Luke like he was analyzing a case. "He looks like a man who regrets his decisions."
Jasmine scoffed. "He should."
Asher smirked. "Do you want to make him regret it even more?"
Jasmine blinked. "What are you suggesting?"
Without answering, Asher reached for her drink, took a sip, and then grinned.
Jasmine's heart stuttered.
It wasn't just the action.
It was the way he did it—so effortless, so bold. Like it was natural.
Like it was intimate.
And the worst part?
Luke was still watching.
Fury flashed across his face.
Jasmine knew that look.
She had seen it before, every time another man so much as glanced at her when they were together.
Luke had always been possessive.
But now?
He had no right.
The realization empowered her.
So, she did something reckless.
She leaned in just slightly, dropping her voice into something softer, something that suggested something more.
"You know," she murmured, "you're dangerously good at this."
Asher smiled against the rim of the glass. "At what?"
"At making people question what's real and what's not."
He chuckled. "I don't lie, Jasmine. I just… omit unnecessary truths."
Jasmine shook her head, but she was grinning.
And Luke?
He looked like he was about to lose his mind.
---
A Confrontation Waiting to Happen
It didn't take long.
Luke wasn't the type to sit back and stew in his emotions.
No—he was the type to act.
Jasmine barely had time to finish her drink before she heard his voice.
"Jasmine."
Her entire body tensed.
She turned, expression blank. "Luke."
His eyes flicked to Asher before settling on her. "We need to talk."
"No, we don't."
Luke exhaled sharply. "Jasmine, don't do this."
"Do what?" She arched a brow. "Enjoy my night?"
Luke clenched his jaw. "You know what I mean."
Jasmine tilted her head. "Actually, I don't. Why don't you enlighten me?"
Luke's eyes darkened. "This isn't you."
Jasmine felt something snap.
This isn't you.
As if he still knew her.
As if he still had a say in who she was.
She stepped closer, voice cool. "You don't get to say that."
Luke flinched slightly.
"Not after everything," she continued, each word sharp. "Not after what you did. What you let happen."
His throat bobbed. "I made a mistake."
Jasmine gave a humorless laugh. "Which one? There were so many."
Luke sighed. "Jasmine, please. Just… come outside for a second. Let's talk."
She shook her head. "We're done talking, Luke."
A muscle ticked in his jaw. "You're making a mistake."
Jasmine leaned in slightly, voice steady. "No. I made a mistake when I gave you my kidney."
Luke's face paled.
Silence stretched between them.
Then, finally, he turned and left.
---
Aftermath
Jasmine let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
She turned back to the bar, expecting Asher to be amused.
But his expression was unreadable.
She frowned. "What?"
He studied her for a long moment before finally speaking.
"You say his biggest mistake was what he did to you," Asher mused. "But I think his real mistake was thinking he could ever get you back."
Jasmine blinked.
The words settled deep.
She wasn't sure why.
But she knew one thing.
For the first time, Luke's presence hadn't made her waver.
And that?
That felt like a victory.
---