Jasper’s POV
The room was too still.
Even the steady beeping of Scarlett’s heart monitor seemed quieter, like the air itself was holding its breath.
The man in coveralls didn’t flinch under my stare. He just kept that fixed, knowing smile, the kind you only see on someone who thinks they’ve already won.
“Step away from the bed,” I said, my voice low but sharp enough to cut glass. My right hand stayed inside my jacket, fingers brushing cold steel.
He didn’t move.
Instead, his eyes flicked to Scarlett, lying pale against the white sheets, her lips parted as she took slow, shallow breaths, and something flickered there. Satisfaction.
That was enough.
I stepped forward. “I won’t say it again…”
Hughes, who had been quietly noting Scarlett’s vitals, froze and looked up sharply. He must
