Chapter 73: Trouble Waiting in the Shadows

Sabrina nodded, a bright smile spreading across her face.

"Mmm. My husband is so good."

The words came out almost shyly, but the happiness in her voice was impossible to hide.

For a woman who had spent so many years convincing herself that she didn’t need anyone, she was surprised by how much she enjoyed having someone to call her own.

Jason smiled.

A little while later, he was fully dressed and standing near the door.

He glanced back at her.

"Sabrina, I need to head home. I’ll see you tomorrow."

There were still plenty of things he needed to take care of that day. His business was only getting started, the system had given him several new objectives, and he couldn’t afford to spend the entire day sitting around.

Sabrina’s smile faded slightly.

She had known this moment would come, but that didn’t make it easier.

"Okay, husband."

Her voice carried a hint of reluctance.

"Be careful on your way home."

Jason nodded.

"I will."

He opened the door.

Sabrina followed him into the hallway and stopped at the entrance to her apartment.

She didn’t ask him to stay.

She didn’t try to make excuses.

She simply stood there and watched him.

There was something almost painfully affectionate about the way she looked at him, as though she wanted to memorize the moment before he left.

Jason noticed.

His hand paused on the door handle.

He turned around.

"Sabrina."

She looked up.

Jason walked back to her and gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face.

"I’ll come back soon," he said quietly. "So don’t sit here feeling sad, okay?"

Sabrina gave him a small smile.

"I know."

He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead.

"Good."

She nodded.

"Go on, then. I’ll be waiting for you."

Jason smiled one last time before heading down the stairs.

Sabrina remained in the doorway.

She watched until he disappeared from view.

Only then did she slowly close the door.

Her apartment suddenly felt much quieter.

She leaned against the door for a moment and touched her forehead where his lips had been.

A soft smile appeared.

She couldn’t help it.

She was already looking forward to seeing him again.

---

Outside, Jason climbed onto his motorcycle.

The engine came to life with a low rumble.

He pulled on his helmet, glanced back toward the apartment building one last time, and then eased the bike onto the road.

The morning traffic had begun to thicken.

Jason merged into the flow of cars and motorcycles, his mind already moving on to everything he needed to handle that day.

He had no idea that trouble was waiting for him much closer to home.

And he certainly had no idea that someone had been watching the neighborhood all night.

---

Maplewood Apartments

Several streets away, an old van sat parked in the shade beside the apartment complex.

The vehicle looked like it had been forgotten there years ago.

Its paint was faded.

One of the windows was cracked.

The tires were coated in dust.

But inside, several men had been awake for most of the night.

They were exhausted.

Their clothes were damp with sweat, their eyes were red from lack of sleep, and cigarette butts covered the pavement around the van.

The air inside was even worse.

Hot.

Stale.

Heavy with cigarette smoke.

One of the men cracked open a window, but it barely helped.

Marcus "Bear" Lawson sat in the driver’s seat, his thick arms folded across his chest.

He was a large, intimidating man with a rough face and a permanent scowl. He looked like the sort of person people instinctively avoided on the street.

He checked his watch again.

His expression darkened.

"We’ve been sitting here all night."

He slapped the steering wheel.

"Where the hell is that kid?"

Nobody answered.

Marcus looked toward the apartment building.

"He hasn’t shown up once."

He took another drag from his cigarette and exhaled toward the windshield.

"Don’t tell me he figured out what was happening."

One of the men shifted uncomfortably.

"That doesn’t seem likely, Boss."

Marcus glared at him.

"Then where is he?"

Silence.

The men exchanged uneasy looks.

They didn’t have an answer.

They had been given simple instructions.

Wait.

Watch.

Grab Jason when he appeared.

But Jason hadn’t appeared.

And after spending an entire night sitting in a hot van, patience was beginning to disappear.

Another man wiped sweat from his forehead.

"This weather is killing me."

Someone else muttered,

"I’ve been bitten by mosquitoes all night."

Marcus slammed his palm against the dashboard.

"Enough."

Everyone went quiet.

"We stay until we find him."

He leaned forward and stared through the windshield.

"We were given a job. We finish the job."

The men nodded reluctantly.

Nobody wanted to explain to their boss what would happen if they returned empty-handed.

Marcus had already made that very clear.

---

Then one of the men suddenly straightened.

"Boss."

Marcus looked at him.

"What?"

The man pointed toward the apartment entrance.

"Someone’s coming out."

Marcus immediately followed his gaze.

A woman had just stepped outside.

She was carrying a small grocery basket and appeared completely unaware that she was being watched.

Marcus’s eyes narrowed.

He studied her for several seconds.

Then a slow smile spread across his face.

"Well, well."

He had spent the entire night waiting for Jason.

Apparently, the morning had brought him another opportunity.

"That’s Zara."

The men around him immediately became alert.

Marcus leaned back in his seat.

"Maybe we didn’t find Jason..."

His smile widened.

"...but we can still bring someone back."

The men understood immediately.

They exchanged glances before climbing out of the van.

Marcus stepped out last.

He straightened his jacket and gestured toward the apartment entrance.

"Let’s go."

---

Zara had no idea what was happening.

She had simply decided to make a quick trip to the nearby market.

She carried a reusable grocery bag in one hand and mentally went through the list of things she needed.

Vegetables.

Meat.

Fresh bread.

A few other things for dinner.

She had been planning to prepare a good meal that evening.

Jason had a busy schedule, and she wanted to make sure there was something warm waiting for him when he came home.

She walked down the sidewalk, her heels clicking softly against the pavement.

The morning sun was already bright, and the air carried the familiar warmth of the city.

Then she noticed something.

Several men were walking toward her.

At first, she didn’t think much of it.

Then she noticed their expressions.

They weren’t smiling.

They weren’t passing by.

They were coming directly toward her.

Zara slowed.

Her fingers tightened around the handle of her grocery bag.

One of the men moved to her left.

Another moved to her right.

She stopped.

Her heart began pounding.

What’s going on?

She instinctively took a step backward.

Then another.

Marcus stopped a few feet away.

His eyes swept over her.

"You’re Zara, right?"

Her throat tightened.

She didn’t answer immediately.

"How do you know my name?"

Marcus gave a humorless smile.

"Just answer the question."

Zara’s instincts screamed at her to get away.

She glanced around.

There were people farther down the street, but nobody close enough to help immediately.

She forced herself to stay calm.

"What do you want?"

Marcus laughed.

"You don’t need to be nervous."

The words did nothing to reassure her.

Zara tightened her grip on the grocery bag.

"If you need something, just say it."

"We’re looking for someone."

"Who?"

Marcus’s smile disappeared.

"Jason."

Her heart sank.

The fear she had been trying to suppress suddenly became real.

She knew Jason had enemies.

She knew his life had become complicated.

But she had never expected those problems to reach her doorstep.

Zara took another step back.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Marcus’s expression hardened.

"Don’t lie to me."

"I am not lying."

Her voice trembled despite her effort to remain composed.

"We haven’t done anything to you."

One of Marcus’s men laughed.

"Boss, she’s scared."

"Of course she’s scared."

Marcus stepped forward.

Zara immediately backed away.

"Stay where you are."

Her voice rose.

"If you’re looking for Jason, talk to him. Leave me out of this."

Marcus gave a cold laugh.

"You really think we came here to have a conversation?"

Zara’s face went pale.

She looked toward the apartment building.

Then toward the street.

She needed help.

Immediately.

"I’m warning you," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "There are people around here. If you try anything, I’ll call the police."

Marcus laughed.

Several of the men joined him.

"You think that scares us?"

His confidence made Zara’s stomach twist.

She reached into her bag, searching instinctively for her phone.

One of the men noticed.

"She’s reaching for something."

Marcus’s eyes sharpened.

"Don’t."

Zara froze.

For the first time, she realized just how dangerous the situation had become.

She was alone.

Surrounded.

And Jason wasn’t there.

Marcus stepped closer.

"This is because of Jason."

Zara swallowed hard.

"He made the wrong people angry."

She shook her head.

"I don’t know anything about that."

"Maybe."

Marcus’s voice became colder.

"But you’re going to help us get his attention."

Zara’s breathing quickened.

She took another step backward.

Her heel caught awkwardly against the edge of the pavement, and she nearly lost her balance.

One of the men moved forward.

Zara recoiled.

"Don’t touch me!"

Her voice echoed across the street.

For a moment, everything seemed to freeze.

Then Marcus smiled.

"Let’s see how quickly Jason comes running when he finds out you’re in trouble."

Zara’s heart pounded.

She suddenly understood what they were planning.

They weren’t just looking for Jason anymore.

They intended to use her to get to him.

And somewhere across the city, Jason was riding home completely unaware that the people hunting him had finally found someone close enough to hurt.

The morning traffic continued moving.

Cars passed.

People walked by.

The city carried on as usual.

But beneath the bright morning sunlight, danger had already begun closing in.