Jasper wasn''t much of a fighter himsell, but one look at Alex-colled like a panther about to strike told him the man was Hangerous.
tacking his lips, Jasper forced a shaky grin and took a step back.
"You know what?" he said. "This isn''t the age of warriors anymore. We''re past the days of letting our fists do the talking. Times have changed, and you should know that."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Enlighten me-what''s change?"
Jasper didn''t answer. Instead, he gestured to his men.
Around twenty of them pressed in, thugs of all shapes and sizes, each wearing a smug, predatory grin and weapons on their hands.
The iron baton in one man''s hand whistled through the air, a warning of the violence toe.
A hush swept over the watching crowd.
Faces turned pale as the realization sank in-Alex was surrounded
Yet Alex didn''t even blink. If anything, the corners of his mouth curved upward in a slow, almost taunting smile.
Raising a hand, he pointed at Jasper. Then he beckoned with a e on" gesture.
"Give me your best shot," he said, voice echoing in the tense silence. "No-give me everyst bit of it. Let''s see whoes out on top."
Those words caused a ripple of unease.
Even Jasper''s men, who were holding Sophia captive, looked taken aback.
Compared to the terrified Marco lying on the floor, Alex''s show of confidence was downright shocking.
Jasper''s face darkened with rage. "You little punk! Do you know who I am? You''ve got some nerve talking to me like that! Kill him!"
The order brought a tidal wave of bodies lunging for Alex.
They surged forward in a chaotic mass, trampling over Marco''s unconscious form.
Marco awoke with a pained gasp, scrambled to his feet, and stumbled away, coughing up dust.
Three of the biggest men reached Alex first.
Each towered above six feet, muscle packed onto their frames like stacked bricks.
They moved in unison, arms outstretched to grab him in one vicious tackle.
To bystanders, it looked like the end was near.
But it wasn''t.
Alex glided between them like a phantom, fists flying faster than anyone could track.
Aloud crack burst through the room, echoing off the walls as his punches connected squarely with each jaw.
Two men dropped instantly, copsing like puppets with their strings cut. Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Jasper froze, mouth half-open,pletely dumbstruck.
One second his men were standing, the next they were sprawled on the floot, unconscious.
A split-secondter, Alex stepped onto the back of a bulking thug sing the man''s shoulder like a stepping stone.
In one smooth movement, he vaulted over the mass of bodies andnded gracefully on the other side.
He spun around in a blur, nting a punishing kick into the nearest opponent''s ribcage.
"Get him!" Jasper''s voice cracked in frustration.
His men, momentarily stunned, snapped back to attention.
Again, they swarmed, hoping that sheer numbers would do the job But Alex wouldn''t wait for them to gain the upper hand.
He sprang into motion, fists and feet turning into a flurry of precise strikes.
Each blownded with a thud that made the onlookers wince.
Bones cracked under the force of his attacks, and one by one, the things dropped to the ground like broken dolls.
They tried swinging at him, but their weapons cut through empty space.
Alex was too quick, his counterstrikes mming into them with punishing uracy.
They outnumbered him twenty to one, but it didn''t matter. He tore through them like a storm ttening a field of straw.
Within moments, groans and thuds echoed all around, and thest thug fell in a tangled heap.
Silence crashed over the hall again, leaving only the thudding hearts of terrified witnesses.
Standing amid the unconscious men, Alex remained untouched.
His suit was as neat as when he''d first arrived, not a bead of sweat on his forehead.
"How...how is he this strong?" Marco rasped, eyes wide with disbelief.
Jasper had lost every bit of his swagger.
The terror on his face was stark, twisting his once-cocky features into something pale and broken.
He stumbled backward, nearly tripping over the scattered bodies of his own men. "Y-you! Who the hell are you?"
Alex stepped forward, each footfall ringing with cold intent.
His gaze locked on Jasper, like a wolf stalking wounded prey.
“Tonight, I''m Kingston''s bodyguard, and you''re making trouble in Kingston
territory."
The words seemed to warp the air, sending uneasy nces through the Kingston guests.
Some had already chosen to align with the Drake family.
Three stout businessmen in tailored suits pushed through the crowd.
One of them, an older gentleman with a practiced, polished demeanor, lifted a finger at Alex.
"Young man," he began, tone dripping with condescension, "you might work for
the Kingstons and handle the riffraff-but Mr. Jasper here is our guest. You can''t touch him.
Alex shot him a re. "Who the hell are you?"
Puffing out his chest, the older man replied, "I''m Jason Paige, owner of Paige Communica-
He never finished. Alex''s fist blurred forward, connecting squarely with the man''s
jaw.
">
Teeth ttered to the floor as ''ason Patge reeled back, eyes wide with stunned agony.
I asked who the hell are you dare to stop me," Alex said icily.
Letting his gaze flick to the other two men, Alex''s voice cut like steel
"If you n to brag about your power or position, you''ll get my fist instead. If you''re not prepared for that, back off."
They didn''t need a second warning. Both men retreated, their confidence gone.
Meanwhile, Jasper''s eyes darted frantically around the room until theynded on Sophia.
He lunged toward her, thinking to grab a hostage-but Sophia had learned her lesson.
She ducked behind a wall of crowd, no intention of being used as a bargaining chip again.
With desperation hammering in his chest, Jasper snatched the next best thing-
Megan.
His hand mped over her arm, jerking her in front of him, and he pressed a knife from the floor to her throat.
"Stay back!" he snarled. "One step closer, and I''ll slit her throat!"
Tears streaked Megan''s cheeks. She''d insulted Alex a thousand times before, but now she stared at him with absolute terror, pleading for her life.
Alex sighed, sounding almost weary. "If you want to leave, then leave. No need to drag someone else into this."
Jasper let out a harsh, humorlessugh. "You want to be a hero, huh? Fighting the Drakes and trying to protect women? You''ll regret it." He pressed the de closer, drawing a thin line of blood across Megan''s neck.
"Please, help me!" Megan screamed.
Jasper''s re swiveled back to Alex. He gestured at a knife on the floor. "Pick it
up. Now stab your own thigh-or she dies."
A slow frown creased Alex''s face. "Why?"
"Do it!" Jasper barked, voice cracking.
Megan''s sobs turned hysterical. "Please, Alex! He''ll kill me! Just do it!"
Alex bent down, picking up the knife.
Jasper''s face lit with twisted satisfaction, convinced he''d won. But as Alex raised
the de, he hesitated.
Shaking his head, he red at.Jasper with disdain.
"Are you an idiot?" Alex asked quietly. "Why should I stab myself for her?"
"What?!" Jasper spat, eyes wild. "Don''t you care if she dies?"
Alex''s stare grew colder. "You''re the one holding the knife on her. If she dies, it''s your doing, not mine."
"You''re insane!" Megan choked out, voice cracking with fear. "You''re going to let him kill me?"
"No," Alex replied evenly. "He''s the one killing you, not me.''
Jasper tightened his grip on Megan, anger warring with panic. "Don''te any
closer!"
Suddenly, Marco, who had been reeling from, the brutal fight, staggered over to
Alex.
Rage red on his face. "How can you let her die? You monster!"
Jasper seized that moment of chaos. "All right, I''ll let her go-but only if you stab
this man''s thigh," he growled, pointing at
Marco.
Megan burst into sobs. "Please, Alex! Just let Marco stab you. I''ll pay your
hospital bills!"
From across the room, Sophia added her pleas. "Alex, please... do for Megan''s
life."
Marco snatched the knife from Alex''s hand.
"I''m sorry, man. But we have to save her. You can endure the pain
Before Alex could respond, Marco drove the knife i
his thigh