Ella's heart skipped a beat as she froze, unsure of how to react. Panic welled up inside her, threatening to consume her completely.
"Well, well, well," one of the men drawled, his voice dripping with malice. "It looks like we've got ourselves a little princess. Hello, beautiful. What are you doing all alone here, sweetheart? Come with us. We'll buy you a drink."
Ella glanced around the bar again, desperate to spot Jasper's familiar form. But she could only see a sea of unknown people. Jasper was nowhere to be seen. A cold dread crept into her heart, and she felt a lump in her throat. It was as if he had abandoned her.
Her stomach sank at the prospect that he might have left to get rid of her. After all, he didn't like her. This might be the reason he brought her here and disappeared all of a sudden.