Page 73 of Malicious Desires

Nodding, I run away from the scene, scared that I’ve killed Tidus. It’s a fucking long way back into Capullo territory from this side of the city, but I keep running. I need to see Jasper. We need to end this feud for good. And even though I’m scared shitless about the consequences of tonight’s events, we need to confront them head on together by admitting everything to our parents. I’d burn the world down, and kill anyone – even family–to be with Jasper.

Chapter 41

Jasper

My dorm room window screeches open, startling the bejesus out of me as my back is turned whilst I’m getting ready for bed. Reece tumbles onto my bed, and he looks an absolute fright, as though he’s witnessed death tonight. A surge of panic rushes through me, that increases tenfold when Reece sits on the edge of my bed without even looking at me and bursts into tears.

“Baby? What happened?” I question, sitting down on the bed and wrapping my arms around him, pulling him to my side. He cries against my shoulder, soaking the sleeve of my white t-shirt. Seeing him–my strong, rough man–like this is breaking my heart. Something has to be seriously wrong for Reece to be at breaking point.

“Ree, please tell me what’s wrong?” I plead, kissing his forehead as I pull away slightly and he looks at me, biting down on his lip. “I can’t bear seeing you like this.”

“Mal…he…got…he…” he stammers, his voice raspy and panicked.

“He what baby? Is he ok?”

“I don’t know,” he cries out, completely shattering my heart.

“What happened, Reece?” I practically plead with him.

“He got shot. I went to speak to Tidus about us, and Mal was there. It turned into a fight.” He’s calmer now, but his voice is low, just a whisper.

“And you left Malyk there?”

“I had to. The cops and ambulance were coming. I couldn’t have any blood on my hands.”

“Makes sense. Where’s Tidus now?”

“Fucked if I know. I got out of there. Alaric will have my head if he finds out I was involved.”

Leaning forward I wrap an arm around his side and pull him close. He nuzzles into my side. Weirdly, I’m the one comforting him, but I’m not hating it. Seeing Reece showing a more vulnerable side is causing me to fall even harder for him.

“I love you, Jasp,” he whispers, glancing at me with a meek smile.

“I love you more, Ree.”

“I love it when you call me Ree, and love it more when you call me baby.”

I chuckle softly, murmuring, “Baby.” Reece groans, and I silence him with a kiss.

A few moments later he breaks the kiss, sighing deeply. “Do you think it’s time?” he asks, puzzling me.

“Time for what?”

“Telling our families about us, together as a united front.”

“If that’s what you want then I’m open to it.”

“I’ve told my dad already but we need to get them in the same room somehow.”

I contemplate what he’s saying for a moment. It certainly won’t be easy to get our feuding parents to be somewhere at the same time, but I know of one place–mutual territory–that we may be able to get them to attend in the guise of a business opportunity neither of them could pass up.

“What’re you thinking, Capullo?” Reece asks, snark in his tone.

“That we tell both our parents we’ve heard of a business opportunity to buy Perlu Beach Club, and their presence is required there to meet with the vendor and present an offer.”

Reece scowls. “That’s a long shot, Jasp.”

“Yeah, but it just might work. It’s mutual territory and both of our families want to steal it out from under the Murphys’.”

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