Page 16 of Beautiful Chaos

She turned back around and walked through the door, just as my cell alerted me of a message from Hector.

Chapter 14

JASPER

Entering my penthouse, the quietness surrounded me. The silence had never been an issue for me. I preferred it. To come home after a long day, pour a glass of scotch, and sit down to reflect. Alone.

I let my driver off early for the night, I didn’t plan on adding to this long day. Signing contracts for the Vasquez brothers went against everything I believed in. So a drink, and some quiet, was exactly what I needed. Despite the setbacks, seeing Harper was a positive moment in my day, even if she turned me down again.

I need to manage this infatuation. Perhaps I’ll seek some female companionship soon to distract myself from her and my unexpected attraction to this girl I barely know, aside from the information Max was able to uncover.

Knowing her past like I did and watching her as she navigated her day. I saw the struggle in her eyes, but she still found her smile. It’s fascinating, admirable even.

The door buzzer knocked me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the clock; it was already nine-thirty at night, who could be buzzing at this hour?

I got up and made my way to the intercom.

“Who is it?” I snapped.

“Uh, Jasper it’s Chester, I have some urgent business to discuss with you. May I have a moment of your time?” I let out a breathy sigh before I pushed the release button to allow entrance to the building.

It wasn’t long before the bell on the elevator went off and Chester fucking Wahlberg walked out. Chester was my father’s lawyer, and a crooked piece of shit if you ask me. He’s helped my father commit crimes and covered them up for him countless times, but when he helped cover up my mother’s murder that was the final straw for me. His showing up here, at my home, at this time of night, could only mean one thing.

“Jasper! It’s been a while old friend, how are you? How’s life on this side of the law?” he chirped, walking towards me where I stood in the foyer.

This side of the law? Ha, bastard.

“I guess that’s a valid question since that’s something you know nothing about.” I murmured as I walked ahead to a small table to the side of the living room. I sat down with my scotch still in hand, half expecting Chester to have followed me.

“Why are you here Chester?” I gritted. I didn’t need to pretend like I liked the guy. I fucking hated him, and he knew it.

“I guess pleasantries have never been your strong suit. You could offer me a drink,” he stated dryly, smirking.

“I only share my scotch with people I like.”

He laughed before coming over to join me at the table. He opened his briefcase and removed a stack of paperwork.

“Well, I’m guessing you know why I am here,”

“Is he dead?” I asked knowingly.

“I’m afraid so son.”

“Bout time.” I snapped my voice full of anger. I didn’t know where the sudden rage I was feeling was coming from, but I was seething. I was wound so tight, ready to take my rage out on anything and anyone who got in my way.

Luckily for Chester, I didn’t make a habit of pummeling old fucking bastards, despite how I felt about him and his filthy dealings with my father.

It was too bad. Chester seemed like a decent person when he and my father first met. He was a family man. He had a lovely wife and three boys. He was a successful lawyer for a large firm, and about to make partner.

They lived in a nice house in the suburbs, the picture-perfect family. Until he linked up with my father who was desperate to make a name and start his empire in the criminal underworld, using everyone and everything to his advantage, no matter what damage he did or whose life was taken in the process.

When he killed my mother, that’s when I decided I was never going to be anything like that man. My mother was a good woman, he didn’t deserve her.

After years of abuse and torture from my father trying to will me to his ways so that I could one day join him in his empire, I finally came of age and left never looking back.

When he found out I was a lawyer he reached out, no doubt trying to get me mixed in with his dealings, but I wasn’t interested.

He was pissed and sent some of his goons to strong-arm me, but what he didn’t realize was that all the years of torture, or what he called training, made me a much stronger man, plus the training on my own.

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