Page 32 of Not A Whisper

Even when he’s being cruel.

With my stomach in knots, I lean back in my seat. This is just Jason being Jason. There’s no reason to continue getting worked up.

I won’t be going tonight, no matter what he says.

Eight

“If you don’t put me down right now, so help me god…!” My shriek echoes through my complex’s parking lot.

I should’ve known better than to believe that Jason would leave quietly this evening. But when he took my cake and left the apartment without another word, I let my guard down.

A mistake I won’t repeat again.

Tossed over Jason’s shoulder like a sack of potatoes, I’m mortified. It’s one thing for Trip to do this inside my apartment, but inpublic? How humiliating. What’s worse, for all the struggling that I’m doing, Jason seems completely fine strolling toward his truck. It’s like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

“I’m not a child! Put. Me. Down!”

To my surprise, Jason listens. The minute I’m on my feet, however, he steps into my personal space. When I step backward, my back hits the cab of his truck. Both of his arms come up and his hands rest on the hood on either side of my head, effectively trapping me in. I direct my glower upward at him.I’m met with hazel eyes that dance with amusement in the fading light. It’s only four o’clock, but given the time of year, the sun sets early.

“You can fuss all the way there if it makes you feel better. It doesn’t bother me,” he assures me as his cheeks dimple. “In fact, I think it’s cute.”

“Cute?”

He nods before he dips his head and slides his nose up the bridge of mine before he leans down and kisses me. When he pulls away, I glare up at him. My heart is pounding so hard in my chest I’m sure that if I peeled my sweater off, you’d see an impression of it in my skin with each beat.

“You’re insane for finding tantrumscute.”

His smile turns into a full-blown grin. “Yeah, maybe. Now get in the truck, we’re going to meet my parents.”

He pushes away from me and takes a step back, nudging his head toward the car. Reluctantly, I climb in. Jason’s there before I can reach out and shut the door. Gripping the door’s handle, he leans down to hold my gaze.

“You know what else I find cute?” Jason’s dimples reappear, a coy smile joining them. “How nervous you are to meet our parents. As if they’re the ones you need to be worried about. Remember, you belong to us, and no one can change that. Not their opinions or anyone else’s. What youshouldbe nervous about is how each day our obsession for you grows stronger. We’re ready to fucking consume you, dollie. At any minute, we can just upend your entire life to fit ours. Who knows, we might already be in the process of doing just that. Mull that over for a bit then tell me if maybe your nerves aren’t misplaced this evening, ok?”

With that, he slams the door shut.

“See those lights over there?Between the trees?” Jason asks nearly an hour later.

Way off in the distance, yellow lights crest a small hill. They’re easy to see in the dark even with the thick line of trees that occasionally block them.

“Yeah.”

“They’re coming from Garry’s stable. Just beyond that is the rest of Golden Horseshoes.”

I frown. “Wait, I’ve been able to see those lights for miles. When did his property begin?”

“We’ve been on his property for the last ten minutes or so. We came in the back way where employees enter.”

I try to wrap my head around how big the property is if we haven’t been all the way around yet.

“How big is this place if those are just his stables?”

“It’s around fifteen thousand acres.” Jason points toward darkness. “It spans in every direction and is cared for meticulously. There’s not an inch of this property that isn’t tended to.”

I can’t imagine owning a property this size. The number of people it would take to keep this place up and running would be insane. Does Garry treat all the staff as poorly as he does the people he once considered friends? Knowing how he’s wronged the Nani family and the Baniker family, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more people on this property beholden to the master manipulator.

The road curves away from the stables in the distance. We head down a steep hill. At the bottom is a simple brick rancher. The front porch light is on, brightening the green door with a pretty yellow lei hanging like a wreath from a hook. Lights are on in the house, but with the curtains drawn, I can’t see inside as we pull up. In the driveway sits a muddy truck, older than the one I’m currently in, a van withBaniker Carpentry, Inc.painted on the side, and a familiar motorcycle.

After what I’ve heard about Garry and how he’s screwed over the Nani’s, I’m a little surprised. I’m not sure what I expected. Maybe a rundown house? A trailer? Maybe even an old RV, but a simple, cute brick rancher isn’t it. I suppose Garry wouldn’t want something unsightly on his property.

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