Page 69 of Fallout

He sat forward, elbows on his knees, and texted his dad. One heel bopped up and down on the floor. Too much adrenaline in his system.

“In position.” Peter’s voice came through the speakers since Jasper and Destiny didn’t have headsets to listen in.

Simon wore one and said, “Copy that. Keep it tight.”

Peter probably didn’t need to be told that, but Simon wanted to remind his brother anyway. They all knew what they were doing. Why was he here again?

“Do you want to take a walk?”

He flinched. “Are you kicking me out?”

Destiny rolled her chair a couple of inches so her knee practically touched the side of his leg. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” He’d been saying it for hours. Since Violet gave him…whatever that was in an IV bag. He’d slept for half an hour nearly and downed half a pot of coffee since. Plus dinner. What more was there?

Destiny said, “You like being in the middle of the action?”

“I like being where you are.” He watched that play on her face, enjoying the way her expression softened. She seemed to like him being sweet. Maybe every woman did, but her reaction was the only one he cared about. “You promised to have dinner with me.”

“Pizza in the Vanguard break room doesn’t count?”

Over her shoulder, Simon grinned.

Jasper ignored him. He leaned close and nudged Destiny’s nose with his. “No, it doesn’t.”

She shifted slightly. Not a flinch, but not nothing. “There’s a lot to talk about.”

And he was making assumptions as to how those conversations were going to go. “Sorry.” He sat back, rolling his shoulders. His dad had replied. He did the thumbprint thing to unlock the phone, then read the text. “My mom is staying put for a while. They’re trying a new medication.”

“That’s good.”

He shrugged. “She’s been on a lot of things for a long time. What she needs is a place that will care for her the way a live-in nurse can’t. Somewhere she feels comfortable.” And wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone.

Destiny touched his shoulder. Jasper turned his head, and she leaned over and kissed his cheek. “She’ll be okay.”

“Then why do I feel guilty just thinking about putting her permanently in some kind of home?”

“It’s not like you’ll lock her up somewhere scary.” She squeezed his arm. “You care about her, and you want to do what’s best for her.”

And a tiny part of him wanted to be free of her.

Free to make his own choices and do what he wanted with his life without worrying about if she’d try and kill herself again in reaction to it. If—or when—he got engaged again, there was no way he would tell her. But then, did that mean he’d live two separate lives and never tell her? He’d have to pretend for the rest of her life that he didn’t have a family.

The one he’d always wanted.

Simon glanced over. “He’s here.”

Destiny turned to her spot, and Jasper shifted his chair over so he could watch the video feeds.

A man on-screen approached Peter.

Jasper whispered, “That’s the guy from the sketch.” The one the feds had been hunting. Nearly every lettered agency had a warrant out for the guy’s arrest. Strange that they hadn’t jumped on this since the events at the house. Vanguard had sent them the information that was related to their investigation into the kingpin.

Through the speakers, Peter’s voice was clear and steady. “You’re him?”

The man said, “You have my file?”

“I want your assurance no one else gets shot.”

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