Page 9 of Fallout

Staring at the city lights stretched out in front of him, wearing a suit he only wore at events like this, Jasper ignored everyone around him. Lost in trying to remember the past. How could he get his father to admit they’d lived in that house?

But did it even matter?

It wasn’t like it would change anything.

In the reflection, he spotted his father. He hadn’t left. He’d only walked away from Jasper. Just like every other time he didn’t want to talk about something. His father would hang around, make conversation—just so it didn’t look like they were fighting—and probably get some funding promises for his next campaign.

Jasper should leave. If his dad didn’t want to answer his question, things between them probably wouldn’t change. He took a sip of his drink and turned. He could make a stealthy exit, and likely, no one here would care.

Clare entered the room, followed by Destiny.

Jasper sucked in a breath but hadn’t swallowed yet. He coughed and tried not to dribble soda water on his tie.

He smoothed it down.

Someone clapped him on the shoulder, chuckling. “What was that about?”

He tore his eyes from Destiny and that pale ivory dress. Cleared his throat. “Nothing?”

The older man tipped his head back. “Don’t kid a kidder.”

“Hey, Uncle Brent.” Jasper clapped him on the back, needing just one more cough. This man was his father’s friend, not an actual blood relation, but Jasper had always called him that.

“So, it’s not the pregnant one, I’m guessing.” Brent Rammington, the company CEO, eyed the two women across the room. “The one with her? I heard Clare got a new assistant. The last one was a little…indiscreet from the sound of it.”

“No kidding,” Jasper said. Lena had two-timed both Simon and Peter. “Her name is Destiny Reed. She’s my friend Blake’s sister.”

“Cop buddy?”

Jasper lifted his chin. “SWAT.”

“Ah. Good man.”

Something in Jasper swelled. His father had only claimed publicly—years ago—to respect Jasper’s choice of career. After he’d threatened to disown him behind closed doors. After it was all a done deal anyway, and Jasper had made it all the way to being a beat cop.

At first, when he realized his son wasn’t going to change his mind about the police academy, he’d tried to get Jasper to apply instead to some private security companies so he could be a white-collar guy.

Jasper didn’t even make those calls. Instead, he just filled out the BPD application and told his dad after he’d been accepted.

These days, the senator was publicly supportive of his first responder son because it fit the narrative. On the other hand, he jumped in his limo at the first sign of danger and hadn’t even stuck around to see if Jasper made it out of that church massacre.

“How are you doing, Uncle Brent?”

The old man wore a suit that was probably worth what Jasper had paid for his car. “Oh, you know.” He waved a hand. “I’d rather talk about that lovely lady across the room.”

On the far side of the crowd, the senator shook hands with Clare, who wore a pleasant smile. From this distance, Jasper couldn’t tell if Clare was being polite or if she was uncomfortable.

“She’s not just nervous.” Brent assessed the women. “The assistant is… It’s more than nerves.”

All things considered, she looked like she was dealing with the situation pretty well. “I shouldn’t go rescue her.” There was no way Destiny wanted him to swoop in.

Brent chuckled. “I think she might like it if you did.”

Destiny had spotted him. He was too far away to see the expression on her face. His father drew her attention, shaking her hand and holding it a moment while he spoke.

“I visited her in the hospital.” Jasper had waited a whole day after she got back. He’d needed to see her, if only to see for himself she was all right. “She kicked me out before I even said hello.”

“Ah, so there’s a reason she looks broken?”

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