Page 41 of Bulletproof Love

Her eyes widen as she takes in Jasper behind me. He’s either freaking her out, or she likes what she sees—either is fine with me, as long as she talks… and fast.

“Please, darling, we have to get home to the kids. The little one is sick with a fever.” Jasper sounds smooth as silk as he lays it on thick. Her face tinges pink and she smiles.

“Poor thing. Here, follow me. But please keep this to yourselves. The hosts are very particular.” Leaving her tray on the counter, she leads us down a hallway through more closed doors until we reach a back entrance. From the looks of the coats and boxes, this space is used for the help to come and go.

She squeezes Jasper’s shoulder, and turns to leave.

“There’s one problem,” I say through chattering teeth as the cold hits me like a ton of bricks. “The valet has the keys.”

And they’re all the way at the front of the house.

“Fuck.” His eyes widen as he turns to me. “Your coat. Here, take mine.”

“I’m fine.” He ignores my protests and I let him wrap his coat around me. It may not be the warmest thing, but I sigh in relief anyway.

He takes out his phone from his pocket, waving it above his head for signal. I try mine as well, and unsurprisingly, we’re still in the dead zone. “When we get in the car, we’re calling the guys.”

The pathway along the side of the estate is pitch black and covered in icy patches. My ankle rolls on a slick patch and I almost bust my ass, but Jasper’s hands catch me around the waist just in time. I’d give anything to be wearing my Doc’s right now instead of these heels. Pants too—each time the wind blows, it cuts straight through my dress, numbing my legs to the bone.

I follow Jasper around a shadowed corner when he freezes mid-step. “What’s wrong?”

“Jas? Falin?” A familiar voice rings through the open air.

Leon and Damon. They’re actually here. A wave of relief washes through me so intense I blink back tears.

They rush to meet us, and in seconds Damon has me wrapped in a hug so tight, I can barely breath. “You’re okay. We were losing our minds.”

“Is Blake alright?” My thoughts instantly go to my best friend on the floor of that restaurant. I’ll never lose that image from my mind.

“She’s fine. Just worried about you guys.” Damon turns to Jasper. “What the fuck happened in there?”

“I was about to ask the same question,” Leon adds. He takes one look at me and winces. “You must be freezing. Let’s get in the car and you can fill us in.” He takes a step forward, switching on his phone’s flashlight to illuminate the darkened path.

Jasper and I stay where we are.

“We can’t leave yet,” I say.

Damon and Leon look at me like I’ve lost my mind.

“She’s right,” Jasper adds. “They have men and women in there, drugged and being sold off to the highest bidder.”

“You’re serious?” Damon says. “We actually found them?”

Jasper paces the path in front of us. “Bailey’s not in there, but it’s a start. They know about Orlov. It’s a long story and we’ll fill you in, but we can’t just leave them here.”

As the guys talk all at once, bickering and brainstorming, a plan starts to take root in my mind. It’s going to be crazy and requires a lot of moving parts, but if everything goes well, we can get those people out without anyone else getting hurt tonight.

“No, you can’t just go in and start shooting,” Leon chides.

“You’re not Rambo, brother,” Damon adds.

“You didn’t see them… I need this. I gotta crush some fucking skulls.” And there’s the Jasper I know.

“Hey,” I interrupt.

Damon puts his hands on Jasper’s shoulders, halting his movement. “You can’t.”

“Just one skull?” Jasper says, pinching his fingers together to show an inch.

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