Page 19 of Jasper

The house is overwhelming. Everything about it is supersized. The hallway is wider than my entire camper is long, the kitchen we pass by looks like five people could sleep on the center island. As a couch comes into view, I’m shocked by just how enormous it is and even more so by the number of huge men lounging on it with two small women stretched out in between.

Everyone in the room stops talking and looks toward me, then at Jasper. One of the women sits up and grins while the other eyes me cautiously before slowly starting to smile.

“Jas, you brought company,” one of the men says. He’s tattooed like Jasper, he even has a few small ones on his face, and he looks just as terrifying. All of them are, actually. And as I stand here staring at them like a deer in the headlights, I’m not scared. Because even though I don’t know Jasper, I know he’s not going to hurt me or let anyone else hurt me. It’s both a comforting and disturbing feeling at the same time.

“This is Ariana. She’s going to be staying here for the time being,” Jasper announces. “Ariana, that is my sister Rowie over there, and that is my other sister Ember. These are my brothers, but the only name you need to know is mine, so ignore them.”

Yeah, somehow, I don’t think that’s going to be possible.

With all of them watching me like I’m some sort of alien, I take a step closer to Jasper, letting his woodsy scent soothe me.

As if he senses my hesitation, Jasper leans down so his mouth is near my ear. “You’re safe here, rainbow.”

I nod and force a smile. At least the two women look nice.

“I love your hair. It’s so pretty. It reminds me of cotton candy,” Rowie says.

That makes me smile for real as I reach up and touch a tendril. “Thanks. The color is Kiwi Strawberry Kool-Aid.”

All of the men furrow their eyebrows and look even more confused than they already were, while both Rowie and Ember’s eyes light up.

“Oh my gosh, I’ve heard of using Kool-Aid!” Ember sits on her knees and bobs her head. “It doesn’t damage your hair, and it smells good while you do it.”

Yeah, and it’s less than a dollar a packet, and I can barely even afford that, but I don’t tell them that. Instead, I shrug and nod. “I like it because it’s not as toxic as regular hair dye.”

Jasper snorts, and when I glance up at him, he’s shaking his head. “Come on, rainbow. Let’s go eat before you give these girls any other wild fucking ideas.”

Rowie leaps over the back of the couch, much to the terror of one of the men who was next to her, and hurries over to us, throwing her arms around me.

“It’s so good to meet you. I hope we can hang out tomorrow. Without Grumpy Gus hovering.” She steps back and winks at me, then sticks her tongue out at Jasper and goes back to her spot next to the large, scowling man.

Jasper lets out an exasperated sigh and nudges me out of the room. “Rowie and Ember will be your best friends by tomorrow if you let them.”

An ache forms in my chest at his words.Best friends. I’ve never had those. I had foster siblings, and we all got along. I was close with several of them, but I never considered them my friends. We were all there by circumstance, just thankful to be in that foster home because we’d all experienced a few bad ones before we landed with Dan and River.

I like the idea of having best friends. In fact, I like it a lot. But I won’t be here long. Jasper might have kidnapped me tonight, but that doesn’t mean I’m staying.

One night is all it is.

Then I’m getting out of this town and as far away from this man as possible before I start getting my hopes up.

9

JASPER

Ilead her into the kitchen, every step a reminder of how furious I still am. Not at her exactly. Notonlyat her. But at the situation. At the goddamn fact that she was living in an ice box on wheels less than fifty yards outside our property line like a ghost no one noticed. And thatIdidn’t notice sooner. I think I’m more pissed at myself than anyone else.

She stands just out of reach, arms wrapped around herself, looking like she’s waiting for me to yell at her or something. I should feel bad. I probably didn’t handle things very well out there. Tossing her in the truck was an asshole move. But I wasn’t going to leave her out there. No way in hell. So I did what I had to do.

I move to the fridge, grab a plate of leftovers, and pop it in the microwave. Steak, mashed potatoes, and carrots. Something simple. Something warm. Something real and not out of a can.

Her stomach growls loudly, and I yank the plate from the microwave, setting it on the granite countertop harder than necessary.

Goddammit, she’s fucking starving.

I grab a fork and a steak knife and slide them toward her. “Eat.”

She eyes the plate like it might sprout legs and walk away, then slowly steps closer, pulling out a stool and sitting. I lean against the counter across from her, arms crossed, jaw tight.

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