Page 69 of Jasper

“Iwant to show you something.”

Jasper laces his fingers through mine, his palm soft against my own as he gently pulls me toward the stairs in his house. I follow without question, butterflies fluttering in my stomach. There’s a quiet excitement in the air, and it’s thrumming between us with every step.

We reach the second floor, and he leads me down the hallway to a door that’s closest to the main bedroom. He pauses there, turning to face me, his expression unreadable for a beat before it softens.

“I’ve been working on this since the first night you slept in my bed,” he tells me, voice low, almost hesitant. “I didn’t think I’d ever find someone for me. But I found you. And you’re it, rainbow. You’re my perfect Little girl.”

My heart catches in my throat.

He squeezes my hand gently, searching my eyes. “I want you to stay. Forever. I want it to be official that we both know you’re not leaving.”

I blink up at him, the corners of my lips twitching into a small smile. “Do I have a choice?”

To my surprise, he smiles back, a quiet warmth in his eyes. “Of course you do. You have the ultimate power. Always. It’s your choice, baby.”

I step a little closer, pressing my forehead gently to his chest for a second before tilting my head up to meet his gaze. “From the moment you brought me here… you and your family have treated me like I belong. Like I’m not a burden. Like I’m… wanted. And for the first time in my life, I actually feel like I belong somewhere.”

His jaw flexes, like he’s trying to keep his emotions in check.

“And even though it’s only been a few weeks,” I continue softly, “I can’t imagine my life without you now. I don’t want to. I want to stay. I’dloveto stay.”

His eyes brighten, and his grip on my hand tightens just a little, as though the words physically anchor him.

“But,” I add, lifting my chin just slightly, “I have one condition.”

He raises a brow, wary. “What’s that?”

“I want to figure out how to get a job. Learn some skills. Be capable of taking care of myself, too. I don’t want to always be dependent on someone else to survive.”

He groans softly, like the idea physically pains him, but he nods. “Fine,” he mutters. “But I still get to spoil you.”

I grin. “Deal.”

He releases my hand long enough to reach for the doorknob. “All right, close your eyes.”

I giggle but obey, squeezing my eyes shut.

There’s a soft creak as the door opens, the faint scent of fresh paint drifting out. Then his voice, low and full of emotion: “Okay. You can look now.”

I blink and my eyes fly open—and instantly, I gasp.

The room beyond the door is a dream.

Soft pinks and pastels color the space, with plush rugs, twinkle lights strung across the ceiling, and a cozy reading nook in the corner surrounded by shelves filled with picture books. There’s a small table with coloring supplies, bins of toys and stuffies, and in the center of the room, there’s a fluffy, oversized bean bag with a rainbow blanket draped over it.

Tears spring to my eyes, unbidden.

“You… you did this for me?” I whisper, stepping into the room, my hand flying to my mouth.

“Every bit of it,” he says from behind me. “Foryou.”

25

JASPER

Ariana steps into the room like she’s walking into the pages of a fairytale—herfairytale. I swear I feel the moment her heart catches up with her eyes. Her bare feet sink into the plush rug as she crosses the threshold, her fingers still laced with mine for another beat before she lets go and drifts forward, drawn to every detail like a moth to flame.

Her eyes go wide with wonder, her lips parting on a breath that’s equal parts awe and disbelief. Her fingertips graze over the picture books lined neatly on the shelves, brushing along each title as if she’s memorizing them by touch. She crouches to peek inside a bin of toys, lets her fingers trail through the rows of stuffies and stacking blocks, then gasps softly when she notices the twinkle lights draped across the ceiling like stars.

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