Page 71 of Jasper

And just like that, she owns every part of me. Body, heart, and soul.

26

ARIANA

I’m so tired that my bones ache.

Every step feels heavy. My body drags, and my mind isn’t far behind, sluggish and fogged after days that haven’t stopped moving.

The past week has been a blur of change and emotion—one thing after another, unraveling the old and stitching in the new. Since the night Jasper looked into my eyes and told me he loved me, everything has shifted.

The next day, he moved all my things from the main house into his. No more going back and forth. No more lingering at the edges, wondering if I truly belonged. His home is my home now. And each time I catch the scent of his cologne on the pillows or hear his boots thudding down the hallway, it sinks in deeper in the best way possible.

We’ve been sorting through the camper, too. It’s not just about the stuff... There really isn’t a lot of it. But it’s about the memories tied to each one of how I survived on my own for several years. Jasper never rushes me. He waits as I pick up old trinkets, read torn notes, and decide what still matters. Most of it doesn’t. My blanket and Fluffy and Jasper are what mean the most to me. Everything else is just junk.

Cassian set me up with a new email account and started helping me learn how to apply for jobs online. He’s been super patient and even showed me how to make a basic resume. Jasper somehow got hold of my Social Security Number. When I asked him how he found it, he told me he hacked the state foster database. I decided not to ask how he knows about hacking into anything. From everything I’m learning about him and the type of work the guys do, they are really a bunch of assassin, spy geniuses. It’s starting to finally make sense why he's so controlling.

I’ve been hunched over Theo’s old laptop for hours, squinting at job listings and trying to figure out what someone like me could offer the world.

And now, after a loud, laughter-filled dinner at the main house, I’m beyond drained. My eyelids are heavy, my limbs feel like they’re filled with sand, and even my sippy cup of juice at the dining table took more energy than I had to hold. I’m dragging my feet across the gravel path back to Jasper’s house, my hand wrapped in his large, calloused one.

I must be scowling without realizing it, because he glances down at me and doesn’t say anything. He just gives my hand a little squeeze.

“Tonight, I’m going to fully regress you, baby girl,” he says, quiet but firm.

I blink up at him, caught off guard. “What? Now?”

He nods, already leading me inside. The door clicks shut behind us, and the air inside is warmer, softer, scented faintly of the new lilac candle he ordered for me after I tossed the old one from the camper.

“You’ve been doing so much. Trying so hard. You’ve earned a rest. Let me take care of everything tonight. Just let go.”

I hesitate on the first step, my stomach doing a small flip. “I don’t know…”

He stops and turns, facing me head-on. His eyes are calm, steady. “Baby girl. Trust me.”

My breath hitches. But then I bob my head. “Okay.”

He takes me upstairs, into our bedroom, and begins undressing me, his fingers warm and gentle. The soft rustle of fabric fills the room. Goosebumps rise across my arms as his fingers skim my shoulders, down my sides. It’s not sexual. He’s truly taking care of me without any expectations.

He disappears into the bathroom, and I hear the rush of water. The soft thunk of plastic toys being dropped into the tub. The clink of the faucet turning off. The air starts to smell like strawberries.

When he calls for me, I pad into the bathroom, completely naked and unashamed. That was one of the positive traits I got from my foster mom. She always taught us girls to love our bodies and have no shame in being naked around the people we trust.

Steam swirls around the room, and the soft heat relaxes my bones. The bathtub is full of fluffy white bubbles, the foam almost spilling over the sides. Bright plastic toys float on top, and a pink bath crayon rests on the rim.

“Arms up,” he says softly.

I raise my arms, and he lifts me into the bath. I let out a breathy sigh and sink down, my muscles loosening instantly. It’s heaven.

Jasper kneels beside the tub, rolling up his sleeves. Even though I’m already quickly slipping into Little Space, I can’t help the throbbing between my legs at the sight of his tattooed forearms.

He cups his hand, pours warm water over my shoulders, then massages shampoo into my scalp with slow, gentle circles. His fingers comb through my hair, his touch firm but tender.

“Play,” he instructs firmly, handing me a squeaky fish.

I smile and give it a halfhearted squeeze, bubbles popping against my fingers. He washes my back with a soft cloth, the rhythmic strokes lulling me deeper into calm.

When the bath is over, because I’m nearly falling asleep, he wraps me in one of his plush towels and lifts me from the tub. My head rests against his chest, damp hair clinging to my forehead. I can hear his heartbeat as he carries me to the playroom. The space is dim with only the string of star lights twinkling across the ceiling.

---