Page 9 of Midnight Rapture

Bleeding Christ! She’d been living here?

Jasper was fucking horrified by the state of the place. He might not save everyone, but in this, he could do some good for Freya and her kid. It solidified his decision to uphold the bargain they’d struck.

Freya carried out a few bags. He was stowing them in the trunk when a beady-eyed man with a comb-over and pot belly hastened to her door.

With an angry scowl, the man spat, “You owe rent for last week and for this week, or you and the brat need to get out today. We’re not running a charity here.”

Jasper stepped in, moving between him and Freya. This asshole was on a power trip. He stared the man down, scowling fiercely, ready to tear the bastard limb from limb if he came any closer to her.

The fucker had the audacity to sneer and say, “Who the fuck are you, her pimp? I won’t allow that type of thing to happen here.”

Jasper growled and clenched his hands into fists. It was either that or he’d wind up in prison for decking the slimy bastard. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled his wallet out and fished out a few bills. Then shoved them forcefully against the man’s soft chest. “Here, this will handle any outstanding bill my fiancée owes. She’s leaving today and won’t be back to this fleabag motel. And if you ever malign my fiancée or future stepdaughter again, I will put you out of business.”

Jasper took a menacing step closer and said low, “And if you ever think of calling her a whore again, I’ll do so much worse than put this place out of business. You’ll be pissing through a straw the rest of your sad, sorry existence. Now get the fuck away from us.”

The greedy bastard glanced between them, thought better of whatever he was going to reply, and like the coward he was, took the money and ran back the way he’d come.

“If that’s everything, let’s get out of here. We’ve got a long way to go yet.” And he wanted to leave before the dudes eyeing his vehicle got any ideas.

“Okay.” She didn’t put up a fight. Just climbed into the passenger seat and buckled her seat belt after checking on Maddie. He wasted no time and sped out of the area like the Grim Reaper was hot on his heels.

In the car, he felt Freya’s eyes on him. “What?”

“Thank you for standing up for me back there. That guy is such a creep. He even indicated I could work off my rent in other ways.”

Jasper ground his teeth, wishing he’d clocked the man because he knew exactly what a guy like that would consider working off her debt. “That’s no way to treat a woman. Any man worth his salt would intervene.”

She snorted. “No, they wouldn’t. But I appreciate what you said, nonetheless.”

They stopped at a grocery store on the outskirts of Denver. Maddie was awake by then. And since he had no clue about diapers, all three of them went inside like they were one big happy family. These two would be his to care for over the next year. Jasper liked it in a weird, twisted way.

Odd, considering he enjoyed playing the field. He was a bit of a heartbreaker at his private lifestyle club. He enjoyed scening with submissives, but not a single one had given him the urge to collar them and settle down. Why would he when he was having the time of his life playing the field?

Until recently, when even that had lost its luster.

Yet a few short hours with Freya and her daughter, and he was acclimating to being a family man with startling ease.

Freya settled Maddie into the child seat in the cart and strapped her in. Her little girl was adorable. She would be a looker when she got older and would need a father figure in her life to protect her from all the boys with bad intentions. He shook himself. That wasn’t for him to deal with. Their agreement was only for a year. They would be out of his life by then. But she seemed like a happy toddler who knew a few words and wanted to explore everything. He’d bet she was going to get a kick out of the cabin.

When Maddie reached for something in an aisle, Freya said, “No, baby, we’re just here for a few things.”

Jasper glanced at what the kid was pointing at with longing on her doll-like face. Jesus Christ, she wanted a box of animal crackers. That’s it. He was stepping in, whether or not Freya liked it. With that in mind, he grabbed a few boxes and tossed them in the cart, winking at the little girl.

She clapped, her little face beaming up at him. “Yay!”

He chuckled low, tweaking her nose, and winked, which sent her into fresh peals of laughter.

Freya huffed. “Look, you don’t have to—”

“I know. But look how excited she is over them. It’s nothing, Freya. I will take care of it. If there’s food that she will eat and likes, let’s get it. You don’t have to scrimp anymore.”

She looked like she was going to argue, but he beat her to the punch. “Look, either you pick it out, or when Maddie points at something she wants, I’ll just toss it in the cart. Either way, she’s going to get it.”

She flushed and nodded. “Fine. Thank you.”

They picked up fruit, eggs, cheese sticks, and many snacks for her kid. They grabbed diapers and wipes, and he forced her into putting baby shampoo, soap, and lotion in the cart. Then he grabbed a few more bottles, much to her consternation.

But it just made him smile.

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