Page 52 of Daddy's Bodyguard

Jasper jerks off the highway and soon pulls up at a motel that looks like its seen better days. I ease up on the seat, looking around as Jasper reverses into a parking spot at the back of the building. “Why are we here?”

“The safehouse has been compromised. We can’t go back there,” Jasper says.

“What—how? We’ve been careful all this time, haven’t we?”

He shrugs. “Cash is still trying to figure out what happened. For now, this is where we’ll stay.”

My body trembles as understanding finally rips through me. This entire time, every moment out of the safehouse, it hasn’t just been Jasper or me in danger, it’s been every single person I’ve talked to, every place I’ve gone … all of them.

“Sofia.”

Another sob echoes from my chest. All I’ve ever wanted to do is help, especially if it meant helping those who were forgotten by others, and those are the exact same people I’ve put at risk because I was too selfish to take even a short break.

“Come on, darling.” Jasper pulls me across the seat and sweeps me into his arms, honeymoon style. I turn to hide my face in his chest. “You’re okay. We’re safe.”

“I’m estupida.”

“No, you’re not.” He adjusts me in his arms until my breathing normalizes. “I’m going to get us a room. So be as quiet as you can for me.”

“No.” I grip his shirt. “You’re not leaving me here by myself.”

“Sofia—”

“I feel safer around you, Jasper. Please, take me with you.”

Jasper sighs, his chest bouncing as he breathes. “Fine. Stay close to me, okay?”

My hand grips the tail of his shirt as we hurry along the asphalt-covered path that leads to the front desk. Still clinging to him, I scan the dingy-looking lobby as he books us a room with cash from his wallet. The clerk hands us a key, and we take the stairs to the second floor, and I hurry inside the second Jasper opens the door. The smell of fresh linen hits me, filling me with relief. The room is definitely an upgrade from the lobby. A queen-sized bed stands in the center, with two night tables on each side. There’s a dresser in the corner, a small closet and an open door that leads to an ensuite bathroom.

Jasper locks the door, makes a few phone calls and checks the windows, but he seems so far away. I release my hair from the barrette that’s been keeping my hair in a ponytail, kick my shoes off and pull my feet up onto the bed. After a moment, I fix my shoes, making sure they’re in a straight line. But what I really want is to fix this situation, to get back to that night when I had nothing to worry about but my lesson plans and the donors I needed to charm. God, I would give anything to have my old life back.

Jasper stops in front of me, and I remove my hand from my jaw to look up at him. “How are you doing?”

I shake my head and rub my face. “I think I’m still in shock.”

“Yeah, you definitely are. Perfect explanation for why you just put your shoes by the bed. As long as I’ve known you, you’re a stickler for putting them right against the wall right next to the door.” His hands turn mine over, and my fingers wrap in his.

“It’s where they belong,” I murmur.

“I think they look fine right where they are.” He tightens his hold on me. “We need to keep our heads low from now on, you understand that?”

“No more work?”

“No more work. No phone calls. You can’t talk to Carissa or your boss or anyone else.” His eyes hold mine. “Until the coast is clear, you need to trust me, okay?”

“This is how it was supposed to be the whole time, yes?” I ask.

“Yes, but you were so stubborn, hell-bent on having your own way. I’m not trying to blame you for what’s happening right now. These guys are resilient. They would have found us anyway. But this time, you’re going to follow my rules, no questions asked. Let me do the job your father paid me to do.”

I nod. “Okay.”

He smiles slightly. “Look, we’ll have fun in this hell hole, I promise. Plenty of bad movies, junk food, and the best stories we can make up.”

I sniff and nod. “Yeah, definitely sounds like hell.”

Chapter 16

Jasper

---