Djinn in Love (Mystical Matchmakers #4)

Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

They settled into a routine almost immediately. Jasper stayed with her for three nights after the wedding. When he asked her if she was ready to come stay with him, she said she was.

And, once she saw his house, she understood why he wanted her to come to him. Her apartment was nice. Cozy, clean, and calm.

Jasper’s home though? It was spacious and it had anything and everything her dream home would have.

Though he had a formal living room, they spent most of their time in what he called the den . In reality, it was basically a mancave. Slouchy furniture in a fantastic greige was spaced throughout the room. A huge flatscreen television was mounted to the wall. It was also hooked up to some sort of lighting system that emanated from behind the TV. The colors of the lights mimicked the screen, giving anyone in the room the sensation that they were immersed. The couches even had surround sound speakers inside the arms and back.

He also had every streaming service known to man, explaining that, with his work schedule, by the time he got home, all he wanted to do was unwind. He didn’t get to watch often, but he liked to do that with a television series or movie. Sometimes he watched soccer or hockey. Occasionally even a boxing match or a MMA fight.

Veronica understood. She felt the same way about reading romance novels. That was how she liked to unwind.

What she liked even more is that he was perfectly content for her to curl up against his side and read while he watched television.

He didn’t cook often, again because of his work schedule, but when he did, it was delicious. Jasper appreciated when she cooked for them as well.

After the first week, they talked and agreed that they weren’t ready to spend time apart unless they had to, so they came up with a schedule. From Sunday to Tuesday, Jasper would stay at her apartment. From Wednesday to Saturday, she would stay with him at his house. They also agreed that they would talk to each other if they didn’t feel like it was working out well.

Fortunately, their first week of that schedule seemed to work out well for both of them. Even though they’d only been dating for two weeks and five days, Veronica was more comfortable with Jasper than she’d ever been with anyone else. Even her own parents.

He truly accepted her for who she was. He wasn’t a mind reader, but he paid attention. He asked how her day went, what her childhood was like, and who her best friend was.

When Veronica was embarrassed about her answers, he made her laugh by saying, “Hey, my answers to those questions are even more boring. I worked at my computer all day, my childhood was a montage of pranks, fights with my brother and cousins, and getting grounded. Which is what makes my last answer the craziest—my brother is my best friend. Apparently, trying to kill each other in our formative years solidified our relationship.”

“I think you’re the closest thing to a best friend I’ve had in a long time. Maybe even my entire life,” she admitted.

That had effectively ended the discussion because Jasper stared at her with burning black eyes for a long moment before he got to his feet. He came over to her, hoisted her off the stool she was perched on (they were in the kitchen), and carried her back to his bedroom with her head dangling down his back.

Afterwards, Veronica lay face down on his bed, her head turned toward him, and Jasper rolled onto his side to look at her. He traced his fingertips down her spine, just touching her. It was something he often did. Random touches when they were making dinner together or hanging out. Hugs and kisses when she least expected them.

She hadn’t brought it up, but she had no doubt that he sensed how desperately she needed that contact. He paid attention to her needs and reactions, even if she hadn’t voiced them aloud yet. Not only did he pay attention, but he made an effort to give her what she needed. It was another reason she was done falling in love with him. She was already there.

“I’m going to have to call you my best friend more often,” she murmured.

He smiled at her words, but his expression quickly turned serious. “As much as I like hearing that, you need friends and other people in your life, baby. The selfish part of me doesn’t want you to do it because I like being your only touchstone, but the part of me that understands humanity knows that wouldn’t be healthy for either one of us.”

God, he really was her best friend. He was more concerned with her mental health and happiness than what it might mean for him if she expanded her circle.

“I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this,” she murmured lazily. “But it’s difficult for me to make friends.”

“What about your boss?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“The way she talks to you is definitely much friendlier than employer/employee. I mean, I don’t talk to my assistant like that. I respect her and she’s been with me a long time, but we don’t have that kind of relationship.”

Veronica’s eyes grew unfocused. “I do consider Dominique a friend, but we’re not that close. She keeps everyone at a distance. Even me. So, she’s not my best friend. I think she could be, but I can tell that’s not what she wants.”

“I wonder why,” Jasper murmured.

“I’m not sure, but she’s older than she appears. Most fae are. It wouldn’t surprise me if she keeps humans at arm’s length because she must watch us age and fade away.”

“God, I hope not. That’s grim.”

“I know.”

They lay in silence for a long time until Veronica finally broached a subject she’d been curious about since she first met Jasper.

“I have a personal question I want to ask you,” she began. “But if it makes you uncomfortable to talk about, it won’t hurt my feelings if you say so.”

Jasper’s eyes had been closed, but he slowly opened them as she spoke. “We’re not discussing ex’s, are we? Because I’m going to need plenty of alcohol when you tell me about yours.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s about your magic.”

“Okay.”

“I know magic is a very personal topic for most of us, and that a lot of supernaturals prefer not to share too much information, so if that’s you?—”

“Veronica, it’s fine. Just asked me whatever it is you want to ask.”

“Well, basically, I was wondering exactly what your magic is . There’s a lot of mystery surrounding djinn and it’s made me curious.”

“Have you been dying to ask this since we met?” he teased, winking at her.

Veronica wrinkled her nose at him but told the truth. “Yes. Now, if you’re willing, answer me.”

“I’m sure you’ve heard rumors about djinn magic, haven’t you?”

She nodded.

“Well, some of them are true. Djinn can grant wishes, but we’re not obligated by our magic like folklore says. We’re encouraged by our power to fulfill it, but not forced. The stronger the djinn, the easier to resist the wish. Unless the wisher has their own strong magic. Then, it’s much more difficult. It can still be done, but we have to battle our own magic and theirs, so it takes longer to wrestle the urge to grant the wish into submission. There’s no cap on the wishes unless we want it to be so, but there is always a price to be paid. Anytime a djinn grants your wish, it sets the world, well, the magic in this world, out of balance. In order to maintain that balance, there has to be an equal payment. But it’s not a basic trade, like two items of equal value. At least in a financial worth sense. The value is based on what you care about. If your wish is small, you pay with a small thing. Something that you value but may not miss too much. If the wish is big or meaningful, then you pay with the things you value most. Djinn get blamed for a lot of that, but it’s not our choice. The magic itself is what required balance and so it’s the magic that demands the price.”

Veronica stared at him. “That’s a heavy responsibility. Did you have your powers as a child?”

“To an extent. We don’t fully mature into our power until the completion of puberty. I fully came into my power at seventeen.”

“Wow, that’s young.”

“What about you?” he asked. “When did you fully come into your abilities?”

“I’ve always had them,” she admitted. “Even as a kid.”

Jasper fell silent. That was painful to hear. She’d never had a chance to be a child. She’d always carried the weight of other people’s emotions on her shoulders. It was clear that Veronica loved her parents, but Jasper also got the sense that they didn’t protect her as they should have.

“It is what it is,” she murmured, her eyes closing as she sighed.

“I hate that saying,” Jasper rasped, flattening his palm on the center of her back between her shoulder blades. He left it there, feeling her slow, deep breaths.

“Why?” she asked, her eyes still closed.

“It’s too accurate. There are some things that just shouldn’t happen, yet there’s nothing to do be done about them. So, it’s true that it is what it is, but it shouldn’t be.”

“You have a strong sense of justice,” Veronica mumbled, her tone sleepy. “It’s one of the reasons I love you.”

Jasper didn’t say anything else as she slid into sleep. But he didn’t follow her. For a long time, he lay on his bed, feeling her back rise and fall beneath his hand, listening to her quiet breathing, and he wished he could have protected her twenty years ago when she was just a little girl.