Chapter 18 Jasper
EIGHTEEN
JASPER
If I ever had any doubts about Carter, her devotion to us, or lingering theories about who could be after her, those are gone.
In a moment that I’ll likely play on repeat for the rest of my life – all of my days ahead indebted to her – she downed two men to save me, risking her own safety in the process.
My girl is fucking fearless, a better aim than Tyson, and someone I’d be honored to go to battle with, my understanding of why she hates being treated like ‘just a girl’ coming into clear focus.
Carter is a soldier, just like I am, and that bond I was so desperate for has finally come, especially since she’s made it her life’s mission to take care of my gunshot wounds, playing the role of a perfect nurse.
It’s been a week since the assault on our home, at the end it was four of our own dead and six of theirs. It was a hard sell to the local cops, but my father handled them, erasing any report of the fire fight and paying off any witnesses who were left behind.
Unbeknownst to us, the frat idiots who live downstairs were lured out of the house to some party off-campus, only a few staying back and making it easy to conjure our story.
The Ricci’s are ruthless, but the information I got off their men ended up being accurate, meaning that they’re not done, and they’re closer than ever.
Just before dawn, my phone vibrates on the desk, and I groan, knowing exactly who’d be calling this early.
Since the assault, my father has checked in at least twice a day, and it’s beginning to drive me mad.
He never has good news, and as I climb out of bed, scooting carefully around Carter’s sleeping body, I’m certain that this time is no different.
“Dad, it’s the asscrack of dawn,” I groan, slipping out of the room as I answer the call.
“We have to talk, Son. You’ve been hiding something from me,” he says, his voice dripping with vitriol, and I roll my eyes, not interested in entertaining him in the slightest.
“Paint me a picture,” I snark back, and if I were in his presence he’d probably back hand me across the face for my attitude.
“The girl. She witnessed the entire ordeal, and shot two of the men?” He coldly questions, likely already knowing the answer, although I don’t know how he could possibly have that information.
“Uh, yeah, a friend of ours. Her name is Carter.”
“Well, Carter seems to be much more than a friend, son. She’s sleeping naked in the house I pay for, and you didn’t have the decency to inform me. I need to meet her, as soon as possible,” he states, and my blood turns to ice, dumbfounded at the tiny details he has access to.
Nobody ever comes up here, our defense at an all time high after the attack, so him knowing that Carter sleeps here, naked at that, raises many questions, and my protective side.
“What for? She just needed a place to stay for a few days,” I offer, hoping he drops it, but my father is nothing but thorough.
“You’re a terrible liar, Son. Bring Ty and this girl to dinner, tomorrow night.
I don’t care who she is to you, but you will behave like a perfect gentleman in front of your mother and sisters, do you understand?
” He commands, and rather than try to fight it, I concede, hating the fact that I’m about to drag Carter even further into a life she has no business in.
“Yes sir,” I answer, effectively ending our call, but raising so many possibilities as I cross the threshold into back Tyson’s room, reclaiming my place beside a lightly snoring Carter.
As usual, Ty’s wide awake, waiting for me to dish, but I shrug him off, not wanting to discuss business when I’d rather lose myself in the girl between us.
Bringing her around my family is an enormous question mark where so many things could go wrong, but at the same time, introducing her to my mother seems fitting after all we’ve been through together.
No matter what happens, I plan to keep Carter around, not discarding her like I’ve always done when it comes to women.
She’s special, a word I never thought I’d use, but it’s the honest truth.
Sure, I may be cold and ruthless, a by-product of the monster my father created, but when it comes to the Masseria women, I’m as soft as tissue paper, and I want Carter to see that side of me.
Admittedly, the idea of her meeting the family warms something in my heart, even if that means dragging her further into the war.
Nervousness is not something I feel often, the confidence in my abilities usually carrying me through any situation, but this is brand new territory.
Bringing a girl home to meet my mother is so far out of my realm that I’m afraid I’ve landed on a different planet.
Still, my father was clear, and even though I’m nervous, a strange sense of excitement is radiating through my bones, like I’m finally taking new steps in my life that weren’t previously possible.
Of course, Carter isn’t just my girl, she’s Ty’s too, but for the sake of normalcy, she’ll belong to me tonight.
Awkward isn’t even close to describing the situation, but Tyson is a good sport, and Carter has promised to make it up to him, something that wasn’t a hard sell in the slightest.
“Carter, we have to go! My father doesn’t accept tardiness!” I call out for the third time, her leisurely pace beginning to grind my nerves, and I’m seriously considering offering her up to Ty for a punishment.
The attire is always ‘dress to impress’ at the Masseria household, whether my mother is hosting cocktail hour, fancy dinners, or book club, and tonight is no different.
Between the two suits I own I’ve chosen the black one, a statement to how I think Carter will be dressed.
I’ve also covered my tattoos, an ode to my mother who hates them, and slipped on our Family ring in order to appease my father.
Overall, I’m not actively trying to cause chaos, which is a dramatic turnaround from my previous showings at the Masseria household.
This isn’t Tyson’s first rodeo, and he’s decked out in his usual jewelry, a suit to match, and wearing his mother’s necklace after hearing that his father will also be in attendance.
Never one to back down from a fight, my father is pulling out all the stops, leaving Tyson and I to fend off whatever it is he plans to throw at us.
“Carter! So help me God, I will come up there and throw you over my shoulder. You have one minute!” I yell, the anxiety surrounding the evening beginning to get the best of me.
“Re-fucking-lax, Jasper. I’m coming!” She snarks, her heels clicking against the wooden stairs, and when she finally descends the staircase, my jaw drops to the floor.
She let her hair down, the dark curls flowing over her shoulders and bouncing while she walks, her shoes giving her at least four more inches.
In true fashion, her dress is black, with lace ribbons on the sides tied into little bows. Right between her breasts lies a silver zipper with a loop, almost begging to be tugged on, while the hem rides dangerously high up her toned legs, leaving little to the imagination.
“Well, boys? What do we think?” She purrs, spinning around the kitchen like a little grim reaper fairy princess, ready to eat her victims alive.
“Absolutely beautiful, baby girl,” Tyson smiles, kissing her cheek and taking her hand while she does another twirl.
“I think I’ve died and gone to hell, Principessina, because you are fucking stunning,” I tell her, snatching her wrists and pulling us chest to chest.
“Are you going to call me your girlfriend?” She teases, standing on her tiptoes until our lips are millimeters apart.
“Would it bother you if I did?”
“Only if you take it back afterwards,” she whispers, a hint of vulnerability in her voice as I’m nearly suffocated by her perfume.
“No take backsies.” I snake my teeth along her lower lip, tugging slightly as she wraps her arms around my neck.
“Alright, love birds. We should get moving,” Tyson interrupts, and she smiles against me, her ice-blue eyes shimmering under the dim lighting.
“Aw, Tyson, do you wanna be my boyfriend too?” She asks, looping her arms through ours, allowing us to escort her outside.
“Whatever you want, baby girl. You already have me wrapped around your little finger,” he says, a genuine smile on his face, and it warms my heart to see him happy.
For so long, he was locked inside of his own mind, his past trauma, and staying at the college has helped, but not as much as Carter entering our lives has.
She’s a beacon of light for him, and me, too, which makes bringing her into the darker side of our world a little easier.
Taking a deep breath, I pile into Tyson’s truck, his father never allowing him to drink at these dinners, making him our designated driver.
Of course, by the end of the night we’ll probably kill a fifth and beat the shit out of the workout equipment in the basement, our usual routine after facing off with our fathers.
Carter’s tense next to me, likely never experiencing this situation either, so I drape my arm over her shoulder, pulling her close.
“If you get uncomfortable, just use your safe word, okay? We’ll get some air,” I whisper, and she smiles softly, the dark and smoky makeup she’s done not necessary, but accentuating her beauty for the occasion.
“Thank you, Jasper. Anything else I should know before we get there?” She asks, leaning into my touch, yet keeping her fingers intertwined with Tyson’s.
Pretending we’re not a throuple – as Carter so graciously informed me would be our relationship title – is going to be the most difficult part of the evening because our girl craves physical touch from us both, usually in moments like this where we’re all close.
“I think I gave you the full run down. My mother and sisters are the easy part, it’s my father who you have to worry about,” I say, repeating the same sentiment I gave her before, but she only shakes her head.
“I’m a girl, Jasper. It’s the exact opposite.
I just have to smile and flirt with your father and he’ll approve.
Your sisters and mom will be over-analyzing my every move and transcribing each syllable that comes out of my mouth.
It’s so different,” she argues, and although I understand her point of view, I worry more about my dad taking a liking to her over anything else.
He’s a mafia boss, can literally get any woman he wants, and he’ll stop at nothing when he finds something to latch onto. If the target of his obsession becomes Carter, I’ll have no choice but to react, and well, that just would be the worst possible scenario.
“I promise, Principessina, my sisters are spoiled brats. They’ll probably be on their phones all night, not even glancing in your direction.
Like I told you, when my mom offers you wine, you always say red, and compliment the hell out of her cooking.
It’s simple,” I explain, and she nods, taking it all in, but nothing can truly prepare her for what could happen on the other side of the door.
Tyson chuckles from the driver’s seat, a shit-eating grin on his face, and Carter raises her eyebrows, instantly catching on.
“What is it? Is he steering me into a trap?”
“No, it’s just … these dinners never go smoothly. I just want you to be prepared for a gun draw, or glassware being thrown, because nobody is off-limits in the Masseria household.”
“Except my fucking sisters,” I sigh, rolling my eyes as the words leave my lips.
“Except your fucking sisters,” Ty repeats, laughing as we pull up to the gate and punch in the code.
“Should I be afraid of them or something?” Carter looks between the two of us, confusion painted on her pretty face, and I chuckle at the thought of my kid-sisters being anything close to scary.
“Not in the slightest. They’re Daddy’s princesses who do no wrong.” I side eye Tyson, who’s still smirking like an idiot as we park the truck, signaling that this is it – now or never.
Taking Carter’s hand in mine, I help her down as she smoothes her dress, concealing the thigh sheath as we walk toward the door, Ty a few steps behind us.
“We can face this, my little ice princess.” I squeeze her palm tighter, attempting to convince us both, and she kisses the top of my hand in a reassuring gesture.
Together, we can accomplish anything, and before we even take a step onto the stone-paved walkway, the front door is thrown open, my mother smiling as big as the sky.
“Oh. My. God. You know, I thought your father was pullin’ my leg when he said you were bringing a date!
She’s gorgeous! Honey, you are gorgeous, come inside, I need to know everything about the girl who managed to give me hope for future grandchildren!
” She exclaims, the thick New Jersey accent dripping off every word she says.
“Um, hi. I’m Carter,” she smiles, holding her hand out, but my mother pulls her in for a bear hug, nearly stunning the poor girl in pure shock.
“What a beautiful name! Jasper Anthony Masseria, how in the world did you manage to convince this one to date you? I need all the details. Ty, honey, you look handsome as always!” My mom’s mouth runs a mile a minute, half the time we can barely understand what she’s saying as she jumps from point A to point D without a single breath, especially when she’s excited.
“Mrs. M, it’s been a while. Good to see you,” Tyson chimes in, following behind us as my mother practically drags Carter into the lion’s den, and I sigh, knowing this is going to be a long night.
Whatever happens tonight, I know Carter isn’t going to be scared off, or convinced that she doesn’t belong with us, and that thought alone propels me forward.
It’s one dinner, it can’t possibly be that bad.