12. Ariana
12
ARIANA
I watch Jasper pace in front of the camper like he’s trying to physically wrestle his frustration into submission. His hands flex open and closed at his sides, and his jaw is clenched so tight I swear it might crack.
But even now—when he’s being grumpy and bossy and impossible—I feel something I’ve never felt before.
Safe. And truly wanted. My foster parents never made me feel unwanted exactly, but it was always apparent that they were neutral about any of us kids coming or going. They never cried or moped around when one of us turned eighteen and moved out. But Jasper is fighting me tooth and nail to keep me here, and it feels good. Too good.
Sometime in the few weeks me and this man have been playing cat and mouse, I’ve developed an attachment to him.
I don’t even know when it happened. Maybe it was when he cut up my breakfast this morning without making a big deal about it. Maybe it was when he left the twinkle lights on last night and cracked the door a little like he knew I’d sleep better that way. Or maybe it was the way he paid for coffee and pastries for me even though he wasn’t getting anything from it. He’s a confusing man, that’s for sure.
I wrap my arms around myself and take a shaky breath. “I don’t want to be a bother to you… or your family.”
He stops pacing and turns to me, eyes narrowed. “You’re not a bother.”
I shake my head, heart hammering against my rib cage. “It’s easier if I’m by myself.”
Because if I’m by myself, I won’t be heartbroken when it’s time to leave.
He steps closer, and the weight of his presence wraps around me like a blanket. “I don’t think it is, Little one. I think you need people in your life. Friends. People who care about you. I have a feeling you haven’t had enough care in your life.”
“You don’t know that,” I whisper.
He does something then that wrecks me. He softens.
All that intensity melts into something raw and quiet. “You’ve been on your own for too long, rainbow.”
I shrug and keep my gaze on a tree in the distance because if I meet his eyes, I might cry.
He sighs and runs a hand through his hair again, his voice a little rough when he speaks. “That ends now.”
“What?”
“You don’t have to keep surviving like this,” he soothes. “Not with us. Not with me.”
The walls I’ve built—brick by painful brick—start to crumble. I feel them falling, quietly, one by one. How is he able to do this to me so easily?
I finally look up at Jasper, my fingers curled tight in the sleeves of my worn sweatshirt. “What about your family? Won’t they care that I’m here?”
He shakes his head without hesitation. “Rowie and Ember will be thrilled to have you around. You and Rowie already seem like best friends. And my brothers? They won’t mind either.”
That surprises me. “Really?”
He nods. “We travel a lot for work. So, there’ll be times when only a few of us are around. But every night, anyone who is home has dinner together at six in the main house. That’s non-negotiable.”
“What do you do for work?”
Whatever it is, it’s obvious that they’re successful. This compound or whatever it is they have is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. They built an entire neighborhood, complete with a pool, playground, gardens, and so much more. Only someone with a lot of money could do something like this.
He pauses. Just a flicker, but I see it.
I narrow my eyes and give him a smug smile. “No lying, Jasper. If I can’t lie, then neither can you.”
He grumbles under his breath and gives me a glare, but it’s more irritated affection than actual anger. After a long moment, he sighs.
“Secret-ops. We work for different organizations. Military contractors, intelligence agencies, private security, the mafia, and business owners. It’s dangerous sometimes. That’s why we live out here, away from everything. It’s safer for everyone. This entire property, all the way down to the bottom of the mountain, is ours and is heavily surveilled. We have a complete underground saferoom and tunnel system here as well.”
I blink.
What. The. Fuck?
That was definitely not even close to the answer I was expecting. Yet somehow, I can see Jasper doing some secret-ops mission-type stuff. “Oh.”
“You’re safe with us,” he adds. “But you’ll need to follow my rules.”
I roll my eyes. “You really do have control issues.”
He smirks, that cocky, infuriating twist of his lips. “Hush and be a good girl. I know you can be.”
My stomach flutters at his words. I try not to let it show, but the glint in his eye tells me he sees it. Thankfully, he doesn’t say anything, though.
“Which bar were you at last night?” he asks casually.
“The Rusty Pine,” I answer without thinking. Then I narrow my eyes. “Why?”
He shrugs, cool and unconcerned, like he didn’t just set me up. “I’m curious.”
“I thought lying wasn’t allowed,” I sass.
He smirks and changes the subject again. “Were your foster parents good to you?”
My body tenses. I bite my lip and glance away. “How do you know about them?”
“I’m special ops,” he says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “I can find out anything I want.”
Memories float through my mind, and my eyes start to burn. How do I tell him that yes, they were good to me while I was there, but it felt like I was kicked to the curb the day I became an adult, and it broke my heart?
A breeze kicks up around us, and I shiver involuntarily.
His eyes darken when he notices. “That’s it. Get back in the house.”
“I’m fine. I’ll hang out in my camper.”
He gives me a look that dares me to argue. “Absolutely not. Grab what you need, but you’re not staying in that freezer on wheels. Come on.”
The dangerous look he gives me makes me think better of pushing him any further, so I sigh and let him lead me back to the house.
As we walk, I glance up at him. “Why do you have a main house and separate houses?”
He grunts. “Because if I had to live in the same house as my brothers full-time, I’d probably kill them.”
I giggle before I can stop myself as he waits for me to walk inside first before he follows.
We’re heading down a hallway that I haven’t seen yet. When we pass a side room and something colorful catches my eye, I slow to a stop.
A 3D tree is growing out of the wall with mossy branches and fake forest animals perched in various places. There are twinkle lights all over the room, giving it a starry effect. A big, round, dark green rug covering most of the room reminds me of the forest floor. There are a bunch of stuffed animals scattered across the floor, and Rowie and Ember are in the middle of it all, sitting cross-legged, whispering and giggling to each other.
They stop when they see us.
Rowie beams. “Ariana! Wanna come color with us?”
I blink, stunned. “Uh… I?—”
It looks like a playroom.
But they’re grown women.
I glance between them, unsure.
Ember stands, eyeing both of us. “Are you a Little?” She shifts nervously. “Or were we wrong about that?”
My mouth opens, but no words come out. I look up at Jasper, wide-eyed.
He gazes down at me, and something in his expression shifts. His features soften, and a small, knowing smile pulls at the corners of his lips.
“Rowie and Ember are both Littles. You’re safe to be Little here, too.”
How did he know? Am I that obvious? Shoot. I try to hide it as much as possible. But he did see the inside of my camper. I don’t hide it in there. It’s too small to even try.
Jasper gives my arm a gentle squeeze before stepping back. “I’ll let you girls hang out for a bit. I need to do some work in my office,” he tells me. “If you need anything, they’ll show you where it is. Make yourself at home here, rainbow.”
And then he’s gone, his heavy boots retreating down the hallway as I stand in stunned silence, unsure of everything that just happened.
Ember and Rowie both motion for me to join them on the plush rug. Coloring books are already spread out in front of them, along with markers and colored pencils arranged in a rainbow of little cups.
I kneel down, choosing a page with a big-eyed kitten and grabbing a handful of colored pencils. For a few minutes, it’s quiet. Peaceful. Only the sound of scribbling and soft breathing and the rustle of paper. It’s comfortable, like the three of us have been doing this for years.
Then Rowie blurts, “Okay, we’re dying here. What’s the deal with you and Jasper?”
I blink, startled. “What?”
She grins like she knows exactly what she’s doing.
“Nothing’s going on,” I say quickly, shaking my head. “Seriously. For some reason, Jasper thinks he’s the boss of me, and I’m still trying to figure out why. But we’re just… friends. I don’t even know if that’s what we are. He sort of kidnapped me last night. We barely know each other.”
Rowie and Ember exchange a look, and then they both laugh.
Ember waves a marker in my direction. “I don’t think he thinks you’re just friends.”
I furrow my brow. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” Rowie says, shifting onto her belly and resting her chin on her hands, “I’ve never seen Jasper act the way he does around you. He’s gentler. Softer. Not so growly all the time.”
I snort. “ That was gentle? You should’ve seen him when I tried to stay in my camper.”
Rowie laughs, nodding. “Oh, trust me. That was gentle for Jasper. He can be a total grump. Like, epic-level grump.”
I go quiet again, coloring the cat’s tail in shades of pink and blue, my mind spinning. After a few minutes, I find myself looking up at them, nervous but curious.
“Can I… ask you something?”
They both nod eagerly.
“Does Jasper… have a girlfriend?”
Rowie reaches over and pats my hand like a grandma about to drop life-changing wisdom. Which is funny since she’s dressed in a bright pink tutu and has pigtails in her hair. “Jasper’s not the kind of guy who has a girlfriend. He’s the kind of guy who would have a Little girl.”
I blink. “So… he doesn’t have one?”
Ember shakes her head. “Nope. Not since I’ve known him. Which hasn’t been that long, but Cage has made it seem like all of them have pretty much lived alone for years.”
“They’ve gone on dates here and there, but until you two, there’s never been another woman other than me. That’s how I know Jasper thinks of you as much more than a friend.”
A strange feeling rushes through me. Warm and fluttery and terrifying.
I look at them again. “Wait… does that mean Jasper’s a Daddy?”
Rowie and Ember smile, and it’s the kind of smile that says, finally, she’s catching on.
“Yes,” Rowie replies softly. “Jasper’s a Daddy.”
“And we’re pretty sure,” Ember adds, her grin widening, “he’s your Daddy now.”