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CHAPTER TEN

JASPER

Blake got home an hour ago, looking and feeling much better. The swelling in her face has gone down but some of the welts still remain.

Falin and I spiraled last night, going back and forth on whether or not we should tell the guys about the news headlines. I wanted to, but she argued that they had enough on their minds and didn’t need the added stress. She wasn’t entirely wrong, but I know my brothers. They’d want to know.

When she took a bathroom break, I texted them from my burner. As expected, they flipped out.

With Falin keeping Blake comfortable, the three of us opt to climb up to the rooftop to talk. The cool winter air chills my face, but it’s exactly what I need.

“There’s nothing you can do to scrub that shit off the internet?” Damon asks Leon. The steam from his cup of coffee billows around his face.

“No. Plus, the damage has already been done. I can’t make people unsee it.” Leon grips the metal handrail, staring off at the dusting of snow on the rooftop across from ours.

“What are the odds that they’ve seen it?” I ask. I want to be optimistic, but by the look on both their faces, I’m the only one. “No one really watches the news anymore anyway. And we don’t even know if that King asshole is looking for us. He could have moved on.”

“That’s not a gamble I’m willing to take. Until we figure this out, I want Blake home with at least one of us at all times,” Damon says.

My eyes dart to Leon while I wait for him to acknowledge what Damon said. He finally looks up. “We can’t abandon our reason for being here, and there’s that gala. Blake will fight us on this.”

“I don’t care if I have to chain her to the bed. She’s not fucking going. The doctors said she needs to rest for a week. Added stress on her body could land her back in the hospital.” Damon scrubs a hand over his face and paces a few steps.

“I’ll go,” I say. “Schmoozing a bunch of rich pricks is what I do best.” Damon stops pacing to stare at me while Leon chews his lip. I wasn’t imagining it. They really think I’m useless. Aggravated, I ask, “What’s with the looks?”

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Damon asks. His tone loses its edge. “Don’t think we haven’t noticed the pills, J. You haven’t been at your best.”

“Why are you just telling me this now?” I let out a harsh laugh. “It doesn’t matter. Yeah, I’ve been taking pills. Yeah, I’ve been off my game. But schmoozing these assholes is muscle memory at this point. Unless you’ve got someone else who can pass for Blake’s brother while also searching the place for answers?”

Damon shoots Leon a look that only pisses me off more. “Lee?”

“If I could I would, but don’t think I can pass for a middle-aged white dude, even if I wear a mask.”

“Right,” Damon huffs. “I didn’t think of that.”

“I’ll be fine,” I say. When Leon raises his brow, I add, “I’m off the pills. Falin found my stash and tossed it last night. I want to do this. Fucking need to.”

“I guess we don’t really have a choice,” Damon says. “But you’ll have to take Falin as your date.”

My stomach does this weird flip thing at the thought of Falin beside me all night in some fancy dress, which immediately pisses me off because I need to keep any feelings I have for her at bay. She’s a complication I can’t get involved in, especially when I’m trying to keep my head straight. But there’s also this traitorous part of me that wants her close. That wants to listen to her voice in the back of my head that tells me to be good, to get my shit together.

“She’ll just slow me down,” I say, but it comes out weaker than I mean it to. “You really want to put her in the middle of this?”

“She’s already in the middle of it,” Damon says. “And the invitation is for Brennan and his ‘wife.’ It’ll be suspicious if you show up alone.”

“I don’t like this, but I can’t see another option.” Leon turns to me. “I’ll be in your ear the entire time. And I can park nearby, like always.”

“I already told you I want to go. It’s bringing Falin that worries me.” I rub my palms together trying to get some warmth back into my tingling fingers. Leon must notice, since he asks if I want to go back inside. “I’m fine. Let’s finish figuring this shit out.”

By the time we make the bare bones of a plan and head back to the apartment, my extremities ache from the cold. For the first time since I got shot, I finally feel useful, and that fills me with hope I thought I’d lost all together.

Leon and I head into the room we share to get cleaned up and changed. “We have a few days to prepare,” he says. “We can’t afford for this to go south. They find out you’re not Brennan, and I don’t know what will happen.”

“Lucky for us, we have someone who knew Brennan well,” I say. “I’ll just find out as much as I can about him from Blake. I know it’ll be hard for her to talk about him, but maybe it’ll make her feel needed.”

He eyes me with an all knowing stare. “I’m glad you’re doing this. I didn’t want to tell D, but I think this is what you need. Plus, we both know he’s shit at parties.”

“Can’t make small talk to save his life,” I add. My chest loosens as we laugh.

“Don’t worry about Falin. She’s tough. I think she’ll be an asset.” He grabs some clean clothes from the closet and heads to the door, ready to shower for the day. “If you two can keep from fighting for one night.”

“It’s not me,” I say, putting my hands up in surrender. “I don’t know what I do to irk her.”

That’s a lie. I love to fuck with her. It’s what I live for lately.

He smirks. “You’re so full of shit, mate.”

I shrug. “I thought she liked me.”

“You two need to fuck already. I’m tired of the tension around here.”

He says that as if I’m the only one with the power to make that decision. “I thought you were against us being together? If I remember correctly, you said and I quote, ‘If you and Falin start fucking, I swear to Christ I’m going to hurl myself off this building.’ And something else about being the only one alone. Speaking of, why haven’t you dated? Or at least found a hook-up?”

The teasing light in his eyes vanishes and his smile fades. “That’s the last thing on my mind.”

I instantly feel like shit for bringing it up. I guess I didn’t realize what a sore subject it is for him. “Sorry, man. Not my business anyway.”

He looks away toying with the clothes in his hands before silently heading out the door and down the hallway to the bathroom.

Now that I’m alone again, my mind won’t stop bringing up flashes of the pills. I close my eyes and they’re beneath my lids. I open them and they dart around the room, searching. I know I don’t have anything, but my brain won’t accept that as an answer. How the hell did I let it get this bad? It’s no wonder the guys won’t trust me with anything, I’m a fucking mess.

I pull out my phone and cycle through the same three apps multiple times, hoping something will pull me in and grab hold of my attention. Anything that my mind can latch onto to dull the craving. Then Falin’s laugh travels through the plaster walls. It’s a sound I could listen to all day, every day. Her husky voice starts rough-edged and crackling, but as the laugher takes hold of her entire body, it grows lighter. Pure unfiltered joy. Wild, like lightning I could catch and keep it in a jar.

I spot my reflection in the darkened screen and notice I’ve cracked a smile—slight, but it’s there. She’s pulled it from me with nothing more than the sound of her laugh through the wall.

Tossing my phone on my bed, I follow her voice to Blake and Damon’s room. No idea what I’ll do when I reach it, but that doesn’t matter. I just need to be near her.

Once I’m outside the open bedroom door, I stand to the side and listen in on their conversation.

“I can’t believe that happened,” Blake says, laughter playing at the edge of her voice.

“Oh, I’d never lie about something that humiliating. Food poisoning is a bitch, but hey, at least I have a funny story now.” The bed creaks as one of them adjusts their position. “But trust me, as horrible as almost crapping myself during a date was, there’s been others that have bruised me even worse.”

She almost shit herself… Now that’s fucking funny. Too bad I missed the whole story. I crane my neck, making sure I don’t miss a word from her lips.

“Like? Come on, you have to tell me now that you brought it up. Don’t be a tease.” Blake’s playful tone has the corner of my lip pull up in a smirk. She’s got one thing right… Falin loves to tease.

After a few seconds of quiet, Falin finally answers. “Another time. I should go get us something to eat so you can take your next dose of meds.”

“Fal,” Blake pleads. “What is it?”

“It’s nothing, Bee. You rest. I’ll just be a minute.”

Whatever was in her mind couldn’t be nothing. I know her voice, the way her husky tone drops low, turning hollow with unspoken thoughts. I’m so caught up in my head, I don’t think to move away from the door. Or maybe subconsciously I don’t want to. Either way, as Falin leaves the room, she stops with barely an inch between us.

“Jesus Christ! Jasper, you scared me. Why the hell are you creeping outside Blake’s door?” My eyes follow the path of her palm as she rests it over her chest. The swell of her breasts rises and falls rapidly as she gets her bearings. Fuck, I’d love to pin that palm over her head and bury my face in her chest. “Hello? Did you need something?”

I blink and realize she’s talking to me. Whoops. I can’t help myself from daydreaming about her incredible body. Especially when she’s this goddamn close to me.

“I need a lot of things. Thanks for asking.” I force myself to meet her gaze. Sharp narrowed eyes. Of course. I can’t help but smirk.

“Like a few extra brain cells?” She brings her arms across her chest, pushing her tits up, testing every ounce of restraint I possess.

I step closer, crowding her against the wall. My heart pounds and senses feel alive for the first time since I last used. It’s her… my trouble maker. She makes the blood roar through my veins. Makes my vision clear. Hell, she’s the only one who makes me feel anything strong enough to stop the cravings.

“Jasper?” Her voice catches in her throat and I love it. I love that I’m rattling her as much as she rattles me.

“Yes, Trouble?” I say, my voice dropping low as I drink her in. Those smokey eyes that match the rasp of her voice. The scattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Those perfect fucking lips. Each second with her this close pulls at something primal within me, makes me want to abandon everything and take what I want. Before I can think better of it, I lean in slightly, drawn to her like a moth to a flame. My gaze drops to her lips, lingering there with clear intent. Then her palms come up to my chest, the heat of her skin searing through my shirt. I freeze, unsure if I should step back or lean into her touch. She’s not pushing me away, but she’s not not pushing me away.

“Hey, I was thinking burgers for dinner,” Damon says from the kitchen. He’s coming toward us from the sound of his footsteps, but I don’t move. Falin’s chest heaves and she shoves me backwards just as Damon rounds the corner in the hallway. He stops and his gaze darts between us. “You guys good with burgers later?”

Falin nods and I let out a low “Yeah.” Damon doesn’t question what we were doing in the hall, but I can see that knowing look in his eye.

“Did you talk to her about the party?” Damon asks, gesturing toward Falin.

“Party? You mean the gala?” she asks, turning from me to Damon.

“Guess not,” Damon says, looking mildly uncomfortable. He cranes his neck to peek at Blake, and quiets his voice. “Jasper can fill you in, but we have a plan. I just—I don’t think Blake will like being left out, but she needs to be kept safe. We have no idea what we’re walking into.”

Just then, Havoc scampers down the hallway and into Blake’s room with the other kitten close behind. Falin keeps her attention on Damon. “Can’t you tell me now? What plan?”

Damon hesitates, but I have no reason to. She needs to know. “You’re my date for New Year’s Eve. Excited?”

The annoyed look she gives me makes me instantly hard, not that I wasn’t there already. “What is he talking about?” she asks Damon.

“The gala, we need you to go with Jasper. Now that Blake’s been flashed all over the media, we can’t risk her leaving. I didn’t want her to in the first place, but we all know how she fought that. We need a Mr.,” he points to me and then to Falin, “and Mrs. Brennan Whitaker, if we’re going to pull this off.”

My lips curve upward without realizing. But I guess I’m not surprised. No part of me is dreading this gala with Falin. I’m almost hoping some shit goes down so I have an excuse to get out some aggression. As long as Falin’s safe, of course, but I’d never let anything happen to her. I just need this—the social energy, the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Falin presses her lips together and shrugs. “I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of this myself.” Her eyes meet mine, gaze fixed. “I’m in.”