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Key
A Locke Sequel

First Chapter of Locke
First Chapter of Key
Latest Chapter of Key
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Jasper swore to Bella he would give her the best year of her life, but after ringing in the New Year with fresh scars from a serial killer, is that a promise he can keep? Time heals all wounds, but some reminders are permanent and the pain remains even after the marks have faded away.

They were always the keys to unlocking each other’s future, but can they survive the trials the next year have in store for them? Love, justice, success, bondage, and pain. Together, they hope to find a new normal that is anything but vanilla. 

Now Completed! 

Warning:
This story contains graphic sexual depictions, violence, and mental illness. Reader discretion is advised. 18+ only 


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6/23/2020

Key. Chapter. Twenty-seven: In a Courtroom

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Chapter Twenty-seven: In a Courtroom


“Turn around,” Jasper said so firmly and loudly that everyone around us shifted to see what was going on. It was a tone I had never heard before, deep and harsh. It was his cop voice.

King chuckled and slowly spun around in his seat. All three of the prosecutors stared at him in surprise. Ms. Rachelle looked between my man and Royce nervously, swallowing. You could tell he made her nervous. The killer smirked to himself, lounging comfortably in his chair.

“He called me Bella,” I whispered.

“I know,” he responded softly.

“Why? Why does he know my name?”

“Did you expect him not to, especially with that many lawyers?” He questioned. Leaning over, he pressed his lips to my temple. “I don’t want it in his mouth either, darlin.”

Shaking my head, I looked down at the pen in my hand. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I just-”

“I know,” he repeated. He retrieved his from my bag and took the paper from my lap. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you,” he wrote. “Always.”

“I know.” I smiled. Then someone came into the courtroom that caught my eye. It was an older woman, weathered but strong. She sat right behind Royce. “That’s Bree Tanner’s mother,” I breathed.

“That lady has a spine of steel,” he remarked as he gazed at her. She remained stone straight, glaring at his head. Her mouth was a frightening frown.

After a few seconds, she scanned the courtroom, and her eyes landed on us. She smiled brightly. I realized then she knew who I was, too. Stupidly, I hadn’t even considered it a possibility. I still thought about her daughter, stealing minutes to read more information about her when I could.

The jurors then came out of a particular room, already looking bored. They stood in their special box.

“All rise,” the bailiff called loudly. The judge, an older olive-skinned man with long black hair pulled neatly back into a ponytail, rushed in. He wore the traditional robe over slacks.

He cleared his throat as he stood behind the bench. “You may be seated.” Giving it a minute, he peered over the room. “My name is Judge Harry Clearwater, and I want you to know that this is my courtroom, despite what either side thinks. You have both made the past few months unpleasant for me, and if you continue to do so, I will make your life hell. Do we understand each other?” He pointed the gavel at both sides. They quietly agreed before he glared at the journalist. “You will behave because you don’t need to be here at all, in my opinion. I am already unimpressed with the media coverage, and I will kick you out if you make this any more of a circus.”

“I love him already,” I wrote to Jasper with a smirk. He rolled his eyes and returned it.

“Are we ready for opening statements?”

“Yes, your Honor.” The lead rose and walked around the table. “Good morning. My name is Jessica Stanley, and today I wish to stand in front of you, not as an attorney, but as a mother of not one but three teenage girls. And I want to share with you dozens of tales of woe.” She pressed something in her hand, and a slide popped up with three young women. It was on a big flat-screen television in the center of the floor between the judge and the jury box. They were mixed, their skin a lovely light brown, but I could see her face in all of them. The next was them together with their father, hugging. They were wearing matching sweaters for Christmas. “These are my children. They are sixteen, fifteen, and thirteen, and they don’t look much different from the victims in this case. And it kills me. Which is why I asked to be on this one.” 

She pressed a button. Another slide popped up. This time, it was of the dead body of a young woman. Blood splattered her pallid skin as she laid on a metal table covered in a sheet. She really looked like one of her kids. “Tiana was sixteen.” Again. “Taylor, too.” Once more. “Octavia would have been sixteen if she lived just two more days. Her grandmother had already bought her a gift. It was a new dress. They buried her in it.” She flipped to a new photo. This was a closeup of a slice wound. Then of bruises. Gunshot and stab wounds. Broken bones. Then it went to another victim. “Miley was only twelve years old. Your Honor and members of the jury, I am here as a mother who is seeking justice for these children. As a parent, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend. I will prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that not only did Royce King kidnap, rape, and torture these babies before he brutally murdered them, but two dozen more just like them.” She pointed at him.

A list of all the girls came up next. “I will introduce you to every single one of them. You’ll know their names. Their stories. Each a victim of their circumstances that brought them within reach of a brutal monster. A beast that, with the help of his family’s wealth and status, obscured the evidence.” 

“But with the effort of a curious and intelligent woman, Ms. Isabella Swan, the facts were revealed. With only a laptop, dedication, and research skills she uses in her work as an author, she noticed what no amount of cash could cover-up. And that is the truth.” A list of names I had discovered in my time looking came onto the screen. Then a picture of the two victims that lived. “And because of her diligence, these girls get to grow up. Scarred, but alive.” 

“This is a dramatic saga, with lots of blood and gore. It’s not for the faint of heart. There will be no fairy tale endings for most of these sweet children. But there are heroes in it, like Ms. Swan. Like Special Agent Dr. Jasper Hale, who put his life on the line to stop Royce King from slaughtering a toddler he held captive after shooting their mother.” She walked over to the table in front of him. The man didn’t even look at her. “The defendant gunned down Dr. Hale at point-blank range and barely missed his heart. He still captured Mr. King and helped save both parent and child. Like John Samson, the SWAT team leader that this monster shot in the head, killing instantly. Mr. Samson was a husband and father.” A family photo of them came up. Then one of his wife who was holding a newborn. “This is a daughter that will never know her dad. A baby that will never have her daddy to protect her from people like this individual right here.” She tapped her fingers on the desk.

She turned back to the jury. “In my opening statements, I want to set a scene for you, and I will introduce all the characters so you can fully appreciate their roles in this tragedy. Both heroes and villains. This is not a tale I will tell my children before bed, but as a mother, I hope you, members of the jury, can help me give closure to countless family members who are suffering and put Royce Matthew King behind bars. Let’s give them an ending so many others have been denied.”

I couldn’t move. I thought I would be sick. It was a good thing she had warned me. I hadn’t expected it in the least. My breathing picked up. Jasper took my hand and squeezed tightly. I glanced at him, the panic clear in my expression. He tried to reassure me with his eyes.

He wrote again. “Take notes for your stories, Isabella. Describe everything. Fill as many pages as you can.”

Staring at him for a long time, I eventually took the pad and nodded my head. Jasper gave the pen back to me.

The weight of everything and how much I was involved finally hit me. So, to distract myself, I did exactly as he told me. From how the windows looked to how people were dressed, I scribbled until my heart slowed.

Mrs. Stanley spoke for three hours, uninterrupted. The judge cut her off after a while. “We will take an hour for lunch,” he clipped, slamming his gavel down with a loud pop. The room erupted in noise as he disappeared off into his chamber. Jasper leaned over and pecked my forehead gently.

“Hey, Doc!” Sam called from the aisle as he stood up. There were several other FBI agents with him. “Come here a second. I have a question.” He smiled at me. “Hi, Bella. It’ll just be a minute. Want to grab chicken?”

“Sure,” I said weakly, giving him a small smile. He returned it with a sigh.

Jasper rose, kissing the top of my head. “I’ll be right back.”

There were so many people in the aisle he had to push through them. Someone else made their way towards me. Mrs. Tanner stood speechless in front of me. I came to my feet, but I didn’t know what to say. My breath caught in my throat, and I wanted to cry, though I wasn’t certain why.

Finally, she hugged me. “Thank you,” she whispered in my ear. I had done nothing to deserve it.

I embraced her back as tightly as possible. “I am so sorry. It’s so awful what he did to her. I think about her every day. I’m sorry,” I repeated.

“It’s okay, honey.”

“If I could do anything in this world, it would be to find out what happened to her,” I told her honestly. “I hate that-”

She pulled back and smiled at me kindly. “Me, too. But we’re here now.”

“I wish I could give you answers.”

Mrs. Tanner faintly sighed. “I wish you could, too. But we don’t always get those.” Jasper came back to me as the crowd thinned to go eat or use the restroom. She turned to look at him. “Thank you for your service, sir, and I’m sorry you’ve suffered because of that bastard.”

“I’ve worked on your daughter’s case every day I can since I found out about it,” he breathed, and it was almost childlike and nervous. He was a young person standing in front of a parent that was hurting. And he felt guilty for it. Just like me. “I’m so sorry that-”

“No. You don’t apologize for a thing that man did, either. You’re only doing your job. I know better than anyone how hard it is to deal with…” She trailed off, looking towards the now empty table. “Anyway, I’ll let you go to eat.”

At the fast-food restaurant we went to with Sam, I didn’t want to even try. When Jasper asked me what I would like, I said just a soda. My stomach felt uncomfortable, twisting in nervous knots. He ordered first for himself. “And, Isabella will take the grilled chicken strawberry pecan salad, no onions. Can you put extra feta and fruit on that?”

“Yes, sir,” the cashier answered, typing it in. “Would you like to add a side of bread to that?”

“Sure. Dressing on the side. And a small drink, too.”

I pursed my lips together, not saying anything. Sam had ordered ahead of us but was waiting beside us. “My wife would have smacked me if I did that.”

Jasper got his receipt and absently passed me my cup so I could go fill it. “Yes, well, she might too,” he responded dryly. “But you forget I enjoy that.”

Laughing at his words and Sam’s expression, I swatted my boyfriend’s shoulder playfully. “I won’t hit you. I know you’re just trying to take care of me. And it sounds nice. I like that you ordered extra cheese and everything.”

“I know what my darlin likes,” he teased as he took my drink back for a second, filling it with Sprite before passing it to me once more. “Go get us a table, and I’ll get the food.”

The break was short, and we hurried back to the courthouse. But, like all big shows, it didn’t start on time. The judge hadn’t returned. Mr. Crowley called Jasper over to ask him a question. I sat in our spot again as they disappeared off into a room.

King turned to look at me once more, his leg crossed over his knee. His smile was charming, like a snake’s. I wouldn’t insult rats by calling him that. They were at least cute. If there was a creature lower and more dangerous, I wasn’t sure what it was.

“Hello, Bella,” he repeated. It was almost musical how he uttered it. He smiled when I said nothing. “I bought your book last night. I can’t wait to read it. Will you sign my copy for me?” I remained silent, my spine straight. I wouldn’t react and reward him. “Will it be exactly the same as the self-published version? I’ve already read that,” he added conversationally. Royce leaned in. “I loved it. Five stars.” He was talking like there wasn’t an ocean of people around us. I didn’t know they allowed him to speak to anyone in the courtroom. He straightened his tie. “I’ve enjoyed everything of yours I’ve read so far. I think I’ve read… everything, now.” He kept saying the word ‘everything’ on purpose. “It’s really made my lonely nights easier.”

“Turn around,” I ordered in a firm voice.

Just as I did, Jasper walked past the desk. He stopped, towered over the serpent. “Excuse me, but I think you need to explain to your client what witness tampering is and what the ramifications of that are.”

Royce chuckled, turning around in his seat. “Tampering? No, Dr. Hale. I was only expressing my admiration for your multi-talented girlfriend’s writing. You should be proud. I’m almost jealous.”

Jasper looked over his head at his team of lawyers. “Last warning before I take it to the judge. Do not speak to the witness again. Eyes forward.”

The counselors said nothing to him. Instead, they huddled up close to Royce. He ignored them, his face straight ahead.

He sat back down beside me and squeezed my hand. “Are you okay?” My boyfriend softly questioned. The judge chose that moment to return.

“Yeah,” I promised, shrugging when we stood. “I’m fine.”

Pulling my pad out again, he tapped on his message from before. “Always.” Then he gave it to me.

I filled every page front and back before the end of the day. Straight at five, the court called it a day. Mrs. Stanley hadn’t finished with her opening statements. I wouldn’t hear the rest of them because I was going to New York City the following day to do stuff for the book. It would be on television, though, so I could record it for future notes.

It sucked so much Jasper couldn’t go with me. I wished with every fiber of my being he could. We both needed a real vacation that lasted more than three days.

I felt like a zombie as I walked to our rental car. The affair had been far more emotionally draining than I anticipated. He opened the door for me after kissing me soundly.

“When we get home, do you want to change into our pajamas, order pizza, and drink beer? Maybe watch a movie, then go to bed?” he asked once he started the drive.

“Yes, sir,” I breathed.

“Why don’t you look up the food?”

Absently, I nodded. “Okay.” For the first time since the morning, I pulled my silent phone out of my purse. I had been too distracted to even think about it. I had two hundred missed calls, a hundred text messages, and all of my Isabella Swan media sites were bombarded with literally thousands of comments. They were popping up so fast they blurred together.

My boyfriend worriedly looked over at me. “Bella? Everything alright, darlin?”

“Holy shit,” I gasped.  


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6/19/2020

Key. Chapter Twenty-six: In a Message

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Chapter Twenty-six: In a Message


Sunday night, we stayed up to midnight even though the trial was starting in the morning. Neither of us would be able to sleep. Jasper set his laptop in front of us, his arm around my shoulder as I rested my head against him. We just stared silently at the screen.

The page for the pre-orders was ticking down to the time when we could buy it. I shared it on my Isabella Swan sites and media, getting my fans of the original novel excited. It probably wasn’t that many, but it gave me a little hope. Caroline was amongst them, cheering me on as loudly as she could. She had told everyone at her church. And Justin informed every person who worked for him. He put it in his weekly newsletter. Literally thousands of people. The idea made me flush.

With every second, my heart pumped harder. The counter flipped to the last five. The moment it was live, Jasper leaned forward and picked the option to buy one. It auto-filled his credit card and our address since it was through Amazon. In under a minute, he purchased a hardcover copy of my novel.

My hands went up to my mouth to keep from crying. The whole thing was making me very emotional. He pressed a kiss to my temple. “Congratulations, Ms. Swan.”

“I wonder if you were the very first one.”

“Goddamn, I hope so.”

I giggled softly. A moment later, my best friend and Tanya texted me seconds apart. They both said the same thing. “I just bought your book!” Jasper’s phone dinged, too. I looked over to see the same message from his parents. 

Rose sent one to mine. “We bought two. Can you sign both? I’ll put one on eBay when you’re famous.” When I showed Jasper, he laughed.

“That’s a solid retirement plan,” he joked. Sighing, he pushed his face into my hair. “I’m so glad this is happening tonight. It’ll give me something nice to think about all day. I wish I could read during, but it’ll be televised, and that would look bad for the FBI.”

“You can read my notes over my shoulder,” I offered as I closed his laptop and put it to the side. It was getting late, and we needed to at least try to rest. I wasn’t certain how that would work out.

“I wonder what those will look like,” he mused as he turned off the lamp beside us. We both slid under the covers. The weather was pleasant with the air conditioner, the window over the bed open to help get some circulation.

“It’ll look like gibberish, I’m sure. If you can read it.” I snuggled into his chest, placing my cheek on it. I closed my eyes tightly. “How am I supposed to relax before something like this?” I questioned after a moment of silence.

Rolling over to his side, his arms wrapped around me. His fingers played with my hair. Humming, Jasper then rocked me ever so gently. It was lovely. I didn’t know the tune, but it didn’t matter. He cuddled me to sleep within five minutes.

When I woke up in the morning, he was quietly doing push-ups. He did a hundred every day, along with sit-ups, jumping jacks, and squats if he didn’t go to the gym. It was amazing how quickly he could do it. Most of the time, he did it while I was asleep, and I didn’t even notice. Covered in perspiration, it dripped down his bare chest.

I slowly rolled to my side to watch him. Moving onto his back, he began to do crunches with his eyes closed. Jasper alternated each knee, almost bringing it to his nose. He was concentrating so hard. Every single muscle was tight. He was incredibly hot. 

“Sir, can I lick the sweat off your stomach?” I wantonly asked.

Stopping, his feet dropped to the floor. Trying to catch his breath, he looked at me in surprise. Jasper moistened his lip before he swallowed heavily, his eyes moving over my body. “Well, come here, little girl.”

Hurrying off the bed, I sank onto the ground in front of him. Right away, I dragged my tongue over his bare skin just above his belly button. Moaning, his fingers curled into my hair. I moved upwards until it slid over his nipple.

It was so salty, the mix from exercising and stress. Gliding back down, I kissed along his workout shorts. His erection was already pushing up at them. I was only wearing my camisole, panties, and socks. My shirt was baggy, and my breasts were escaping. Jasper pinched my nipple gently.

“Does it taste good, slut?”

“Yes, sir,” I breathed. I had never woken up and done a spontaneous scene like this with him before. It was so exciting.

“Show me what that tongue can do,” he said in a deep voice, laying back comfortably as he massaged the top of my scalp.

Gripping the band of his shorts, I carefully pulled them down as I continued to lick his slick skin. His thighs were damp, too. I dragged it over one to the other before wrapping my hand around his erection. Before I could do anything, he yanked on my hair.

“No, just your tongue.”

Holding himself for me, I teased him as much as I could with it. The taste was so good. Salty, musky, Jasper. I wanted it all. He lazily stroked, his knuckles dragging against my tongue. It made me moan with desire.

He pulled me back roughly by my curls, dragging me up towards his mouth. He didn’t kiss me, though. Slowly, he licked from my jaw to my ear. Then he flipped our positions so that my back was on the yoga mat I had bought him so he wouldn’t be exercising on the carpet.

“I’m going to fuck your mouth, then we need to take a shower.”

Shifting so he was hovering over me, he pushed at my lips within a second. I opened my mouth happily for him. At first, he only slipped the tip in. “You will swallow it all.” Then he advanced until he was at the back of my throat. “Take all of my cock, Isabella.”

I closed my eyes and relaxed as much as I could. When I did, he rocked. Once again, his fingers wrapped around my locks.

“You’re so good with your mouth,” he moaned. “Suck hard. I want to cum quickly.”

Relentlessly, he fucked my mouth until he was shaking. I could feel the tension in his body a moment before he came. Jasper pulled out just as he did, holding my hair so it went across my face and down my chin. It dripped onto my neck and breasts.

“Perfect,” he mumbled, smearing his fingers over my lips. I sucked at his fingertips for a second. I could taste him on them.

“Go get the water started,” he ordered as he twisted off of me to the side.

“Yes, sir.” I hopped to my feet eagerly.

When he came into the bathroom, he had the vibrator wand. I smiled to myself. First, he helped me get into the tub before following behind. Then he passed me the toy.

“Turn it on its lowest setting, and don’t take it off of your clit,” he commanded.

So, with the wand in place, he washed my hair. When he finished with the shampoo, he said, “Turn it up once.” I did as he wished, moaning softly. He continued to add my conditioner before beginning to clean my body. “Again.”

I was getting closer, trembling with the vibration. Jasper was going on as if I wasn’t doing anything abnormal. He washed his own hair, too. When he finished, he turned it up for me three times. I groaned in surprise, throwing my head back. I lightened the pressure I used, but he wouldn’t allow that. He took over completely, pushing it hard against my clit until I came. He didn’t move it after.

Pinching my nipple with his other hand, he bit the side of my breast roughly. Viciously, he sucked the spot until it was purple, and I came again. He kept me from slipping to the bottom of the tub. His strong arms wrapped around me, kissing me gently as his fingers grabbed my ass.

Pulling away, I rested my head on his chest. He let me come down slowly.

“Will you pick out my clothing for today, sir?” I asked when we got out. My alarm was going off in the other room. We had two hours before we had to be at the courthouse. He stood behind me, looking at our shared reflection in the mirror.

“I would love to, darlin,” he smiled before leaning in to kiss my neck. “Do your hair straight and light makeup.”

I grinned happily. “Yes, sir.” I would do anything he asked.

On the bed when I came out was the black pencil skirt and button-down I wore to one of our first meetings. Beside it was a pair of simple white cotton panties and a matching bra. My comfortable flats were in front of them on the floor. Jasper was already in his trousers and was fixing his tie.

Unabashedly, he watched me get dressed. It made me feel so sexy. His desire was glowing in his beautiful blue eyes. He was wearing the tie I had gotten him for Christmas that matched them. When I finished, he walked over to me and lifted my chin. “I would like to take you to a nice breakfast to thank you for your submission. We have time. There is a place close to the courthouse.”

“Thank you, sir,” I breathed. “It was my pleasure to serve you.”

He laid his forehead against mine, closing his eyes tightly. “The scene’s over,” he said a little sadly. I pouted, too. “That was wonderful. Thank you for distracting me.”

“You’re welcome.” I grinned as I took his hand. The night before, I had arranged my purse with the things I was bringing with me, so I was ready to go.

The entrance we slipped into at the courthouse was a private way meant for cops and criminals as they arrived for trial. There was a whole host of people outside the front, trying to get a peek of what was about to happen. Reporters, angry family members, and weird fan girls with signs declaring their love for the killer. 

No one seemed to notice us as a series of white vans came in the connected parking garage. The journalists shouted it was King. The roar of voices got louder. I didn’t turn back to look to see if they were right.

Protectively, Jasper led me with his hand on my back into the correct room. It was already starting to fill with people. Three lawyers were on the right side, one of them the DA who asked me questions. As we stepped in, we caught her attention.

“Dr. Hale!” She called pleasantly, smiling at him. The two other lawyers looked over, too. Both of them grinned. One was an older woman with curly brown hair, and the other was a young black man with dreads.

We walked to the front row. “Good morning,” he replied politely, bowing his head.

“Good morning!” She smiled at him before looking at me. “Ms. Swan, it’s so nice to meet you in person. I’m Jessica Stanley. I’m the lead in this case. You’ve met Ms. Rachelle, and this is my other assistant, Tyler Crowley.”

I shook her offered hand and then his. “I’m surprised to see you here,” he admitted as he did.

“I’m here to support Jasper,” I informed him.

“That’s kind of you,” Mrs. Stanley responded, then cleared her throat. “I should let you know, you’re both going to hear your names during the opening statements. I know Dr. Hale understands that, but I figured I should warn you since you’re here.”

“Oh,” I squeaked before nodding my head. “Okay. Thank you.”

“We’ll sit a few rows back to make room for the families,” Jasper whispered to them. “Is there anything else you need from me right now?”

“Nope. We’re good. We’re ready to get the bastard,” Jessica remarked with confidence. “This is airtight. Don’t worry about a thing. You did fine work, Doc.” 

Taking my hand, we went to the fourth row at the end of the aisle. There were cameras all over the stark white space. Many people were crammed into the small area, most of them wearing badges of some sort. The whole place was buzzing with noise. I pulled out my brand-new notepad with my bag of pens and pencils. Quickly, I took notes about how the room looked.

Jasper got out his glasses and slipped them on, leaning over my shoulder to read my observations without saying anything. His nose scrunched up, and he inclined further in. Finally, he lifted it up off my lap to his eyes. I giggled softly, making him chuckle, too.

“You look sexy in those,” I wrote neatly when he put it back down.

Rolling his eyes, he took a pen from my bag in another color and wrote, too. “I shouldn’t have picked this outfit. It turns me on.” His handwriting was so much neater than mine.

“But it’s so modest!” I teased, scribbling right below his words.

“It’s your body that makes it so obscene.” When he finished, he wiggled his eyebrows at me. I giggled again. “This is terrible. We should stop,” he murmured.

“Yes, sir,” I breathed.

Holding my gazing, he put the cap back on the pen and placed it in the bag. I pushed my lips together to keep from laughing at his playfulness. We both knew what we were doing. It was what we were doing all morning. We were delaying the slap of reality for as long as possible.

About ten minutes after we sat down, the bailiff came out of a side door. Everyone became quiet. Through another set of doors, Royce Matthew King came strolling out, followed by a band of lawyers in fancy clothes and greasy black hair.

I had tried as hard as I could to look at as few pictures of the man as possible. He disgusted me in every way. It left me unprepared for his appearance. I expected him to be in an orange jumpsuit, shackled, and loudly clanking as he walked. Instead, he was in a beautifully tailored suit. His skin freshly shaved and smooth, and his hair was perfectly styled, too. He wasn’t wearing any restraints of any kind. Slowly, his expressive eyes moved over the courtroom with an almost lazy grin on his lips. He appeared to be there for nothing more serious than a traffic violation. As if he could just pay a fine to get out of it in an hour.

If I wandered into the room, I would have never known there was a murderer amongst us. It made my skin crawl.

His eyes settled on me before his smile grew. I knew for certain he was looking at me. Never taking them off of me, he sat down in his chair. He fully turned to stare. It was so painfully direct. His lawyers didn’t notice as they talked over him, walking around the table in preparation. Raking them over me, he tilted his head to the side before bringing them back up to mine. King licked his lips.

Jasper was stiff beside me, watching him. Hatred was rolling around his expression, his mouth twisting in place as he tried to control the emotion. But the murderer never even glanced in his direction to notice it. He was too focused on me.

Then he mouthed, “Hello, Bella.”


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6/16/2020

Key. Chapter Twenty-five: Straight to Business

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Chapter Twenty-five: Straight to Business


Jasper took time off so we could do the paperwork. We would get the keys from the realtor when we returned. The old owners needed to finish moving all of their things out, but it wouldn’t take that long. Once they did, they would have the place deep-cleaned, and the roof replaced for us.

We spent the rest of the afternoon celebrating with cake and champagne in bed at the hotel.

When we flew back to New York the next week, I was so excited. The pod was waiting for us when we arrived, only showing up a few moments before us. When we came back to Dallas, it would be sent to our townhouse. 

I grinned stupidly to myself when we stood in the doorway. We were even in the same one.

Everything seemed perfect.

Jasper was worried he would slip back into his depression when we returned to the northeast. But he didn’t. I was there to keep him safe from the night terrors while they did the final prep. He would be the first witness called to the stand, coming every day to sit and wait to be summoned. 

The idea stressed him out, understandably. He had done this before, but not for such a large case. Usually, he would only be there for his part. But that’s not what the FBI wanted with this one. They needed everything to go perfect, so they could fry King. New York had recently brought back the death penalty after not having it for years. Some were using Royce’s name as a reason. I hated that we couldn’t escape it. If I could, I would make it all go away. If I never had to hear it again, it would have been okay with me. My strong man felt as if he were reliving it for the hundredth time, and it hurt the same.

Jasper said he would rather get stabbed by a spoon a dozen times than see the pictures again. They were burnt into his brain, feeding his nightmares.

So, to make it a little easier, I decided to go with him. I thought of it as research. It could only improve my writing, especially if a publisher was so excited about my crime and thriller novels. Jasper didn’t want me to have it in my head like it was his, but I was stronger than what he gave me credit for. I knew I could handle it and give him the support he needed throughout the ordeal.

I wondered in what ways it would inspire me. It would probably be dark and twisted, to say the least. I had avoided writing anything serious since I finished the cop story. I needed fluffy light romance and dirty smut. My boyfriend didn’t mind at all. I kept all my websites up and was doing about as well as I had done in previous years.

Sam was happy to have us in Albany again. He only got two weeks of vacation to see his wife. I wasn’t sure how she did it, because I knew I couldn’t. I couldn’t be away from my man that long. Selfishly, I was glad I met him after his stretch in the service. His year-long deployments would have killed me. I couldn’t have been a military wife. But in fairness, I don’t think Jasper could have been a military husband, either.

Coming back even saved Eric a trip to Dallas for a meeting he wanted to have with me about the books. As time went on, it all became so much more real. I had never expected to be published. Yet it would happen by the end of the year, from what he was saying. He seemed more thrilled than I was. I wasn’t sure how that was possible.

Jasper was working the Friday I went to meet with Mr. Yorkie, still doing prep. This time, he had selected a sweet little French restaurant for a late afternoon lunch. It was more relaxed than the places we had gone to before. He already had a table when I arrived, a bottle of wine waiting for me. It was the same kind I had ordered the last occasion we met, so he knew I liked it.

“Bella! It’s always such a pleasure to see you!” he said with a pleasant smile, giving me a friendly, lose-armed hug from the side. “Oh, your perfume is lovely!”

Giggling, I blushed at his praise. “Thank you. I get complimented on it a lot. Jasper got it for me with the help of my best friend. She’s got exquisite taste. She’s the one that set me up with him.”

“How sweet,” he chuckled as we both sat. “So,” he cleared his throat. “The trial is about to start?”

That wasn’t the question I was expecting from him, but I shouldn’t have been surprised. He usually worked in true crime. “Yes, it is. It’s so quick.”

He removed his jacket, getting a little more comfortable. “Whispers say his attorney is demanding to exercise his right to a ‘speedy’ trial.” He made finger quotes. “I think he’s hoping to rush them, so they miss something. Or rather, his team of million-dollar lawyers does.”

My nose wrinkled in disgust. “If they find more bodies, they can always charge him later. They have to realize there is enough evidence to convict him ten times over, though. That cabin was a goldmine for the FBI.”

“That’s why they’re pulling every trick that they can,” he answered smartly. “I guess they want to do whatever they can. His family has the money to waste, that’s for sure. But he’s going to spend a lot of time in prison for what he did to your boyfriend and that SWAT team member no matter what.” He sniffled, almost bored as he adjusted his tie.

“I hope so,” I breathed. I shook my head, trying to get a million thoughts out of it. “I’m ready for it to be over, so I guess it’s a good thing. It won’t matter. He’ll get what’s coming to him no matter what,” I repeated his words. “And Jasper will finally be able to heal. He acts so hard, but the toll it took on him was…” I trailed off and sighed. After a moment, I forced a smile. “Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about?”

“Ah, straight to business,” he paused when the waiter put down a plate with a selection of meat. “Oh, I hope you don’t mind. I got an appetizer. I didn’t get to eat before. We can order something else.”

“No, this is fine,” I replied. He waved his hand over it in an offer. It all looked delicious. “Thank you.” I picked up a piece of the thinly sliced toast and some pate along with a couple of pieces of Jamon. It crackled when I took a bite, crumbles falling into my palm as I tried to catch them. He poured me a glass of wine as I did.

Eric had a quick nibble of a pickle, stuffing it to his cheek to talk. He smiled awkwardly. “So, we set a date for release.” He swallowed, then licked his lips. “It’ll be on September thirteenth, and pre-orders start Monday at midnight.” He picked out other things to try, popping an olive in his mouth.

My heart sped up as I gasped softly. “That’s my birthday.”

He lit up. Sitting back in his chair, Mr. Yorkie clapped his hands as his grin grew wide on his handsome face. His dark eyes crinkled around the edges. “That’s perfect! Well, happy early birthday, I guess. I’ll have to get you a gift,” he teased. 

I laughed quietly. “That’ll be enough. This is a dream come true.” My hand went to fidget with my lock and key. It felt as if my heart would thunder out of my chest.

Lifting his wine glass, we clinked cups. “It’s just the beginning. Cheers.”

“Cheers,” I whispered, taking a big gulp.

Grabbing a piece of bread, he covered it with some pate. He heaped it on and shoved it all in his mouth at once. “The second thing I wanted to talk to you about was to see if you’d be willing to do some interviews, maybe a reading or two. For marketing. We’ll pay for your hotel and food. It’ll be in New York City. It’ll be two days of hard work, but it’ll get your name out there.”

“Well, as long as I’m not on the witness stand, I can be there,” I assured him. I would do anything they asked to make it as successful as possible.

“Great! We’ll have our stylist come in and dress you and do your hair and makeup since we’ll be on television for some of them. And we’d like to take some pictures, too.” He wiped his face with a napkin to get some crumbs off. 

“How exciting!” I nervously giggled. “I can’t wait. It should be fun. I love talking about myself,” I lied.

Eric took a sip of wine before he tipped it towards me. “Then this will be a walk in the park for us. I’ll be by your side the entire time to help, though.” He winked, then popped a piece of meat into his mouth and chewed for a moment. “So, what are you thinking about for lunch?”

He was truly a man who thought with his stomach, and I could respect that.

It was a meeting we definitely could have had by email or telephone. Jasper had once complained about them, but I loved it. Not only did I get a free meal, but he gave me the best birthday present. It was beyond exciting, and I was so happy I could barely focus on eating. We shared two bottles of wine, though. It made me tipsy and warm. The entire ride back to the hotel, I lounged lazily in the taxi. 

I danced into our wonderful little hovel. My boyfriend was already home from work, his days seemingly shorter than before. He had told me he was just answering questions for the prosecutors repeatedly, clarifying any information he could. He looked up in confusion from his spot in front of the fridge. Jasper was in his sleep pants, even if it was only six. 

Mr. Yorkie talked for a long while about all the things I would be doing. Like what would happen during the interviews and the people I would speak with, too. There would be many magazines and newspapers I would sit down with for short spurts of time each. He said I would probably answer the same questions repeatedly. Just like Jasper, but a lot less important.

“They set a release date. Pre-sales start next week. It’ll be out on my birthday,” I declared as tears sprang to my eyes. My hand flew to my mouth, laughing to keep from crying.

“Yes!” He cheered, rushing over to me. I was in his arms in a second, being spun around. I squealed loudly with joy, holding on as tightly as I could. “It’s so soon! Jesus.” Grinning with his happiness, he cupped my cheek when he put me back down to my feet. Jasper bent down a little to look into my eyes. “Well, I know one thing we’ll be doing that day.”

“What’s that?” I teased, smirking up at him stupidly to flirt.

Gently, he rubbed his nose along my own before resting his forehead against mine. “I’m going to walk right into Barnes & Noble, and I’m going to buy the best book in the world. And then I’ll have the beautiful author sign it for me.” He grabbed my face with both hands and kissed me deeply. I smiled against his mouth.

“I’ll be in a real bookstore!” I declared in wonder. 

“Yes, you will,” he chuckled. “So, how many copies do you have to sell to become a best-seller? Do you know?”

He was so confident in me. I shook my head, laughing as I looked away. I kind of hated myself for knowing the answer. “To be considered a best-seller, it has to sell at least four thousand. To be in the top ten, I don’t know. I don’t think-”

“I do,” he breathed, smiling at me. Jasper lifted my chin so I would look into his eyes. “Mainly because I will tell every single person that I meet to buy it. Just fucking everyone. I’ll shout it at strangers.”

I pushed my face into his chest. “Oh, god. So will your parents. And Alice.” Suddenly, the tears that sat on the corners of my eyes came, moistening his shirt. All of my friends and my new family would be the first in line to order it, so to speak. The idea was so overwhelming. “This has been the best year. I’m so happy. Everything is going so well.”

Wrapping both his arms around me securely, he buried his face in my hair. “Yes, it has.”

“Thank you,” I whispered into his t-shirt.

“I had nothing to do with this. This is all you, darlin,” he answered.

“No, for believing in me. You make me feel like I can accomplish anything.”

His grip tightened. “You can.” He paused for a moment. “So, what should we do to celebrate?”

“Do you want to go to the Gavel for some drinks? I’m already half drunk. Why waste a good buzz?”

A wicked smile grew on his face. “Can I fuck you in the bathroom again?”

“Yes, sir,” I laughed. “Oo, I’ll go put on crotchless panties and a skirt while you get changed.”  

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6/12/2020

Key. Chapter Twenty-four: Moving Ahead

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Chapter Twenty-four: Moving Ahead


Sunday morning, I didn’t want to leave. Friday and Saturday were heavenly. We had so much sex I would probably need a week to recover from it all. Covered in bruises and hickies, I had to wear a high-necked t-shirt to hide them all and long blue jeans instead of shorts. I didn’t mind. My thighs and ass were burning from the intense workout. I definitely got my cardio in. Even my lips were a little swollen. We made out in the water for maybe two hours the evening before.

Jasper ended the scene when we woke up after thanking me for my submission and telling how much he worshiped and adored me. And he said he couldn’t wait to serve me for a weekend away. The idea played in my head as we got ready to go.

“Do you think you could do it for the whole weekend?” I questioned as I cleaned up. We had a small breakfast on the porch, enjoying the morning before it got too hot. After we dropped our stuff off at his hotel, we were supposed to have his birthday meal with his parents and Mamaw. They wanted to go after church. 

Thankfully, we would get to skip that. I couldn’t have walked into the building without being struck down by a lightning bolt, if his grandmother didn’t embarrass me to death first. I couldn’t sit next to the woman while thinking about how only hours before my man, her sweet grandson, ate my ass like a cupcake. It would be hard enough to have a meal.

He chuckled softly, putting his dirty clothing in a plastic bag. I would wash it all later when we went to my place. “I think so. It might be tough. But it was difficult to stay in the control mindset the entire time with you this weekend, too. For a few hours, or even a day is fun, but I like my feisty girl.”

“Do you-” I crawled towards him on the bed, but his phone started to ring in his pocket. “Who’s that? Isn’t it kind of early?” I questioned as I sat back on my bare feet.

Pulling it out, he frowned when he saw the number. He closed his eyes and licked his dry lips. “It’s the DA in Albany.”

“Oh,” I mumbled in surprise. We had only been away for a month. My throat tightened.

“Hale,” he answered, bringing the device up to his ear. Jasper looked up towards the ceiling, his mouth turned down. “No, it’s fine. You didn’t wake me. What can I do for you this morning, ma’am?” Pausing, he listened to what she had to say. His tongue ran over his teeth in his mouth as he chewed on the information. “I see. Yeah. Okay. Yes, ma’am.” He nodded. “Thank you for letting me know. You, too. Have a good day.” When they hung up, he said nothing. Tension filled the air.

“What?” I pushed as I reached for him.

He scratched the back of his neck. “They set the trial date on Friday. It’s starting in two weeks.”

Adjusting my legs, I sat on the edge of the bed. “Wow. That was fast. So much faster than I was expecting.”

“Both sides are pushing to move ahead as quickly as possible, though I don’t fully understand why. And they want me to be up there for the whole thing.”

“Why?!” I loudly demanded.

He grimaced. “I’m one of the star witnesses. They may call me to the stand more than once. It’ll probably be at least two months, but sometimes these things go on for longer, even years-” Jasper sighed, slipping the phone back into his pocket before pushing his hair away from his forehead.

“I’m going with you again,” I informed him. It wasn’t a question or a request. I didn’t want to be without him, and I knew the stress and memories would take a toll on him. He was getting better with his PTSD, but it still affected him. There was no way I would let him breakdown like he did when I first arrived before.

Swallowing hard, he bit his lip as he glanced away from me. After closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. Finally, he nodded and gazed at me again. “Good.” He smiled. “They’ll call you to the stand, too. It’ll make it easier if you’re up there, anyway.”

“I just want to be there for you,” I remarked as I stood, swiftly closing the distance to hug him. He brought me into his arms, kissing my lips lightly. “It’s okay. Back to the shabby little apartment?” He unhappily nodded again. “Yay!”

Softly, he chuckled. “I guess we’ll have that pod shipped back up there. If you wanted, you could pack a lot more stuff to bring with us this time.”

“Then just ship it again when we’re done?” I sucked on my lip as I thought about it. I would make that place so much better. There were quite a few things I could bring to make the whole trip more pleasant. Items from my kitchen. Also, I could pick up some pantry goods we could only get in Texas. Like his favorite hot sauce and my preferred ketchup. “Oh, that’ll be nice! Will we stay in the same place?”

“Probably. She’ll be sending the official paperwork tomorrow to my boss. She just wanted to give me a polite head’s up. That poor woman is working twenty-hour days.” Jasper made a face, shaking his head.

I squeezed his waist. “I don’t envy her.”

“Neither do I,” he agreed. Gently, he laid his head on top of mine. “What about the house? What are we going to do about that?”

“Hopefully, we can do the paperwork before we leave, and it’ll be waiting for us when we get back.” I shrugged, peeking up at him. “It’ll give us time to shop online for furniture and find what we want.”

“Yeah. And we could have any work done we want while we were away, too. My mom wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on that for us, I don’t think.”

I giggled. “If you give her a key, she’ll make one of those rooms into a nursery while we’re away.”

“So, I don’t think Rose would mind keeping an eye on it for us,” he restated, making me laugh loudly. I pushed my face into his chest. “I’m pretty sure we have a few vanilla steps before we get to that.” His arms pleasantly squeezed me. “Crazy woman. I know we just turned thirty-five, but damn, we have time. Calm down, or you’re only getting grand puppies.”

“I prefer cats,” I teased. “I don’t know if I want any pets. I want to travel around with you for a while, and that might make things complicated.”

“Yeah, you’ll probably have to do a book tour once Rabbit gets published anyway,” he whispered seductively in my ear. I giggled at his flirting. It was stupidly effective on me. His fingers twisted with my hair, pulling me into a kiss. “Everyone will want to know about the sexy new author with her amazing novel. Mm, I definitely have to be your bodyguard. It’s perfect for me. I can’t take my eyes off of you, anyway.”

“Oh, my god,” I laughed as he spread it on extra thick. “You’re already going to get laid. You don’t have to heap it on like that.”

He charmingly grinned, throwing me down onto the bed before he hurriedly crawled on top of me. For a long minute, we kissed. “This is okay. We will be fine,” he breathed when he pulled away. He was saying it to reassure himself, not me.

I pushed his hair behind his ear, smiling as I did. “Yup. All is well. And if it’s not, we’ll figure it out together. We’ve already got a head start this time.”

When we got to the restaurant Jasper picked out, Caroline hugged me like she hadn’t just seen me the week before. I didn’t mind, though. She smiled at her son, kissing his cheek. She knew how much he disliked being smothered with attention, especially while in public.

“Did you enjoy your romantic getaway?” She asked pleasantly when she pulled back to look at me. “A cabin by the lake seems so sweet. We should do that, Justin,” she said, looking at her husband over her shoulder. Her blond hair was extra curly and stiff for church.

It was so hard not to cackle in her face, especially because it made her boy cough in surprise. He was trying to cover up his snorting laugh. I nudged his side. Jasper wasn’t helping. He was so terrible at controlling his reactions around her. She knew how to push all of his buttons in the funniest ways.

“He thinks you’re too old for that,” Mamaw grinned, coming to put an arm around my waist. “Hi, sugar.” She patted my forearm with her soft, warm, wrinkled hand.

“Hi,” I giggled.

“I don’t. I just don’t want to think about it,” he answered honestly. She loudly snorted. “You’re a mischievous old broad, you know that?”

She laughed at his attitude. “I’m going to knit that on a sweater.”

“Make me one,” I whispered to her. She snickered and slapped my back. Playfully, she winked at me.

“Y’all are both bad,” he remarked, shaking his head.

Caroline ignored her. She took her son’s arm and walked inside the restaurant. “So, what did y’all do?”

Mamaw leaned into me. “I feel like she’s feeding me straight lines. Everyone knows what you did this weekend,” she uttered only loud enough for me to hear. It made tears spring to my eyes as I tried to keep from laughing. I was so grateful we didn’t agree to go to church.

“Good Lord above, I hope not,” I answered.

She chortled, throwing her head back. It made her cough. The smell of cigarettes perfumed the air when she did. “Aw, I miss birthday sex.”

“I can hear you, Mother!” Justin commented with clear discomfort in his voice.

“Well, good for you then. I guess I don’t have to speak up,” she sassed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. She sniffed, looking over at Jasper. “Boy, you picked a great place.”

He smirked at her. “Y’all took me here when I turned seventeen, too. Remember? I think that was the last one before Papaw died. He loved it, too.” He smiled at the memory. “That was a nice birthday. He would have liked you,” he told me as we sat down at the table. My boyfriend pulled my chair out for me like a gentleman, giving me a light kiss on the cheek as I did.

“Yeah, he would,” Justin agreed with a grin of his own. He sat across from us, his wife beside him. Mamaw sat at the end between the two men.

“He’d love your cooking, that’s for sure. That man could eat,” he recalled before looking down at his lap into his hands. “I had a dream not too long ago actually where you made meatloaf, and we had dinner with him. It was so nice.”

“You got a visit from heaven,” Mamaw sighed with a soft smile. “He visits me a lot, too.”

I didn’t believe that, but it was a pleasant thought. All throughout the month, I dreamed about all the times I moved as a kid and all the places I lived. I understood why. Briefly, I wondered if he had those. He traveled so much it probably blurred together.

“Would you like me to make you some meatloaf soon?” I offered. He nodded quickly, grinning for a second before he bumped his forehead to mine. “It’s one of my favorites, too.”
After our meal, Jasper shifted uncomfortably in his chair. I knew what he was building up to, and he wasn’t looking forward to doing it in the least. He saved it for the end to keep the guilt to a minimum. “So, we have something to tell y’all,” he began slowly, each word carefully spoken.

“Did you get engaged?” Caroline asked excitedly, leaning in to look at my hands that were resting on the table. Self consciously, they dropped to my lap as I straightened my shoulders.

He sighed, attempting to not roll his eyes. Jasper should have seen that coming. “No.” He cleared his throat uncomfortably. She was making it worse without even trying. “We’re going back up to New York state for the trial. We’ll have to fly up there by the middle of next week, probably.” My boyfriend took my hand under the table to squeeze it lightly.

“Oh no,” she pouted, her whole body sinking in her spot. “For how long?” He shrugged in answer, making her frown grow. “But we just got you back! You said you were coming home!”

“I know. I’m sorry. Hopefully, it won’t be for as long. But I can’t make any promises. Trust me, if I could skip this, I would. Neither one of us wants to be there.”

She looked over at me. “And you’re both going?”

I opened my mouth to answer. Once again, Jasper’s phone rang. It was a Texas number I didn’t recognize. I leaned in to peek at it. “I’m sorry, let me take this real quick. It might be work.” He brought it up to his ear. “Hale?”

I was close enough to hear the other side of this conversation. “Hi, Dr. Hale? This is Maria. I work for Realmax,” she said brightly. She worked for the realtor we were using. She was her secretary if I remembered correctly. “I wanted to call and let you know that the paperwork for the mortgage came through. When would be a good time to sign the papers?”

A quick smile flashed over his face. “Can we do it this week?”

“Yes, sir. Any time this week. We are open from seven to seven, seven days a week. It takes a couple of hours, just to let you know.”

“Yeah. Okay. That’s fine. Um… I have to arrange for some time off. Can we come in on Tuesday? Noon?” He looked at me. I grinned, nodding my head vigorously.

“Perfect!” she replied. “Okay, I’ve got your appointment down. Please bring your ID with you and call me if you need to change it.”

“Thank you,” he breathed before he hung up. Right away, Jasper kissed me with his hand wrapped around the back of my neck. “Yeah. Everything will be just fine,” he whispered when he pulled away.

I wanted to cry, but I kept it in. I was so happy. “Yup. Sure is.” When I turned to look around us, his family was all curiously staring. I laughed because I had forgotten they were there. “We got a house! So, when we get back, we’ll have a home that’s all ours.”

“Wonderful!” Caroline warmed up.

“I think you’ve had a good week there, son,” his father teased lightly. It was very sweet. He had a big smile on his face.

“Yeah, it has been,” he happily agreed. 


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6/9/2020

Key. Chapter Twenty-three: By the Lake

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Chapter Twenty-three: By the Lake


Thursday was Jasper’s birthday, so he took the day and Friday off. My gift to him was a cabin in the woods, so we could spend some quiet time alone together. We would have total privacy for almost four days.

With a suitcase full of toys and my complete submission the whole time.

“You may speak freely for the entire weekend. I can’t see how this will work otherwise. I’ll need you to be open and honest with me the full time about your needs,” he explained as we started on the drive to the hideaway by a lake. It was about a forty-five minute trip without traffic. It didn’t take us long to leave the city and start through the woods.

“Isn’t this weekend about your needs?” I teased.

He chuckled, his fingers curling around the steering wheel. “It’s about my desires. But what you need and what I want may be two different things. I don’t wish to hurt you, darlin. Or for you to piss yourself.”

Snorting loudly, I hadn’t expected him to say that, but he was correct. “Yeah, that wouldn’t be ideal. ‘Mm, pardon me, sir… I realize I bought a rubber sheet, but-’”

“What?” He laughed. “Did you really?”

“Happy birthday?” I laughed, too. “I had the money for once, and I might have gone overboard.”

Jasper had a playful smile on his face. His mood had improved so much since we started putting in the paperwork for the townhouse. We were the first to see it, and we offered them the exact amount they wanted with no hassle. It was just a matter of getting the mortgage together.

It would probably be the beginning of next week before we knew, but we didn’t think there would be any problems. I was so excited.

“Well, I might have gone overboard, too. I have a few surprises for you.”

“Oh?” I asked softly, running my fingers from his knee to the inside of his thigh. “Like what?”

His eyes were on the road, sparkling with mischief. His cheeks twitched with his smile. “I got that bikini for you. A little red string one.”

“No, you didn’t.” I laughed right away. There was a public and private area for us to swim in, and I had packed a swimsuit, but I didn’t think I would need it. “Did you really?” He nodded. “Okay, good luck with that. I was planning on being bad, anyway.” I looked out the window as I crossed my arms over my chest. 

“I will tie you to the bed and put it on you myself.” I just kept laughing. I wouldn’t make it easy for him in the least. “You know what? I think you’ll put it on as soon as we get there, and you’ll wear it all day for me.”

“Ah, we’re starting with spankings. Fun, fun, fun,” I giggled, grinning wickedly. 

Chuckling, he reached over and picked up my hand to kiss my knuckles. “I guess we are. Why are you so against it?”

“I am too chubby for that nonsense.”

“You’re not-”

“No, I am,” I interrupted. “You just like it.”

Jasper made a confused face, glancing over briefly. “Exactly! And you know I like you in lingerie. What’s the difference?”

I pouted. “There is lingerie designed to be sexy for thick girls. I won’t be in that. I’ll be all rolls and fat-”

“Stop.”

“It’s true, though.”

“Where’s the woman who wore leather last week?”

“Her ass was fully covered and not by strings, good sir. And she would have punched you out for attempting it, so you’re lucky she’s not here right now.”

He hummed. “I think she is, actually. Feisty girl. You really want to start with punishment.”

“We’re not doing a scene yet. I can do and say as I please.” It would start once we got checked into the cabin, and I would take full advantage of it.

“Yes, you can,” he agreed, moving his hand onto my blue jean covered thigh. Squeezing it tightly, his fingers slipped further inside. “But I hoped we could play first. I don’t wanna begin by getting the belt out. Or the paddle.” I pouted. “Be a good girl, and do it for me, please? I want to draw you on the beach in it. You’ll look so pretty.” He rubbed between my thighs.

I whined softly, leaning my head back against the rest. “Goddammit, fine. But I won’t wear it around people.”

“The last thing I want is to be around anyone,” he declared with a smirk. He kept rubbing, so the pressure was pleasantly increasing. “Thank you, darlin.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Mm,” he agreed, his hand getting faster. I spread my legs more for him. “Yes, well, this is about my desires, not what you want. I will take everything that is mine this weekend,” he stated in a seductive purr.

“Every part of me is yours,” I breathed, biting my bottom lip as I closed my eyes.

He spanked hard where he had just been teasing. “I know.”

After we got checked in the white cabin, Jasper stood behind me with his hands on my hips. His lips moved over my ear. “Are you ready for the scene to begin, Isabella?”

I leaned back into him, resting my head against his chest. “Yes, sir.”

“Good girl.” He moved my curls away from my neck and lightly kissed me there several times.

Going to his luggage, he pulled out a small bag and handed it to me with a smile. “Put this on and pull your hair up into a bun. And put your red lipstick on for me.”

“Yes, sir,” I repeated, trying not to pout. He swatted my ass playfully.

When I came back out of the bathroom, I stomped. I hadn’t even looked into the mirror. I didn’t want to. It didn’t feel like enough and somehow more revealing than my underwear. Also, it was already crawling up my butt. 

Jasper chuckled to himself, arranging his suitcase. “The annoyance on your face makes it so much cuter, too.”

I said nothing, rolling my eyes as I pushed my lips together in a smirk.

Pulling something out of his suitcase, he walked to me with it in his hands. He brought a jewel-covered collar to my neck, clipping it into place before dragging his finger down my lock and key necklace. He smiled as it continued over the curve of my breast.

Strolling to my overnight bag, he retrieved the suntan lotion. “I don’t want you to burn,” he informed me as he squeezed a big blob in his palm. Gently, he massaged it onto my shoulders, spreading it all over my body. He merrily covered my nose. “Put your flip-flops on.”

He placed several things in his blue jean pockets. More comfortable, Jasper was wearing a t-shirt, too. It was too hot for his standard long sleeves. I enjoyed seeing him like this.

Leading us down a path, he took me to an area around our part of the private lake. We were probably half a mile away from anyone else. At least I wouldn’t have to worry about people seeing me. Holding both of my hands, he walked me over to a wooden lounger.

“Sit.”

After doing so, he took both of my wrists and lifted them above my head. I stretched out on the chair, my feet out in front of me. Fetching an object from his pocket, Jasper pulled out his handcuffs. Stupidly, I giggled.

“I like this already, sir,” I whispered to him in a quiet and mischievous voice.

Chuckling, he ran his knuckle over my cheek. “I’m sure you do.” Then he put a thick red silk sleep mask over my eyes. “Alright. I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

I thought he was joking, but then I heard his footsteps crunching away. Instantly, I panicked.

“What?” I turned my head to the side quickly. “Where are you going? No, no, no- no-” I became frightened. “This… This is not okay. This is NOT okay, Jasper! Oh, you motherfucker, you suck so much! Don’t leave me outside!”

His hand struck my cheek hard. “NO!” I yelled back at him angrily. “You cannot leave me alone in nature. We are in TEXAS! You can hit me all you want-”

“Jesus,” he laughed. “I could see you the entire time, darlin. Don’t worry, I won’t let anything bad happen to you. I just needed to go get the rest of the stuff.” Lightly, he kissed my lips. It was only a peck so as not to mess up my lipstick. “I apologize. It won’t happen again. Now, open your mouth.” When I did, he put a ballgag into it. “Lay back and relax. I’m going to draw you like this.” Then he pecked the gag.

Under the cover of the pine trees, I laid in the sun while he sketched me. He asked if I needed a break twice, checking on my wrists to make sure they weren’t hurt. Honestly, I could have pushed the ball out of my mouth if I needed to, so I wasn’t worried about that part.

Then I felt him kiss the tops of my feet as he kneeled at the end of the lounger. His hands moved up and down my thighs, spreading them open for him. Then he tied my ankles to the chair.

Laying it as far back as it would go, my body was drawn tight. His feet clomped around me. The tip of a leather riding crop dragged down my nose and between the center of my breasts. It connected once with the inside of one of my thighs, scratching upwards over my stomach afterward.

“You look better than I even imagined you would like this.” Jasper moved it over my nipple, teasing it until it was rock hard. Swatting it a few times, I gasped against my gag. “You enjoy that, don’t you, slut?”

I nodded my head. He popped it a few more times in quick succession. He used the crop to push my top to the side to expose it to the air. Humming in pleasure, he circled it with the leather bit. Pinching roughly, Jasper pulled it so hard my back arched off the lounger. When he put the cold metal clamp on, I whimpered. He moved the fabric back into place.

Then he did the same thing to the other side.

He used the flogger next, carefully placing strikes designed to tease me perfectly. Whenever the tails went over the cup of my suit, it made me shudder and whine with pleasure.

“You’ve already soaked your bikini, and I haven’t even touched you there yet. I love how wet you get for me.”

He shoved his fingers underneath the cloth, suddenly touching me. It was fast and aggressive, going in tight circles. Within just a minute, I came on them.

Sweat dripped from my forehead, the fabric of the mask becoming damp from it. He slid the swimsuit to the side fully so he could also put a clamp on my clit. I cursed against the ball gag.

Untying my legs, Jasper pushed them up to my chest so he could position himself over me. When he pushed inside, I moaned loudly. He was on his knees, pounding into me. Every movement created more pressure. It was so good. Screaming wantonly against the ball, I lost myself repeatedly.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” He cursed, his fingers digging into my thighs. Pulling out, he came all over my sweat covered chest. 

When he caught his breath, he leaned forward to take the gag from my mouth. He kissed my lips relentlessly. Jasper hovered over me on one arm as his fingertips traced over my clit. He pulled the clamp off roughly.

“Oh, fuck!” I cried out.

“You dripped when I did that,” he chuckled, leaning down to kiss it. He hummed against my skin, the vibrations making my thighs shake. Gently, he sucked it into his mouth. “I’m going to leave the others on until you beg me to take them off.”

Finally, he pulled my face mask off. Jasper was also covered in sweat, his hair slicked back. He was naked, too. His cock was already getting hard again.

He retrieved the key for the cuffs, letting my hands go. Kissing each wrist, his eyes were on mine. “It’s time for a swim.”

We fucked three more times during the day. When he realized I would never ask him to remove the clamps, he pulled them off while we were in the shower. It made me dizzy. Thankfully, he was holding me up against the wall as he moved within me.

Going to sleep wasn’t hard. Nude, I snuggled into his side. Jasper had a beautiful smile spread over his face. We went to bed early. It was exactly what he needed.

I wasn’t sure what time it was when he woke me up. His fingers smoothed over my breast, pinching my tender nipple.

“Isabella, it’s time to get up. I’m ready to use you again.”

Confused, I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. “Mm, yes, sir. I need to use the potty first,” I slurred. 

He chuckled softly. “Okay. Go freshen up.”

After stumbling to the bathroom, he put the mask back on before leading me naked outside. The air was sticky hot with the August heat. We stopped on the porch. Stretching my arms above my head, he tied them to the overhang.

“You’re already covered in bruises,” he murmured in my ear. “Have I worked you too hard?”

“No, sir.”

Carefully, Jasper put air pods into each of my ears. It was already playing a song. Lightly, he pressed his lips against my cheek. His fingers danced over my skin, caressing my breasts tenderly from behind. Dragging his palms down my stomach, he moved them over my hips to my ass.

He continued to toy with it, squeezing and massaging before moving away for a second. His fingertips, now slick with lube, played at that entrance. Pressing gently, he worked me until I was gasping with two inside me. Then Jasper pushed a plug into me.

At first, he teased me with something soft like a feather. With my lip between my teeth, he awoke all of my nerves perfectly. Then he switched to the flogger once again, dragging and flicking. Time melting away, I was unsure how many times he struck me or for how long it lasted. My whole body dripped with perspiration. 

Jasper pulled the toy free from my ass, playing with me again with his fingers. After adding more lube, he replaced them with his cock. Though we had both played with each other, he had never done this to me before. He was so big it scared me a little. He stayed still, allowing me to adjust.

“Is it okay?” He questioned. I nodded quickly. Gingerly, he moved within me as his hand slipped to my front. His palm pressed against the apex of my thighs.

After a moment, he pushed the sleep mask off. The sun was coming up over the lake. The trees were perfectly reflected off the still waters. Fog filled the air, creeping over the landscape. “Open your eyes and look. See how beautiful it is,” he whispered in my ear as he continued to fuck me. His fingers wrapped around my throat gently. “This is what I want for the rest of our lives. To be with you, doing things like this, every single day we can. I love you.”

I didn’t expect my orgasm, and neither did he. “I love you, too,” I whimpered in return.

He kept going until he came, giving me two more in the process with his fingers. It was a great thing we didn’t have neighbors.

“Go to the bathroom and start the tub,” he ordered as he swatted my ass once I was free.

The hot water was perfect for my sore muscles. While sitting on his lap, he rubbed my shoulders gently. I felt so content with the world. Everything was going in the right direction again. A part of me hoped they would call about the townhouse, but that was wishful thinking.

“What’s on your mind?” he questioned as his fingers ran down the back of my neck.

I bit my lip, glancing over my shoulder at him. “Our place.”
He sighed softly, pressing a kiss to my throat. “I’m so excited,” he admitted. Jasper chuckled. “You know, I never even thought I’d have this kind of relationship. Now, here I am, thinking about marriage and-”

I turned in surprise to look at him. “You’re thinking about marriage?”

He seemed just as shocked by my reaction. “Aren’t you?”

“I know we’ve joked about it, but I didn’t think you were the type. I mean, I guess you are. But I didn’t think-”

“We’re moving in together. Isn’t that the next vanilla step?”

I laughed at his wording. “We don’t have to do everything the vanillas do.”

Frowning, he touched my cheek. “Do you not want to get married?”

“I don’t know,” I confessed before taking a deep breath. “I want to be with you for the rest of my life, but… I saw what marriage was like between my parents. And I know I’m like my mom. She really hurt my dad, and I don’t wanna do that to you.”

Slowly, he smiled. “You’re worried about hurting me?”

“Of course,” I replied. “You’re a good man, and so loyal. I know you’ll never do anything to harm me or our relationship.”

Drawing his hand over my cheek, his expression was sad. “How can you think that? Especially after last week?”

“It won’t happen again, so,” I shrugged.

Closing his eyes, he rested his face against my shoulder. “Bella, you won’t hurt me. I know what kind of woman you are. It’s not in you. Your soul is like sunshine and fresh air. You’re pure.”

“You literally just fucked my ass,” I remarked dryly.

He scoffed and sat back against the edge of the tub. “That has nothing to do with that, and you know it.” Jasper paused for a moment and tilted his head to the side. “Does BDSM have any association in your mind with your fear of marriage? Do you feel as if it makes you unworthy of something that’s considered sacred by most? Because it doesn’t, darlin.”

Blinking several times, I didn’t know what to say. “Okay. Don’t go all therapy on me, sir.”

My boyfriend ducked his head and blushed slightly. “Yeah, I’m sorry. This is not the time to talk about that.” 

“I’m not against marriage,” I assured him. “I just haven’t thought about it for us. But it pleasantly surprises me you do, sir. That’s what I mean when I say you’re loyal. And I can see why you’d want to get married. Your parents set a wonderful example. If we can be as happy as them at their age, I think we’ll have done well in our lives.”

“I think so, too,” he agreed with a small smile. Jasper cleared his throat. “Just like our place together, I won’t rush. We’ll find the right moment for us. And if we do, we’ll definitely elope,” he finished playfully.

“Vegas?” I teased in return.

“Sounds good to me.”


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6/5/2020

Key. Chapter Twenty-two: In the Afternoon

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Chapter Twenty-two: In the Afternoon


I was plowed.

We both were.

We couldn’t keep our hands off of each other in the Uber ride back to the hotel. My fingers tugged on his hair hard, his tongue shoved deep in my mouth. We stumbled our way to his room. He pushed me against the door, ignoring someone who walked past us as we made out. I could hear their shuffling footsteps on the carpet and their awkward cough to let us know they were there. It didn’t stop us in the least.

Jasper grabbed my knee and wrapped it around his hip. His other hand was gripping my ass tightly with his face buried in my neck. Biting and sucking, he was aggressively kissing every inch he could. I tilted my head at an angle to give him the most access. I don’t know how long we were in that hallway, but it surprised me no one tried to stop us.

When we got inside, I shoved him against the door hard. It slammed shut, rattling the wall and the pictures that hung on it. It was enough to shock us both. We looked at each other, panting. As I stared at him, anger surged through me suddenly. I had pushed all of those emotions back for hours, hiding them under layers of liquor.

“I could still slap you right now,” I admitted in annoyance, my fingers curling in his shirt. It was untucked from his jeans, stained with sweat and booze. His eyes were tired and blurry, his lips swollen with our kisses. 

“Do it,” he breathed as they focused on my mouth.

“What?”

They lifted to meet mine. “Punish me, Goddess.”
​
I swallowed, uncertain. “Are you positive that’s what you want?”

Nodding, he kissed me fiercely. His fingers twisted in my locks, holding me to him. “Yes, ma’am. Please,” he spoke against my lips, the words pained. 

For a long moment, I just stared at him. My heart thundered in my chest, and blood rushed through my ears as the uncertainty pulled at me. The memory of the second before I opened the door, and how amazing and hopeful I felt, flashed in my mind. 

As hard as I could, I struck him across the cheek.

The air whooshed out of his mouth, his eyes shut tightly in surprise. 

“You embarrassed and hurt me! I was so excited. We’ve done nothing like it before, and we don’t go out very much. You’ve either been working, or we’ve been looking for a place together. Something is off, and I can feel it. You’re always so anxious. And bored! And I’m scared you’re tired of me now and I just-”

“No, no, no,” he stopped me, taking my face. I slapped him again. He closed his eyes. It didn’t stop him. “I don’t know how to adjust because it isn’t stable yet. It was so good in Albany. I’m ready for that again. I almost want to say fuck it and rent an apartment for now, but I’m worried I’ll just be called back up to New York, and it’ll be a waste of money better spent on our home.”

His words gave me pause. I shook my head. “It won’t be that soon, will it?”

“They’re trying to bring this in front of a judge as fast as possible.”

Looking away, I considered what I wanted to say. “That doesn’t give you the right to act like that. You were a childish, possessive, asshole. We could have had so much fun tonight. I did nothing wrong.”

He quickly nodded his head in agreement. “No, it doesn’t, and no, you didn’t. Please, punish me. I deserve it.”

I raised my hand to slap him again. In his eyes, I could see him mentally bracing himself for my strike. I could hit hard. Instead, I flicked his nose. The shock on his face was palpable. I kept doing it until he muttered, ‘ow,’ but he was trying to hide a small smile. 

“Go to the bathroom and start the water, so we can get cleaned up. I’m so disappointed in you right now.” I pointed off in the shower’s direction. He pushed himself off the door and walked towards the restroom. When he was past me, I swatted his ass. It made him stop. “You will take me out to make this up to me, and I’ll dress like the biggest hoe I can. And let me tell you, you won’t be getting any that night. You’ll be able to look, but you won’t be able to touch me. At all.”

“Yes, Goddess,” he breathed.

I wasn’t sure what time it was when I woke up in the morning. It felt late in the day, though. My body ached from dancing, and my stomach rolled with the memory of the alcohol we consumed. The taste in my mouth was the worst I had ever had. I was flat on my belly, my face shoved into the pillow. Slowly, I shifted it to the side. Jasper was sitting up beside me, drawing. I turned over. His pencil stilled on the paper, but he said nothing.

“Good morning,” I whispered, having to pull my lips open because they were so dry. It was like I ate cheap dollar store glue.

“Hi,” he barely uttered the sound.

I pushed myself over onto my back. “What time is it?”

“Two.”

“Damn,” I mumbled as I stretched my arms over my head. I scrubbed my hands over my eyes on the way down. “When were we supposed to see the house?”

He sighed softly. “Four.”

I finally looked at him. His face was so serious and upset. Slowly, I sat up, pulling the sheet up around my naked body. When I did, I noticed a bunch of things on the table. Flowers, a pink bakery box, wine, and a set of brown paper bags.

“What’s that?” I automatically inquired.

“An apology.” He put the pad on his lap. The shame was written in the stress on his face, his cheeks pulled down in anguish. “I am truly sorry. It was unacceptable, and it won’t happen again. From the bottom of my heart, I regret my behavior.”

“It’s fine as long as it doesn’t happen again,” I answered as I touched his arm, scooting closer to him. He still didn’t look at me. “Jasper, what’s wrong?”

He gripped the pencil in his fist, his fingers trembling. Slowly he licked his bottom lip, gazing at nothing. “I’m just terrified I fucked up too much.”

Scoffing, I rolled my eyes. He was dramatic. I thought we had cleared at least some of it before. “After what happened last night? I wouldn’t have had sex with you if I-”

“You did before when I screwed up,” he answered barely in a hush. His cheeks were flushed.

Quickly, I shook my head. “It’s not the same.”

“How?”

It was in a million ways. Everything about our lives was different. “Because I was scared I would never see you again, and I was desperately trying to hold on to whatever I could. We aren’t those people anymore. This was just a stupid fight. It wasn’t a relationship ending one. We were bound to have one at some point. And as mad as I was, I never once thought about breaking up with you. I only wanted to fuck up your evening. I understand now why you reacted that way, even if you shouldn’t have.”

He looked up towards the ceiling, shaking his head as he did. His messy blond hair was everywhere, frazzled from sleep. “I’m such a prick and a bad boyfriend.”

“No, you’re not,” I argued right away. “Come on. Stop with the pity party. Don’t worry. I’ll punish you properly soon. You’ll suffer,” I said lightly as I brushed my fingers over his cheek. “Look at me.” Jasper did, his eyes a little red. He was trying so hard not to cry. So much of his life was acting tough, and it was taking a toll on him. “We’re okay. I promise. Coming back to Dallas has been weirdly stressful, hasn’t it?” He nodded in answer, swallowing as he did. He brought me to his chest, hugging me for all he was worth. “Oh, baby. It’s okay. We’re okay. It was only a dumb fight. We’re fine. I swear. It’ll be just fine,” I chanted as I held him.

He buried his face in my neck, his heavy panting coming out in waves against my skin. “As soon as I saw you, it reminded me of my nightmares. I just imagined you in a ditch. It was so clear in my mind. Your lifeless eyes, the blood, and I panicked.” He sucked in deeply. “It’s stupid. I should be better at controlling my emotions than that.”

I let him get it out. Gently, I rubbed his back, repeatedly smoothing circles over his t-shirt. “Okay, well, you know that’s a trigger now. We’ll try to avoid it in the future.”

“No. It was only because I was surprised. I imagine you in stuff a lot like that when I fantasize. You were breath-taking and so sexy.”

Smiling to myself, I lightly kissed his ear. “I’ll wear it when I punish you,” I whispered into it before nipping it gently. He chuckled softly. “I’ll rub all over you all night and really make the torture last.” I tugged on the lobe with my teeth.

“Mm, I hope so.” He pulled back and brushed his fingers through my hair. His thumb skimmed over my bottom lip. “I got some breakfast. Pain Au Chocolat and apple strudel bear claws.”

“Yay,” I responded, smiling at him as sweetly as I could. “We’ll eat, take a shower, and go meet the realtor. We’ll have to pick your car up first.”

Jasper’s expression was shocked. “Do you still want to go?”

I nodded my head. “Of course I do. Do you?”

He genuinely smiled. “Okay. Good. Me too.” Leaning in for a kiss, he let his lips linger for a long time. “Let me go make some coffee.”

“Can you bring me some water and aspirin, too?”

“Of course.”

We had found three different townhouses we wanted to look at during the week. Jasper and I usually agreed on what we didn’t like, which was a lot of things. We weren’t picky, but we wouldn’t settle, either. We kept saying we weren’t in a rush, but we were so ready for it. 

Though we understood there might be some remodeling, we weren’t looking for a fixer-up. Neither of us had time for that. We didn’t want carpets, and he preferred a garage. Most of all, I needed a place with light. That's what I disliked about the apartment in Albany the most.

The first house we visited was a quick no. From both of us. He could feel it in my body as soon as we walked inside. It was dark, cramped, and too narrow. Also, there was a nasty shag carpet. We didn’t even bother to go up the stairs. The agent realized pretty swiftly and shifted her focus.

“You know, I have one a few houses down that went on the market yesterday. We haven’t put it online yet. If you’d like, we could walk to it. If you want to look,” she offered hopefully. I glanced at my boyfriend, and he just shrugged in answer. We were both hungover and not thrilled about anything. Energy would be hard to muster.

“Sure,” I finally smiled politely.

Three homes down, there was a freshly white painted townhouse with pretty hibiscus. It was two stories with a new stone pathway. The plants were filled with fragrant flowers in a multitude of colors.

The realtor looked over her shoulder to see my reaction to it. “The owners fixed the place up a year ago,” she explained, opening the door with her key. Jasper squeezed my hand as we waited patiently behind her.

We were greeted by the sun shining on the dark cherry hardwood floors. They dressed the living room up for showing off, the curtains pulled open to allow it in. The stairs were right off the foyer. It was snug and comfortable.

“So, it’s four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths. The half is down here, under the stairs,” she continued. She walked to it and opened it. “There is also a kitchen with an attached dining room. The two-car garage connects to that. And, the best part is there is an enclosed sunroom,” the middle-aged blond woman declared as she pointed over her shoulder. 

“Oh, wow,” I replied in a little laugh, looking around. I already liked it. I smiled at Jasper, and he grinned in return. “Bigger than we were thinking.”

“But it’s still in your price spectrum. This one is only twenty thousand more than the other one,” she promptly answered.

“Why so cheap?” He questioned, putting his hands in his pockets. He leaned in to hear her answer. The other home had been at the very bottom of our price range, and it showed. I would have never expected something like this for the cost.

“They need to get out. They’re moving to… California? Washington? Someplace like that. One of them got a new job, and they just want to unload, but they’d prefer not to give it to the bank.”

I went towards the kitchen. It had a huge island and brand-new appliances that came with the home. The stove had six burners and a griddle in the middle and two side-by-side ovens. There was a large walk-in pantry, too. Next, I wanted to check out the sunroom. I continued through the dining room that was set up for a fancy dinner with friends. Red roses like the ones Jasper had bought me in the morning were in the center. I could imagine serving his family a meal at it.

When I got to the sun porch, it made my heart skip a beat. I could see myself spending my days there, writing in the sunshine. It led to a covered patio perfect for grilling out. I could almost smell the smoke. I felt my man move in behind me, his hands sliding across my hips.

“This one,” I whispered.

“Wait until you see the upstairs,” he answered in my ear. Smiling, I reached behind me to scratch his jaw. Jasper lightly kissed my temple. I glanced up, his beautiful blue eyes looking happily into mine. “If you want it, it’s ours.”

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6/2/2020

Key. Chapter Twenty-one: In a Leather dress

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Chapter Twenty-one: In a Leather Dress


For the next three weekends, we went on Saturdays to look at different places around Dallas. Jasper got off at six every single day and didn’t have to work a bit of overtime. He was bored out of his mind in his training class and flew through stacks of paperwork daily. But his boss said he was good at it, praising him regularly for his efforts. He claimed it was because she was just pleased she wasn’t doing it anymore.

He had lunch with her periodically. Apparently, she had pictures of her goats on her desk. Jasper didn’t know how to feel about it. He declared we all needed our weird releases, but felt maybe we should keep them to ourselves. My boyfriend thought he was funny.

Splitting our time between my apartment and his hotel, we tried to find our rhythm again, but it wasn’t like it was before. It was uncomfortable. I missed Albany so much. Dreaming about it often, I knew it was only because I wanted our own space again. I knew things would get better once we got it.

The Friday before their birthday, Rosalie threw herself a party. She was handling turning thirty-five much better than her brother. In her own words, she was having a great year. She had made new friends in me, Alice, and Tanya. Emmett was happy to do whatever she wanted, arranging a gathering at a restaurant before going to a club later on a party bus. Most of their buddies were people who worked in the shop or on the lot with them. They were young men coming with their girlfriends or wives. It wouldn’t be nearly as big as my roommate’s thirtieth.

Since Jasper had to work that morning, I got ready with Tanya at the apartment. She was happy to help me since she had the day off and was man-less, too. Rosalie invited her, too. They had become fast friends and went out together a few times without me. She and Alice had grown exceptionally close over the previous months. It was nice to have a circle of female companions. It was the first time in my life.

That night, I wanted to surprise my boyfriend. We had never gone to a club before. We had only danced on more serious occasions or around his parents. Though we would still be with his sister, it would be different. We would party with our best friends. So, I spiced up my clothing for the evening. I ordered a black leather mini dress months before, but I hadn’t had an occasion to wear it. The top was a ribbed corset that exposed my shoulders, my breasts pushed high on my chest, and the bottom was a tight too-short skirt that clung to my thighs and ass. With high-heeled ankle boots, a studded collar with a large silver O ring, hair styled board straight, and my makeup fierce, I felt hot. The outfit was just the last piece of a puzzle I worked to perfect all day long. It was like getting ready for one of our first dates.

It made my heart skip little beats in excitement.

Tanya was still getting ready at six-thirty. It didn’t surprise me in the least. Jasper was running to the hotel to get cleaned up quickly. I was only waiting for him to arrive, so we could go together. Edward was already at the apartment and awaiting his girlfriend. He probably had a few more minutes.

We were leaving in separate cars, obviously. 

My boyfriend wasn’t pleased he had to suffer an awkward evening across from him. But once again, we had gone back to being polite. I didn’t hate him. And I understood why he was confused. That’s why I knew I had to keep my distance in the future and make it as cordial as possible.

He was sitting on the couch in a black button-down and jeans, his hair slicked back. His head was leaned against the cushion, his eyes shut as he snoozed with the television off. With his arms and legs crossed, he propped his feet up on the coffee table. Edward’s lips were pushed out, and his face relaxed in his slumber. He had worked all morning and done a few surgeries. I quietly wandered into the living room to fetch my keys and chapstick from my big purse to slip into my matching clutch. I didn’t want to bother him.

When he heard my door shut, he lifted his head and opened his eyes automatically. He rubbed his face, his palm scrubbing over them to get the sleep out. They got much wider as he took in my appearance. His mouth dropped open. “You could have at least warned me you would look like that. I thought I was still dreaming. Holy fuck!”

I tilted my head to the side, looking at him in revulsion. “Do not make me punch you.” 

“You could. I’m into that,” he responded dryly, trying to be funny. I rolled my eyes. “What? I can’t even make a joke? You look fantastic, by the way.”

“You’re a weirdo,” I replied, continuing to my room. “You best keep your comments to yourself if you want to survive tonight.”

“I was planning on keeping everything to myself, but you’re making it hard,” he continued.

Leaning out of my room, my eyes automatically flicked down to his crotch before raising an eyebrow. “Suffer,” I deadpanned, entirely unimpressed.

Tanya finally came out of the bathroom. She stopped and laughed. “Whoa, Momma. You are SMOKING!” She rushed over to me and felt my dress. “Faux?” I nodded. “This is nice. It’s so soft. I wasn’t expecting that.”

“And the inside is lined, so it’s not sticking to my skin. I like it. I’ll have to order from this website again.” Twisting to look, I smoothed my hands down my sides proudly.

“Turn around,” she commanded. When I did so, she examined the back. “The ribbon is so cute! Ugh. Love, love, love.” She adjusted the bow at the end of the corset. It tied just at the base of my spine.

I beamed. There was a knock at the door. “Thank you.” Going to get it, I practically skipped. I couldn’t wait for Jasper’s reaction. I pulled it open with a gigantic smile on my face.

He was comfortably dressed in his blue jeans, a white button-down, and work boots. It was almost the outfit he wore when we played when he was in control. He must have showered. His hair was still slightly moist around the edges. I could smell his cologne fresh on his clothes. Just like Edward’s, his eyes got massive.

“No,” he started right away in a firm voice.

“What?” I asked, confused by his tone and the shortness of it. I didn’t understand.

Quickly, he shook his head. “You can’t wear that out.”

My breath caught in my throat. I blinked several times. “Excuse me?”

Jasper took a step into the apartment and shut the door behind him so we wouldn’t cause a scene in the hall. He cleared his throat and lowered his voice. “You absolutely cannot wear that out in public.”

I crossed my arms over my chest as my hip cocked to the side. “And why is that exactly?”

The pair behind us was silent, watching what was happening. We hadn’t fought before as a couple, and it was about to occur in the presence of people. It wasn’t ideal. Tanya and Edward argued in front of folks as if it was a sport, but it was because they both liked attention in their own way.

“You look-” Jasper stopped himself, his mouth sealing shut tightly as he kept the words in. They rolled around in his cheeks, angry and ready to come out like flames. I bent my head further to the side, waiting for more. 

“I look… what?” I prompted, warming up for the fight. I could spit fire, too. We could burn the building down for all I cared.

Ducking his head, his eyes were intense, and nostrils flared. “Isabella, you know what you look like.”

Ice ran through my veins.
​
“Oh, no. You don’t get to call me Isabella right now,” I said in a very low and threatening tone.

Edward spoke up for me. “Hey, she looks incredible. What’s your problem?”

I closed my eyes, just wanting him to shut the fuck up. Though I appreciated the thought, he wasn’t helping. 

Glaring at him, Jasper’s cheeks were red hot. He balled his fists at his sides as he looked over my head at his former friend. “Thank you for proving my point. Darlin, you don’t need perverts like him staring at you all night.”

“Hey!” I complained in Edward’s defense. This wasn’t about him. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it wasn’t that. “He’s not the problem right now. You are. You said you wanted to see me in something like this,” I defensively countered. “New Year’s Eve, as a matter of fact.”  

“Not in front of my sister,” he hissed under his breath. Licking his lips, he whispered. “Please. Just go change.”

I grabbed my purse and walked out the door past him. I heard him groan as he followed behind after angrily slamming it. When I took out my truck keys, he snatched them away from me. “No. I don’t care if you’re pissed at me. You’re not getting in that thing. It’s dangerous.”

“I like a little danger,” I answered sarcastically. “Give them back.”

“I’ll still drive you.”

“Like hell. I’d rather take an Uber.”

“Bella, look-”

Laughing, I shook my head. “I’m Bella now? No. I was so excited, and you fucking ruined it. What the hell is your problem, huh? I have spent hours waxing, scrubbing, and sculpting to be sexy for you. And you- Am I that embarrassing?” I demanded to know, saying the words calmly.

He drew back as if I had slapped him across the face. “NO!” He shouted. “HOW could you EVEN think that?”

“Don’t you dare raise your voice! I think that because you’re acting like I am. But you know what? I think I look fucking good and I want to go party with my friends, so give me my damn keys!” I stomped my foot.

Taking a deep, calming breath, he closed his eyes for a second. “I apologize for raising my voice. Darlin, you are in no way embarrassing. You’re staggeringly gorgeous. Literally. You have to understand that every man in the place will stare at you and be thinking about all the things he could do to you. You look like you’re ready to be sexed up. I can’t-”

“I am, you idiot! That was the fucking point!” I thrust my finger in his face. “I wanted to look ‘sexed up’ in front of my boyfriend and dance the night away. And you destroyed it! And I don’t understand why! I did this for you. I wanted to look good for you. You know what? Fuck you!” I pushed his chest.

He grabbed my arm, but I pulled it away. “Edward will-”

“Let him,” I growled. “Who cares about him? I don’t. He’s a harmless, overconfident trust fund baby. I’m going home with you. Or I would have been if you didn’t have your head shoved so far up your ass. I don’t care about anyone else. I don’t care what they think, or say, or want.” The whole night was going terribly, and I wanted to scream at him. “What happened to ‘she’s a grown woman who-’”

“This is different.”

“How?” I questioned. He didn’t have an answer. “Give me my damn keys, Jasper.” I held my hand out.

“It… It just is.” He passed them back. “Please allow me to drive you there, or we can get an Uber. Seriously, for my peace of mind, don’t get in that thing. Especially since I know there will be liquor tonight. I’ll be the designated driver,” he begged. Pinching his nose, he tried to calm down. “Please. I love you, and I am sincerely concerned about your safety.”

I looked up at the sky. “I’ll order an Uber,” I mumbled, but he took his phone out right away and did so. Rolling my eyes, I said nothing. We stayed quiet as we waited for it and the ride to the Mexican grill where we were meeting with his twin.

He grabbed my arm to stop me as I walked inside. “Wait-”

“No. I’m not talking to you right now.”

Sighing, he didn’t let go. His grasp wasn’t tight. “Do you just want to go home? We don’t have to do this.”

I actually laughed. “No. I promised my friend. Your sister, by the way. And I really want to be here. If you wanna leave, though, feel free to go.”

His expression got fearsome and dark. He was pulling his breath into his tight chest through his thin lips. “Do you honestly think I’d leave you alone while you look like that?” My mouth hung open in shock at his words. Taking a deep one, he contemplated something for a moment. “Look, I’m sorry I’m such an asshole. I just saw you, and I panicked because it overwhelmed me. And truly, I don’t know why. I don’t know why I’m acting like this. I really-”

“You cannot call me Isabella when you’re angry for real like that. That wasn’t a Dom/sub thing. This is a boyfriend being an insecure asshat thing. I think you’re just trying to pick a fight to get out of coming here, so you don’t have to deal with being uncomfortable around Edward like an adult. Well, the jokes on you. I will close the motherfucker down.”

Jasper sighed, looking down at his feet. “Yeah, I kind of figured.” He touched my side, taking a step closer. He looked like he was in pain. “I’m sorry. Fuck. I’m sorry,” he repeated the words. “Can I say I was so stunned by your beauty it rendered me senseless?”

“Um, no, but you can definitely go fuck yourself.” I pulled out of his grip and walked towards the grill.

“I’m really sleeping alone tonight, aren’t I?” he said sarcastically to the back of my head.

Cruelly, I laughed. I didn’t look behind me. “World-class detective skills, Dr. Hale.”

Emmett booked a room for the event. I strolled to the hostess stand, plastering a fake smile on my face. “Hi. The McCarty party.”

The host stopped and stared, his Adam’s apple visibly bobbing as he blinked wildly. “Yes, Ma’am. This way,” the young man replied when he got a handle on himself, smiling brightly in return. He swallowed as he quickly grabbed two thick leather-bound menus, still gawking at me. He was maybe twenty, his cheeks filling with blood as he took in my appearance. My grin became a little more genuine. “How are you this evening?” He tried to make small talk as we followed him.

“Fantastic!” I lied in a bubbly voice. “We’re celebrating my friend’s birthday.”

“Oh, awesome! That should be a lot of fun.” He laid down the black book in front of my chair, only looking at me. He didn’t move, grinning. I could feel Jasper vibrating behind me with anger. I loved it. Finally, he shook his head as if to get out of the fog. “Have a great night!”

“You too!” I spoke in a purposefully honeyed voice, glancing over my shoulder. I wiggled my fingers at him as I watched him leave.

Emmett was in the room with a handful of young men with girls hanging off of them. They were all talking amongst themselves, some of them with beers in their hands. Rosalie wasn’t anywhere to be found. His eyes got huge when he saw us.

“Yo! Look at you! Wow!” he sincerely stated as he plunked down in a chair across the table. “Bella, I know I give you shit. But damn, you are one fine woman.”

Sitting, I smirked at him. “Thank you so much. I’m glad you think I look good.” I winked at him. He chuckled in return. Jasper wordlessly plopped down beside me, sighing heavily as he did. He huffed and looked away as his arms crossed over his chest.

“You look better than good. Seriously.” He fanned himself dramatically as he fluttered his eyelashes. Giggling, I hammed it up a little. “I love it! I knew you had a wild side. It’s fun to see it come out. I’d definitely want you to back that ass up on me.”

“Would you fucking cut it out? I’ll tell Rose,” my boyfriend angrily threatened because he felt that way. He was lashing out because he had put himself in a corner. Emmett wasn’t bothered by it, though.

He laughed. “Yeah, okay. I’ll tell her myself.” His brother-in-law waved his hand, lighting up when he saw her behind us in the doorway. We both turned to look. “Baby! Come see your brother’s hot ass date. She’s built like a brick house.”

His flirting and playfulness made Jasper so much more irritated. I knew precisely what I would do the entire night. Emmett was as harmless as he could be while still knowing exactly how to rile his best friend. Also, my man would never hold a grudge for that long against him. Frankly, he couldn’t. It was perfect.

Rosalie came in with a giant margarita from the bar. It was neon green and had a bottle of Jose sticking out of it with several limes. It almost matched her mini dress. Her eyes got wider when she saw me with her mouth hanging open. “Okay! Now. Now, I see. Wow. Okay,” she kept repeating herself. I laughed for real for the first time in hours. “You look hot!”

“Oh, my goodness! Thank you!” I grinned back at her. “I don’t go all out often, but when I do.” I wiggled my shoulders. “Your dress is great!”

“Thanks!”

“What do you see now?” Emmett asked loudly, pulling her chair out for her without standing up.

His wife sat beside him, taking a big sip of her drink. She straight-up ignored him. “Hello, brother. You look like you’re wearing your fire ant underpants.” She took a long slurp from the straw. “What’s crawled up your ass?”

He said nothing. Jasper was somehow the childish one in the conversation.

“So,” I began with a cheerful smile. “He tried to forbid me from going out in this.”

“I asked you to change,” he mumbled under his breath.

I laughed. “Oh. No. You snapped at me as soon as you saw me. ‘No! You cannot’,” I made fun of his accent. “I think your brother forgot I was an adult there for a minute! It’s okay, though. I intend to party, celebrate with you, drink at least three of the same thing you are, and dance the night away.”

“You…” Emmett trailed off, looking at Jasper. “You tried to-” He seemed so unimpressed with him.

“Shut up,” he murmured in a low tone. “I overreacted, and it just came out.”

He wasn’t deterred. “That’s like standard relationship rule number whatever. Tell her to wear whatever the hell she wants and that her ass looks banging in it. Be honest and polite if your opinion is asked, but if not-”

Sitting up in his chair, he bent forward. “I know. I get it. I’ve apologized. And I will, again. I am sorry. You’re not helping.”

It didn’t sound apologetic. It seemed pissy.

“What’s wrong with her outfit?” Rosalie questioned, confused. “It’s a little low cut, but it covers everything.” She waved her fingers over her dress. “Mines more risqué.”

“He doesn’t want to get an erection in front of you,” I announced sarcastically. He put his hand on the table hard enough to make the silverware rattle. I meanly laughed again. “You listed it as a reason.”

He ducked his head, his cheeks turning red with his anger. “I didn’t say it like that. And you know it.”

Tipping my head to the side, I smiled at Rosalie. “He hasn’t figured out I will have this fight anywhere he wants, and I am shameless. Should we go? I’m sorry. I don’t want to ruin your day.”

She snickered and took my hand. “Are you kidding me? I love it. This is fun!” Jasper groaned and tilted his chin back. She winked at me before turning her attention to him. “Well, apologize properly and mean it or leave. We’ll make sure you have a good time, Bella. We’ve never needed him for that.”

Oh, she would be cruel to him for me. I loved that they were on my side. I was petty, but he ruined my evening, and I would fuck up his in return. I wasn’t joking when I said I was shameless.

“I’m not leaving without her,” he replied firmly. Both his sister and I gave him a nasty look. “No! I don’t care. I just spent four months looking at pictures of bodies of dead girls dressed almost exactly like this. I won’t leave her alone, even if she hates me for it.”

Emmett sighed, glancing between us. “Okay. So, that’s shitty, but Bella ain’t one of those teenagers. And she has nothing in common with them other than her style at the moment. If the next case you work on is at Lululemon, you won’t freak out if she wears leggings.”

“That’s an excellent point,” I smirked. “Don’t worry about it, though. It’s fine. We’ll talk about this later. I won’t ruin your party, I swear.” Jasper said nothing. His unhappiness was coming off him in hot waves. He could be mad all he wanted. I had done nothing wrong.

Putting his arm around Rose, he smiled back. “So, you’ll dance with me?”

“Absolutely!” I promised.

“Awesome! I can’t wait to get down with both the prettiest and second prettiest ladies at the club,” he flirted innocently. He knew what he was doing, egging on Jasper’s annoyance. When the waiter came into the room, he lifted his hand. “Hey! Can we order some drinks? We need at least five margaritas.”

Not long after, Alice showed up. She giggled happily at my appearance. She said nothing, just wiggling her eyebrows. I laughed as she hugged me with one arm, sitting beside me. She looked over at Jasper, and her smile faded. Peeking back at me, she pushed her lips together.

“Someone’s in trouble,” she whispered.

“And it isn’t me,” I replied to her in a big voice, lifting my drink to toast her. “Apparently we’re competing for the trashiest couple of the night. I’ll explain it to you in the bathroom later,” I joked as I rolled my eyes.

Jasper just dejectedly sipped his water. As if on cue, Tanya and Edward walked in. Rosalie popped up from her chair to greet them. They hugged, laughing about something before the blond turned her attention to her boyfriend.

“Hi, Eddie. Nice to see you. It’s been since…”

“College,” he smirked at her. “You look great. It’s good to see you again.”

“You and Jazz are still friends, right?” She inquired, looking at us. I just shook my head a little. At least I knew Tanya wasn’t gossiping about our weird sex lives to her. “Or not.”

“We’ve kept in touch,” he answered politely. “I’d say I’m closer to Bella, but she doesn’t like me that much either.”

“Oh. So you’re still your normal charming self, I see,” she stated with a smirk.

He smiled back. “I see you’re still a ray of sunshine.”

Laughing, I looked over at my best friend. “Tonight, the competition will be tough.” She nodded in answer. Someone would cry in a toilet stall by the end of the night.

“Hey! Bella! Why don’t I introduce you to some of our friends?” Emmett began loudly to distract from the awkwardness. I chatted with everyone as pleasantly as possible, smiling and batting my eyelashes at them all. Jasper stayed quiet throughout the entire meal, picking at his taco salad. I ate every bite of my enchiladas because I would need something to soak up all the alcohol in my stomach. I had three margaritas, true to my word. Plus, I had a glass of sangria.

There were drinks waiting for us on the bus, the music already blaring. There were maybe fifteen or sixteen people in total. My boyfriend pouted, sitting in the corner as the rest of us mingled, drank, and danced. I could feel so many eyes on me, but I didn’t care. It’s exactly what I wanted.

When we got to the club, I bought two shots right away and another drink before going to dance with Alice and Rose. I even did with Tanya, too. Emmett held my hands as we playfully swayed and moved together. He was funny, getting drunker with every passing minute. He felt like a big brother I always wanted.

Since my roommate didn’t have any of her normal friends to fight with, she got to dance with Edward. They were glued to each other. He was whispering in her ear the entire time. She was eating up his attention. I was just glad it wasn’t on me. She giggled and sighed, kissing his neck and cheeks. They looked happy, and it annoyed me.

I came to sit down to have a break at the table where Jasper was continuing to sulk. He had a bottle of water and was playing with the blue lid on the tabletop. “You’re not even going to have a drink? You’re going to be like this all night long?”

“I’m not in the mood,” he grunted.

“Aw, did everyone point out that you were a dick, and it hurt your feelings?”

“You didn’t have to tell everyone.” 

“I didn’t. I told my friend because she asked what your damn problem was. And you’re the one that did it in front of Dr. Bitey and the salt queen of all people.”

“I just reacted. I’m sorry!” He leaned forward and put his hands on his forehead. “You are a grown woman who can wear what she pleases, and you look fucking incredible. I shouldn’t have-” He paused. “I am sorry.”

Emmett came to the table, carrying shot glasses and a bottle of liquor. He plopped it down into the middle with a smile. Rosalie was behind him, holding her own cup. She was pink in the cheeks already.

“Look what I got!” he beamed. “Would you ladies care for one or two?”

“Yes, please! Two,” I answered. He poured me one, and I put it in front of my boyfriend. “Drink. Relax. We’ll talk later.”

He looked at it, swallowing back some of his annoyance. Finally, he picked it up and slammed it down. Emmett had already poured another one for me, so I pushed it towards him, too. Jasper drank it as well, grimacing at the burn.

His brother-in-law poured him two more. He glared at them before shooting them in quick order. “Fuck,” he moaned.

“Em, come dance with me!” Rosalie said after she had a couple of drinks. She pulled him out of his chair towards the floor. They left the mostly empty bottle with us. Jasper poured two more, but he didn’t drink them.

“I wanted to dance with you tonight.”

Sighing, he pushed one to me then had the other. “I know.”

“I still do.”

He looked up in surprise. “Really?”

Taking mine, I filled them for us again. He had a long way to catch up to me, and I was planning on forgetting the whole damn day.

We finished the bottle. He silently stood up from his chair and took my hand, driving us towards the dance floor. We weren’t far from our friends in the middle. He pulled me close to him, his hands on my lower back. I could smell his stress in his salty sweat, the liquor on his skin.

His whole body was pressed against mine, our hips moving together. We were good at finding a rhythm. His fingers dragged over the back of the dress, just above my ass. Jasper drew his nose across my neck. “I don’t want to share this part of you,” he whispered.

“That’s not for you to decide.”

“I know. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I swear.” 

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5/22/2020

Key. Chapter Twenty. In Pajamas

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Chapter Twenty: In Pajamas


When Monday came, we woke up together to have breakfast, but it didn’t feel the same. I could see his anxiety growing in his body. Jasper dropped me back off at my apartment on his way to the office. The FBI building wasn’t far from it.

“So, I’ll pick you up when I get off tonight?” He offered as we sat in the parking lot. He had a few minutes to spare. We left early because we were worried about traffic. The morning was so hot, heat lines were already rising from the blistering concrete and black tar road top. 

“Yeah,” I nodded, glancing over at him with a strained smile. “Do you want me to make dinner? We can Netflix and chill,” I offered.

“I’d like that. But maybe instead of Netflix… would you prefer to look at places online tonight?” He said in a small voice, almost as if he was worried about my answer.

Smiling, I leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss. “That sounds like a great idea. We’ll search this week, and we’ll go this weekend to check out any we like?” He quickly nodded, grinning at my words. I loved how eager Jasper was about it. He was such a different man from when first I met him, but it was a good thing. The strain of his lifestyle was getting to him far before he found me. Something had to change.

He pulled me to him, holding me to his chest for a long while. His mouth was gentle but demanding. Finally, he laid his forehead on mine. “There is such a big part of me that wants to just say screw it and go into the apartment with you.”

I giggled softly. “We had sex less than twelve hours ago.”

“That’s not why. I mean, we’d fuck if I went in there. All-day, in fact. But, no…” He trailed off, closing his eyes. “I don’t know if I still want to do this.” Jasper paused and drew in a deep breath before glancing at me. “I’m not freaking out, but I’m just not sure anymore. I need to see my part through with King, but-”

“Do we need to not look for a place until you find a different job?” I inquired gently, placing my hand on top of his thigh.

He seemed surprised. “What? No. No, I want to stay in Dallas, no matter what. Or at least Texas. I won’t quit, especially not now, when they’ve been so good about holding my position for me. But everyone has these thoughts, right?”

“Quitting their job? Of course.”

“You don’t.” My boyfriend spoke so softly I could barely hear him.

“Mm,” I laughed, shaking my head. “That’s different. You shouldn’t compare our careers, anyway. It’s not even possible.”

Turning to face me in his seat, he brushed his fingers along my jaw. “It’s because you were always meant to be a writer. You’re doing exactly what you should be doing.”

“And you’re supposed to catch the bad guys and bring peace to those who’ve lost the ones most precious to them. You want to stop because it’s hard. I understand that. Not everyone can do it, but you can. Because you’re my hero.” I adjusted his tie as I gazed into his eyes.

He ducked his head. His cheeks were slightly pink. “My brain says to prove you right. My body is telling me to haul you over my shoulder like a caveman and fuck all week.”

“Isn’t that what we’ve already been doing?” I joked with a smirk. I tilted my head to the side, batting my eyelashes innocently. “There were at least three days filled with nothing but sleeping, eating, and banging.”

Jasper pouted out his bottom lip. “It wasn’t enough.” I giggled softly. He kissed me again, his fingers going into my hair and tugging on it gently. “Ugh…” He laid his forehead against mine. “Tell me to go to work, Goddess. I have no willpower. I’ll do whatever you order me to,” he said in a jesting tone. It was cute.

“Go, or I’ll punish you,” I teased against his lips before curling my tongue across the top one. It made him shudder with pleasure.

“Oh, punishment is not a deterrent, Ma’am.” His fingers wrapped around the back of my neck.

“I’ll get the paddle,” I warned seriously.

He leaned in for another kiss. “Please do.”

I decided to be sassy and stepped out of the car without saying anything. I told him what I wanted him to do. He quickly followed. I gave him a funny look. “What are we doing, Jasper? Do we need to go get it now?”

“I’m just walking you to your apartment,” he swore. Coming around the BMW, he took my hand. I searched for my keys in my purse with the other. When we got to the door, he didn’t let me unlock it. Pressing me against it, his deep blue eyes peered into mine. “Okay, I’m really leaving. I promise.”

“Good. I don’t think you could have handled your punishment, anyway. Disobeying one of my orders like that. And with that attitude. I would have made you suffer all day long,” I answered as seductively as possible. 

His cheeks flushed a little. “You’re a cruel mistress.”

“No, but I will be if you don’t stop stalling. Make up your mind. Come in and become a slave to your most basic instincts or go be a champion for the voiceless, saving countless lives in the future. It’s up to you,” I stated as seriously as possible as I leaned my head back against the door.

Glaring, his intense eyes focused on my mouth. Finally, he shook his head. “I’m your servant.” He pressed his lips to mine. “Thank you for having such confidence in me. Have a good day, okay?”

Smoothing one of his blond curls away from his forehead, I smiled at him. “I always sincerely try.” He grinned in return. “Now, go. Don’t be late on your first day.”

When I got into the apartment, I leaned against the door and took a deep breath. Roughly, I scrubbed my hands over my face. There were things I needed to do, but all I wanted was to go to sleep. I was sweating already from the heat.

A drowsy Edward came stumbling out of Tanya’s bedroom. He was stretching his arms over his head, his chest bare, and just wearing pajama pants. When he realized I was there, his eyes got wide. “Oh, hey.”

“Hi,” I replied softly.

“How- How are you?” he asked, taking two steps towards the living room. We hadn’t seen each other since the night of Tanya’s birthday party. Honestly, I had almost forgotten he existed. He wasn’t that important to me anymore. 

“Uh, fine. Tired,” I admitted, putting my purse on the hook beside the door. I couldn’t meet his eyes.

We were both standing in silence for several long, awkward seconds. Sniffling, he looked down at his feet. “Um, can I ask you something?” Surprised, I nodded slowly, not saying anything. “What did I do wrong that night? I keep thinking about it. It was innocent, I swear. It just happened so quickly. I don’t understand.”

It shocked me that this was what we were going to be doing so fast. It wasn’t what I was expecting to do when I showed up at my apartment early on a too hot morning. Glancing away from him again, I bit my lip as I considered the best way to explain it to him. “It was me. I shouldn’t have agreed in the first place,” I eventually replied because it was the truth.

“Why?” He pushed, holding his hand out in front of him. I shrugged, shaking my head in answer. “Are you so disgusted by me? Do you despise me that much? You can’t even look at me.”

“No. Not at all. And I don’t hate you. But I realized what we were doing was wrong. And that I didn’t want to be in that position anymore.”

He didn’t like my words, crossing his arms over his bare chest. “Why was it so unacceptable? I thought we were going to try to be friends.”

Pausing, I gazed up towards the ceiling. My brain grasped at straws. Then I sharply looked at the man facing me. “Do you want to have sex with me?”

Edward laughed in surprise. “Yes,” he confirmed, his answer just as blunt as my question.

I raised both of my hands up. “And that’s why.”

Pinching his nose, he closed his eyes as he sighed. “Yeah, okay, but there are plenty of people I wish to have sex with, but I’m not and never will. I realize you don’t want me. I understand I slammed that door in a spectacular fashion when I screwed up and grabbed your ass. It was, without a doubt, one of the single stupidest things I’ve ever done. I’m a creepy idiot, I get it. I’m sorry. Trust me, I regret it.”

“Listen… I don’t want you to think for even a second that we ever will. I won’t lead you on. Dancing with you would have been. You were just so sad, and I was too drunk to realize it before you touched me. It hit me all at once.”

“I only wanted to be your friend,” he stated in defeat. “I wanted to show you I’m not a perverted douchebag. I’m not a bad person.”

Wrapping both of my arms around my stomach, I couldn’t look at him still. Everything felt so awkward and embarrassing. “I don’t think you are. And we can be friends, but we won’t be that kind. I won’t be able to dance with you. It’s too intimate, and it makes me uncomfortable.”

“Do you want to have sex with me?” He asked suddenly. It was so shocking that I laughed. His face scrunched up in annoyance. “It seems like a fair question. It would explain why it caused you to be so uneasy.”

“Not even a little. No.” I walked towards my room around him, finished with the conversation. “So, as your friend, I won’t make you think I do.”

He turned to watch me leave. “You wouldn’t have freaked out if you didn’t.”

“I wanted to fuck the version of you I invented in my head. But he never existed, and I only created him because I was too lonely and depressed to find a real man. But now I have one, and there’s no comparison.”

Edward rubbed the back of his neck, frowning as he did. “I couldn’t get you out of my mind when you were gone. I thought about you every single day.”

Opening my bedroom door, I deliberated for a second before moving inside. I barely glanced in his direction. “I honestly didn’t think about you at all.”

Instead of going through my closet and cleaning my room like I intended to, I laid in bed and ordered groceries to be delivered later in the afternoon and went back to sleep until fifteen minutes before they were supposed to show up. The apartment was empty by then, both Edward and Tanya had left for work.

I dreamed about Albany and grilling out when I napped.

Jasper got off precisely at six. It felt strange to have him knocking on the door. I wanted to be in a home he could walk into. For it to be ours. I had given him keys, but he wasn’t comfortable enough with my feisty roommate to just barge in. 

He had already removed his blazer, his guns put away in the trunk of his BMW for safekeeping. Pulling me into his arms as soon as I opened the door for him, he pressed me against his chest with his hands on my ass.

“How was your day?” I asked as I embraced him tightly, my fingers in his hair. We were both acting like we hadn’t seen each other in months, not hours. 

“So boring,” he mumbled into my neck, making me giggle. It tickled.

“What did you do?”

“I did paperwork from eight until noon, and then I had lunch with my new boss, Dr. Anastas. I learned her husband just bought her two pygmy goats that she puts in baby clothes she gets from thrift stores. She customizes them on her days off. Then did more paperwork from one until six.”

It was so hard not to laugh. “Aw! I don’t want any baby goats, but I want to play with them. I hope she has a farm for them to run around,” I smirked, nuzzling his cheek gently.

He snorted softly against my throat. “They apparently have a lot of land. I think my boss might be a hipster, but I like her. She might be weirder than me, though.”

“Better than Jerry?”

“The goats would have been better than Jerry,” he replied dryly.

Pulling back with a laugh, I put my hands on his shoulders. “Well, better a quirky hipster with farm animals in pajamas than an asshole.”

Jasper chuckled softly, nodding his head in agreement. “Amen, darlin. How was your day?”

“Ugh.” I pulled away from him gently. “I ran into Edward this morning as soon as I got inside. He came at me right away about the club, too. I had to explain some things to him. It put me in a bad mood, so I just napped all afternoon.”

His frown was so deep, and his nose wrinkled in automatic disgust. “Do I need to clarify some matters for him?”

“No. It’s fine. He didn’t do anything. He wanted to know what he did wrong, and I had to tell him it was several things. Like he aspires to have sex with me, but I don’t want to fuck him. Or touch him. Even if he was just being friendly, I could… feel it, and it made me uncomfortable.”

 “Mm, I’m sure he took that well.”

“He told me he couldn’t get me out of his head,” I breathed, horrified by the knowledge. “But I barely even thought about Tanya when we were away, and she really is my dear friend. I certainly didn’t think about him. Why is he so interested? Honestly, I don’t get it.”

My boyfriend put his hand on my cheek as he smiled slightly. “You are the most beautiful woman that has ever turned him down. You are intelligent, creative, and into the same things he is. It just eats him up that he ignored you for years.”

“I’m so glad he did.”

“Me too,” he admitted as his grin grew. “You wouldn’t be mine then. It was his mistake. One he regrets, especially when he sees how happy we are together.”
“He has Tanya. I doubt that part bothers him.”

He shook his head. “Edward told me it does. Before we left.” I looked up at him, stunned. “He sent a message to patch things up before Tanya’s party so it wouldn’t be awkward if I came. I’m not interested in being friends with him again. I don’t hate him, I just-” he sighed. “He’s right to be jealous, though. You’re incredible. And all mine.”

“Yes, sir, I am,” I grinned. “Are you ready for some dinner?”

“Yes, please.” I took his hand and led him towards the kitchen. “So, to change the subject to a much better one, I was thinking about some things we might want from a townhouse. I’d like just a little yard, so we can have a space to grill out. Three bedrooms, two baths for sure. A garage would be nice, too. Do you care about access to a pool? I wouldn’t hate it.”

We spent the entire evening looking at my laptop at houses until we left to go back to the hotel for the night.


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Thank to Gina for proofreading this chapter!


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💛💛💛Hey, y'all! Just wanted to let you know that Key will be taking next week off (May 25th-29) so I can focus on my anniversary (😘18 years! 🥰) and take a little break now that school is over. Key will return June 2nd with Chapter Twenty-one: In a Leather dress! See y'all then! 💛💛💛

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5/19/2020

Key. Chapter Nineteen: In a Crowd

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Chapter Nineteen: In a Crowd


The next day, we slept in and relaxed. Wednesday, I went to dinner with Tanya and Alice. Rosalie was hanging out with her, so we invited her to join us. They got along instantly. It was sweet. It was nice to catch up with my oldest and now newest friends. Hopefully, my former roommate would warm up to my boyfriend since she liked his sister so much.

Thursday, we had dinner with his family at their home. They were all so happy to have Jasper back again. And he was obviously delighted to be there. We stayed late into the evening, talking, eating, and playing card games. Mamaw kicked everyone’s ass at poker. I wasn’t surprised. She was a hustler. It was a nice way to spend Independence Day.

Justin was the most excited I had ever seen him as he talked about his party that was coming up on the weekend. He rented out a whole lakeside event hall where they would shoot fireworks off a barge. Jasper was silent throughout the entire discussion. He really thought what they were doing was too much, but he wouldn’t rain on their parade.

On Saturday, when we arrived at the lake, the parking lot was filled with cars already. There would be well over three hundred people there from what his father said. Jasper seemed uncomfortable in his polo shirt and jeans, sunglasses over his eyes. He still looked like a cop. His face was tight, his body tense. I couldn’t understand why. He had been anxious all day long.

“What’s wrong?” I questioned softly as we walked towards the building. The gravel crunched under my sandals. Music was already playing loud enough that we could hear it outside. There were red, white, and blue decorations everywhere.

“Big noisy places like this make me uncomfortable,” he stated.

“They’ve never bothered you before.”

He cleared his throat, the sound rough and unpleasant. “Okay, loud situations like this with lots of people who know me, but I don’t know them, makes me uneasy,” Jasper corrected himself.

“Ah,” I nodded in understanding. “Okay, that makes more sense.”

Sighing, he shook his head as if it disappointed him. “These individuals have known me, or at least learned all about me, since I was a child, and I don’t know a damn one of their names. And frankly, I don’t want to!” His pout was a little cute. He opened the door for me to go inside the building.

I laughed. “You’ve turned into a cranky homebody.”

Opening his mouth, Jasper snapped it shut quickly. His frown just made me giggle more. “Ugh, maybe. It’s so hot, too. I’d rather go soak in the pool at the hotel.”

“Tomorrow?” I offered. He nodded, sighing again as my boyfriend pursed his lips. I bumped my elbow into his side, glancing up at him. “Aw, you’ll be okay. There’ll be good food and a bar! I promise it won’t be that bad.”

Scoffing, he looked at me from the corner of his eye. “Yeah, that’s not terrible, I suppose.”

People surrounded Caroline and Justin, but she still saw us from across the room as soon as we entered. She waved frantically. “Y’all come here! I want you to meet someone!” She shouted, wiggling her fingers. In her other fist was a drink. The woman was exceptionally loud.

Moving through the party, they separated like the Red Sea. Jasper’s hand curled against the small of my back. I could hear the whispers that I was the future novelist daughter-in-law to the hero-son as we walked closer. “How’s the pool sounding? Are you hungry?” He asked under his breath.

“I could use a drink,” I replied in a low murmur with a smirk. “Hi!” I called brightly to his mother when we got close enough. My smile was huge and fake, straining my cheeks a little. “It already smells good in here.” I didn’t know what else to start with. 

“They’re setting up now!” She informed me as she put her arm around me and turned me towards the crowd. Caroline pulled me totally from her son’s grip and ignored him. “Everyone, this is Bella, Jasper’s girlfriend. Isn’t she gorgeous?!”

I quickly looked back at him in surprised horror. His eyes were sparkling with apparent amusement, the corners of his mouth twitching. My boyfriend nodded along with her in agreement when his mother finally glanced at him. When she turned, I gave him an annoyed glare. He just shrugged and mouthed, ‘Sorry.’ 

Someone cleared their throat to get my attention. “Caroline has been talking about you for months! It was so sweet of you to go with him up there while he worked,” an older woman I had never met before began. I smiled at her politely because I didn’t know what to say. Frankly, I didn’t think it was. I couldn’t have been without him any more than he could have been without me. “So, when are y’all planning on getting married?”

My jaw hit my chest. 

“Well, I have no earthly idea,” I spoke as lightly as possible, trying not to laugh anxiously in her face like a crazy person. “Honey, can you get me that drink we were talking about?” I asked Jasper, tilting my head to the side.

“Malibu and rum, rum punch, or a beer?” He inquired with a chuckle. It was a little petty, but he didn’t mean it like that. He just knew exactly how I felt.

“Rum punch,” I mumbled. It was the strongest. I wouldn’t ask for shots in front of his parents, even if I wanted them. 

Jasper’s father perked up. He was almost done with whatever was in his transparent plastic cup. “I’ll get that for you. What about you, boy? You want something?”

“Martini?”

He visibly shuddered. “I just don’t know how you can drink that rubbing alcohol with pickle juice.”

“Make it extra dirty, please.” He grinned at his disgust. “Thank you.”

The room instantly got noisier when Emmett and Rosalie arrived. There were a lot of younger men there that were mechanics with their dates, and they all knew both of them. It took them five minutes to get through the crowd to us. The entire time they were greeting folks.

Rose hugged me as soon as she saw me, pushing through several people to get to me. It seemed to surprise the group of women around Caroline. They were the office workers from some of their lots. Most of them had worked together for twenty or thirty years. Emmett lifted me off the ground with his embrace next.

He wiggled my dangling legs, his grin bright. “Are you going to get smashed with me again, lady?” He asked me like an eager child. I giggled in response, putting my arms around his neck so I wouldn’t drop to the floor.

“Uh, no,” I remarked right away, tossing my hair over my shoulder. “Last time was a mistake. You did it on purpose, too.”

Laughing softly, Jasper leaned in some. “You just realized that was what they were doing?”

His brother-in-law turned to look at him while still holding me. “Shh… Don’t give away my secrets.” He carefully put me down to my feet. “What you got there, girl? I’ll get you a refill,” he questioned as he pointed at my nearly empty cup. Only a little pink liquid was left at the bottom.

“Rum punch, please.” He winked at me and did two stupid finger guns, clicking his tongue as he did. “Beer, baby?” He asked his wife. She rolled her eyes but saluted him in return.

“He pre-gamed hard, didn’t he?” I whispered to Rosalie.

“Oh, god. So hard. We’re taking an Uber.” I nodded my head. We were, too.

“So, Bella,” another woman started. “Why don’t you tell us about your books?” They all leaned in eagerly. I had experienced nothing like it before. Fifteen old ladies all stared at me at once as if I was about to perform a trick. Nervously, I fidgeted with my lock and key. “You’re getting published, right?”

“Well,” I cleared my throat and smiled. “Um, I’m already self-published, but I just signed a deal with a publishing house out of New York. And I have an agent now. My novels are available online, but they’re going to distribute them on a national scale.”

“Like at Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million?” someone else asked.

It felt as if I was being passed around like a party favor. I was glad when it was time to sit down to eat. It was like dining at the actual restaurant, waiters hurriedly bringing the meat to each table with cheese bread, baked bananas, and yucca fries. There was also a full salad bar. Jasper’s brother-in-law gave them a workout, as did his father. It was good, though, and I couldn’t blame them. I enjoyed more than my fair share.

After dessert, I was once again swallowed by a crowd of women led by Caroline. Jasper slipped away to use the restroom after a time. When twenty minutes passed, I realized he wasn’t coming back. Excusing myself, I looked for him until I finally found him outside around the corner behind the building. The hall had large glass windows that overlooked the lake, and he was just out of sight of them. The music and the laughter were so loud.

“Hey, what are you doing?” I gently inquired, walking towards him slowly.

“Just getting some air,” he breathed. Jasper quickly moistened his lips, looking up at me. His face was stressed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to leave you like that. I needed a few minutes.”

I leaned against the wall beside him. “Were they becoming too much?”

He nodded his head. “Yeah. Just a little.”

The light was fading, and the cicadas were getting louder. It added to the near frantic tempo of the activity inside. “They’re only curious, that’s all. I don’t mind it.”

“Yeah,” Jasper smiled. He paused, clearing his throat. “Honestly, this is why I don’t enjoy going to church with them, but at least there is a point when they’re forced to shut up.”

Laughing, I squeezed his hand. We were silent for a long moment. I wanted to give him whatever he needed. In the darkness, I looked over his delicate features and pale skin that glowed in the moonlight. I turned my head towards the lake just in time to watch the first firework rocketing into the air. The boom was deafening, echoing over the water as the sparks of light reflected off the calm surface. I felt Jasper’s entire body jerk and tense. Automatically, I pivoted to see what was happening. Grimacing, he twisted his face away from the sky.

“What’s wrong?” I spun entirely to look at him.

He closed his eyes tightly. There was another bang, two in a row this time. I could see the pain in his face. “Nothing-” Jasper lied. There was shame in his voice, and I couldn’t understand it.

Another went off, making him jump again.

“You don’t like fireworks?” I said in a whisper. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed heavily. He wouldn’t answer. I put my hands on his cheeks to make him look at me. “No, don’t. It’s okay.”

I leaned up on my toes and kissed his lips lightly. When more popped, I could feel his chest heave as his heart sped up. His fingers curled into the fabric of my dress.

“I haven’t really liked them in a while, but it’s worse this year,” he admitted, his eyes still shut as tightly as they could be. “They don’t scare me. But my body just reacts.”

“Oh, baby…” I breathed. Instantly, I felt like an inconsiderate asshole. “It’s okay. A lot of veterans don’t enjoy fireworks. I’m sorry. I should have thought about that. We can go-”

“No, it’s fine. They’ll be over soon, and the party is only really getting started. They’ve got games and door prizes and shit.”

Swiftly shaking my head, I made him look at me. “I don’t care about that.” I pushed my thumb over his cheek. He didn’t move, making me sigh. I wanted to take his discomfort away, but I wasn’t sure how. Finally, I removed my wireless earbuds from my purse with my phone and quickly switched on a playlist. Putting them in his ears, I turned the music up as loudly as I could. “Can you hear anything?”

Once more, he shook his head slowly. I twisted him away from the lake and tugged him down for a deep and powerful kiss. “Look at me,” I whispered softly against his cheek. “It’s okay. You’re safe, I promise.”

“I know.”

I didn’t even notice when the fireworks display ended. Jasper had me pressed as hard as he could against the wall, his hand under my sundress on my thigh. He had lost himself in touching me, aggressive and needy. There would be hickies on the places where he had pushed the straps of my dress down, the tops of my breasts exposed.

“Yo!” Emmett yelled at us, snorting as he did. “Get it, girl.”

“I’m trying to! Go away,” I complained as I peered over my boyfriend’s shoulder. I had wrapped my legs around his waist, and my feet were completely off the ground. Desperately, I clung to him.

Laughing, he shook his head. “Caroline is looking for you.”

Jasper removed the earbuds finally and put them back into my purse. “We’ll be there in a minute.”

“Need a second to get that boner to calm down?” He joked.

“I wish I had my gun,” he whispered to me. “I’ve not had enough alcohol to deal with your immature bullshit, Em.”

He quickly threw his hands up. “Okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. Jesus, I didn’t realize your panties would become so bunched. I’ll buy you both a drink to make up for it.”

When he walked away, I pulled Jasper’s face toward mine. “We can leave at any time. Tell me when.”

“No, I’m better now,” he promised after letting me back down to my feet. I pouted, not believing him. “I am, I swear. Thank you for distracting me. It helped. You always know exactly what I need.”  


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5/15/2020

Key. Chapter Eighteen: In a Pod

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Chapter Eighteen: In a Pod


Not long after, I spent most of the morning writing after Jasper headed to work. I woke up with him to make breakfast, sleepily sitting on his lap in just my panties and his socks that went halfway up my calves. It wasn’t a sexy look. Our meal wasn’t much. Bagels, yogurt, fruit, and iced coffee. The air was sticky and humid already, making it hard to even want to put on a shirt, let alone eat something hot. It made it difficult to concentrate, so I took a nap after struggling to get three pages down for four hours.

When I felt the bed shift, it scared the hell out of me. My heart fluttered in my chest as I jumped, almost ramming my forehead into my boyfriend’s. He was quicker than me, though. Thankfully, or someone would have had a broken nose.

“Shh, shh, shh,” he murmured calmly as he brushed his fingers over my cheek. “It’s me, darlin. It’s okay.”

“Oh, did you get off early again?” I asked, smiling up at him happily. His voice was all I needed to soothe me instantly. “Or did you just come home for a lunchtime quickie?”

Jasper laughed, shaking his head. “No. Um… My part is done. They said we could go. We fly out on Monday.”

I sat up in surprise, adjusting carefully so that my back was against the headboard. For some reason, I wanted to cry. Tears filled my eyes, stinging my nose. “Really?”

“Yup.”

“Oh, okay,” I breathed. I nodded, trying to act calm. “I guess we have a lot to do to get ready. Um, we’ll need to get-”

He lifted his hand, stopping me from going further. “This morning, I took the liberty of ordering one of those small pod containers they just ship. So you don’t have to get rid of any of the new treasures you’ve collected here. I figured you had become attached. And they’ll come in handy when we find our place.”

My mouth opened a little, but no noise came out. Swiftly, I leaned forward to kiss his lips. “Thank you. That’s so thoughtful.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, so I could bury my face in his chest.

“It’s easier than stressing out about it. It’ll be here tomorrow, and they’ll pick it up on Sunday. We have to turn our keys into the office in the afternoon. We’ll stay that night at a hotel. It’ll be delivered to my parent’s house on Wednesday.”

“That’s perfect. Do you want to stay at the Desmond again?” I asked with a grin. “You can tie me to the bed.”

“Huh, I already rented a room,” he smirked, running his nose over mine. He was in a great mood. I still felt on the edge of emotional, though. His arms tightened around my body. “Are you okay?”

“I’m just so happy here,” I breathed.

He pulled back to look at me, putting his hand on my chin. “And it’ll get even better when we get to Dallas. We’ll find a place that’s perfect for us, and we’ll be with our friends and family again. Don’t worry,” he emphasized with a smile, his thumb skimming over my quivering lip. “I promised to make this the best year of your life, and it’s not over yet, okay? It’s only halfway done. It also means we get to have a bit of vacation, finally.”

“Oh! That’ll be nice. I almost forgot about Mexico.”

“I haven’t,” he stated in a serious voice. I laughed a little as I looked down at my lap. “We might not be able to do that, but I will take a few days off for my birthday next month, at least. I need it.”

Thirty-five was coming up quickly for Jasper. We had met just before his last birthday, and he didn’t tell me about it. He tried to act as if it was nothing, but I think it bothered him he was hitting ‘middle-aged.’ He was more sensitive about his age than I thought he would be. I would be thirty-one soon, but I didn’t feel any different from when I was twenty-one. Perhaps I even felt better. I was eating healthier and not like a college student. Truthfully, I was the same weight, but I was actually a size bigger back then in jeans, and my boobs were smaller. I liked that the fat switched places in the right way. 

“Do you get any time off before you have to start your new job?”

“I start next Monday. I’m on administrative duty mainly while I learn the lay of the land down there, so it won’t be too stressful. I’ll have weekends off for a little while. They probably don’t want me to lead a case because I might be needed anytime in Albany.”

That made me more excited than anything else he had said. “Really?! You’ll have weekends off?”

“For the next month or two. I need to help them get caught up. They’ve had a temp, but it’s not the same. I’ll be working Monday through Friday, eight to six.”

That’s what I needed to hear to make me want to move. That sounded like a real vacation.

“What will you be doing exactly?” I asked curiously. I understood more about his job now and why he was required at crime scenes. He could tell you a hundred things by merely stepping into a room, like a party trick. One that took a decade’s worth of education to do. Jasper reminded me of Sherlock Holmes.

“Paperwork. Looking at pictures. Making calls to other agents. Juridical coordination. There is also a training class I need to take, which will be boring. I won’t be going to any sites for a while. So no traveling, yet.”

“Do you miss it?” He had been sitting still for the longest time I had known him. Jasper said he struggled with it as a child.

He shook his head right away. “Not a single bit, but I am ready to make a permanent home with you. With a bigger, softer bed. And a better air conditioner. A dishwasher.” I giggled as he listed the things he hated the most about the place. “So, what do we need to do?”

“Um,” I nibbled on my lip as I considered it, “I have some boxes, but maybe we should get some plastic tubs and some trash bags. Uh, packing tape, perhaps some bubble wrap for any glass stuff. I’ll wash everything to make sure it’s clean, so we don’t have to worry about that when we get back. It won’t be much. Just a couple of loads. I guess we pack tonight.”

Jasper nodded his head, smiling as he sat straighter. “Sounds easy enough. Think we can get everything we need down the block?”

I reached for his hands. “Yeah, for sure. Have you gotten lunch? Do you want to eat first?” I realized we never got that cute date at the Five Guys I wanted when we just arrived. It made me a little sad we didn’t explore the city more. We hardly went out. We enjoyed being together alone too much.

“Mm, yes, ma’am,” he smiled as he loosened his tie. He had already taken off his jacket and guns. “Let’s drive, though. It’s too muggy to be lugging things around.”

On Sunday afternoon, we stood in the shabby apartment’s doorway. It was perfectly clean, probably better than when we first moved in. It seemed so different, almost hollow. Only the smell of bacon lingered in the air from when Jasper made sandwiches for breakfast, reminding us it was our home. Sam would be there longer, so we gave all our food to him. I didn’t mean to, but I had gotten a collection of things. It felt like our visit would never end. Maybe I just didn’t want it to.

Funnily enough, we stayed in the same room at the Desmond. After we played that evening, we went to bed early. Jasper had nightmares about the shooting, the first in a while. Shaking, his breath was ragged as he cried in his sleep. I held him until he stopped. His trembling fingers curled around my back and into my hair.

The flight was boring, if anything else. Nothing happened. The weather was perfect. The plane took off on time, and we arrived when we were supposed to. Jasper’s parents were waiting at the airport to pick us up, so we wouldn’t need a rental car or taxi. I think Caroline was just eager to see her son again.

His mother held onto him for two minutes, squeezing his neck as she whispered about how much she missed him and how proud she was of him. Putting her fingers on his cheek, she cooed that Jasper was her big strong hero. I couldn’t help but giggle because I felt the same way, but I would never do that to him. 

With flushed pink cheeks, his eyes were on the ground. “Mama, please.”

Justin came to me and put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a little squeeze. “I think Albany agreed with you! You look lovelier than ever.”

My boyfriend grinned. “Bella’s getting toned from all that walking she’s been doing. Getting a tan, too.”

“Yeah, as it turns out when it’s not a hundred degrees outside, it’s so much fun to go places that way!” I joked as Caroline came to hug me. “It’s so hot here!”

“Well, baby, it’s the first of July in Texas. I don’t know what you expected,” she teased in return. Playing with my hair, she smoothed it over my shoulder. “I’m so glad to have you back! And just in time for the fourth! It’s perfect! We’re going to have a big old party!”

“Joy,” Jasper murmured dryly. We walked towards the exit with our luggage. “Who’s catering this year?”

“Fogo De Chao!” she gleefully explained. “We’re getting the full-service setup!”

My boyfriend looked at me. “They throw one for all their employees and friends every fourth,” he informed me. “It’s bigger than their Christmas party.”

“Everyone can do a fun holiday bash, but I can blow things up on the fourth!” Justin chuckled, opening the car door for me.

“They do a full fireworks display. It is so overboard,” he told me bluntly as he slipped inside.

“I can’t wait!” I giggled. “It sounds like fun.”

“So, what plans do y’all got next?” His father asked as we started down the interstate.

Jasper looked over at me with a grin. “Lunch?” I over-enthusiastically nodded my head in agreement, making him smirk.

He laughed gently. “Okay, sounds good. But I meant for the future.”

I glanced at my boyfriend, who was relaxed in his seat beside me as he held my hand. “Well, we’ll take this week to unwind, and we will stay in one of those places with the little kitchens in them. Hopefully, for not more than a month, but I’m not in a rush. We’ve got to find the right place for us, so it might take a minute.” Grinning, I squeezed his fingers.

“You’re going to buy a home together?” Caroline squeaked as she turned around to look at us from the front seat.

Of course, Jasper hadn’t told them I had agreed to move in with him. He chuckled and sighed. “Well, something like that. I don’t think we’d want a house. We were actually discussing a townhouse or a condo. Three bedrooms, two baths, probably.”

“What would you use the third bedroom for?” she grinned at him eagerly. 

“Bella’s office. She deserves her own cozy workplace. Big desk, overstuffed couch with lots of pillows, a mini-fridge for snacks. That kind of thing. I’ll make it extra nice for my favorite author.”

“Aw,” I beamed up at him. He winked at me.

“Are you using the second bedroom for a nursery?” she asked next.

“Caroline!” Justin fussed at her. “They’re not even married yet.”

“In the future! Not right now,” she pouted as she turned back around with a huff. She crossed her arms over her chest. “If they’re buying, it’s something to think about.”

He shook his head at his wife. “There is a reason Rosalie yelled at you the other day. Stop pressuring these kids. Times are different. They ain’t in no rush. Now… what are we having for lunch?”

I wanted to tell Justin that I loved him. He reminded me so much of his son. They were both good men. Jasper was grateful for the distraction, too.

“You pick, my treat,” my man replied to his father with a small smile. They looked at each other in the rearview mirror for a moment.

After lunch, we went to his hotel. It was nicer than our place in Albany, admittedly, but the kitchen was smaller. It didn’t matter much. I had the one at my apartment if we needed it. I was still paying the rent there, so I might as well use it for more than a storage area for my things.

My truck was in my spot when we pulled up to my place. Tanya had been cranking it for me, driving it twice a week. Jasper would return after he dropped off his dry cleaning and ran errands. He didn’t like me using the rusted thing any more than he did before.

My roommate was sitting on the couch in her fluffy pink robe when I came in, a bright gold face mask smeared all over her skin.

“There you are!” She cheered as she hopped up from the sofa. She rushed to me to give me a big hug. “I’ve missed you so much!”

“Me too,” I replied as I gently embraced her.

“It will be so good to have you back here again. It’s lonely without you.”

I laughed awkwardly. I knew I couldn’t give Jasper shit for not telling his parents when I hadn’t spoken to Tanya yet either. But I wanted to do it in person. “Yeah, about that…”

“You’re moving in with him, aren’t you?” she asked with a small frown.

“I’ll pay my part of the rent until we renew our lease in October. That way, you have more than enough time to find a new roommate or a place to stay. Perhaps you and Edward could move in together?”

She pouted her bottom lip. “Yeah, maybe. I kind of figured this was coming,” she confessed. Tanya stomped her foot. “I hate it. When will we see each other?”

“We’ll be in Dallas. And we’ll still be friends. It just makes sense. We will be together all the time, anyway.”

“Are you sure?” she asked in an almost childish voice.

“We’ve been together for over seven months now, and we’ve known each other for about a year. I know this is what I want. Being with him in New York was… magical.”

She let out a puffy breath. “Ugh, fine. I’m happy for you,” she commented dryly, making me laugh. “I can afford this place on my own. You don’t have to do that with the money. It’s nice, though.”

“No. I want to. I promised to do my part, and I signed the lease. Don’t worry. I have the cash. I’ll even give it to you all at once if you’d like.”

Clicking her tongue, she shook her head. She hugged me again before pulling back. “So, just stopping by to get some things?”

“Pretty much. Jasper will pick me up in a little while. He had some errands to run. Want to go to dinner sometime this week when I’m not exhausted? I’ll invite Alice too.”

She smiled in answer. “Yeah, I’d like that.” 


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