men goes nuts and tries to kill innocent bystanders, or when enemy gang members start taking shots at us. If Jasper ran someone down in this car last night, then whoever it was must have had it coming. They must have thrown the first punch. That’s our rule.
So I hope, anyway.
“Another meeting?” Jasper asks, taking his time to slide out from under the front of the Ferrari and push himself to his feet. Jasper has been working for Dad for over two years now, and while the tall, heavy-set, hard-faced man has always made my skin crawl, I’ve gotten used to having him around. He might be a creep who takes one too many long leering glances at my chest or legs anytime I’m in the room, but he gets jobs done, and never asks too many questions. There’s value in a man like that, even a sleazy one. “Thought you were supposed to get all the details outta Tell today.”
“Yes, well. Turns out he’s not as much of a talker as we hoped.” I huff out a hard sigh.
Jasper’s gaze, as usual, drifts toward my face, but sticks on my chest. He licks his lips, a long, slow motion that turns my stomach. “Your fiancé want a little more than you’re willing to give, that it?” he asks, sneering.
I grit my teeth, not just at Jasper’s insinuation, but at the sudden flash of memory. Damon’s hot gaze boring into mine. The haughty smirk on his lips when he told me to take off my panties. The way the heat radiated off his strong, muscular body when he stood an inch away from me. There’s no doubt about it—Damon Tell could eat me alive.
And damn, do I want him to.
Unfortunately, just thinking about that has made my cheeks flush, and Jasper takes a break from ogling my chest long enough to notice. “Well I’ll be damned,” he says, laughing. “Miss Prude herself has a weak spot after all. Thought you were the resident Ice Queen, Ashley. Lusting for a bad boy after all?” Jasper takes a step closer to me. I step back at the same time, mirroring him.
“The only lust I have for Damon Tell is a lust for revenge,” I snap.
That makes Jasper’s eyebrows rise, though his smirk only deepens. “You know you’re only hotter when you talk dirty like that, little Miss Marrón.”
“Don’t make me sic my father on you,” I reply in a carefully even voice, as though bored. In reality, I’m suddenly very aware of the room we’re in—the back garage, the one Dad keeps on lockdown. The one with soundproof walls for a very specific, very unpleasant reason. The one that most of his henchmen aren’t allowed inside—only guys like Jasper who have been working for him long enough that Dad has plenty of leverage over them. Enough of their own dark secrets for Dad to trust them with his.
We’re alone in here, and I know it all too well. So does Jasper.
“Daddy isn’t here right now, little girl. It’s just you and me.” He steps closer again.
I force myself to laugh, loud and sharp. “If you think he’s not watching you every minute of every day that you’re here in his house, then you’re slower on the uptake than I thought, Jasper.” I allow my eyes to tick sideways for a second, really briefly, just glancing at the upper right hand corner of the garage. I pretend it was unconscious, a mistake.
Jasper falls for it. He follows my gaze to the security camera rigged up in the corner. It’s rolling, like always. Dad never bothers to watch the tape, but Jasper doesn’t need to know that. All he needs is the reminder that he’s on our turf. We’re in control here.
“Relax, I don’t mean any harm,” he says, laughing as he raises his hands in faux surrender. “So you need another conjugal visit with your intended. Fine. I’ll arrange that for you. More private this time. See how you like Mr. Tell when you have him all to your lonesome, without Daddy babysitting you, without any guards around to rescue you.” He casts another lingering glance over my body. “I’m sure he’ll enjoy having you, at any rate.”
“Just book the damn meeting, Jasper.” I spin on my heel and march toward the far corner of the garage, toward the exit that leads back into the main house. “As soon as possible.”
“Make sure you get us what we need this time, Ms. Marrón. Use