Jennifer Morey - Runaway Heiress

Had someone seen them in the Jacuzzi? He didn’t respond. There was a reason Dwight had sought him out and if it had anything to do with Sadie, it was none of his business.

“I spent some time going over your background.” Dwight stepped forward until he faced Jasper. “Quite impressive.”

Still Jasper waited. The man had yet to reveal his purpose.

“Except one part.”

Jasper looked away. So he’d bring that up, that dark piece he could never manage to shed. It followed him, haunted him. Then he looked directly back at Dwight. The man didn’t trust him and was highly protective of Sadie. While he appreciated that, he also needed someone he could trust.

“My past has nothing to do with why I joined DAI,” Jasper said.

“That’s debatable,” Dwight said. “You resigned from the Detroit PD. Why?”

That sounded like a leading question Dwight already had the answer to.

Jasper didn’t talk about why. Dwight must have read some news article covering what happened.

“It was best for everyone involved.”

“You shot a man while you were off duty. The details were kept real quiet, but it was your uncle. Who shoots their uncle, and why? Seems your boss liked you enough to spare your reputation.”

“I left Detroit with my reputation intact.”

“How is anyone supposed to know that? News said it was a family dispute. Your uncle attacked and you shot him.”

“I just gave him a warning. I didn’t kill him.”

“A warning for what?”

That he wouldn’t discuss. “He didn’t press charges. My uncle realized his mistake and backed off. That’s all that matters. He came to his senses and I didn’t have to kill him.” And he would have. His uncle had known it and thankfully he’d chosen to salvage what might be left of his relationship with his favorite nephew.

Jasper would never understand why his uncle had favored him. It could have been because he’d been the only boy in the family who’d pushed limits. Nothing scared him as a kid. Maybe that’s all it took to please his uncle. But Jasper hadn’t pleased his uncle. He’d never tried and up until he’d left Detroit, hadn’t cared. He’d never respected his uncle, first of all. He was the polar opposite from his father. Jasper’s dad had taught him how to be a real man, not one who needed money and women to feel like one. Jasper needed to impress no one. He only needed to stand up to evil in all its forms.

“Why did you shoot him?”

“My uncle had been drinking and lost control, just like the news said.”

Dwight contemplated him a moment. Then he took an intimidating step forward, as though not satisfied with Jasper’s vague explanation.

Jasper wasn’t intimidated. He’d stood up to bigger, badder men. And he would give no more information on what happened that day. Or the days leading up to that.

“I’m only going to say this once,” Dwight said. “If you hurt Sadie—in any way—I’ll take the appropriate form of punishment into my own hands.”

He didn’t waste his breath by saying Dwight had nothing to worry about, at least not because of what happened between him and his uncle. He couldn’t promise anything about his personal relationship with Sadie. He lived by truth—what truth he could reveal—and he wouldn’t be telling the truth if he said he was sure he’d never hurt Sadie.

She wasn’t one to engage in a casual affair and he wouldn’t give her the impression that he’d offer anything more. But their attraction had alien power over him. He suspected she felt the same. He wouldn’t intentionally hurt her, but if neither of them could resist passion, he might...when he walked away. Because that day would come. He may not understand why he needed the excitement of the new and unknown, but he did. Living so tucked away from civilization would drive him insane.

“It seems we both have secrets worth protecting,” Jasper said.

“So you admit you have secrets.”

“Not a secret, just something I’m not willing to discuss with just anyone. What about Sadie? What kind of secret are you keeping for her? What is she hiding?”

Dwight didn’t respond, which only confirmed Jasper’s suspicions. Sadie was hiding something all right. Was she a victim or a perpetrator?

“Maybe Sadie isn’t the one in danger of getting hurt,” Jasper said. “Maybe I should be the one taking things into his own hands.”

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