Page 36 of Fatal Scheme

Jasper getting shot was a wake up call, one that showed me what’s important, and proved that I’m not ready to lose my boys.

EIGHTEEN

JASPER

If I ever had any doubts about Carter, her devotion to us, or lingering theories about who could be after her, those are gone.

In a moment that I’ll likely play on repeat for the rest of my life – all of my days ahead indebted to her – she downed two men to save me, risking her own safety in the process.

My girl is fucking fearless, a better aim than Tyson, and someone I’d be honored to go to battle with, my understanding of why she hates being treated like ‘just a girl’ coming into clear focus.

Carter is a soldier, just like I am, and that bond I was so desperate for has finally come, especially since she’s made it her life’s mission to take care of my gunshot wounds, playing the role of a perfect nurse.

It’s been a week since the assault on our home, at the end it was four of our own dead and six of theirs. It was a hard sell to the local cops, but my father handled them, erasing any report of the fire fight and paying off any witnesses who were left behind.

Unbeknownst to us, the frat idiots who live downstairs were lured out of the house to some party off-campus, only a few staying back and making it easy to conjure our story.

The Ricci’s are ruthless, but the information I got off their men ended up being accurate, meaning that they’re not done, and they’re closer than ever.

Just before dawn, my phone vibrates on the desk, and I groan, knowing exactly who’d be calling this early.

Since the assault, my father has checked in at least twice a day, and it’s beginning to drive me mad.

He never has good news, and as I climb out of bed, scooting carefully around Carter’s sleeping body, I’m certain that this time is no different.

“Dad, it’s the asscrack of dawn,” I groan, slipping out of the room as I answer the call.

“We have to talk, Son. You’ve been hiding something from me,” he says, his voice dripping with vitriol, and I roll my eyes, not interested in entertaining him in the slightest.

“Paint me a picture,” I snark back, and if I were in his presence he’d probably back hand me across the face for my attitude.

“The girl. She witnessed the entire ordeal, and shot two of the men?” He coldly questions, likely already knowing the answer, although I don’t know how he could possibly have that information.

“Uh, yeah, a friend of ours. Her name is Carter.”

“Well, Carter seems to be much more than a friend, son. She’s sleeping naked in the house I pay for, and you didn’t have the decency to inform me. I need to meet her, as soon as possible,” he states, and my blood turns to ice, dumbfounded at the tiny details he has access to.

Nobody ever comes up here, our defense at an all time high after the attack, so him knowing that Carter sleeps here, naked at that, raises many questions, and my protective side.

“What for? She just needed a place to stay for a few days,” I offer, hoping he drops it, but my father is nothing but thorough.

“You’re a terrible liar, Son. Bring Ty and this girl to dinner, tomorrow night. I don’t care who she is to you, but you will behave like a perfect gentleman in front of your mother and sisters, do you understand?” He commands, and rather than try to fight it, I concede, hating the fact that I’m about to drag Carter even further into a life she has no business in.

“Yes sir,” I answer, effectively ending our call, but raising so many possibilities as I cross the threshold into back Tyson’s room, reclaiming my place beside a lightly snoring Carter.

As usual, Ty’s wide awake, waiting for me to dish, but I shrug him off, not wanting to discuss business when I’d rather lose myself in the girl between us.

Bringing her around my family is an enormous question mark where so many things could go wrong, but at the same time, introducing her to my mother seems fitting after all we’ve been through together.

No matter what happens, I plan to keep Carter around, not discarding her like I’ve always done when it comes to women.

She’s special, a word I never thought I’d use, but it’s the honest truth.

Sure, I may be cold and ruthless, a by-product of the monster my father created, but when it comes to the Masseria women, I’m as soft as tissue paper, and I want Carter to see that side of me.

Admittedly, the idea of her meeting the family warms something in my heart, even if that means dragging her further into the war.

Nervousness is not something I feel often, the confidence in my abilities usually carrying me through any situation, but this is brand new territory.