Page 66 of The Chain

Jasper said, “I still don’t like it.”

Destiny said, “If this kingpin person is trying to destroy Vanguard, then I need to talk to Clare.”

“I know.” He touched her cheek. “And I need to touch base with the PD. Or help Peter find his brother. But I’d rather hide with you and keep you safe.”

She touched her lips to his. “Maybe when this is all over and this guy has been arrested and Simon is back home safe…we can spend a whole day where we have nothing to do but be lazy, watch movies, eat pizza that isn’t going to give me heartburn, and not be scared for even one second.”

“That sounds like a deal to me.” As far as he was concerned, they could have a lifetime of those days. There were no guarantees, but he would do the best he could. “Be safe.”

As if she wouldn’t be? “I’ve got an army watching out for me.”

They both knew that was at least better than leaving her in his house. Even though he loved the fact she was there. Jasper wanted to marry this woman. He would move into the penthouse at Vanguard with her if she wanted, but he would keep his house as a kind of vacation home.

She kissed him one more time. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Marry me, for starters.”

She blinked, then chuckled. As if he wasn’t serious. “I’ll put that on my to-do list.” She pushed the door open.

“You do that.”

She glanced down at him. The Famous Ones came up behind her. Jasper gave her a look and took off. The door mostly closed. He had to open it and pull it all the way shut at the first light he came to.

Jasper called Blake.

“Reed.”

“Where are you?”

“Where’s my sister?”

Jasper said, “So that’s how it’s gonna be?”

Blake sighed. “I’m at the house watching the FBI raid. You need to get over here.”

“What about Peter? Any sign of Simon?” Jasper told Blake what his father had said about the kingpin wanting to destroy Vanguard.

“Peter is with me. We think they might be holding Simon inside,” Blake said. “I’ll relay that about Vanguard. Peter will want to know.”

“Text me the address.” Jasper gripped the wheel. He mapped the house and drove across town with lights and sirens on. Maybe it would feel a little like this every time he left Destiny and went to work. Every time he left her and had to take with him the knowledge that something could happen, and he wouldn’t be there to protect her.

Did every husband, every prospective father feel this way?

When she’d left for Africa, he’d known she needed to do what she thought was right for her. He’d let her know how he felt and then said goodbye. Truth was, he should’ve told her long before that. They’d been dancing around each other for a while. He’d been too scared to take the leap, and it’d taken her leaving—and then getting seriously hurt—for some sense to get knocked into him.

He would always be a cop.

He would always be a son who wanted to take care of his mother.

But he wanted to be there for Destiny as well. To take those ingrained protective instincts and his loyalty and take care of her. Love her. Forever.

Jasper found Blake’s car and pulled up behind it. He jogged over to where Peter and Blake stood on the curb, along with a couple of uniformed officers and more than one firefighter. “Julio.”

The captain must have driven that truck with the red stripe and the decal here. On scene, in case they had need of bomb disposal, someone got trapped, or there was a fire.

“Hey, bro.” Julio shook his hand.

Jasper asked, “How is Samantha?”