Chapter 23 - The Heat Of Hell
"Scarlett, what's the matter? You've barely touched your food," Jasper asked concernedly as we ate dinner at the restaurant. "You've been jumpy and anxious ever since you got back this afternoon. Is everything okay?"
"No, nothing happened," I lied, trying to block out my run in with that man earlier today. "I'm sorry, I'm just worried about... About what everyone will think when we get back home."
That was a quick save, I thought to myself as his features softened.
"Nobody will say anything to you, Scarlett -"
"I'm not worried for me, Jasper." I interrupted as he looked at me in confusion. "It's you who I'm worried for. What if our relationship proves to be damaging for your reputation and the company's?"
This was true. I was very concerned that for me dating Jasper, it would be harmful for the company's reputation, having a girlfriend whose father was a convicted felon, and I didn't want that for him.
"You know, I think I will take myself up on that offer," he muttered darkly as I looked at him. "You need a good spanking."
"Really, Jasper?" I asked, rolling my eyes.
"Really, Scarlett." He stated huskily as I looked into his eyes.
"Stop looking at me as if I am going to be your next meal," I laughed as he smirked.
"Perhaps you will be my next meal," he responded suggestively.
"Keep dreaming, Jasper."
He leaned over the table and whispered lowly. "Oh, I have and I will."
I felt my cheeks redden as I realized what he meant.
"Cat got your tongue, baby?" He questioned lazily as he sat back on his chair.
"Sometimes, I really hate you," I muttered, folding my arms, ignoring the heat pooling in my panties.
What was he doing to me?
"I'm sure you do," he murmured absentmindedly as I felt a hand slide up my thigh before I gasped.
"Jasper! What the hell are you doing?" I snapped quietly. "There are other people here!"
"Does it look like I care?" He questioned arrogantly, his hands now dangerously close to my underwear.
"Jasper!" I snapped again as I looked around the restaurant uncomfortably.
"Mm, a thong," he whispered lowly. "You really do aim to please, Miss Valentina."
His fingers slowly skimmed the inside of the fabric as my heat became more intense and my heartbeat accelerated considerably.
"Right," Jasper announced suddenly as he stood up, leaving me hot and bothered. "I think this meal is done. Shall we?"
I sat glaring at him, waiting for my pulse to return to its normal state before taking his hand. I sat in the car, trying to shake myself out of my frenzied state before Jasper sat down.
"Are you okay, Miss Valentina? There wasn't anything missing from that meal, was there?" He asked innocently, raising an eyebrow as I scowled at him.
"Why did you do that?" I snapped.
"Why? Did you want me to continue?"
Yes! Yes, I wanted you to continue into next year!
"No." I replied breathlessly as he grabbed my hips and bought me on to his lap so I was straddling him.
"I think you know it as well as I, that that is a lie," he growled lowly in my ear, his grip tightening around my waist. "And we mustn't tell lies, Miss Valentina."
He crashed his lips onto mine, the urgency and need evident as my fingers lost themselves in his dark thick hair.
"You have no idea how close my self-control is from shattering into oblivion," he murmured against my lips as I shuffled slightly, earning a low groan from Jasper.
"Sorry," I whispered, ignoring the waves of pleasure pulsating through my body.
He ground his hips, ever so slightly, before I felt his erection press into my core.
"Jasper," I moaned breathlessly, throwing my head back as he trailed lingering kisses down the side of my neck, pulling the fabric of my dress down my shoulder excruciatingly slowly. "Don't be a tease," I groaned as he laughed darkly.
"You haven't seen anything yet, baby," he murmured, about to resume his position when suddenly someone began banging on the window violently as I quickly jerked away from Jasper, tugging my dress back into place.
"Open the door!" A loud male voice boomed from outside.
"Who the fuck is that?" Jasper asked angrily as he opened the door only to be greeted by three overgrown, henchmen - one whom I recognized as the guy who had threatened me earlier.
Oh, God.
"Take him away, for roughly about..." He stopped, casually checking his watch. "Five minutes. Play nice. For now."
"Who the fuck are you?" Jasper snapped as the other two men grabbed him violently, dragging him away as I screamed.
"Little bitch, what did I say about raising your voice?" He seethed quietly as I choked back my sobs.
"Please," I said helplessly. "Why are you doing this?"
"I'm only going to tell you this once and only once, so listen carefully," he barked, towering over me. "And you will take heed otherwise, Mr Billionaire over there won't be here for very long, got it?"
"Yes." I snapped, glaring at him.
"You're going to set up a wired transfer from an account into this one," he explained, presenting a piece of paper to me which had some sort of bank details written on it. "I don't give a fuck about how you get the money or who's account it ends up coming from, but if I don't get the sum of five-hundred thousand dollars by the end of next week, those men who are currently with your boyfriend will be the least of his problems. And, remember, the end of him is the end of you, so you wouldn't want to risk that, would you?"
"Motherfucker," I snapped as he laughed loudly.
"Never got round to that, unfortunately," he smirked, nearing his face towards my ear, the faint smell of cheap liquor lingering on his lips. "I'd advise against fucking in a car, by the way. Wouldn't want any passers-by photographing the boss screwing his secretary sideways, would we now?" He winked before jogging away into the darkness.
I stayed quiet, biting hard on my lip causing it to draw blood before I saw Jasper limping slightly as he rushed towards me.
"Scarlett!" He said exasperatedly as he took my face in his hands. "Baby, what did he do to you?"
I noticed he had evidently been struck on his jaw and his nose and at this point, I just couldn't bring myself to even look at him.
This was all my fault, but I had no other means of protecting him.
"Oh, Jasper," I choked out as he wrapped his arms firmly around my shaking body. "What did they do to you?"
"Shh, sweetheart," he soothed softly. "There were two of them and only one of me so, of course I wasn't going to leave with the upper hand."
"I'm sorry," I whispered so quietly I wasn't even sure of what I'd even said.
"Hey, stop it," he scolded gently tilting my chin upwards with his finger so I was looking him in the eyes. "Scarlett, do you know those men? And what did he want with you?"
"I - I've never seen him in my life," I lied as he studied me carefully before sighing.
"What did he say to you?" He questioned running his hands through his hair.
"He - he wanted me to empty out my purse," I told him.
"What did he take?"
"Nothing. He wasn't satisfied, so he just left me."
"Something isn't adding up," Jasper countered, frowning.
"Jasper?" I whispered as his head shot up.
"Yes, baby?"
"Can we go back home today?" I asked meekly as he nodded.
"I will call Carlos shortly and the maid will gather our belongings from the beach house."
"Are you okay?" I whispered, stroking his cheek gently as he leaned into my touch, closing his eyes.
"No. No, I'm not." He let out a deep sigh. "You could have been hurt or... Or attacked by these men and I was helpless. I couldn't do anything to -"
"Jasper, please don't say that," I said sadly as he turned his face away from me. "Jasp, look at me."
Slowly, he obliged, his mysterious blue-green eyes tired and confused.
How it pained me to see him like this. It really was going to kill me.
"You are the only man in my life who's ever tried to protect me as best he could. Not even my own father ever offered me the sort of protection and safety you've given to me, Jasper, so please, I'm begging you, don't say that again. You just standing there makes me feel safer than I ever have in my life." I told him as I felt my throat and chest constrict in pain.
"I love you so much, Scarlett, you have no idea," he said his voice hoarse and tired.
Oh, but I do have an idea! I wanted to scream out.
I do have an idea, because I love you so much. I love you more than I've ever loved another human being in my life.
I love you more than life itself, Jasper.
But even then, I was too much of a selfish coward to tell him. Perhaps this was the universe's sick idea of karma. My unwillingness to tell Jasper I loved him meant I would now lose him.
"Come on." He said softly taking me by hand. "Let's go home."
No, Jasper, not home.
Hell.
I was going back to hell.