A Nature of Conflict (The Redemption Saga Book 3), page 17
“Good idea,” he chuckled. She got up to use the restroom while he ordered. When she was back, he just pulled her into him as he finished up the call.
Twenty minutes later, Vincent answered the door and pulled in a little cart with some cheesecake. She sat up and took a slice from him. He put on an old Western and they ate cheesecake at one in the morning together.
“This is nice,” she whispered. “I like this. Midnight dessert in bed.”
“I do too,” he agreed, reaching over to dip a piece of his into her chocolate sauce. She reached over him and did the same to his strawberry sauce. “Feeling better?”
“A little,” she admitted, looking back down at her cheesecake slice, half eaten. “Thank you.”
“Sawyer, I’m going to do whatever I need to, remember? Anything. I meant it. If that means you want to work stuff out before we go further, then I’m okay with that. If that means I stay up all night just to make sure you’re okay, then I will.” He sounded so passionate about it.
She looked at him and gave a weak smile. “Thank you for that. With how…with everything else, it’s nice to know that you just accept things.”
“It’s hard,” he said, swallowing. “I want everything to be…better, good. Elijah used to do all of the ‘feelings’ stuff. I’m taking a page out of his book on this.”
“You’re doing wonderfully,” she assured him, leaning to kiss his cheek. “You and Jasper are both great.”
“Not Zander?” He chuckled as he asked. She gave him a blank stare. “I’ll take that as a no.”
“He and I just…it’s constant. New York has at least distracted us from arguing.”
“He loves you and he’s trying,” Vincent reminded her.
“I know,” she sighed. “I love him too.”
“Have you told him?”
“No,” she mumbled, stabbing her cheesecake. “It’ll go to his head and I’m afraid he’ll take it as…”
“As a sign that he can keep trying to run you over a bit, that everything is perfect.”
“All of that, and I’m just not ready,” Sawyer leaned back onto the headboard. “I can admit I love both of them to you but not to them. It’s weird.”
“Nothing about this is normal.”
“Thank you for listening. About Axel and them, and…just everything.”
“Anything,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. “I meant it.”
“I know,” she whispered back. “Now, cheesecake and movie. Maybe even a little more sleep. What time do we need to be there tomorrow?”
“Noon. We have plenty of time. It’s why I chose last night for the theatre. They’ve been performing for the last week, but tomorrow we wrap up and then pack up. We fly home early Thursday.”
“Thank fuck.” She threw one of her legs over his and he tossed an arm over her shoulder. They shared bites of cheesecake for another hour and her eyelids began to feel heavy again. She fell asleep leaning into him, still propped up to watch the movie.
13
Jasper
Jasper was having a late breakfast when she stormed up to him. To anyone else, it was a nonchalant walk, but Jasper knew when Sawyer was upset. He could see it in her eyes. Something was bothering her, and he was going to answer for it.
“What’s wrong?” he asked immediately.
“I had a nightmare last night and you didn’t show up,” she told him. “I know it’s probably the enchantments, Vincent assured me of that, but I’m still a little agitated.”
Jasper blinked several times. She talked to Vincent before him? That hurt in a way he didn’t expect.
“Why Vincent?” he demanded softly. He shouldn’t have been asking. It was her business, but he’d thought she trusted him with this. Now Vincent was also taking her on dates and talking to her about her nightmares. Jasper felt something important slip from his fingers.
“Because I was in bed with him when I woke up,” Sawyer explained, sitting down next to him in the hotel’s restaurant.
“Oh. My…my bad,” Jasper mumbled, stabbing a fork through his omelet. Of course she had been. They had gone on a date and finished it off like most people would. It was actually a good step for them, since she’d been scared of hurting Vincent. Which meant the nightmare in bed with him again was going to set her back, not make her feel better. “The walls are exactly why I didn’t know. You can…” Jasper took a deep breath. “You can stay in my room tonight, just in case.”
“That’s a good idea,” Sawyer replied, nodding thoughtfully. “I’ll trade with Zander. We leave tomorrow. It’s a health and safety thing and there will be two beds. Good idea.”
“Yup,” Jasper mumbled. “You should get breakfast if you had a…late night.” He noticed her lack of plate and she pointed across the room. He looked to where she directed and chuckled. Vincent was bringing over two plates, followed by Elijah, Quinn, and the wolves. He slid one of those plates across the table to her and she started eating after a murmured thank you.
“How are you this morning, Jasper?” Vincent sat across from him, without any awkwardness. Jasper didn’t mind Zander at all, but something about Vincent’s casual nature to the morning after being with Sawyer irked him.
“Good,” Jasper answered, maybe a little curt. “You?”
“He’s probably on cloud nine,” Elijah cut in, before Vincent could even open his mouth. “Sawyer’s Italian Boy-”
“Stop that,” Sawyer cut him off too. “None of that, Cowboy. You ever want to try the ride, you’ll keep your thoughts about everyone else to yourself at breakfast.”
“Oh shit,” Zander laughed, walking up too. “Shut down.”
“That hurt a little,” Elijah mumbled. Quinn patted his back in some sympathy but even Jasper could tell he was either uncomfortable doing it or didn’t mean it.
“You deserve it,” Vincent muttered.
“Little lady, tell me you don’t mean it,” Elijah begged, reaching across the table for her.
“Every word, big boy,” she teased, giving a grin. Jasper couldn’t stop his own smile at the banter that took over the table. Vincent looked up at him, frowning.
“Are you really okay?” Vincent’s telepathic voice invaded Jasper’s thoughts. He just looked away from the Italian. “We’re going to talk later.”
He finished his omelet and let the waitress take the plate. They were all ready to leave once they finished eating. Jasper walked out the front of the hotel, their CO hot on his heels.
“Jasper,” he said sternly. “You got something on your mind. I can tell. You think too much.”
“It’s nothing,” Jasper answered, crossing his arms. It was a him issue, not a Vincent issue. Vin had nothing to do with how he felt annoyed that Sawyer hadn’t found him when she had a nightmare. It wasn’t Vincent’s fault for thinking a date in classy New York and a night in bed were a good idea to help them be together.
He just found Vincent a threat to his place, honestly. He hated it. He wasn’t wild Zander, and he didn’t have Vincent’s weird connection to her. He was just the smart, inexperienced one. Inexperienced in dating and everything else.
“It’s obviously something,” Vincent said quietly. He heard a lighter strike and watched Vincent take a long drag off his post-breakfast cigarette.
“You can’t smoke here.” Jasper groaned. “Smoking section is thirty feet that way.” He pointed out to his right and his team leader just shrugged in response.
“Who’s going to stop me?” Vincent chuckled. “Come on. You can stand with me. Give it another two minutes and Sawyer will be out here too, with Elijah on her tail. Maybe the entire team.”
“I figured Zander, not Elijah,” Jasper commented, walking with him to the smoking section.
“You and Zander don’t like her smoking mouth. She’s using breath mints now, because she won’t quit the habit just to appease a guy.” Vincent ashed his cigarette, flicking it several times out of habit, while Jasper just considered what he said.
Vincent was a people watcher. He judged how they reacted to the world around them, how they behaved, how they solved problems, all of it. If anyone knew the dynamics of the house, it was him.
“You’re right. I don’t like her smoking too much.” Jasper sighed. “It’s going to kill you and her. And Elijah.”
“We’re all going to die anyway,” Vincent reminded him. “Might as well die feeling relaxed and not murderous.”
“You didn’t answer my question about Elijah,” he pointed out.
“He’s got a crush on her,” Vincent answered. “He smokes more now as an excuse to be in her space, but doesn’t want to pull the trigger and make it more serious.”
“That…makes sense. Now I remember. We talked about this in Texas.” He crossed his arms and leaned on the wall of the building.
“We did, and nothing has changed between those two yet. They either will or they won’t.” Vincent shrugged. “Why are you upset?”
“It’s really nothing,” he said, looking down at his feet.
“Sure.” Vincent chuckled. “When you’re ready, talk to me.”
“I will,” he promised. If it continued to bother him, seeing them be relaxed and knowing she was giving Vincent the same secrets she gave him. That still seriously bugged him. He was the person she trusted with that, not Vincent. If that kept bugging him, even though they were all on the same team, he would talk to both of them. This only worked if they communicated. Jasper didn’t want to lose his piece of her and he didn’t want Vin to get cut out, since he was important to her.
“Here they come,” Vincent chuckled, pointing. Jasper turned and looked back over his shoulder to see Sawyer and Elijah laughing about something. She was already pulling out a cigarette and Elijah was stealing one from her as well. She didn’t use a lighter, as Elijah lit them both, and they were smoking by the time they got to Jasper and Vincent.
“You both rushed out here,” Sawyer pointed out immediately.
“I needed some air,” Jasper admitted. “Vincent decided to pollute it.”
“Stop complaining, Golden Boy,” Vincent ordered, but Jasper knew by his smile that it wasn’t serious. He wasn’t worried about the secondhand. They were both fucking around. “Where’s Zander and Quinn?”
“Quinn wanted the wolves to get up to the roof and do their business one more time in the animal area,” Sawyer explained. “Zander is…fuck if I know.”
“I’m here,” Zander called out.
“Constantly late today, it seems,” she corrected herself.
“We’re fine,” Jasper cut in quickly before an argument could start. “We’re not running behind.”
“Yeah, we don’t have a meeting for another two hours,” Vincent added. “At this time of day, traffic shouldn’t be too horrendous either.”
“Traffic is always horrendous in New York,” she scoffed. “Sometimes it’s like the first level of hell and sometimes it’s the ninth, but it’s always hell.”
Jasper couldn’t stop himself from laughing at that.
“How was the opera last night?” Elijah asked, looking between them.
Jasper stopped laughing and realized he should have asked that earlier.
“Good,” Sawyer declared, grinning. “Quite lovely.”
“She looks good in a gown,” Vincent told them, with his small smile. “Very good.”
“I’m suddenly jealous,” Zander commented. Jasper saw Zander look down Sawyer’s leg, so he reached out and swatted his friend on the chest.
“Stop undressing her with your eyes and find a reason to take her out in a dress.” Jasper shook his head at Zander’s groan to what he said.
“Fine. Sawyer, there’s this restaurant in Atlanta.”
“I call that,” Elijah cut in. “You aren’t taking her to my favorite place.”
“For fuck’s sake, Vincent. Did you have to tell them about the dress?” Sawyer wore an exasperated expression and Vincent was just chuckling softly, refusing to look at her.
Jasper felt a pang of jealousy. Vincent had seen her in a gown.
The light banter kept going until Quinn came outside, his wolves following dutifully. They loaded up into their small rental cars and Jasper drove with Sawyer sitting next to him and Quinn with Scout in the back.
Jasper lost his patience with the traffic in minutes.
“You can let me drive,” Sawyer reminded him for the third time since they got into the car.
“I actually can’t,” he repeated. “You don’t have the insurance and cover from the IMPO in case you damage anything.”
“I’ve been allowed before. By you. To the gym,” she retorted.
“I wasn’t supposed to let you do that.” He mentally cursed himself. He had let her drive the rental when she shouldn’t have. He had actually forgotten, thinking it would just be easier for her to drive to the gym she knew by heart how to get to.
“Fine,” Sawyer groaned. She turned in the seat and looked to the back. Jasper tried not to watch her, but he could see her out of the side of his eye. “How are you, Quinn?”
“Ready to go home,” Quinn answered. “One more night.”
“That’s right. We just need to have this meeting, pack up, and wait for our flights.”
Jasper was excited about it too. New York sucked. He hated it here. This was definitely one of the worst trips they had been on, but it was never good. Zander was normally getting into trouble, or underhanded shit was done to Vincent. People tried to convince Jasper and Elijah to leave the team before the Castello took them down with him.
It wasn’t a healthy place for any of them.
Jasper got them parked with thirty minutes to spare for the meeting. Vincent, Elijah, and Zander had beaten them, but no one teased him for going slow. They had only been first because they pulled out of the hotel first.
“We ready?” Vincent called out. “James says this is going to be a general rundown. We’re going to get rated for the bonus for the Texas job, then get a bit of real time off. He’s gotten us a three month break, that much he’s told me about. No cases unless it’s an emergency. Everyone will get vacation time.”
“That sounds great. They threw us out to Texas without a chance to catch a fucking breath,” Elijah said, emphasizing it with a groan.
“I know,” Vincent said, nodding to them all. He started walking towards the building, Kaar landing on his shoulder, and Jasper fell in with the team to follow. Vincent continued talking as they got closer to the WMC’s front door. “But we did well. Sawyer did well. He hasn’t heard anything about what went down yesterday…” Jasper and the other guys all looked at Sawyer, who rolled her eyes. “So he doesn’t think anything will come of it.”
“Good. That asshole spit in my face first.”
Jasper should have known she wasn’t going to feel very apologetic for it. He wished she would, but he could also understand why she didn’t. A stranger running up on her, already in a bad mood, spits in her face over things Sawyer was already doing her time for. Things she had no control over, not really. He might have started a scuffle too, if he’d seen it. He knew Zander would have, even Vincent or Elijah. Definitely Quinn. Quinn knew the insult of being spit on, without anyone having to explain it to him.
They went to the assigned meeting room, Vincent pulling the door open and holding it for all of them.
Everything was wrong.
Jasper stumbled at the sight of several high ranking IMAS officers standing to one side of the room. Sawyer cursed, and Jasper looked over to see her glaring at Councilwoman D’Angelo. He grabbed Sawyer and pulled her to a stop. He couldn’t have her running over to get into the Councilwoman’s face.
The building shook and Elijah grabbed Quinn, hauling him out of the room.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Vincent roared at James, waving at the guests in the room.
“I didn’t win. They got here ten minutes ago, and I couldn’t warn you,” James answered. Jasper didn’t like the look on their handler’s face.
“Special Agent Castello, bring your team to heel.”
“I’ll give you a fucking heel, bitch. Straight up your fucking ass,” Sawyer snarled, and Jasper yanked her further away, Zander grabbing her other arm to help. Jasper was thankful one of them was retaining a bit of control. He wouldn’t have been able to stop both of them. He didn’t even want to think about how Elijah was doing with Quinn out in the hall.
“Sawyer, sit down. We need to think,” Jasper whispered harshly in her ear. “Now is not the time to start a fight.”
She relaxed immediately, and he didn’t like the cold mask that settled over her face. This was Shadow. This was calculating and calm. He’d gotten her to just redirect the temper and that terrified him.
The room grew colder by the second.
Zander led her to a seat and Jasper looked back out the door to see Quinn and Elijah whispering to each other.
“Get in here. This looks bad,” he said quickly.
Quinn growled, but Elijah nodded. “Let’s go,” he said sternly to their feral Magi.
Jasper held the door for them. Once they were seated, he took his own. He threw a glance at Vincent and James, sitting next to each other. Vincent was just as cold as Sawyer, just as closed off. She sat on his other side.
A Castello and Shadow, both cold and emotionless. It was an intimidating sight.
“Now that everyone is calm,” Councilwoman D’Angelo began, calm and collected. “We’ll discuss why we’re here.”
“We requested, nicely, to have Special Agent Quinn Judge come on a mission with us. We were rudely denied.”
Jasper looked at the rank of the IMAS officer speaking. General. He was one of the three highest ranking members of the International Magi Armed Services. Jasper didn’t recognize his face, but his name badge read Kitchner. General Kitchner? Jasper knew the name. General Kitchner was in charge of the Spec Ops division of IMAS, which made him a very powerful man.
“I’m not going to the Amazon. It’s a deathwish,” Quinn growled out. “If you were smart, you wouldn’t either.”
“You don’t have a choice,” Councilwoman D’Angelo declared. “You will be going.”
