Page 15 of Nighted

The drive didn’t take long, and soon enough he pulled into a parking lot beside a small, rural apartment building. He parked, waiting for me to get off the bike. “Jasp, what is this place?” I asked, as he got off the bike behind me. If this was a work investigation I was really underprepared.

Jasper turned to face me, a broad grin on his handsome face.

“This,” he said, pulling a small silver key out of his pocket, “will hopefully be our new apartment.”

My jaw dropped open. I hadn’t even seen the place. What if I hated it? “We only started talking about getting a place a few days ago!” I was in shock.

Props to him, Jasper was completely calm. “Yes. And a friend in Chicago was subletting this place. Perfect location, and zero paperwork in your name.”

I rolled my eyes. This was exactly like Jasper to spring this on me. But I couldn’t help the excitement flooding my veins. A home which would be ours. He kissed me gently, my mark tingling with the touch. “At least come look inside, Ava. If you don’t like it, I’ll talk to my buddy and we’ll go back to your place. Okay?”

“Okay,” I agreed. But unable to contain my excitement any longer, I smiled. “You didn’t tell me this was what you wanted to show me!”

Jasper dragged me toward the small complex. “You didn’t give me much of a chance before you jumped my bones and demanded I maul you.”

A little dramatic, but yeah, points for accuracy.

The apartments were low, all on one level. Jasper stopped in front of the end one, juggling the key. As he opened the door I gasped, the theme for the evening seeming to be perfection. The space was small, but cosy. A bedroom, a bigger bathroom than my current one. An open kitchen. And best of all, a view of the woods.

I threw my arms around Jasper, hugging him. My heart felt like it was going to burst with the number of emotions I had for this man, the bite on my neck tingling pleasantly. “I love it. I love you.”

Jasper laughed, the sound filling his lungs. “I think either the marking or the sex has gone to your head. Hopefully it was the sex, and not the injury causing your delusion.”

I punched him on the arm. “Jerk.”

He leaned into me, resting his chin on my head. “Mmm. I am pretty great, now you mention it.” He twined a strand of hair around his finger, letting the lock run through like water. “Did the pack have a bonfire tonight?”

“No?” I was confused. What did a bonfire have to do with anything?

“Your hair. You smell like smoke. I thought maybe…” Jasper trailed off, and a pit grew in my stomach.

“Like the ash we found outside the apartment,” I whispered. We locked eyes. “But I was only with you tonight, in the woods. We would’ve noticed something. And before I was having dinner with…”

We finished the sentence at the same time. “Lucy and Duke.”

---