Psycho Billionaire

Chapter Seventeen

Kiara

A shudder ran down my body as I realized Jasper's eyes analyzing me. I folded my arms across my chest like that was some kind of a shield to protect me against him. I was terrified out of my skin. I tried to stand tall, act confident but the way he was looking at me, my resolve was slipping slowly.

"What do you..."I strutted. "What do you want?" I asked him.

His hand was raised towards me. I flinched and backed away.

Jasper's expressions were wounded. Yes, you heard me. I'd expected to be backhanded, but instead, he seemed calm which was quite rare in Jasper's case.

"How are you doing?" He asked.

Wait! Have I walked into another dimension? Who was this man?

"I'm doing fine." I said.

"Do you work here?" he pressed.

"You didn't answer my question, Jasper. What do you want?" I was going to get straight to the point. No bull-shitting!

I thought I saw his jaw harden but I couldn't be sure because of the dark. If he decided to drug me and kidnap me again, it wouldn't be very hard, but so far he wasn't making a move. I had the mace spray in my bag just in case.

I noticed Colin watching us from the kitchen window. He wasn't spying on us, but checking to make sure we were fine. He was probably chalking this up as another common breakup between couples. Ex-boyfriend showing up at girl's work, convincing her to take him back, blah blah blah. I wished it was that simple.

I shifted from one foot to another. "Why are you here?"

"Look, this is a co-incidence. I didn't know you worked here. I just stopped by for a quick meal and saw you." As much as I wanted to think he was lying, his voice spoke levels of sincerity and his expressions were impassive, then again, Jasper Lockhart was a born actor.

"Look, I really appreciate what you did for my mother, paid my father's debt and got me out of trouble from the law, but I think I have repaid you by living in your house for a while even though I wasn't part of this deal you made with my mother. I never asked for your help." I continued. "I don't want anything to do with you, Jasper."

"Your hair has grown longer." He smiled. "I always liked your natural color. Black is beautiful."

"Thanks." I said.

"Come back home with me." He said.

It was funny how he thought his house was still my home.

"This is my home." I said. "I have a job. I'm not going anywhere."

Jasper chuckled and nodded, like he knew that was going to be my answer. He dug his hands in his pant pockets, seeming haggard.

It was getting pretty chilly outside; I hugged myself, trying not to freeze my butt and thinking of a good excuse to end this conversation.

As if Jasper read my mind, he stripped off his suit jacket and placed it on my shoulders. I felt warm and nice.

Wait, did I just say nice?

Why was Jasper acting like that?

"I should go." I said.

He nodded again. His blue eyes did not betray any emotion and that's what scared me most of the time. "Take care of yourself."

Shocked, I watched as he strode away from me towards his car. He opened the door and slid in the driver's side. I stood there until I was sure the car had disappeared from the street.

****

"I don't understand, how did he know you were working here?" Colin asked me the next day when I was helping him in the kitchen.

"He told me it was a co-incidence." I admitted.

"That's a fat f*****g lie." Colin said.

"It didn't seem that way." I said, squeezing ketchup on the burger patty.

Colin placed his hand over mine. "I've said this before and I'm going to say it again, if you have any problems talk to me about it. I can help you."

I passed him a smile. "Thanks."

He gave me a side hug and that's when Colin's girlfriend, Sasha walked in. "What the hell is going on here?"

Colin pulled his hand away from my shoulder like he had touched a hot iron rod. "Baby, it's nothing like you're thinking."

Sasha turned a deaf ear to him as she walked towards me and stood right under my nose, glaring at me. She was at least a few inches taller than me which gave her the upper hand.

"You can fool Colin with your goody-two shoes act, Kiara, but you can't fool me." She said, fuming. She always had a bit of a problem with me, I wasn't sure why.

"You're misunderstanding." I said.

"He stays out until late and he gave you his old apartment to live in for free. So, tell me something, Miss Reeves, don't you screw him as a payment for all his kindness?"

"Sasha! Mind your f*****g language!" Colin yelled.

Sasha smacked Colin's face and stomped her way out of the door. Colin didn't bother to follow her like I assumed he would instead he turned to face me and apologized.

"As soon as I find a good place, I'll move out." I promised.

He shrugged but didn't protest which told me I needed to find a place soon.

****

I was mostly being careful after that night with Jasper. I assumed he wasn't going to show up again after I'd told him that I didn't want to see him, but persistent that he was, I wasn't surprised to find him waiting for me at the main door.

I decided to play discreet, "Are you here for the jacket?"

"No, Kiara." Jasper said, clearly annoyed. "I'm here for you."

He was dressed in casuals today; an Abercrombie t-shirt over blue ripped jeans. The sleeves of his t-shirt hugged his biceps perfectly. His brown curls which were usually combed back neatly, was in a shaggy array. Anyone passing by would peg him as a handsome young man trying to make conversation with the waitress because he thought she was cute.

Aww how sweeeeeeet....

If only they knew.

My heart did a quick somersault and I cursed myself inwardly for feeling this way but I couldn't help it.

"I thought I made myself clear when I said I'm not going anywhere." I said.

"Why are you making this hard on yourself?"

"Are you threatening me?" I asked.

"I'm not." Jasper sighed and before I knew what was going on he closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in an intimate hug, one that I thought he wasn't capable of giving. He smelled faintly of whiskey mixed with his familiar scent of aftershave. Had he been drinking?

His hand rubbed my back and tightened around my waist. His next words blew the living day lights outta me. "I love you, baby."

I wasn't sure how to respond to it so I kept silent and waited for him to continue.

"I didn't mean for this to happen, I wasn't supposed to fall in love, Kiara, but here I am." A pause later he continued, "I just want to apologize for the cruel things I put you through. I'm so sorry, baby."

I pulled back to look at him, to see if he was lying, but was appalled to see him on the verge of tears. He glanced away from me. "I'm not...I'm not used to these things. I have never told a woman I loved her and neither have I apologized. Ever."

"Jasper..." I was speechless.

I'd expected him to pull a full psycho on me, I'd expected him to scream at me, slap me or do some of the other things that he was accustomed of doing, but never in my dreams had I imagined him to say those three letter words that most men fail to. He was even apologizing.

"I don't know what to say." I admitted.

His thumb slowly caressed my cheek and lingered near my jaw. There was nothing harsh or forceful about his touch which was new coming from Jasper.

"For months I tried to forget you, I tried to tell myself that it's okay to move on but I couldn't do that." He whispered in that deep husky voice. "You don't have to answer me right away, you can take your time."

"I want you to be clear on something. I will not move in with you."

"I never said anything about you moving in with me." he said, a hint of a smile on his face. He was acting shy. "But you can at least consider us dating."

Dating Jasper?

I swallowed, feeling nervous like a hormonal teen being confessed to. I pushed the loose tendril of hair behind my ear.

"You can think about it, right?" he asked, seeming hopeful. "I've changed, really I have."

"I will think about it, Jasper. But, no promises." I said.

"That's more than enough for me." He smiled, like a real, genuine smile and he downright looked like an angel. The halo and the white wings were missing.

"You look nice when you smile, Jasper."

Now I was flirting with the devil?

He grinned. "Thanks baby."

My heart skipped a beat again. Stupid heart.

That night I lay down in bed, wondering how things have turned out this way. Jasper had apologized and said he loved me and it seemed genuine. The man I thought wasn't capable of loving someone had told me he had feelings for me. This time I slept peacefully.

Things were finally starting to fall into place.

****