ARIA’S POV
Jasper’s face went tight the second the word “mate” left my mouth. His hands gripped the wheel harder, knuckles turning white, and he looked at me like I’d just dropped a bomb in the car. He didn’t say yes. He didn’t say no. He just stared, eyes wide and dark, like I’d caught him in something he wasn’t ready to explain.
That look told me everything I needed to know.
My heart slammed against my ribs. He was hiding something. I could feel it in my gut. “Jasper…” I started, but he cut the engine back on and pulled away from the curb without another word. The silence between us felt heavy, thick enough to choke on.
I kept staring at him the whole drive, my mind spinning. “Even if it was possible, you’d probably be ashamed to admit it,” I thought. “You and your brothers hate O
