Jasper had called her “baby girl” as long as she could remember. When Ava was a child, it had seemed a sweet endearment from a man she thought of as an uncle. It was only later, when she’d learned he was her biological father, that it had become the poignant reminder of how much he’d missed by being absent for so much of her life.
He’d stayed as close to her as Lena would allow and often crashed at their house in LA when she was growing up. It was to her stepfather’s credit that the man hardly batted an eye. Then again, when it came to running the house, what Lena Matheson said was law. And she never gave Carl any reason to doubt that Jasper and Lena’s romantic relationship was firmly in the past.
She patted his cheek. “You gotta keep your phone on, Jasper.”
He winked at her and pulled out the pack of cigarettes he kept in his pocket. “But then everyone would call me. Maybe I need to get a phone only you have the number to.”
“Might not be a bad idea,” Malachi said behind her.
She turned to see Malachi watching them with wary eyes. She stood up and held out a hand for his.
“Jasper, this is Malachi. He’s not a bodyguard.”
“He’s not? You brought your guy to meet me, Ava?” Her father looked strangely touched. “Really?”
“Yeah.” She knit her hands with Malachi’s, but his fingers were tense. Odd. Maybe he was worried. “Malachi’s my—”
“Fiancé,” he said. “Ava and I are getting married.”
She turned to him and mouthed, We are?
He shrugged and turned his eyes back to her father.
“Damn, Ava.” Jasper blinked, and Ava saw his eyes were wet. “Really? You’re getting married? Your mom didn’t tell me.”
“We just decided a little while ago.” Ava decided to go with it. It was probably the easiest way for her mom and Jasper to understand what role Malachi would play in her life. She didn’t care about getting married, but her mom would. “Mom doesn’t know yet.”
Jasper cackled. “You better tell her. She’ll be pissed if you don’t. I’ll wait to call her. Malachi, huh?” He stood and offered a hand. “Nice to meet you, man. Cool name.”
“Thank you.” Malachi shook his hand. “Nice to meet you too. Ava has spoken of you.”
“I’d say it’s all lies, but she’s too honest, so I’ll just offer a general apology for all past behavior.” He sat down and looked around the garden. “Where’d they go?”
Ava thought he looked pretty good for being on a bender. But then, there was a reason she’d chosen to visit in the morning.
“Jasper, I wanted to ask—”
“Sit down!” He waved to the chairs across from him and craned his neck toward the house. “Sit. Those girls were just here. Gotta get you guys some coffee. Where’d you two meet? Malachi, you drink coffee?”
Ava sat. “We met in Istanbul. I was there on a job and Malachi—”
“You’re Turkish, man?” Jasper drew on the cigarette again and nodded. “I can see it. Cool. Yeah. So what do you do, Malachi-with-the-cool-name?”
Ava barely caught the edge of suspicion in Jasper’s eyes. It was odd for him to be protective, but then, she’d never brought a boyfriend to meet him. Never really had a boyfriend stick around long enough to matter.
“I’m in private security,” Malachi said smoothly. It was a practiced lie; he’d implied the same thing to her when they first met. She supposed, in a way, it was true.
“Fuck,” Jasper said with a snort. “I thought you said he wasn’t a bodyguard, Ava?”
“Maybe I should have said he wasn’t just a bodyguard.”
Jasper laughed.
“Hey, they’re the only guys who ever stick around,” she said wryly.
“Carl didn’t hire him, did he?”
“No.”
“Good. All the guys Carl ever hired had a stick up their ass. Of course, Carl does too. So that’s not really a surprise.”
“Jasper…”
“Kidding. Kinda.” He grinned at Malachi, who still sat silently, his expression a careful blank.
Malachi said, “I work for a private international firm based in Vienna. But I take my own assignments.”
“So Ava’s your assignment now?” Jasper’s eyes were keen on Malachi.
“Yes.”
“Good. Too many sick fuckers in the world.” He lit another cigarette and looked toward the kitchen where one of the maids was bringing out another French press filled with coffee and two more cups. “Ah, there she is. And Ava, I never liked you hoppin’ around all over the place.”
“Yeah, you’re one to talk.”
“I speak from experience.” He nodded toward Malachi. “I guess if you’re gonna do it, good you have someone with you.”
“Thanks. Jasper—”
“Hey.” He interrupted her again while he waved the maid away and poured the coffee. “I wanted to talk to you about the Malibu house.”
“You mean your house?”
“No. It’s your house. It’s been in your name for over a year now.”
“Jasper, I already have—”
“Move your stuff from Lena’s place. Live there when you’re in LA. You can consider it my wedding present, if you want. But you need your own base, baby girl. Not a crash pad.”
He refused to meet her eyes. It was an old argument, and one Ava didn’t feel like having again. Jasper had already given her too much. The trust fund alone was in the multimillions. He had more money than God and was constantly trying to give her things. Cars. Jewelry. Houses. She didn’t want that stuff. Didn’t need it.
“I don’t need a big house. I can stay with Mom when I’m in California.”
He gave her his worried look. “This place—have you even been there?”
“Luis sent me pictures.”
“It’s quiet, Ava. I picked it myself. Secluded. Lots of acreage. Overlooks the ocean. You know…” He glanced away again. “Quiet. I know you need that.”
And there it was. The knowledge she’d been skirting around ever since she’d found the Irin. Found the real reason she heard those voices in her head. Jasper had been one of the few she’d never had to hide around. She’d known, even as a child, that the man who heard beautiful music in his head—was tormented by it at times—would understand the isolated girl she’d been.
Jasper had known all along. Somehow, he’d known.
“Jasper.”
His hand shook as he lifted the cigarette. He was getting worse before her eyes. The demons were waking up despite the warm Italian sun and the peaceful garden.
“Just take the house, Ava. I want to give it to you.”
“Dad—”
“I told you”—his eyes flared as they met hers, a flash of gold behind the brown—“you don’t have to call me that. I mean, you can, but… you don’t have to. I never expected that. I know I wasn’t…”
There was something going on. She felt Malachi’s hand tighten on hers. “Jasper, I need to ask about your family. My family.”
His face went out of focus for a second. When she blinked, it was back to normal. A trick of light and shadow. For a second, his skin had appeared luminous.
Jasper’s voice was harder when he answered. “I told you I don’t know much about them. Foster care, remember?”
He was lying. Ava knew it. She opened her senses to listen to his soul’s voice.
Jasper’s voice was the other reason Ava had always trusted him, even as a child. Though not as pure as Malachi’s, it nonetheless had a resonance that had been soothing to her as a child. Jasper’s voice had always made her feel safe. She’d put it down to him being an artist. He created beautiful music; why wouldn’t it resonate from his mind?