Powerless (Chestnut Springs, #3)(96)

Nothing is more important than being here with you.

I swallow a couple of times, unable to tear my eyes from the man before me. The promise. He’s right. And I promised him too.

“Jasper . . .”

His hand squeezes reassuringly. “The answer is yes, Sloane.”

My head tilts. “Yes, what?”

“I’ll take that gamble. All day long. Every damn day.”

My eyes sting and I will away the wetness. I’m not going to cry here. I will not let my dad and Sterling be privy to this moment.

When I glance over at the two men, the fury is clear on their faces.

“You are not part of this conversation, Gervais.” My dad glares at him like he might make him cower. But that power has slipped from between his fingers, right before his eyes.

Jasper leans back in his chair, smirks, and settles in. “You’re right about something, at least. I’m not here to contribute. I won’t say a word. I’m just here to be with Sloane.”

“You’re overstepping,” Sterling whines, practically vibrating with fury. “You don’t belong here.”

Jasper smiles at him, keeping his cool and poking at the men across from him in the process.

“Enough,” I snap. “Was there something you both needed to say to me? Because I think I’ve made myself crystal clear. I told you”—I point at my dad—“that I would speak to you when I was ready.” I shift my finger over to Sterling. “But I never want to speak to you again.”

“Sloane, you need to get over your hurt feelings.”

I arch a brow at Sterling. “You just don’t get it, do you? What you do with your dick doesn’t hurt my feelings. What you did with your dick was merely a wake-up call. A wake-up call that I don’t care about you even a little bit. I am indifferent. It’s been easy to ignore you because I don’t think about you at all.”

The more I talk, the more Sterling matches the deep red color of the wine in his glass. The more Jasper’s fingers slide along the inside seam of my wide-leg pants, the more my confidence builds. Just having him here, next to me . . .

It’s all I’ve ever wanted. We’re so much better together than we are apart.

“That’s only because you’ve been whoring around with this trailer trash.”

Jasper’s entire body goes taut beside me. My mouth pops open in shock at the venom in Sterling’s words and tone. It might be the most passionate I’ve ever seen him over anything other than barrel-aged scotch and hunting exotic animals.

I’m about to say as much when Jasper jerks and Sterling’s gasped squeal reaches my ears. An expression of alarm flashes across his features right as his face tips back and disappears backward in a splash of red wine and the loud clatter of the chair hitting the floor.

Sterling sputters as he struggles to right himself.

“Did you just—”

“Kick his fucking chair over?” Japer provides, cutting off my dad’s question. “Yes. Because you might be okay with him talking to your daughter that way, but I am not. Must have learned better manners in the trailer park.”

My dad at least has the good sense to look a little cowed.

But me? I do what I always do in inappropriate situations.

I burst out laughing as I watch Sterling on all fours, awkwardly pushing himself to standing. Dress shirt stained with red wine. Hair all fucked. And not in a good way.

“You’re dead, Gervais,” he tries to sound tough but everything about the man rings so damn hollow.

It makes me laugh harder.

We’ve made a spectacle and I’ve got the goddamn giggles.

“Sloane, pull it together. People are watching,” my dad snaps at me.

Tears well in my eyes and I rub them, but the laughter won’t stop coming.

Jasper leans down and whispers in my ear. “If it makes you laugh, I’ll kick his ass while everyone watches.”

I hear the amusement in his voice and wave a hand across my throat, silently begging Jasper to stop. Because now he’s just egging me on.

Because he knows me.

He gets me.

“Sterling,” I wheeze out. “I will never marry you. Like . . .” A giggle hits me and I force it back down. This sentence is just so much more offensive to deliver while laughing. But I can’t even muster any fucks to give about that. “Ever.”

“And Dad . . .” I shake my head, laughter slowing. “I don’t even know. The things you’ve said to me in the last few months?” I place a hand on Jasper’s. “The way you treat the people I love? I’d like to think I can find it in myself to forgive you, but I’ll have to do a little soul-searching to decide if that’s true or if that’s just me still being obedient. A little girl is supposed to love her dad, but he’s supposed to love her back. Protect her at all costs. And if these last months have taught me anything, it’s that you don’t love me the way I’ve loved you. I deserve better.”

I peek over at Jasper now, finding his eyes on me like they often are. But today they aren’t sad. They’re glowing with pride. They sizzle across my skin.

I look back at the two men across from me. “I’m done settling for less than I deserve. Sterling, fuck off forever. Dad, figure out how to deserve a relationship with me. Maybe one day we can talk.”