Chapter 68

JASPER

L anding on the runway at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, I quickly turned my phone back on and slid it into the breast pocket of my jacket.

"You ready for this, asshole?"

Max looked in my direction sitting across from me on my private plane. It's small but it's mine. I've never been much of a flier but flying in the comfort of your own plane makes the anxiety a bit easier to swallow.

"Hell yeah," he retorted, with a wicked sneer. Max and I aren't involved much with the illegitimate businesses or the activities that pertain to them, but since my father passed, sometimes we've got to get our hands dirty. I swear Max loves this side of the lifestyle more than he should.

As soon as I hit the pavement, my phone buzzed with a message. Harper was out shopping with Aster. Anticipating a busy night, I arranged some entertainment to keep her busy. I planned on a quick trip; I was determined to wake up next to Harper tomorrow.

Seeing Aster's name flash on my phone screen made me uneasy. Despite the security team assigned to her and Aster, some of whom she wasn't aware of, it was unexpected to see Aster's name pop up instead of Hector or Carlos, the guard specifically assigned to Harper.

A wave of relief passed through me when I saw it was a photo of Harper. The photo was only a thumbnail version, so I pressed it to enlarge. As the photo came to perfect view, I heard a loud wolf whistle come from behind me.

"Keep your fucking eyes to yourself." I snapped at Max, who had seen too much of Harper's body. I trusted him with my life so I would never see him as a threat, but her body is for my eyes only.

"Whoa there. save that aggression for the assholes we are here to see." Max threw his hands up in surrender while still wearing a condescending smirk. If I had time I'd wipe that smirk off his smug little face. Rage filled my veins, until the image of Harper's beautiful body nestled under my satin sheets, her dark hair splayed across the pillow as she rested from the hours of passion, she and I displayed for each other last night. I didn't get to ask her the question I wanted; it just wasn't the right time, but once I do ask, it will be perfect.

Perfect just like the plump lips on her face, like the bright smile that creases her cheeks when I get home at night, and the perfect little noises she makes while she sleeps beside me.

I made a quick call to the boutique Harper was shopping at, I needed to see her in more of that candy apple red. She needs a ton because I plan to have each item discarded on the floor beside our bed every night. I'll make certain she packs some for our weekend trip.

A smile rises on the sides of my mouth at the thought of her olive skin barely covered in that provocative underwear, and the red flush that will cover her face, as I devour her with my eyes. She's so modest yet, she's slowly coming out of her shell, finding herself, and exploring her own desires.

Max, standing in front of me waving his hands in front of my face. I was suddenly brought back to reality, "Hello, Earth to Jasper, or should I say whipped asshole."

I let out a throaty chuckle, but I couldn't deny it. Harper had me whipped in all the glorious ways possible. I'd drop everything and walk away from all I've worked hard to establish if she asked me to. Being with her is worth everything, and I plan to show her that every day for the rest of my life. It's too bad her pieces of shit parents never taught her that. They used her to clear a debt then disappeared, leaving her to process and heal on her own. After today they will stay gone.

Crossing the runway I spotted Leo, one of my trusted guys stationed here in Atlanta, he and a few others were to keep an eye on my casinos.

"Mr. Whitlock," he acknowledged with a nod, positioning himself next to the open door of the armored SUV.

"Damn Jas, you really sprung for the big guns with this one, didn't you?" Max raved as he slid in beside me, looking around the impressive interior. I have to say it was one of the nicer cars I utilized. When my father died, I revamped the transportation for the empire's use. My father had a bit of a dated taste with his Lincoln Continentals and the occasional Rolls-Royce Phantom. In my opinion, those cars screamed I'm the king of my empire check me out. Not that the blacked-out, tinted Armored Mercedes-Benz we were sitting in didn't make a statement, it was just a more sophisticated one.

I reached over to pour myself a drink from the built-in, fully stocked wet bar. I looked over at Max, he was staring into his phone like he was waiting for something. I nodded to my glass silently, offering him a drink too. When he didn't respond I poured a generous amount into a glass and handed it to him. He appreciatively took it and raised it before downing most of its contents in one gulp.

"What's on your mind limp dick? Don't tell me you have a stick up your ass about taking care of these assholes." I taunted knowingly. Something was bothering him, but I was certain it wasn't the idea of dealing with two lowlifes who mistreated their daughter for their own gain. He knew about that type of parenting too well for that to be the issue. He was raised in a household where your significance is tied to the public persona you uphold.

He looked at me with a smile that didn't meet his eyes.

"No that's not it at all, it's been too long since we had any real fun." He chuckled, looking to the distance as if he were reminiscing.

"I was just thinking about Aster, she asked me to look into retrieving that video, you know from that Prestyn guy?" He waited for me to respond as if I'd forgotten.

"Yeah, you find anything yet?"

"Yes and no. I wasn't able to break through his malware to retrieve certain items, the video being one of them, but I found a ton of other shit I didn't expect." He looked at me as he said the last part. "That Prestyne guy had some relations with the Sinaloa Cartel, and the Cuban Mob, including the Alvarez brothers. From what I can tell he had his hand in human trafficking."

A cold chill ran up my spine at the idea of Harper being anywhere near that asshole. Aster is a lucky girl to have escaped him when she did if that's the case.

"How sure are you with that information?"

"I'm damn good at what I do Jas, I'd say I'm spot on, but I have a few things I'm still looking into. I have a suspicion it's deeper than that." Before I could question him further, we pulled onto a gravel road just outside city limits and a large industrial building came into view.

We rolled to a stop next to a small charcoal grey sedan, I looked around. The sun was still shining but the clouds cast a dreary hue into the atmosphere. It was fitting for the circumstances. I took off my Suit jacket, snatching my cell from the pocket, and then folded my jacket laying it across the seat.

It's my favorite suit, I'd hate to get anything on it.

I stood, smoothed my pants with my hands, and then cracked my knuckles. Looking to my left I spotted Max doing the same thing, with a look of amusement about him. I shook my head and smiled. "Fucking, malevolent."

My strides toward the entrance of the building were long and quick, ready to get this over with and get back to Harper, I wasted no time getting down to business. Max skipped catching up while he whistled the tune of ‘Skip to my Lou'.

"You're a crazy son-of-a-bitch, you know that?"

Max looked at me from a side glance, "I learned it from the best," he said, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"Hell yeah, you did. Let's do this shit." I announced before kicking the door in.