Chapter 10 - Stay With Me
Scarlett's POV
I wish I hadn't done that.
I wish I hadn't asked.
Because, now, I'd learnt my boyfriend was a psychotic excuse of a man who probably would have killed Jasper's sister.
Given my daddy issues, it was really not that surprising that I would attract the worst type of men for myself, after all, it was all I knew.
God, I just felt so stupid; I knew it was too good to be true.
Sighing, I stood up once again and picked up my handbag.
"Mr -"
"Scarlett," Jasper interrupted, raising a brow.
"Jasper. I need to get going," I smiled weakly.
"It's late. Stay here tonight," he said removing his suit jacket, throwing it onto the chair beside him.
"Could you drop me home, please, Jasper?" I asked, becoming slightly impatiently.
"No." he stated simply.
"Look, I am really not in the mood for this," I snapped irritably as I proceeded towards the door.
"You are staying here tonight and that is that! The guest room is always free; there's a wardrobe of clothes and any other necessary toiletries."
I stared at him, my mouth agape.
"No, Jasper, I am going home!"
"Fine."
He walked towards me and in one swift movement I was in his inescapable grasp - bridal style.
"What are -"
"You should have listened the first time," he chuckled darkly, his hands conveniently travelling to my backside.
"God, you are impossible!" I snapped as I tried to supress a smile.
He carried me up the stairs and dumped me onto the queen-sized bed of the guest room.
The interior was amazing, it was breathtakingly beautiful. But then again so was his entire house.
"I'll leave you to it then, Scarlett. I'll be just down the hall if I need you," he smirked as he walked out.
"Impossible." I muttered under my breath removing my heels.
Rummaging through the cupboards and wardrobes, I couldn't find any sleepwear and I could hardly sleep in a dress. Groaning aloud, I walked down the hallway and knocked on Jasper's door.
"Yes, Scarlett?" He called out as I opened the door.
"Could I borrow a shirt, please?" I asked as he eyed me carefully before replying.
"Top drawer, left hand side."
"Thank you." I picked out a T-Shirt and went back to the guest bedroom, changing quickly. The shirt fell above my knees, just about covering my butt.
I seriously should have demanded he take me home, I thought as I tried to pull the shirt further down.
But a part of me wanted to stay.
I didn't know why. I didn't know what to expect. I simply wanted to stay and not be alone.
In the first one or two months when I started working for Jasper he was a jerk. An asshole. He was arrogant, rude and selfish, never gave a second thought about anyone else.
I remember him saying to me on my first day as he smirked viciously.
"Good luck Miss Valentina, you will never make it."
Funnily enough, it was those words that probably got me through until today. No matter what he demanded, how he treated me - I did it. I was no pushover, however, and he knew it, which was probably why I gained a lot of respect from him because after that he became less selfish, less vile and more... Tolerable.
I suppose I couldn't have blamed him though. I'd heard a lot about his past secretaries, trying to seduce him, to get him to sleep with them - which of course he did and then obviously, promptly dismiss them. I think he saw that that of course was not my intention as all I needed was a stable job without any aggro.
Checking the time, I saw that an hour and a half had passed and I decided I should probably get some rest. Switching off the light, I pulled back the covers and lay still in the deafening silence, wondering just what the hell I was doing in my boss's house on a work night.
As I was lost in my own thoughts, I almost didn't hear the door open as Jasper came in wearing only his boxers. His tanned abs and taut muscles proudly on display, I was struggling to focus.
"Just thought I'd check in on you," he said, edging closer to the bed. "Make sure you didn't kill yourself in a rage."
"Very funny," I retorted sarcastically as he laughed.
"I can feel you rolling your eyes at me, Miss Valentina," he scolded as I saw him heading out. "Well, goodnight."
"Jasper?" I barely whispered.
"Yes?"
"Stay? I really don't want to be alone right now."
Shit.
He paused briefly, again, eyeing me as if he were unsure about it.
Of course he's unsure about it, you stupid desperate woman!
"If you want me, all you have to do is ask!" He chuckled suddenly, walking back to the bed.
"Get your mind out of the gutter," I muttered as I felt the bed dip on his side. "God, you are so fat!"
"What did you say?" He growled as I sniggered. "It's called muscle, Scarlett, not fat!"
"Whatever you say," I teased in a sing song voice and before I knew it he rolled on top of me, his eyes glistening in the dim light.
"You should be very careful about what you say, Miss Valentina," he whispered in my ear as my heartbeat quickened.
"Get off me Mr It's-Not-Fat-It's-Muscle," I said pinching his bicep as he jumped off, hissing in pain.
"That hurt!"
"Aw, does little Jasper want me to kiss it better for him?"
"I think little Jasper would love that idea," he laughed pulling me into his chest.
"Get off," I mumbled throwing my head back onto the pillow.
"You're nothing like how I thought you were when I hired you," he said suddenly as I turned to him curiously before propping myself up, my elbow resting on the pillow.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning I thought you were just like the others, seduce me, take my money, I'd sleep with you then humiliate you and fire you." He shrugged nonchalantly.
"God, I can't believe you thought that about me. No wonder you were such an assho - apple."
"Apple?" He laughed loudly - never had I heard him laugh like this and it was one hell of a sexy laugh.
We drifted into a comfortable silence as I thought about how my life would have gone if I hadn't taken up the job, I would never have met all these wonderful people, or met Jasper even though he was a slight jerk at times.
"Scarlett?" Jasper asked quietly.
"Yes?"
"Why did you never tell anyone about your father?"
Well that was unexpected.
"I... I didn't think anybody would believe me. The entire town knew him, he was a favorite amongst many of them. What they didn't know was that it was just a facade, a ploy so nobody would suspect a thing," I replied calmly.
"When did he first...?"
"I was seven and we had no money because he and my mom had spent it all on gambling and drugs. He was drunk and angry at the fact that I was one more mouth to feed so he beat me until I was unconscious therefore no longer hungry."
I began nauseating as I recalled the feeling of being numb.
Lifeless.
Barely breathing
"Fucking psycho," Jasper growled lowly.
"You get used to it." I shrugged. "I hate being dependent on anyone. If my father taught me anything it would be to not rely on anyone because nobody cares. You'll just get hurt if you depend on someone."
"How do you know that?"
"I just do."
"Your father makes mine seem a complete angel," he muttered incoherently as I welcomed the change of topic.
"Why is that?"
"Well, I believe he was bought to this earth to embarrass me until I sell my soul to the devil himself," he muttered grimly as I giggled.
"And you thought he was bad!" I laughed before we both yawned in unison.
"Sleep?" He asked softly.
"Sleep." I smiled as he chuckled into my hair.
"Thank you," I whispered, all of a sudden feeling drowsy.
"Don't thank me when I haven't done anything, Scarlett."
"You... You've done more than anyone has for me so shut up and... accept." I replied as my eyes closed slowly.
The last thing I heard was Jaspers deep chuckle as he slid his hand over my backside and pulled me closer before whispering in my ear.
"I forgot to mention how sexy you look in my T-Shirt. A killer pair of legs you've got there."
Too tired to hit back with a sarcastic comment, I pinched his chest instead.
"God, Scarlett!" he hissed as I snickered quietly.
"Goodnight, Jasper," I whispered.
"Goodnight, Scarlett," I felt his chin rest on my head as he snaked his arm around my waist and held me tight, the familiar scent of Hugo Boss lingering on his bare chest bringing me comfort.
Feeling content at last I allowed the darkness to consume me as I fell sound asleep.