Exposed (Let Me Love You #3)

Chapter 38

38

FREEDOM IS WORTH IT

MATT

T he next morning, I wake up and reach for Pepper, but her side of the bed is empty. Simon is snoozing in his crib, so I quietly sneak out and search for Pepper.

I find her with her backpack on near the front door. Haven’t seen that backpack in a couple of weeks, and I wasn’t missing it. It meant she was trusting me and leaving it in the guest bedroom where it belongs.

“What the hell are you doing, Pepper?” I ask.

“Matt,” is all she says.

“You’re not leaving,” I command. I break out in a sweat at the thought of her leaving, and it brings back memories of Grace’s last moments on earth.

“I have to. Whoever mugged you and whoever was following Simon and I… it’s all my fault. I need to leave, so they leave you both alone,” she rushes out.

“No.” I step closer to her. “We’re letting Merrit do her job, and you’re staying with us.”

“It’s dangerous.” She takes a step closer to the front door.

She can’t do this. I have no control over whether she leaves or not, just like I had no control over Grace dying. I hate it.

“Dammit, Jasmine. No. I’ve got two armed guards with you and Simon at all times. We’re good.”

“Not you,” she points out. She looks like a deer ready to flee, and I don’t want to make any sudden movements.

She has a good point. I don’t think it was a random mugging, so I won’t lie to Pepper and say it was. One of the guys jumped me from behind and held my arms behind my back, while the other got a knife and tried to stab me clear through the heart. It’s lucky I’m fast and fought out of the guy’s grasp before his buddy could finish me off.

“You’re right. Maybe I need a guard until this all blows over,” I acquiesce.

“That would cost you a fortune with already having two forSimon.”

“For Simon and you . I’m protecting you both,” I remind her. “My dad has worked in this city for thirty years. The security firm is good friends with him and has been for twenty years. They’re giving us a hefty discount, and I have the money, Jasmine. Your and Simon’s lives are worth more than any amount of money I have. Don't worry about it.”

She swallows and looks past my shoulder at the wall.

“You’re my wife, Jasmine. You’re mine to protect. Don’t leave. At least, not until you’re free from the lies you’ve been charged with.”

Her expression softens. “Leaving isn’t what I want. I want you and Simon. I wish my life were different, so I didn’t have to think about leaving you guys.”

Screw sudden movement. In a few quick strides, I’m in front of her, cupping her face in my hands.

“We’re married. That means we don’t leave each other. I won’t leave you. I promised to be there for you for better or worse. We’re facing the worst upfront, then it’ll be better.”

She licks her lips and nods, seemingly convinced. “How do you always make so much sense?”

“It’s a gift,” I joke, my heart pounding. “Stay.”

“Okay. As long as you get a guard to escort you,” she negotiates.

“Deal. You almost gave me a fucking heart attack. Don’t try to sneak out again,” I sigh.

“I’ll do my best,” she agrees.

Simon cries out from his crib.

“Good morning, little man,” I call as I jog back to get my son with a smile on my face. Today, I get to hang out with Jasmine and Simon, my two favorite people.

After we have breakfast and workout together, we take turns showering and watching Simon.

I’m nervous about how fast the first hearing is coming up. I need proof that the Trumans are unfit guardians, so I dial my private investigator, Cat Shepard, for an update.

“Mr. Truman was at his office most of the day. Mrs. Truman met with an attorney and attended another meeting at a restaurant with a few business types,” Cat informs us. “Yesterday evening, they had a few well-dressed people meet with them at their home.”

None of that is remotely helpful. “I need more. We need concrete proof that they’re unfit guardian material.”

“They seem squeaky clean so far. Sure, they’re boring and uptight, but I don’t see anything unhealthy going on,” she responds.

I groan inwardly. “Look harder, please. My son’s life depends on it.”

“I’ll do my best,” she assures me. Going forward, she’s going to email a daily report to us.

“She can’t find any dirt on them,” I lament to Jasmine when I end the call.

I lay on my stomach and distract Simon with a book while he does tummy time.

“Look, Simon. It’s a panda,” I point to the picture he seems drawn to the most.

“I hope she finds something quick. We don’t have a lot of time before the first hearing,” Jasmine sighs.

“Exactly.” I can’t let myself dwell on it. I’ve got to focus on the here and now, and I still have Simon all to myself.

I change the subject to think about something else.

“I’ve got to ask you something,” I tell Jasmine.

“What?”

“How long have you thought of me as Daddy Matt?”

Her cheeks turn pink. “What?”

“Last night when I slid my cock in you, you called me Daddy Matt.”

“I called you Matt,” she insists, but when I grin at her, she tilts her head to the side in question.

“You were too far gone in orgasm land to realize you said it, but you definitely called me Daddy Matt.”

She slaps a hand over her mouth. “Oh my gosh.”

“I didn’t hate it,” I smirk, and she ducks her head to laugh.

“Wait,” she freezes. “Did we use spermicide?”

Much to my chagrin, I did fill up the syringe last night and fill her pussy with swimmer killer before I sank into her tight little hole.

“Yeah, you were pretty blissed out, so I don’t think it registered for you,” I inform her. “For the record, I love making you so delirious with pleasure that you didn’t even realize you called me Daddy Matt. You’re welcome to call me that anytime.”

“Um, okay,” she gives me a lopsided grin.

An old-fashioned ringtone blares, and I go on high alert.

“Burner phone,” Jasmine and I say at the same time, and she scrambles to get it.

“Little Women,” a voice akin to Darth Vader says.

“Creepy,” Jasmine mouths.

“Yes, sir. I mean, Merrit.” I say, sitting up to hold the phone in one hand and Simon in the other. He nuzzles against me, clearly happy that tummy time was interrupted.

“I’ll get to it. The email for jlockwood was hacked by Kevin Blackwell.”

Jasmine’s face pales and she sits down next to me.

“Who is that?” I ask.

Jasmine blinks a few times like she’s regaining her focus. “Titan was started by Walter Crane and Michael Blackwell, two guys who are now in their 60’s. Kevin is Mr. Blackwell’s son.”

“He works at Titan Securities,”Merrit confirms.

“Yeah, he works in the finance department. He was my boss,” Jasmine reveals.

“He’s stealing money from his dad’s company, that’s for damn sure,” Merrit’s Darth Vader voice states. “I’ve got the electronic trail of Kevin spoofing Jlockwood’s account so it would show up as Jlockwood stealing and committing corporate espionage.”

“Thank you so much,” I chime in, because Jasmine’s mouth is hanging on the floor.

“I’ll need a $40,000 money wire sent to Merrit Cyber Crime Investigation LLC. I’ll send the evidence to your email address.”

“Sure,” I agree. I don’t bat an eye, because there’s no limit to how much I’d pay for Jasmine to be free. “I’ll send it today.”

“I’m in a contract with Titan Securities to show them my findings for how they can tighten up their security. When I give them this evidence, Kevin will be arrested. I bet whoever Jlockwood is will be cleared of charges.”

She’s never asked if Jlockwood is Jasmine, but I’m sure she assumes.

“Thank you,” I say.

“You bet.”

Jasmine’s eyes fill with tears as I hit the end button. “That’s so much money.”

“Your freedom is worth it, princess,” I kiss her forehead, and she wraps her arms around me and buries her face in my neck.

“I can’t believe it was Kevin. He was nice to me from day one. He even did the final interview and told me I had the highest score any applicant had ever gotten on their financial hiring tests. He said I had a long, promising future with Titan Securities. Why would he betray me?” She asks.

“People aren’t always who they seem,” I answer.

“Yeah, it’s just really weird. I’d never have guessed it was him,” she says quietly, looking down at the ground.

“As long as you’re cleared of all charges, that’s what’s important.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” she agrees.

Soon, she’ll be free to go back to her home in New York. I hope this isn’t the beginning of the end for us. It can’t be; I won’t let it.