The Billionaire(36)

"You're Thorpe?" He made as if to come towards me but Gage held him back with a hand to the chest.

"Not so fast kid."

"Could you maybe get your pit bull off of me? I come in peace." He held up his hands in mock surrender, kid had a mouth on him.

"What's that you got there Jason?"

"Ah, so it is Ashley you have up there, good to know I'm not chasing my  tail." I looked around in confusion, what the hell was he talking about?

"He refused to give his name other than Starks, we saw him on the  monitors trying to find a way in so Maurice nabbed him and that's when  he told us he was Starks' son and that he needed to see you."

"Oh I see, and you figure if I told Ashley Starks' son was here she would know your real name."

"Yes, thanks by the way."

"What for?"

"For rescuing her, I couldn't."

"Excuse me?"

"I was just a kid...I found out what they were doing by mistake." He rubbed his stomach as if he was going to be sick.

"And what did you do Jason?"

"Nothing, I couldn't do a fucking thing because my father caught me so I  had to run. I wanted to take her I swear but there was no way. I tried  coming back a time or two but her father had her too guarded back then,  so I just kinda gave up for a while. I always thought I'd come back when  I got older before it was too late you know?"

"And now, why're you here?"

"I saw the announcement in the papers that you got married. I had to  come see if it was true if she was free. Then I heard the news about her  father the pig and I figured something was going on and you might need  these." He threw the folder he'd been holding on the desk, I glanced at  it with a nod, and Gage flipped it open.

"Jackpot."





Chapter 30



Gideon



"Where did you get this kid?" I pawed through the stuff on my desk  taking quick glances of things as they unfolded. Just that was enough to  get my heart pumping, jackpot indeed.

"I took it before I did the runner." I looked over at the kid still not  sure about anything; this shit had too many tentacles and too many  unknowns. I won't just go along with shit because it looked good, not  where she was concerned.

"I'm guessing your dad knows you took this stuff or did you make copies?"

"Nope originals all the way; so can you use this stuff to put those  freaks away because I'm tired of hiding out?" The kid puffed his chest  up trying to play the big bad man but behind the eyes was all scared  little boy. That more than anything sold me on his story, that and the  fact that she'd said he'd ran away. His frame was that of a man and not a  sixteen-year old boy but now that I see him clearly he looked a little  gaunt, like he hadn't been taken care of in a long time.

"Where do you live now Jason?"

"Who's asking?" I gave him my ‘don't fuck with me' glare and was happy  to see it still packed a punch when he swallowed noticeably and  fidgeted.

"Answer." He looked around the room somewhat embarrassed but then was saved from having to answer.

"Company heading in boss." Gage gave me the heads up but I'd already detected the movements from the little device in my pocket.

"I heard her." That's all I would say, no one needed to know I had eyes and ears on her at all times, not even my trusted men.

She came through the door eyes searching; the heartfelt whisper tore at me.

"Jason." That's all she said before she flew across the room and was picked up by the overgrown youth.

I took an involuntary step forward but checked myself; there was nothing  to worry about here. She was mine, all mine and there was no reason for  jealousy to rear its ugly head. But I must admit the sight of another  man or boy with their hands on her made me very uneasy.                       
       
           



       

My movements were calculated and seemingly natural when I moved to where  they stood and pulled her back against me possessively. When she rested  her hands over mine that were now resting on her stomach my world was  set back to rights. I didn't miss the disrespectful snickers from my men  but I'll deal with them later.

"Jace where've you been I've been so worried." She reached out to take  his hand as he looked at her like she was a sight for sore eyes.

"Sorry Ash I had no choice believe me, I tried to get you out but my dad  found out what I was up to so I had to hide." He looked like he wanted  to cry; just a fucking kid and he'd tried to fight the evil on his own.  He couldn't have been more than thirteen or fourteen at the time, damn.

"Where did you go?" He shrugged his shoulders at her and looked away sheepishly.

"Jason where did you go?" She's a persistent little thing he didn't  stand a chance. I squeezed her trying to send a private message to ease  up but she just squeezed my hand and kept at it until she got what she  wanted.

"I moved around a lot at first but when I thought things calmed down  enough I came back to Blue Haven." That's all he would say but I was  getting the picture; the kid had been living on the streets. I'm  guessing like me he knew my wife's heart and didn't want to divulge that  information because he knew she would feel guilt over it since he'd  been on the run because he'd tried to help her. I made up my mind then  and there; it wasn't hard. He was just another victim of these assholes  and he'd basically given up his life trying to help her. Just a fucking  kid, I didn't want to think what would've happened to him if his old man  had gotten ahold of him. Or if the senator had ever known that he had  the evidence he had. My guess is that Starks was planning a double cross  or he was just covering his ass in case of contingencies. Either way.

"It doesn't matter baby because now he'll be staying with us."

The smile she gave me made me wish I could fight all her demons at once,  fuck. How could one human being own another so completely without any  effort at all? I stole a quick kiss before being addressed by Maurice.

"Intel coming in boss you want it now or when we're alone?"

"What is it?" He smiled wide and I knew. I walked off leaving the two of  them whispering while she checked him over like a mother hen.

"First four houses cleared, working on the last now and transporting in  about two hours after that; don't want to sit on it too long." Damn that  was quick, it seems the men hadn't waited much longer after they'd  landed to get to work. It helped that the men already in place had  pretty much set shit up, but the ex-mercenaries I'd sent in knew their  shit so I shouldn't be surprised. I'd chosen them specifically for their  prowess in this area after all.

"Safe house set up and ready boss?"

"Yep everything's in place Gage."

Gage took over the briefing from there. "We have the contact info for  the parents ready and now with this new info from the kid looks like our  job was just made easier." Yeah everything was coming together nicely,  it's about fucking time something was going right for the good guys.  This was only the beginning though, there was still a fuck load of shit  to do.

"I guess the bastard gets to live after all then." I hadn't really been  sure of what I was going to do but Gage was right. With the photos and  diary Jason had given us it wouldn't be too hard to prove to the  American public that the senator and his cohorts were guilty as sin.

"Can we authenticate the pics, make sure they can't cry foul?"

"Stefan just did that while you three were having your little family reunion     ." The fucker had the nerve to smirk at me.

"Cute." While we'd been chatting Ashley and Jason had been playing catch  up. One of the guys came in with food, which was a good idea since the  kid looked like he hadn't eaten in days.

I put Blossom in a chair and whispered in her ear. I'd guessed correctly  that Jason was full of pride and wouldn't touch a morsel but I knew if  she enticed him to he would. He started digging in as she picked at a  croissant on her plate peppering the poor guy with questions. He seemed  more interested in pissing me off though as his next words proved.

"I can't stay here, thanks for the offer but I'm no charity case."

"Don't be stupid kid; this isn't about charity, you did me a service and  now I'm repaying you. Besides, I'm sure it would make my wife very  happy if you stayed here with us and that's my only concern. Look at it  as a favor to her if you'd like."

That's all I was going to say on the matter, I'd told him the truth  Blossom wouldn't be happy now unless she knew where her friend was after  finding him again after all this time. And even if she hasn't yet  figured out that he's been living on the streets I have and I just  couldn't let that shit go on. He was as much a victim of these twisted  fucks as her and the others. If she wanted him here then here's where  the fuck he was going to stay. I'm pretty sure if he'd had a safe place  to go in the first place he wouldn't have been on the streets.