Playing Jasper (Genoa Mafia Series Book 4)

by Ginger Ring

  It was hard to hold back the yawn from lack of sleep as he strolled over to the man in the chair. Sometimes delaying the torture was enough to get the person to spill. He wanted this over quickly so he could take a nap. He had pliers in one hand and a hammer in the other.

  “What the hell are you going to do with that?” Ray squeaked and tried to skid his chair back with his feet, but he wasn’t going anywhere.

  “The hammer is to keep your mouth open.” Jasper slammed the head of the hammer on Ray’s hand. When Ray yelled, he shoved the wood part into the guy’s mouth. “While I pull your teeth out with the pliers. Ready?” Jasper flashed him a smile, while Arlo held the man’s head in place. Moving the hammer to one side, Jasper started with the front teeth. With only one root, they come out easily. Four down and out, he pulled the tool out of Ray’s mouth.

  “You ready to answer the questions now?” Jasper held his hands dripping with blood over the plastic-covered floor. He didn’t want to risk get anything on his clothes while he deposited the teeth in a nearby bucket.

  “I don’t know. I don’t know.” Ray frothed at the mouth.

  “But you do admit to taking them.” Roman stepped closer, but not close enough to dirty his Dolce & Gabbana shoes.

  “Yeah, hell. Whatever, I took them. I was just hoping to find something to steal and make some money.” Jasper moved to the side as the guy spit blood with every “S” he spoke. “When I saw the guns, I knew I could sell them.”

  “You sold them?” Forge growled. “To who?”

  “I can’t tell you. If I do, they’ll kill me.” Ray was covered in sweat and smelled like hell.

  “What do you think we’ll do to you if you don’t tell us?” Roman’s voice echoed in the cavernous building.

  “I can’t.” Ray shook his head, and Jasper shoved the hammer into his mouth again. This time, he took two molars. The guy would have to chew with the one side of his mouth from now on. Actually, the man wouldn’t be eating again. Ever. It was a given that the guy wouldn’t be leaving the place alive.

  When he removed the hammer this time, Jasper dropped it to the floor. “Look, we can do this all day. Once your teeth are all gone, we’ll find something else to remove.”

  Ray’s breathing elevated, and his chin was on his chest. Jasper lifted it up and stared into his glazed over eyes. “Who. Has. The. Guns?”

  Ray mumbled something. “Speak up.” Jasper gave him a slap on the face. This time, Forge stepped closer, and they both heard what he said.

  “Those bastards,” Forge cursed. Ray had sold them to a man with a Russian accent named Dimitri. “Now, we have the fucking Russian mob here?” He directed the comment toward Roman, who, in turn, filled them in on the woman who had been found along the side of the road. “That’s the last thing I wanted to hear. I don’t mess with the bratva. That’s your deal. But if they have our guns, I want them back. Let me know what else you find out.” Forge shook hands with Roman and nodded to Jasper and Arlo. “Okay, men. Let’s go.” The gang left the building, and their bikes soon roared to life outside.

  “What do we do with this guy?” Arlo had been quiet for most of the time but now seemed eager to get the hell out of there.

  “Kill him, and call Dom.” Roman put his sunglasses back on and walked out the door.

  Nothing felt better than a hot shower after a long night and day. It was dirty work dealing with a dead body, and it pissed him off to no end that the fucker had given him a black eye. Jasper had taken a quick nap after getting home, so he felt refreshed for the first time in twenty-four hours.

  He dressed with care. Blue shirt, navy striped suspenders, and navy dress pants. His tie was accented with white and blue. Everything was all set, and before the night was over, Jackie wouldn’t know what hit her. There was no end to the surprises he’d lined up. The first being a new dress. With the help of Madison, she picked out a matching blue dress for her. Maddy made sure it had arrived at Jackie’s door this morning.

  Most would think he was trying to buy the woman, but that wasn’t the truth. He’d never paid for anything for a woman before. Sure, he’d paid for meals, but this was different. The gifts had meaning behind them. They were meant to show he’d take care of her, cherish her, and always be there to give her anything she needed. Life was different in the mob. There were traditions to uphold, and providing for loved ones was a biggie. Did he love Jackie? It was too early for that, but given time, he knew they’d be perfect together. He’d gone out with enough women to know what he did and didn’t like. Jackie had spunk, smarts, and a sense of humor. She was the whole package and one who would keep him interested for a lifetime.

  She was the good to his evil, the dawn to his night. The cleanness that he needed in his life to wipe away the mud. It didn’t hurt that he thought she was sexy as hell and the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.

  A glance at his watch and Jasper grabbed his suitcoat and walked out the door.

  Jackie

  Her fingers shook as she tried to fasten the new bracelet around her wrist. It was gorgeous and another piece of Brighton jewelry that had arrived today, courtesy of her date for the evening. There would come a day when those gifts stopped coming. All good things came to an end, but for now, she was going to enjoy them while they lasted.

  The bracelet flew out of her hand when the doorbell rang. Dang it. He was here. Jackie felt like a teenager as she picked the jewelry up off the floor and hurried barefooted to the door. Drool almost fell from her mouth when she saw how handsome he looked in his blue outfit that matched hers. His hair was flawless, as always, and his eyes had that flirty twinkle to them. Except one that was swollen and bruised.

  “What happened to your eye?” She waved him inside and shut the door.

  “It’s nothing.” He gave her the once-over with his eyes and let out a wolf whistle. “You look amazing.”

  “Do you like it?” She twirled around in her fitted off-the-shoulder dress. “Madison picked it out. Did you know she gave up being a dress designer to stay here and marry Roman?”

  “Yup. True story and true love.” He motioned to the bracelet in her hand. “Do you need help with that?”

  “Yes, please. I was just putting it on when the bell rang.” He quickly secured the clasp and took her hand in his. The man could probably feel how rapidly her heart beat. It was hard to be cool around Jasper. He oozed confidence and sex appeal like no other. “I love it, but you really need to stop getting me things. I’m already spoiled.”

  “I like spoiling you. It makes me happy to pick out things for you.”

  “I don’t know what you like.” Jackie braced a hand on the back of the couch to slip on her shoes.

  “I like you.” He winked.

  Could this man get any better? He’d rival any book boyfriend she’d ever read about. Reaching for the wrap she’d chosen to keep the chill away, Jasper took it from her hands and draped it over her shoulder.

  “We’d better get going. We don’t want to miss the boat.”

  “Boat?” The chance to get out on the lake was something she’d wanted to do ever since arriving in Genoa.

  “Yes, a dinner cruise.” Jasper held his elbow out, and she tucked her hand into the crease. Whether it was intended or not, this felt like the start of what could end up being the most romantic evening of her life. After walking out of her building, Jasper opened the door to his SUV, and they drove the short distance to the dock.

  The warm sun caressed her shoulders as they walked through the park to the Riviera Pavilion. The Pavilion had been built back in the 1930s and featured a ballroom upstairs. There must have been a party or wedding reception going on, as people in tuxes and long dresses climbed up and down the stairs to the upper level. The floor level featured little gift and food shops. Jasper and Jackie strolled the area and went outside by the docks. All kinds of different boats in the local cruise fleet could be seen. They had eight in total of all sizes from a forty-one-foot cruiser to vintag
e double-decker steam boats.

  A group of people headed toward the Grand Belle for the sunset cruise, and Jackie followed suit.

  “Where’re you going?” Jasper stood on the dock with his hand in his pocket.

  “Ah, I thought we were going on the dinner cruise.” He must have bought tickets, as it was by reservations only, and they didn’t want to hold up the ship.

  “We are, but you can’t go without this.” The necklace he pulled out of his pocket sparkled in the early evening sun. Even from a distance, the silver chain and crystals sparkled.

  “Jasper. No. Like I said, you’re spoiling me.” And setting too high of a standard for any other man she might date. It wasn’t just the gifts, but the fact that he wanted her to feel special and had taken the time to pick everything out for her.

  “You don’t want?” he teased and put it back in his pocket.

  “Well, I didn’t say that.” It was hard to resist.

  Jasper made her turn around as he placed the necklace around her neck. “I liked the setting when I first saw it. Dianna, the saleslady, told me it was from the infinity collection.” It matched several of the other pieces he’d given her. Jasper stepped in front of her. “In the family, we choose a woman for life. For infinity.”

  “It’s stunning. I love it.” The metal was cool against her skin, but her heart was aflame. She was giddy and almost jumped up and down. That was, until she noticed their boat starting to leave the dock. “Jasper, it’s leaving. We’re missing the cruise.”

  “No, we’re not.” He reached for her arm as she started to wave for them to stop.

  “What do you mean? I thought we were going on a boat.”

  “We are, but we’re not taking that one,” he corrected.

  “But that’s the only one that hosts the dinner cruises.” Her stomach groaned. “We can go somewhere else, but I hate the fact that you’ll be out of the money for the tickets.”

  “Don’t worry. I didn’t pay for that boat.” Jasper took her hand in his and started down the dock. “I paid for this one.” They stopped in front of an enormous vintage vessel. One that was waiting just for them.

  Jackie may not have left land yet, but she’d already been swept away.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jackie

  Ahead was something out of a fairytale. Jasper had rented a private yacht—one of the vintage boats built back in the late 1880s. A steward stood on the deck in front holding a tray with two glasses of champagne.

  “Jasper.” That’s all she could manage to say as he guided her onto the boat with a hand to her lower back, and they both took a glass. The boat was big enough to fit fifty or more people, but it was all for them. One table sat in the middle toward the front deck. The shiny gold silverware reflected the light from the candles atop the crisp white tablecloth. “This is too much.”

  “Nothing’s too much for you.” Jasper took her hand and led her to the front of the ship as the crew pushed off from the dock and started their cruise. “You see those flowers on the table?”

  “Purple roses. Yes. They were on the table the other night.”

  “The night I missed our date. I’m really sorry about that.”

  “You’re forgiven. You had a good excuse.” She turned toward the flowers again. “I’ve never seen such beautiful flowers before.”

  “Do you know what they stand for?” Maddy had told her, but she wanted to hear what he had to say.

  “Love at first sight.” Jasper touched the edge of his glass to hers and took a drink. “When I saw you last fall, I thought you were the most intriguing and beautiful woman I’d ever met, and I know a lot of smart and good-looking chicks. Madison, Valentina, Stephanie.”

  It was hard not to giggle, but she did. It was overwhelming. “Well, thank you. You’re not so bad yourself, but I hardly think it was love at first sight, since I turned you down and we hadn’t seen each other since.”

  “That’s true, but all winter long, things have been off for me. It’s like there’s been something missing in my life. Then you came along again, and I knew what it was.”

  “Me?” It was too good to believe, but he nodded yes. “Why me?”

  “Who knows?” He chuckled and glanced toward the water as a wooden-hulled boat passed by. “Do we ever really know what it is about a person that makes us love them or hate them? It’s just a feeling. One that starts as friendship and grows into a relationship. Something that goes on endlessly, just like the swirls of the jewelry I gave you.”

  “I never pegged you as such a romantic, but it just seems too early to be talking about love and forever when we haven’t known each other that long.” It may be too early, but he was again chipping away at her guarded heart with a jackhammer.

  “Not for me. In this family, relationships are for a lifetime. That’s why I’m being so up front with you. Dating outside the mob is frowned upon. We value loyalty and trust over everything. Wives and girlfriends hear things and see things that they shouldn’t; we have to know that they’re in it for the long haul. That’s why I did all of this.” Jasper touched the necklace around her neck and gestured toward the table that held the bouquet. “It’s symbolism, but it’s true. I wanted you to know ahead of time what you were getting into. I want to date you, be with you, make love with you, but this is a lifestyle and a lifetime. I want you to understand that this is real for me, and I’m not just messing around.”

  “Wow, and this is only our second date.” The whole thing was overwhelming. “Well, first actually, since we didn’t make the real first date.”

  “I believe in being honest and forthright.” A dazzling smile lit up his face. “You don’t have to decide anything right now, but I just wanted you to know where I stand.”

  All she could do was nod. What did a person say to that?

  “I know it’s a lot to take in, but I wanted you to know what you were getting into.” He took her hand and kissed the inside of her palm. Jasper did something to her that no man ever had before. He made her feel special, desired, and wanted.

  “Madison and Stephanie? Were they warned before also?” It all made her head spin. Dating was hard enough without thinking about the added complications of getting involved with the Caponelli family, but nothing bad had happened yet. Actually, things were great. She had a job she loved and made amazing new friends.

  “Yes, and Maddy fought it like crazy, from what I hear. She wanted nothing to do with Roman, but he changed her mind.”

  “Well, thank you for telling me.” It was true. Getting involved with a made man was something she’d never even considered doing, but as she slowly got to know the people she worked with, they were growing on her and had become her friends. This time, he kissed the top of her head. Funny how she’d never let a guy get this close in public, yet he could probably undress her on the deck of this ship and kiss every square inch without her telling him to stop.

  “Let’s sit down and eat.” He finished his drink just as the steward came to retrieve their empty glasses.

  The meal was wonderful. All her favorites: wedged salad with fresh Roquefort, followed by a main course of filet mignon and loaded baked potatoes. The cool lake air caused her to scoot her chair closer to the man by her side, and he draped his jacket over her bare shoulders. The wrap she brought was clearly for looks and not warmth. The jacket smelled like him, a light outdoorsy cologne and all man. She pulled it tighter and inhaled.

  Her resolve was waning. A girl would have nothing to complain about with this man. Well, except for the criminal activities. She had no clue of what he really did do, and frankly, right now, it was the last thing on her mind.

  “I can’t believe the amazing homes along this lake.” The stewards brought coffee and dessert as Jasper placed his hand on her knee. It was comforting and intoxicating all at once.

  “See that one over there?” He pointed toward a large home with a Mediterranean look to it.

  “Yes.”

  “That’s Roman a
nd Madison’s house. The one next to it belongs to Ryan and Valentina. Her father gave it to them for a wedding present.”

  “Wow. Nice gift.” Never would she have guessed at the wealth of the people she worked for. They all treated her like family, and they were so down to earth. “Does everyone in the family live on the lake?” She used air quotes for “family.”

  “No, Dominic and Stephanie live out in the country in a cabin. It’s on a lake but a smaller one. I live in an old restored home downtown, as does Arlo when he’s in town, only he has a condo. He’s been helping Madison’s family out with some things and goes back and forth. Some of the married guys have homes in town or just outside.”

  “It’s a nice town. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it here at first, after living in bigger cities all my life, but it’s growing on me.” But could she stay when everything was said and done?

  “It’s a great place to raise a family.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re already planning how many kids we’ll have.” She’d not felt this happy in years.

  “I love how you said ‘we,’ but no, just saying.” He winked and picked up his fork. A large piece of chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and strawberries for dessert completed their delicious meal.

  The first bite resulted in a moan of satisfaction. “This is wicked good.”

  “Someday, you’ll be moaning against me and saying the same thing.” Jasper pierced a berry with his fork and held it up for her to take a bite.

  “You’re better than chocolate cake? You must be very impressive in bed.” The guy was too much, but she wouldn’t mind finding out if he could back up that statement.

  “So I’ve been told.” His chest puffed out, but she just rolled her eyes. “But if you agree to be with me, it’ll only be you, forever. For infinity.”

  There it was again. That pact to be committed. It was like being hot and cold at the same time. Her head spun from sensory overload. Romantic setting, delicious food, gorgeous man, and welcome to the mafia. Forever.