The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Everyone gathered around Jasper, but he reached for Vivienne with a steady hand.

“Vivienne, you okay there?”

Vivienne shifted her gaze from Vesper and replied softly, “Yeah, a bit shaken up.”

Jasper hummed in response, gently patting Vivienne’s hand. “I’m gonna be fine. Gotta take you back home to watch Natalia and Yasmine grow up and wait for Sasha to return. I won’t break my promise.”

Then, spotting Percival, he added with a smile, “And to see our Vivienne get married and have kids, right?”

Vivienne blushed slightly. “How about I check in on you every month, say on the ninth?”

Although Vivienne still had questions about what was really going on inside Jasper, she knew now was not the time to ask. He was weak and did not need the stress of an interrogation.

“Sounds good to me,” Jasper chuckled, his eyes catching Vesper standing a little ways off. The more he looked, the more he liked the young man. “Young sir, you do resemble my boys strikingly.”

Vesper looked up, a complicated expression in his eyes, but he managed a small smile. “Really? Then I suppose I’m quite the looker.”

Jasper laughed heartily. “You sure are, lad, a spitting image of my younger self.”

Yuri teased, “Dad, fishing for compliments now?”

“I’ve always been handsome.” Jasper stood up, still holding Vivienne’s hand. “Vivienne’s kids are gonna be stunners, no doubt.”

“Dad, how many kids do you want Vivienne to have?” Zelda asked.

Jasper thought momentarily, then said, “Hey, Percival, how many do you want?”

Caught off-guard by the sudden question, Percival cleared his throat and said, “That’s up to Vivienne.”

“You just stay out of the fray and take care of yourself. Can’t have any repeats of last time,” Jasper advised more seriously.

Percival nodded in agreement, feeling no discomfort.

Vivienne turned to Vesper. “How many kids do you have at the Linklater family??”

have your hands full. Better take care of yourself,

arm around Vivienne’s waist and said, “Alright, then we’ll have

pinched Percival’s

was he even

Seven kids?

would have enough for

the merrier. It’s a

that Vesper had silently disappeared from the

happened, not only was Vesper gone, but Finnian

go after them, but Percival stopped her. “Vivienne, let it be.

them, nodding. “Mr. Linklater’s skills

How could two grown men disappear without notice? The only

see Vesper again, but it would be

mobilize the Nine Mystics Society and the Frostfire Intelligence Agency

fell asleep, and Vivienne and Percival left the Perez

by his ear. The next second, a disposable

note. It

around but saw no one, not even the

about the silent intruder if he had

a warning, not a threat. But who could it be from? The same

pocketed the note without causing a stir. He did not

guards to increase their numbers around the house and to keep a close eye on Vivienne without her noticing, Yuri left them to their

…

mile away from the Perez Mansion,

fork and sighed over his plate. “Missed a good meal back there. Heard helpers at

soup, saying, “This isn’t

complained, burning his tongue on

the shrimp from his soup.

With just one

lounging back in her chair, her mind racing through

did not add

pairs of shoes Vesper brought or

“Mr. Wolf, we never mentioned where Grandpa’s bedroom was when Vesper and Finnian arrived, did we?”Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated