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??”

to have your

an arm around Vivienne’s waist and said,

pinched Percival’s side in

was he

Seven kids?

have

eh? The more, the merrier.

that Vesper had silently

not only

stopped her. “Vivienne,

them, nodding. “Mr. Linklater’s skills

vigilant and trained. How could two grown men disappear without notice? The only explanation

see Vesper again, but it would be a

and the Frostfire Intelligence Agency

from his illness, Jasper soon fell asleep,

gust of wind by his ear. The next second, a disposable fork with

note. It

saw no one, not even the bodyguards, had noticed

have known about the silent intruder

But who could it be from? The same person who left a note in

causing a stir. He did not

the house and to keep a close eye on Vivienne without her noticing, Yuri

…

the Perez

good meal back there. Heard helpers at the Perez family can really

sipped his soup, saying, “This isn’t half bad, either. Eat

going to say anything?” Finnian complained, burning his tongue on

shrimp from his soup.

did not need to say much. With just one phrase, Finnian knew

in her chair, her mind

did not

pairs of shoes

we never mentioned where Grandpa’s bedroom was when Vesper and Finnian