A light at the end of the tunnel. Wasn't that what people who were in the brink of death witnessed? But I didn't see any light, ominous darkness had blotted out everything. Maybe I was going to hell. How fitting. How strange to feel so detached about it all.

People were always waxing poetic verses of how blindingly exquisite the devil was, and as I drifted in and out of consciousness, Jasper's beautiful face filled my vision. Maybe he was the devil.

But his eyes were wild and tortured as they looked at me. "Don't you leave me, Len. Not you. Not you." His voice rang with desperation.

I wanted to assure him, to comfort him, but I was cold, so, so cold. Jasper's touch was warm and I wanted more of it, but numbness was starting to spread in my limbs. I tried to keep my eyes open but that seemed such a humongous task.

The darkness didn't seem so threatening now as it enveloped me. It was like a siren's song, beckoning me to lose myself in it. I heard Jasper's voice, but he seemed so far away now.

"I won't let you go, Len. Not this time."

But he was already too late as the shadows swallowed my consciousness.

*

The faint smell of smoke touched my nostrils and I wondered if I was being roasted in hell.

My eyes snapped open, panic filling my throat as my vision blurred. I jerked upright then fell back again, gritting my teeth until the burning pain on my side, the nausea and the dizziness passed.

I was afraid to open my eyes again, but the crackling of fire and the woodsy smell of it, the soft patter of rain against the roof and windows made me frantic to know where I was.

"Len?"

Jasper. I opened my mouth to speak but found my voice was gone. Panic returned.

"Shh. You're safe here. I won't let anything hurt you." His deep voice and the warmth of his hand as it smoothed my hair back from my face soothed me. "Thirsty?"

The mention of thirst made me aware of how parched my throat was. I wanted to nod but was afraid if I moved my head the dizziness would come back.

"Easy. Here you go. Small sips. Good girl."

The simple act of drinking exhausted me and I realized I must have been asleep for days. My body felt weak and heavy. This was the worst hangover of my life.

"Sleep, my princess."

It was daylight when I woke up. I lay there for a few more moments, staring up at the gigantic wood beams in the ceiling as I let thoughts whirl in my head. I smelled smoke again and realized it was the burning logs in the fireplace. Slowly, I sat up, only experiencing a bit of dizziness.

Reaching for the glass of water on the nightstand, I took small sips of it and observed my surroundings. It was a small square cabin made of stone and wood. I could see the small kitchen right across the bed. There was no living room.

I struggled and held onto the wall for support but managed to stand up. I knew I must eat but my appetite hadn't returned yet.

Grabbing a coat from the peg, I put it on before stepping out of the cabin, determined to look for Jasper.

Even with the birds chirping, the sound of rushing water from a river, the occasional whistling of the wind, it felt so quiet. So peaceful. The sharp air smelled clean, pure. The sky so clear and blue and enormous.

I heard someone cutting wood at the back of the cabin and I wanted to go there, but I sat on the steps instead, feeling weak and exhausted. I leaned my head against the handrail, closing my eyes.

"You're up. Let's get you something to eat."

I opened my eyes and blinked as I stared at a shirtless Jasper, sweat gleaming on his muscular chest and arms, carrying a bundle of firewood.

All I heard him say was something to eat.

Yeah, I needed something to eat alright, I thought as I kept staring at him. I'd never seen him so scruffy and so... wild until this moment, with the backdrop of the woods behind him and him looking all sorts of sexy.

"Len?"

I swallowed. "Yeah." I cleared my throat. "Help me up."

He set the bundle on the ground and scooped me up in his arms. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've slept with the whole squad. Not that I know anything about that. But my side hurts."

"I'll change the bandages after you have some soup. Think you can handle that?"

I nodded. "Where are we?"

"In the mountains. Far away from civilization."

"Is this your cabin?"

A pause. "Yes."

"What am I doing here, Jasper?"

"Keeping you safe."

"I need to come back to the palace."

"No," he answered as he carefully laid me back on the bed.

A spark of anger kindled inside me. "You can't tell me what to do."

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath. "Don't argue with me," he said quietly.

"I have no energy to argue with you."

"Good."

I knew that deserved a damning reply from me but I wasn't lying when I told him I had no energy to argue. So I just watched quietly as he proceeded to the kitchen, turned the stove on, and in a couple of minutes, the smell of a hearty soup filled the small cabin. My stomach growled.

Carrying a bowl of soup, he pulled a ratty chair beside the bed, sat on it. "Open your mouth, Princess."

"There's something I haven't heard before," I muttered sarcastically.

He grinned. A crooked, smartass, drop-your-knickers-for-me grin.

"Open," he repeated, patiently holding up a spoonful of soup to my mouth. "Good?"

"Yeah. What is it?"

"Squirrel and a couple of worms and frogs for protein."

I choked.

"I'm kidding," he laughed softly, holding up another spoonful.

I glared at him then glanced suspiciously at the bowl.

"It's canned chicken soup," he assured me, raising his brows in challenge. "Open up."

Deciding to trust him, I let him feed me. When I couldn't take anymore, I lay back against the pillows.

"Why am I here, Jasper?"

He stood up, turning his back to me as he walked to the kitchen.

"I already told you. I'm keeping you safe."

"You can't keep me here," I tried again. "Did you kidnap me?"

He glared at me behind his shoulder. "What makes you think I kidnapped you?"

"How much ransom did you ask for me?"

He leaned against the counter, crossing his arms as his eyes narrowed at me. He remained silent.

"Where's my brother? Is he safe?"

He nodded. "He's being protected. Like you."

"What do you mean? What's happening? Who shot me?"

At the reminder of what happened, his stance visibly changed. "The man who shot you was working with the assassin who tried to shoot your brother at the party. He followed you." His face was blank again, his eyes emotionless. "Don't worry, he won't bother you anymore. Get some rest. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going? Jasper! Don't you turn your back on—"

But he was already out the door.

"Bloody hell!"

*

I twisted the key in the ignition. Nothing. The vehicle was f ucking dead. It didn't even sputter. When Jasper had disappeared in the trees, I gathered all my strength and looked for the car keys in the cabin, intending to escape and leave him here.

"What are you doing?"

I screamed in fright as Jasper materialized in the window.

"You scared the wits out of me!" I glared at him.

"Are you trying to escape?"

"No. I'm practicing my spells so I can Avada Kedavra you."

He ignored me. "Do you even know where we are?"

"In the pit of hell with Lucifer himself. That's where I am."

"Get out of the car, Princess."

"You can't tell me what to do," I snarled at him, my temper rising.

He opened the door. "You have two choices," he began, his voice hard as steel. "Step out of the vehicle and walk back to the cabin at your own will. Or," he raised a brow, mocking me. "I make the choice for you."

"Don't treat me like a child! You're not my dad."

"Certainly."

He pulled me out of the car, scooping me up in his arms. And just like that, the fire went out of me. I felt exhausted, depleted. And I had a suspicion my wound was bleeding again.

"Did you kill him?"

"I killed the man who shot you. You shouldn't have followed me," he said softly. "What were you thinking?"

I felt his warm breath on my skin, smell his earthy scent. Resting my face in the crook of his neck, I felt his steady pulse, and it comforted me.

"I wanted to know if the man who tried to shoot Liam was the man who murdered my dad." I waited a beat. "Was he?"

He remained silent.

"Did you kill my dad?"

It was a moment before he answered. "Do you think I killed him?"

No, I didn't think Jasper killed my dad, but I knew he knew something and that he was keeping it from me.

"Why do you answer my questions with questions?" When he didn't reply, I poked his chest. Hard. He didn't even flinch.

"No," he replied after a moment. "I didn't kill your dad."

"Who did? You know who did it, don't you?"

When he didn't respond, I continued angrily, "I'm going to escape. You can't keep me here. You can't expect me to follow your orders when you don't care to give me answers. I don't trust you, Jasper. Whatever the hell your real name is."

He placed me back in the bed, covering me with a blanket. When he straightened, his jaw was tight and his face was a blank mask.

"Caleb," he whispered.

"What?"

"My real name is Caleb."

My heart knocked loudly against my chest. "Caleb what?"

"Caleb Hawke."

I waited for him to speak, but he only leaned against the wall, his head lowered.

"You're American?" I knew this before he even answered. He dropped his fake British accent whenever we were in bed, when his defenses were down.

"Yes, but you know that already." He lifted his head, his eyes on me.

"Who are you? What are you?"

His hands turned into fists. I waited for him to explain but he didn't say anything more.

"What were you doing at the palace, Caleb Hawke?" I tried again.

"It's classified."

"Did you kill my dad?"

"I already answered that question. I'm not going to repeat myself."

"Did someone hire you?"

"It's classified."

I gritted my teeth. "Don't give me that bloody excuse! Tell me now or I'm leaving. I'll find a way and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"I can tie you up."

"Don't you dare!"

He angled his head, his eyes firing up. I knew he loved a challenge more than anything, and I knew he was debating whether he'd follow up on his threat. If he did, there was no way I could escape him. And we both knew it.

"I'll make a deal with you," he began, still looking at me. "Stay here for a few more weeks. I'll tell you everything you want to know. You have my word."

"Your word doesn't mean anything. You're a liar."

"Not always," he answered, his too-blue eyes boring into mine. "Not always."

Something was very wrong with me because I believed him.

"They'll find me by then. They're searching for me now."

His smile was sharp. "They won't find you."

"You don't know that."

"I do know. I'm very good," he said it matter-of-factly. There was no bragging in his tone, just stating a fact.

I knew he was telling the truth. I didn't realize how lethal Jasper was until I saw him shoot the man who tried to kill Liam between the eyes when we were on the roof.

"How do I know you're not here to kill me?"

"I will never hurt you."

An image of Jasper's face, wild and desperate as he tried to save me from dying, flitted in my mind.

Don't you leave me, Len. Not you. Not you.

Had he really said that? Or was I just hallucinating?

"If I wanted to kill you, I'd have done it by now. Why would I save your life? Why would I save your brother's? I'm not the bad guy, Princess."

I clamped my lips together, thinking.

"I have information about your dad."

My head jerked up. He knew he had my attention now. "Who killed my dad?"

"I'll tell you everything you want to know, but you have to give me your word that you'll stay put."

I shook my head. "Give me something now and I promise I won't try to leave."

Maybe.

He narrowed his eyes again and I wondered if he could read my mind. "There are very powerful men who want your family dead."

Icy fear raced up my spine. "Liam. My mum."

"They're both safe. You have my word on that too."

"I need to talk to them. I want to make sure they're safe."

"You can't. It's too dangerous. If you try to reach them now, I can assure you they will be found and killed by these men. And you too."

"I am the princess of England. My brother will be King as soon as he takes his oath—and he probably has already. England will protect me."

"These people are more powerful than the Royal Family."

"What could be more powerful than the Royal Family?"

"Don't be naïve, Princess."

He gave me a long, hard look. His blue eyes patient, deadly. But I knew more than anything that he would protect me.

"Fine." I took a deep breath. "I give you my word."

*

Two weeks passed by quickly. My body healed splendidly and so did my heart.

There were so many things in the city to distract me, drowning out my thoughts, but here in the mountains, there was nothing to stop them.

I had time to reflect. My body's cravings for alcohol and drugs had lessened considerably, and because of that, thoughts and old feelings I had buried so deeply began to bombard me.

I found myself crying every night. When before nothing made me cry, now everything did. It felt good to my soul.

Jasper let me be. He seemed to know when I needed him and when I wanted to be alone. Everyone else pampered me, gave me everything I wanted even without me asking, but Jasper made me work for it. And I discovered that I loved that.

Because there was nothing to do, we spent a lot of time together. The only time we didn't was when he disappeared during the afternoons to do a perimeter check to make sure that we were still safe.

I was just coming back from one of my I-want-to-find-my-soul walks, pulling my coat tighter around me as the cold wind struck, when I spotted Jasper standing on a stepladder on the side of the cabin, hammering at something.

There was something so mesmerizing about a long, lean male doing manual labor. Especially when he was shirtless, with sweat gleaming on his back and arms where muscles rippled and hardened at his movements. His blond hair had grown, curling at the ends where it touched his nape. He hadn't shaved, looking rugged and all kinds of sexy, like a pirate ready to plunder. There was a tool belt around his hips.

I felt thirsty just looking at him.

The last time I slept with him was the night when he had comforted me after a huge fight with my mum when she accused me of setting her up. It felt so long ago. The next morning Jasper had told me that nothing had changed between us. That it was all sex. But every time I caught him looking at me, the way his eyes touched me, with hunger, yes, but also with longing, told me differently.

This past week, I had teased him mercilessly as I strutted in the cabin in only my underwear and his shirt. I knew he wanted me, I could feel it every time he looked at me, but he never reached out. Maybe it was time that I did.

"Aren't you cold?"

He glanced at me with no surprise, as if he knew I was watching him all along. He probably did. He climbed down the ladder then, angling his head, his too-blue eyes gave me a long, heated look. "Why?" he asked quietly, his lips pulling up into a crooked smile. "Are you going to warm me up?"

My skin prickled, my breathing picked up. Need and longing thickened the air so that it swirled around us, creating a cocoon of desire.

"Maybe," I countered. Before stepping inside the cabin, I threw him a challenge. "If you're a good boy."

I bit my lip as I heard him come in, his steps light and quiet. I took off my coat, stood in front of the window and pretended to look outside when I felt him behind me. The warmth emanating from his body touched me first before I felt the tips of his fingers lightly stroke my arms.

My breath hitched as I felt his in my ear, his voice low and tempting as he murmured, "Why don't I prove it to you?"

I closed my eyes, fighting a delicious shiver as his lips traced the line of my neck.

"Why don't you?" I whispered, and gasped as he grabbed my arms and spun me around.

His mouth was hungry and demanding as it met mine, hands tormenting as they molded, teased, squeezed. Cupping my ass, he boosted me up so that I sat on the windowsill, my legs caging his hips. His hands stroked my thighs as he pulled his mouth away from mine, leaned his forehead against mine.

"Tell me what you want, baby," he murmured.

"Jasper... I want you."

I knew that wasn't his real name. But to me he was Jasper. He would always be Jasper.

He gripped my wrists and pulled them over my head.

"I'll take care of you," he promised.

And he did. He really did.

*

It was like a bowl of glitter was flung in the ebony sky and chased away the darkness that wrapped around the hills. The night air was cool, but I didn't mind it. Not tonight.

Content, I stretched out on the ground, gazing at the stars.

"Come lie down with me," I called out to Jasper as I saw him come out of the cabin.

"You're naked," he said, his tone amused.

"So? Want to take advantage of me?"

"Always."

I sat up, taking the cup of tea he offered. I took a sip, smiled at him. "Thanks."

"Can't sleep?" he asked, sitting beside me.

"No. It's too beautiful a night to waste it."

He had brought a blanket and was now wrapping it on my shoulders.

I grinned at him. "Why, Jasper, are you being sweet on me? I must have really blown your head off in that bed," I teased. "Or the floor. Or the kitchen table. In the bathroom."

After the marathon we did, I knew he would always remember me every time he came back to this cabin. Brilliant. "Wanna have another go?"

He just grinned back at me, but didn't say anything.

I had never been comfortable with silence. Before Jasper, silence was louder than any blaring sound. Silence was my enemy, but not here. Not anymore.

"You've changed," he said quietly, his too-blue eyes studying my face.

"You reckon?"

He nodded, leaning against the tree. He pulled one leg up, resting his elbow on it as he continued to look at me. "You were like a cat with too many dots to play with back at the palace. Too many eyes watching you, too many hands pulling you in different directions. It confused you."

Tears threatened to close my throat, but I swallowed them down. He was right, I realized. Somehow he knew me better than anyone. Better than I knew myself sometimes.

I took another sip, cleared my throat. "Tell me something about yourself."

"The less you know about me, Princess, the better."

Every time I wanted to get to know him, he always threw this shield around him. It hurt. I knew it shouldn't, but it did.

"For me? Or for you?" I snapped.

He frowned. "For you."

"Really?" Gritting my teeth, I rose, wrapped the blanket tighter around me. I sneered down at him. "Because it's all just about sex, isn't it? That's what you said. Just sex. Nothing's changed between us. I'm nothing to you."

Angry tears threatened to spill as I glared down at him. I'd be damned to hell before I let him see them. Before I could even turn away, he was on his feet quickly, wrapping his arms around me.

"Len."

"Let go."

"I can't," he answered. He sounded like he was in pain. "You should know. How can you not know?"

I continued to fight him, hitting, pulling, pushing him away. He only held me tighter.

"I'm not good with words," he continued, his voice rough. "I've never been. All I can give you is a promise that I will protect you no matter what."

Now the tears fell, my anger vanishing at his words and the tender way he held me against him. I burrowed my face against his chest, seeking his warmth now.

He held my arms, pulling me away from him so he could hold my face in his hands, his thumbs wiping away my tears. "I would die protecting you," he vowed. The intense sincerity in his eyes dug in my heart. "That's all I can give you. That's all I have."

I took a deep breath, offered him a smile. "I'll take it," I said softly. "For now."

Because when it came to Jasper, I always needed more.

*

It's been more than two weeks since we arrived at the cabin. Peace and quiet were needed for the soul, but if I didn't see another soul other than Jasper's, I swear I'd go bonkers and start seeing imaginary ones.

I loved the country, but I was a city girl. Besides, I needed something to eat other than canned soup and crackers. I needed steak, a real honest to goodness steak. And wine. And chocolate. I needed bloody chocolate. And because I knew I wouldn't get any of those, I snarled and fought with Jasper just to fight the cravings and boredom.

He was in front of the sink washing the dishes and I was beside him on the counter trying to open a can of clam chowder soup. I glared at the opened can, dumping it with force in a bowl. I cursed at it, thinking of how much I hated the glob of—

"Don't bother throwing it again. You're just going to have to clean it up," Jasper muttered.

My eyes snapped to his. "Don't tell me what to do." I really hated it when he did.

He shrugged. "Or what?"

I narrowed my eyes, frustrated, itchy, bored as hell, I chucked the bowl of soup at him. Agile and quick to respond, he ducked. The bowl hit a stack of pots and pans. I winced as everything crashed on the floor noisily.

My eyes automatically fell on the floor and widened in shock at the sight of a Snickers bar lying among the cookware.

"Oh. I forgot I put it there," Jasper said so casually.

My eyes snapped to his and for a moment we both froze as we stared at each other. When I saw him move, I lunged for the chocolate bar on the floor at the same time that he did.

"No!" I screamed and snarled, tugging it away from his hands. "It's mine!"

"How's so?"

He shook me off, cradling the chocolate bar in his large dumb hands like it came out of him. I was panting; he wasn't even winded. Not even a bit.

"Jasper, you fat cow. I'll give you a blowjob tonight if you give me that chocolate."

Wide-eyed, I stared as he started to unwrap it. My mouth watered.

"Even if I didn't give it to you, you'd give me a blowjob anyway."

I knew he wasn't cruel enough to eat the whole thing. I waited, hoping he'd cut it in half and give me my share.

But he didn't.

I watched in horrified shock as he swallowed all of it. The whole chocolate bar. Every bloody bit of it.

Furious, I roared and attacked. I would pound his face and stomach until he regurgitated that whole chocolate bar.

He was laughing, blocking my kicks and punches when we heard the door open. I froze, my heart leaping to my throat.

The door opened and a man in a dark coat and hat stepped in. When he removed his hat, I fell on my knees.

"Hello, my princess."

Tears started to pour down my face.

"D-Dad?"
*

Please don't forget to vote and comment! Love, Isabelle