CHAPTER 12: JET

IZZY’S POV,

I had no idea where Jasper was taking me, he didn't tell me the exact spot even when I asked him directly.

When he told me he was going to pick me up at 7 o'clock, in my head, I was expecting a fancy restaurant or maybe a fine dining experience in one of those places. The five-star restaurants where the waiters wore gloves and the plates cost more than my rent.

That was billionaire behavior, right?

But what he did was something else entirely, and I could have never even thought about it in my wildest dreams. Tyler had never done anything like that for me, and I was almost in tears when he showed me the surprise he had planned for us.

His black town car pulled up to a private airstrip. A goddamn airstrip. I was awestruck and couldn't even blink at the sight of his sleek, white jet waiting for us. Its steps were already lowered like it had been expecting me for hours.

I could feel my heart beating like a drum with every step I took forward.

“What is this?” I couldn't help but ask, turning to Jasper, who was in a pair of khakis and a white shirt that showed his pecs and strong torso.

Jasper was walking next to me like this was an everyday thing—nothing out of the ordinary—whereas I was freaking out. I had never been inside a private jet. I was afraid of being unprepared and doing something extremely embarrassing.

“Our ride for the night,” he said, holding out his hand for me to take.

I stared at him, trying to figure out if he was being serious about it. “You’re joking, right?”

He smirked. “Do I look like I’m joking, Elizabeth?”

No.

No, he didn’t.

He looked like a man who was completely in control of everything around him, and that sent a shiver down my spine. I hesitated before placing my hand in his, allowing him to take me wherever he wanted to.

It was more luxurious from inside. The cabin was nothing short of breathtaking—plush leather seats, dim golden lighting, and a bottle of champagne chilling in a silver bucket. Everything smelled expensive, like money and gold, and something else I couldn’t quite place—Jasper’s cologne, maybe.

A flight attendant, or whatever you call the women in a private jet who serve you, greeted us with a warm smile. She offered a tray of hors d'oeuvres, and Jasper took two glasses of champagne. He handed me one before settling into the seat beside me.

His free hand was around my shoulder as I relaxed, trying not to think about how much the things must have cost him.

“Where are we going?” I asked, bringing the glass to my lips. The taste of the champagne was known to me, even though I couldn't put the name. It was one of the few drinks I actually liked.

“You’ll see, love.”

Of course, he wasn’t going to tell me.

The plane took off smoothly, while I tried to act like it wasn't my first time at all, and I was totally used to flying in private jets with billionaires who also happened to be my ex-fiancé’s father. Totally normal behavior.

Jasper, on the other hand, was the embodiment of relaxation. He was sipping his drink, eyes half-closed, as he drew circles at the side of my breast. I wasn't sure if it was meant to arouse me or relax me.

“Calm down a little,” he murmured, noticing the way I was gripping my glass. “You look very tense.”

I forced a chuckle but gave it a sarcastic tone at the very end. “Oh, you know, I am just casually being flown away in a private jet without knowing where I’m going. No one should be tensed in such a situation, right?”

“Do you trust me?” He smirked, seeing how the question caught me off guard.

Did I?

My thoughts went back to Tyler and how I had trusted him blindly, never once questioning his intentions or judgment, and where had that gotten me? Heartbroken and humiliated. Jasper must have noticed the hesitation in my eyes because his smirk softened.

“I’m not him, Elizabeth,” he said, he was much quieter now than before. “I would never break your trust like he did.”

I swallowed hard, looking down at my lap because he sounded truthful. And that was the scariest part. I didn't want him to be genuine with me; I wanted him to be like Tyler so it wouldn't hurt when I told him the truth.

Jasper was a bigger playboy than his son because I haven't seen him twice with the same girl, yet, his confession didn't sound like something one would say to sleep with someone. And he did sleep with me, so there was no point in keeping me around. I was confused about his motives.

“I know,” I answered and leaned into his chest. He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer.

We watched a rom-com to pass the time, but the movie was more like background noise because we were talking the whole time. I always liked hearing stories of the places he had visited, and what made that place different from others.

He always had a nice take on things, be it the places, people, culture, etc.

We were halfway through the movie when I felt my phone buzz. Frowning, I picked up the phone from the table and checked. There was a text from an unknown number. My heart told me not to open it, but my brain felt it could be something important, so I opened the text.

Unknown: Can you get any cheaper, lady? Sleeping with an old man just for his money, how disgusting can you be?

I was frozen on my spot, my grip tightened around the phone. I looked at Jasper to see if he noticed and then back at my phone. Just as my attention was back on the screen, another message popped up.

Unknown: You think he actually cares about you? He’s just using you for your young body. You’re just a pawn in his game.

My stomach twisted. I glanced up at Jasper once again to check; however, this time, he was watching me carefully.

“Everything okay?” he asked, and I nodded my head in agreement.

I was a bit uncertain, not sure who sent those texts. I wanted to ignore it, but the fear found its way into my head. I turned towards Jasper again, looking into his eyes. He looked like he already knew something was wrong with me.

And suddenly, I wasn’t sure what to believe anymore.

“Elizabeth?! Are you okay?” he asked once again, and this time I decided to word it out instead of nodding my head.

“Yeah, I am... fine.”