The music was pure in its simplicity. Seductive in its tone. His voice was quiet but seemed to suffuse the air around him until every human within its hearing was held in thrall. Even Malachi was entranced.

Ava stopped in the shade of a spreading oak, watching her father. And he was, undoubtedly, her father. She’d said she looked like her mother—and she did—but there was a quality of expression she shared with Reed. So much that Malachi wondered how anyone could have been ignorant of her parentage. Her face was yearning. Her power flared.

And was answered when the music stopped and her father turned toward her.

A crooked smile. “Ava? Baby girl, what are you doing here?”

Then Reed’s eyes fell on Malachi, and the scribe knew without a doubt where his mate’s power had come from.

Talented musician. Wasted drug addict. Delinquent father. Jasper Reed might have been many things.

But he wasn’t human.

Chapter Four

“HEY, JASPER.”

Her father put his guitar down and held out his arms. “Come here! What are you doing here, Ava?”

She could lie to herself all she wanted, but when Jasper opened his arms, the little girl in Ava leaped with joy. The girl who’d never belonged stepped forward and embraced the man who had fathered her.

“Came to say hi.”

“Why didn’t you call?”

His arms were warm, and he smelled like sunshine and coffee and soap. He’d probably smell like cigarette smoke soon enough, but in that moment, she took a deep breath and enjoyed the feeling of his stubbled cheek against hers.

“Wanted to surprise you.”

Jasper wasn’t stupid. He pulled back and raised an eyebrow. “Since when?”

“Since Luis was being closemouthed about where you were. Why weren’t you answering my e-mails?”

He scratched his cheek, the dark stubble hinting at some Mediterranean heritage he’d never confirmed. He didn’t know much about his family, he’d always told her. But was it the truth? Or did he just not want to share?

“No Internet up here, baby girl. And I’m not sure where that phone is.” He looked around, and Ava could see his eyes were bloodshot. Hard nights. He’d been having hard nights. She was surprised he was up and playing early with eyes like that.

Jasper had called her “baby girl” as long as she could remember. When Ava was a child, it had seemed a sweet endearment from a man she thought of as an uncle. It was only later, when she’d learned he was her biological father, that it had become the poignant reminder of how much he’d missed by being absent for so much of her life.

He’d stayed as close to her as Lena would allow and often crashed at their house in LA when she was growing up. It was to her stepfather’s credit that the man hardly batted an eye. Then again, when it came to running the house, what Lena Matheson said was law. And she never gave Carl any reason to doubt that Jasper and Lena’s romantic relationship was firmly in the past.

She patted his cheek. “You gotta keep your phone on, Jasper.”

He winked at her and pulled out the pack of cigarettes he kept in his pocket. “But then everyone would call me. Maybe I need to get a phone only you have the number to.”

“Might not be a bad idea,” Malachi said behind her.

She turned to see Malachi watching them with wary eyes. She stood up and held out a hand for his.

“Jasper, this is Malachi. He’s not a bodyguard.”

“He’s not? You brought your guy to meet me, Ava?” Her father looked strangely touched. “Really?”

“Yeah.” She knit her hands with Malachi’s, but his fingers were tense. Odd. Maybe he was worried. “Malachi’s my—”

“Fiancé,” he said. “Ava and I are getting married.”

She turned to him and mouthed, We are?

He shrugged and turned his eyes back to her father.

“Damn, Ava.” Jasper blinked, and Ava saw his eyes were wet. “Really? You’re getting married? Your mom didn’t tell me.”

“We just decided a little while ago.” Ava decided to go with it. It was probably the easiest way for her mom and Jasper to understand what role Malachi would play in her life. She didn’t care about getting married, but her mom would. “Mom doesn’t know yet.”

Jasper cackled. “You better tell her. She’ll be pissed if you don’t. I’ll wait to call her. Malachi, huh?” He stood and offered a hand. “Nice to meet you, man. Cool name.”

“Thank you.” Malachi shook his hand. “Nice to meet you too. Ava has spoken of you.”

“I’d say it’s all lies, but she’s too honest, so I’ll just offer a general apology for all past behavior.” He sat down and looked around the garden. “Where’d they go?”

Ava thought he looked pretty good for being on a bender. But then, there was a reason she’d chosen to visit in the morning.

“Jasper, I wanted to ask—”

“Sit down!” He waved to the chairs across from him and craned his neck toward the house. “Sit. Those girls were just here. Gotta get you guys some coffee. Where’d you two meet? Malachi, you drink coffee?”

Ava sat. “We met in Istanbul. I was there on a job and Malachi—”

“You’re Turkish, man?” Jasper drew on the cigarette again and nodded. “I can see it. Cool. Yeah. So what do you do, Malachi-with-the-cool-name?”

Ava barely caught the edge of suspicion in Jasper’s eyes. It was odd for him to be protective, but then, she’d never brought a boyfriend to meet him. Never really had a boyfriend stick around long enough to matter.

“I’m in private security,” Malachi said smoothly. It was a practiced lie; he’d implied the same thing to her when they first met. She supposed, in a way, it was true.

“Fuck,” Jasper said with a snort. “I thought you said he wasn’t a bodyguard, Ava?”

“Maybe I should have said he wasn’t just a bodyguard.”

Jasper laughed.

“Hey, they’re the only guys who ever stick around,” she said wryly.

“Carl didn’t hire him, did he?”

“No.”

“Good. All the guys Carl ever hired had a stick up their ass. Of course, Carl does too. So that’s not really a surprise.”

“Jasper…”

“Kidding. Kinda.” He grinned at Malachi, who still sat silently, his expression a careful blank.

Malachi said, “I work for a private international firm based in Vienna. But I take my own assignments.”

“So Ava’s your assignment now?” Jasper’s eyes were keen on Malachi.

“Yes.”

“Good. Too many sick fuckers in the world.” He lit another cigarette and looked toward the kitchen where one of the maids was bringing out another French press filled with coffee and two more cups. “Ah, there she is. And Ava, I never liked you hoppin’ around all over the place.”

“Yeah, you’re one to talk.”

“I speak from experience.” He nodded toward Malachi. “I guess if you’re gonna do it, good you have someone with you.”

“Thanks. Jasper—”

“Hey.” He interrupted her again while he waved the maid away and poured the coffee. “I wanted to talk to you about the Malibu house.”

“You mean your house?”

“No. It’s your house. It’s been in your name for over a year now.”

“Jasper, I already have—”

“Move your stuff from Lena’s place. Live there when you’re in LA. You can consider it my wedding present, if you want. But you need your own base, baby girl. Not a crash pad.”

He refused to meet her eyes. It was an old argument, and one Ava didn’t feel like having again. Jasper had already given her too much. The trust fund alone was in the multimillions. He had more money than God and was constantly trying to give her things. Cars. Jewelry. Houses. She didn’t want that stuff. Didn’t need it.

“I don’t need a big house. I can stay with Mom when I’m in California.”

He gave her his worried look. “This place—have you even been there?”