EPOV

Jasper sat in the interview room with Senior Special Agent Charlie Swan, a seasoned veteran who was gruff, but yet had a reputation for drawing out details with his quiet, solid approach.

Emmett and I watched via monitor from another part of the building. The local branch was concerned that I would be a disruption to Jasper's debriefing.

"That fucker!" I growled as Jazz recounted how he'd fought with Jake and how he'd been drugged.

Emmett made sympathetic sound. I got up and paced the room, fury running through me as Jasper continued. If the man wasn't already dead, he'd be dead now. I stopped short when Jazz mentioned Black's reasons for helping Maria. Emmett called Sam as soon as Jazz made a plea for watching over the Black family. I rubbed my chest at the lurch Jasper's compassion brought.

I tensed as he described what happened with Jose Louis' men appeared. Jesus, my baby was damn lucky to be alive. Knowing that Jake had a part in his being alive eased some of the anger that was burning a hole in my gut.

I sat back down as I watched Jasper relive leaving in the SUV, shaken from his near death experience, Jake's death, and the residual effects from the tranquilizer. I pursed my lips when he recounted the confusion of his location. Even though I knew he came out of this fine, a sense of dread settled on me as I pictured him walking, exhausted and dehydrated, barely on his feet, when the motorcycle gang stopped.

"I knew I wouldn't last long in a fight but I wasn't going down without on. A few of them were looking at me weird, so I pulled my knife out of my boot and backed up. Some looked surprised and a few chuckled. One of them asked what I was doing out in the middle of nowhere. I told them I was on the run from MS7. That was enough for them to offer me a ride. I was able to earn their respect and remain with them."

I knew enough about motorcycle gangs to know that earning respect involved violence or crime or both. Swan didn't pursue this line of questioning, but I knew Jasper was glossing over something.

I asked him about it later, and he gave a one shoulder shrug. "There was a guy who was interested in me and I told him I was taken."

This triggered my instincts even more, but Jasper clammed up, after saying he could take care of himself. Not able to leave it alone, I did some digging, and uncovered a bar fight in which one of the motorcycle gang members sustained a broken nose and other injuries. The police only had a vague description of the other person, who'd left before they arrived but I knew it'd been Jasper. My baby had kicked the shit out of a man who out weighed him by at least 60 lbs. I felt guilty for going behind his back to find this out, but it allowed me to stop imagining what he'd gone through.

Emmett shipped my few belongings out, and Jasper made me feel like his home was also mine. He even set up another desk in his spacious den where we often worked near each other on our very different work.

It was an interesting time, and I screwed up, often. I didn't have any relationship experience and was still worried about Jasper's safety. He called me on my shit. He had the patience of a saint. Once I asked him in frustration at myself, "Why do you put up with me?" Partly afraid that he'd reach his limit and kick me out.

He looked at me directly and said with conviction, "Because I love you."

So I tried to learn from my mistakes, figured that apologizing wasn't that hard because I meant it, and discovered that make up sex is phenomenal.

Things got easier after the last remaining hit orders on Jasper were called off. A week after Maria and Jose Luis were arrested, there was a coup and their father was murdered. The new leader cancelled all outstanding hits.

Even though we were living together, we went through the new relationship stuff that we'd missed while on the run. We learned about each other's interests and quirks. Jasper threw himself into his work and sometimes forgot to eat, so I hired a cook to make sure he was eating right. I learned that giving him good massage helped him when he hit a creative roadblock. Like many Texans, Jasper loved football. While he got me into the game, I got him into baseball. He tried to teach me to ride a horse, which after time I was able to pick up. Being a city guy, it took me a long time to trust horses, even the gentle ones. I ate Mexican food I'd never heard of before, and Jasper discovered that true Chicago style pizza was the shit. We played chess, and I taught him how to swear in Irish. I learned just how crazy limber he was, and how fun that was.

.After about a month of living together, I came home with the papers officially making me, Edward Masen again.

"Jazz? Baby, where are you? Got great news!" I hollered as I wandered through our house.

"Up here, Darlin.'" Jesus, his accent was so hot.

I found him in our bedroom, stretched out naked on the bed with only a cowboy hat on. His hands were tucked behind his head, his hat tipped low. His ankles crossed in a casual pose. My dick swelled at the sight.

"You mentioned news?" he drawled softly, as I hungrily stared at his beautiful, body – lean yet firm muscles that had me begging to touch.

"Huh, oh right." I held up the papers. "I'm officially Edward Masen now."

"Well now, Edward, how about you come over here and let me give you a proper Texas welcome."

He stood and walked over in slow, sexy way, yet made quick work of stripping off my clothes; that take-charge Jasper back in force. I let him push me down on the bed and waited to see what my baby wanted. My trust in him had only grown stronger in our time together.

"So Cowboy, how come you're wearing your hat?" I teased shakily as he sucked on my dick.

He released me with a "pop" and smiled up at me. "Well, I felt like going for a ride."

I bit back a groan and said, "Yeah?"

"Yes, in fact I was thinking about going bareback riding."

His eyes twinkled with laughter at my stunned expression. Bareback meant long term, serious commitment. I was all for it, but I didn't want Jazz to feel rushed.

"Baby, are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

He went back to sucking me, and I pushed my fingers into his hair. God, I loved his golden, soft hair.

He backed off and got himself ready. I was hard as hell watching his fingers move in and out of his ass.

"Jazz," I broke out. Christ, he slayed me.

He straddled my hips and slowly impaled himself on my dick. I bit my lip. Shit, so tight and hot. I could feel every bit of him. Bare. Fuck, my brain was overloading.

I let him control the tempo for awhile but then grasped his hips and thrust up, hitting his prostate. He yelled out as I continued to pump up into him.

His ass clenched around me milking my cock as he came with a shout. For the first time ever, my seed shot hot into Jasper's channel, and I moaned out in the primal satisfaction it gave me.

Later, when we caught our breath, I stroked his hair. "Jazz, that was fucking amazing. I've never felt anything like it."

He sighed happily, "Mmmhhhmmm, so good. I could feel all of you."

"Love you, Jazz."

"Love you too, Edward."

Christmas, One Year Later

Jazz opened the large box next. "Holy shit, this is awesome. Shaun White would weep if he saw this beauty."

Grinning at his enthusiasm over his new snowboard I said, "Well he did sound a little broken up when he told me it was one of his favorite custom designs."

He looked up at me in amazement, "You talked to Shaun White. THE Shaun White? This is his design?"

"Yep, I did some work for him, so he was very happy to help design a board for you. In fact, you have a standing invitation to go boarding with him."

I grinned at the dumbstruck look on my baby's face. I continued as I handed him another present, "I thought we'd go somewhere to break in your board."

He opened the small envelope, "Tickets to Vermont."

He looked up at me with a hopeful look as I met his eyes and paused briefly before asking the most important question of my life, "Jasper, will you marry me?"

Even knowing Jazz was never predictable, I wasn't quite expecting the war whoop and being tackled, but I loved every minute of it.

"Yes! Yes! Love you, darlin'," he said against my lips.

I told him I loved him in both English and Irish and rambled on for awhile about my feelings. Jesus, I could really be mushy at times.

He put his finger to my lips, "Edward, I have a great idea."

Jasper always had good ideas.

"Let's go upstairs and celebrate."

Yep, the man was a genius, and he was all mine.

I must have said some of that out loud because Jazz chuckled, "Oh, yeah, Sugar. I'm all yours. Now let's go upstairs."

The loud pounding on the door knocked me out of my memories, and I focused on finishing knotting my tie as Emmett yelled through the door. "Edward, hurry up. We've got exactly 15 minutes before Rose has to pee again."

I heard a loud smack and a muffled exclamation as Emmett's pregnant wife took him to task.

I chuckled, "Be right there!"

I joined Emmett, Rose, and Jasper's father. Emmett, while looking handsome in a tux, was digging at his collar like it was strangling him. Rose looked coolly elegant in a white suit dress, despite her large baby bump. Jasper's dad looked distinguished in his tux, black Stetson and bolo tie.

Also attending were Sam and his new wife, Rebecca both looking beautiful with their wedding finery. Not only had Sam made sure Black's family was safe, he'd unexpectedly fallen in love with one of Jake's older sisters. I smiled at how well things had worked out for them.

Jasper entered leading Brandon gallantly on his arm. They made quite picture. Her tiny, pale and pretty, with wispy black hair whose white dress made her look like an angel to his tall, blond good looks encased in a dashing tux. His eyes locked on me as he gently guided his friend over to the others. He kissed her cheek and hugged his father before coming to stand by me.

My throat tight with love, I gave him a half smile. "Ready?"

"Never more than anything in my life."

As I clasped his hand to turn to the man presiding over our wedding, I hear a faint rustle from the doorway and turned. Standing there, in a lovely dress and large hat was Esme. I gave her a big smile in surprise as she gave a small wave and joined the others. I hadn't known if she was going to be able to attend.

My heart constricted as a warm wave hit me. I realized that I finally had what I'd always desired but had never voiced, even to myself. I had a family.

I turned back to my lover, my best friend, and my partner, and I saw that he felt it too. I mouthed "I love you" as the ceremony began.

He squeezed my hand, and his brown eyes shined the promise of a lifetime.

Thank you all for reading my story! I've really enjoyed writing about these two and will miss them.