CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: CRIME

There are few things we should keenly desire if we really knew what we wanted.

When Jasper said his family might be late to the airport but to come on time just in case he does make it there, I really did expect the rich people who own jets and private islands to know how to manage time better than be two hours late.

However, I was wrong.

But since I'm all too used to being alone, this didn't bother me.

So I pulled out a pen out of my backpack- -which just has my laptop and chargers in it but I didn't take out some of my school stuff- -and started to doddle all over a sketchbook about different cakes, which for some reason, turned into a full page sketch of a dragon?

I'm not sure why that's what my subconscious made.

Whatever.

All I'm concerned about is my music, which is coming out of my earbuds.

I've been alone for two hours, so eventually I felt alone enough to even start singing, and since I'm listening to 'Sofia' and to me, it's a bop.

"Know that you and I, shouldn't feel like a crime." Smudging the scales a bit, I hum for a small moment. "You know I'll do anything you ask me to but oh my god, I think I'm in love with you."

Raising my knee to get a more stable spot, I'm only half aware of my head bobbing along with my words.

"Standing here alone, think that we can drive around. I just wanna say how I love you..." I hum more, frustrating myself as I realize how out of practice I am. "I think we could do it if we tried, if only to say mine. S-"

I'm actually startled as I notice the giant figure in front of me, making me jump and drop the notebook and my pen right at his feet.

Fuck me, did he hear that?

"Um, I was just..." Jasper sheepishly smiles. "Hi?"

"Hey," I mumble in reply, eyes dropping. "Did you...hear all that?"

Jasper hesitates, eyes widening and I know instantly he feels pressured.

"Jasper, never mind the singing." So I just stand, giving him a hug before raising on my toes for a small kiss. Glancing back at the massive group of people, I raise an eyebrow. "Are you going to introduce me to everyone?"

"Uh..." He follows my line of sight. "I don't know, that's a lot of people."

His mom scolds him as I shove his shoulder, laughing at the dork who flushes cutely under my gaze.

"Okay, okay." My boyfriend wraps his arms around me, hands running over my arms before lightly holding my elbows, facing me towards his family.

"Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Cas Rex." I nod in greeting, holding my arms tighter to myself. "Get into family groups please -Axel you are not a Coppe, get outta there!"

Holy shit.

How many people is he related to?

There's about thirty five- -I counted- -people here.

What the fuck.

I know I'm one to talk, since I have seven siblings myself, but my family's not this big.

"Alright, so we have my family, the Reds, who you all met," The musician explains, stepping away from me to grab my backpack, hands coming back to my sides a moment later. "These are the Riddles-"

I'm introduced to Lawrence, Elijah, Lavender and Cara -who I'm surprised to see, because, well, this is Scarlette's- -Fly's girlfriend's- -family.

This isn't something I mention, as knowing Fly, he's the reason Scar's late but will be here to explain everything too.

Next, he introduces me to the Astoria's, his Tio Obsidian and Azirel, who has a daughter named Catalina and a nine year old son Zephyr -who asked Jasper to sit on his shoulders, and the giant let him.

Then came the Coppe's, who he said was his Papa's side of the family, with his Tia Gwen and her husband Astraeus, with their three kids Sidra, Amiro, and Anemoia.

This family liked...original names.

A lot of them were very tan, the D'Silvetta's were mixed as were the Astoria's and only his Aunt Lilith- -who had twins named Karma and Azalea- -was clearly European but she still had a very olive complexion.

It was odd to be the only very white guy there.

Zephyr and Anemoia climbed onto Jasper, giggling and making him grin as he pulled the boy up to sit on his shoulders while keeping the little girl resting on one hip.

He was absolutely fucking adorable when handling the children.

And I didn't expect my heart to ache at the sight.

"And now," Jasper motions to where his Tio Gus was trying to pull something from Axel's hands and his wife, a black woman who looked fed up with life, was pinching the bridge of her nose. "For the other D'Silvetta's you haven't met."

"Joy."

My sarcasm gets a few snickers from those around me, even from Vivianna, but her mother just rolls her eyes.

"Okay so you met my Tio Gus, Viv, and Axel. Also Nyx's butterfly Damien." With how calm the guy is, I forget he's related to these weirdos. "But you haven't met my Auntie Fen, Atticus or Viv's twin, Payton."

Wait what?

"Twin?"

She has a what now? There's two of that weirdo and I didn't know? What has the world come to.

"Yep," A girl, who looked startlingly like Vivianna, rocked on her heels with a whistle in her voice. "You could at least warn him I'm a little wackier, Daddy."

Hold on -is she talking to my boyfriend?

What is with these D'Silvetta's and my man...

"Whatever," The musician did a spin to make the children clinging to him squeal. It was super cute and -fuck. I can't get caught up with this idea. "Okay guys, Scar is gonna be here any second so you gotta get down."

They pout, whining, "Aw, but JJ-"

"No arguing, Moia," My boyfriend's voice is full of the soft sternness his dad has and it makes my ears flush red. "Later you can get all the hugs you want and even show me some of your drawings, your mom told me you made some really cool ones. But you can't right now, 'cause you know Scar likes to tackle me and Payton always joins in."

Payton, from somewhere behind the Coppe's, shouts, "Because that asshole Riddle is trying to steal my daddy!"

And it makes me frown.

Frown until I notice Jasper smiling at me, which makes me smile back. This was all a little...overwhelming. But I'm actually really happy I got to meet his family.

"So that's everyone." He says. "I think you'll like Scar whenever she gets here, she's a grump too."

It was almost amusing how true that statement was without him even knowing.

Especially considering Scarlette was standing behind him, smirking in the wild way she does as she snaps out, "The fuck you saying about me?"

Nothing I didn't already know.

Jasper spins on his heel just in time to catch her as she hugs him, "Woah!" He laughs out, hugging her back. "Scarlette, you're here!"

"Hey, Papi," Scarlette says. "Miss me?"

"Of course," The musician says, catching Payton as she hugs him too. "What's been up with you, babe?"

My annoyance grew immensely as he called her that, and honestly, I know I'm a jealous person, but I also know who Scarlette is and that Payton is a D'Silvetta. So I just have to remind myself to ignore it.

"A bother?" Scar scoffs at something her cousin said. "I'm delightful."

"More light you're a b-"

Before they could finish insulting one another, Jasper drops them on their asses and asks if they're done, to which they grumpily nod at. "Get up, Scar, I want you to meet my butterfly.

Don't think 'meet' is the right word.

Scar perks up, eyes scanning over the space, but I guess since she knows me and doesn't comprehend me as a new person, she misses that I shouldn't be at her family gathering. "Where is he?"

"Right there." Jasper motions to me, which just makes Scarlette throw a hand like 'him?'

"I know him." She tells the musician, who gives us both a confused look. "What's up, Cassie? You heal okay?"

Last time she saw me, let's just say I wasn't in the best condition.

"That was months ago," I scoff, squeaking a few times as I pull Jasper into my arms, catching how Payton was eyeing him like how her twin does whenever she attempts to climb up the giant to annoy him. "I didn't think you'd be here," Not until I saw her dads. "Where's Fly?"

Fly and her were in the foster system before her dads adopted her, and Fly's shit stain of a mother adopted him. They got together our senior year.

Right on cue, Flynn comes bouncing towards up, laughing as he points at me, "Cassie!"

"Fly!" I sarcastically return the same amount of energy, happy to see him but knowing that where he goes, chaos and a jealous Jasper follows.

But hey, at least now I had one of my own here.

This was going to be fun.