We danced until the morning light and for the first time in a while I have felt free. Jasper says his goodbyes and takes my hand, guiding me to his truck. I lay my head against the window and watch as the sun creeps into the horizon, bringing light into this dark world.

My eyes gaze to him as he drives, his hand lingers to my thigh and he squeezes. I finally ask the question that has plagued my mind all night.

"How do you know spanish?"

He starts to laugh, "You're not the only one who has secrets." My eyes narrow at him and he begins to explain. Born to Cuban parents, adopted by an English family but thrown right back into the system all because he wasn't as white as they wanted him to be. As he recounts his story my heart breaks for the little boy he once was. He pulls over on a deserted side road near his home and puts the car in park. David passes us, waving alongside Natty as they continue to drive away.

He turns his head to face me and cups my cheeks. "I'm sorry for acting like such an asshole." He tells me. "I shouldn't have acted the way I did." He takes a deep breath, "I love you so much and all I want to do is protect you, but the only way I know how, is to go back to the old ways. The ways in which I cause everyone pain." He kisses my forehead and lets go of my cheeks and takes my hands in his. "I spent years in anger management and therapy to learn how to control my emotions. But when it comes to you I can't help but let that match ignite and let the fire burn down its path. I know why you didn't tell me your real name but at the same time, I wanted you too so that you would know for certain no matter what I would protect you." A tear escapes his eye and I wipe it away.

"I'm sorry, I should have told you as soon as our feelings were exposed to each other." I look into his forest green eyes, "No more secrets," I tell him.

"No more secrets," He agrees with me. He kisses my lips passionately and tells me he loves me before pulling back onto the road.

We finally arrive home and all I want is a shower and then get some sleep. I step out of the truck and head inside, I make my way to my room when his strong arms wrap around my waist, "Where are you going?" He whispers. With the lack of sleep, I had forgotten that he moved all my stuff to his room.

We head to the bedroom, and I grab some cotton shorts and a sports bra before heading to the shower. He quickly gets undressed and hops in behind me. He kisses my neck. I lean back into him, enjoying the sensation of his lips on my skin. The warm water flows over us, creating a peaceful moment between us. I turn around to face him, returning the kiss with a smile. Our bodies press against each other as we start to explore each other's desires in the steamy shower.

I feel safe in his arms and trust him completely. It's moments like these where I feel truly connected to him and grateful for our relationship. Our bodies move in sync as we lose ourselves in the passion of the moment. As the water continues to flow, we let our inhibitions slip away and fall deeper into each other. The steam clouds around us, heightening the intimacy and intensity of the experience. In this moment, nothing else matters except our love for each other.

We finally emerge from the shower and quickly dry ourselves. We feel fresh and rejuvenated as we put on clean clothes and start our day. The warm water from the shower has washed away all our worries, and we are ready to take on whatever lies ahead. I stare in the mirror and see the bruises on my face turn from purple to yellow. Despite the pain, I feel grateful for having made it out of the fight alive. I take a deep breath and remind myself that I am strong enough to overcome any obstacle.

Jasper's arms wrap around me. "You are the strongest person I know," he whispers in my ear. "I am proud of you for not letting this break you." I lean into his embrace and feel a sense of comfort wash over me.

He grabs the brush and starts to comb it through my wet hair. It's nice to have someone who understands and supports me even during my weakest moments. As he works through the knots, I can't help but feel grateful for his unwavering presence in my life. "All done," he says, kissing my cheek.

He takes my hand, and we walk out to the living room. As we settle on the couch, I lean my head on his shoulder and cherish this sense of comfort and security. We sit in silence, enjoying each other's company and basking in the warmth of our affection.

Keys in the door grab both of our attention. Natty walks in with David, and I start to laugh. She has on cotton shorts and a sports bra. "Great minds think alike," I laugh. She looks at me and starts to laugh.

I get up and say, "I need coffee, who wants one?" They all say they do, and I head to the kitchen and start the coffee maker. As the aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the room, I take a sip and feel my energy levels soaring.

My phone rings, and I smile as I see the boys' faces pop up. I answer the video chat, and they greet me with excitement, sharing stories of their day and cracking jokes. I feel grateful for technology that allows us to stay connected, even when we're far apart. I miss them so much, and I hope to have them home soon, but I don't want to take away their summer fun. They asked to stay all summer at the cottage with their grandparents, and Jasper couldn't say no. It's hard not having them around, but seeing them happy brings me joy. Plus, grandparent time is important too, so I'm glad they get to experience that.

After Jasper has spoken to the boys, he hands me back my phone. I place it on the table and yawn. "I need to wake up because if I fall asleep now, I'll be up all night." I inform the others. They all laugh, and Jasper suggests we do something fun.

"Super Mario Bros?" Natty and I question the guys at the same time.

They both look at us. "How can we make this more fun?" David asks.

I get up and grab the bottle of vodka. "How about with this?" I smile.

We head to the gaming room, and Jasper sets up the game, handing all of us controllers. He takes a seat on the couch, and I sit in between his legs on the floor. I pour all of us a shot, and we go over the rules.

"We can all play at once, but the first to die and come back in a bubble has to drink." I say.

"That sounds good to me," Jasper agrees.

"Us too." Natty answers for her and David. I give her a knowing smile, and she smirks back.

'Let the games begin." I laugh.

The knowing smile and smirk exchanged between us are a sign that we both understand what's at stake: competition. I can't help but laugh as I anticipate what's to come. As we lock eyes, I know that this will be a game to remember. My laughter fades away as the tension starts to build, and the true competition begins.

The game begins, and within the first five minutes, David's character comes back in a bubble.

"Drink!" We all shout.

As the day progresses, the stakes get higher, and the laughter turns into intense concentration. Each move is calculated, and the room falls silent in anticipation of the outcome. The air is thick with anticipation. Each one of us is determined to outsmart the other and claim victory. The tension is palpable, and everyone's eyes are glued to the screen.

As the hours go by, I begin to feel my eyes getting heavier, between the alcohol and the lack of sleep from the night before, I don't know how much longer I can stay awake. I try to shake off the drowsiness by standing up and walking around, but it only provides temporary relief. My mind drifts, and I find myself struggling to concentrate on the work in front of me. It's taking all my willpower to fight off the urge to close my eyes and give in to the fatigue.

I lean against Jasper's leg and slowly close my eyes, I can hear his laughter, "Well, looks like Rosie is out for the count." I smack his leg.

"What time is it anyway?" I ask still with my eyes still closed.

"Four O'clock." Jasper responds.

I sit up suddenly, realizing that it's already late afternoon. "I need more coffee." I get up and head to the kitchen. Pouring myself another cup and drinking it as fast as I can.

I gently touch my face and feel the pain surge through my body from the bruises. "Are you okay?" Jasper asks me, and I look at him, not realizing he had entered the kitchen.

I nod my head yes and look back out the glass doors. "I want to go swimming, and maybe have a barbeque?" I question him.

He smiles and approaches me, his lips brush against mine. "Go get dressed," He whispers. I smile and walk away.

I head to the room and start searching for my bathing suit, pulling out a tankini suit. A mix between full piece and bikini. I quickly slip it on and make my way back to the kitchen. I smile at Jasper and lean against the counter. He kisses me once again, and heads to get David and Natty. He comes back and laughs, telling me that they are both past out on the couch.

"Well we shouldn't wake them." I laugh.

He grabs the burgers from the freezer and places them on a plate before bringing them outside. He fires up the barbecue and lets it warm up before putting the burgers on the grill. He flips them over after a few minutes and watches them cook until they reach the desired doneness. Once the burgers are cooked to perfection, he removes them from the grill and places them back on the plate before bringing them to the patio table. He serves them with condiments and sides, eager to enjoy his delicious BBQ creation. I place the bowl of salad I prepared on the table with different dressings for anyone to enjoy.

I walk to the video game room and shout, "Get up. Dinner is done," I laugh as David and Natty groan but eventually join us at the table. I grab beers and place them on the table, along with some bottled water.

As the four of us sit down, I make a toast to good food and good friends. We dig into our food, exchanging stories and jokes as we eat. The conversation flows freely throughout the meal, occasionally interrupted by fits of laughter. After dessert, we linger at the table, enjoying each other's company until late into the evening. Natty helps me clean up as Jasper and David sit and talk. I offer Natty a swimsuit, and she smiles.

She heads to my old room and changes, and once she comes out, we head back onto the patio with the boys. I walk past Jasper and smile as I jump into the pool. The cool water feels refreshing against my skin, and Natty jumps in right after me. Jasper and David continue their conversation as we swim around and enjoy the rest of our evening together. As the sun starts to set, we all gather at the edge of the pool and watch the sky turn into a beautiful shade of orange and pink. We chat and laugh, enjoying the simple pleasure of good company and a gorgeous sunset.