Page 226 of Entangled

Surely this doesn’t need to be common knowledge. It wasbarelyan issue. It was a misunderstanding, really, and for just a moment. No harm, no foul and all that.

“Eden didn’t use her safeword when she needed to,” Beau explains, a grim set to his square jaw, and I gape in affront.

Seriously? Is this a military thing? A dominant thing? Is there some kind of code I’m not aware of here?

Nothing is sacred.

“Needis a rather strong word,” I reason, twisting my fingers together, and Jaykob glowers at me.

“Ah. That is a problem.” Jasper’s brows lower, just a shade. His eyes scan me, then Jaykob. “Are you both okay?”

My eyes widen a little, startled that he thought to include Jaykob in that. He’s right to, of course. Of the two of us, Jayk was more upset. For some reason, I’d always thought that Jayk probably wouldn’t have shared much with Jasper, despite him being their psychologist, but I wonder if I’m wrong. Jasper does have him pegged.

Jayk tenses like a cornered wolf, but his eyes are still on me.

“You needed it, and I fucked up,” Jayk snaps. He turns to Beau, his jaw set, and he plants his feet like he’s bracing himself. “Hit me.”

Jasper sighs, short and hard, as Beau gives Jayk an exasperated look. “I’m not hitting you.”

Jayk’s brows slam down. “Just hit me. I’ll give you two.” He glances at me, then his lips twist. “Three. I’ll give you three.”

“Jaykob, we need to have another discussion about how you resolve your conflicts,” Jasper says, rubbing his forehead.

Jayk ignores him, staring hard at Beau, who rolls his eyes.

“Do you have any idea how much these hands are worth?” Beau looks down at them. “I’m not hitting you, you damn fool. If you’re feeling guilty, you make it up to her, not to me.”

“I’mfine,” I insist again when Jayk scowls. “I had the barest moment of hesitation.”

I spot Lucky coming up behind Jayk, and my heart lifts at the chance of an ally.

“Just hit me,” Jayk growls out.

Lucky shrugs, then drops low to deliver an uppercut to Jayk’s kidney. Jayk flinches back with a grunt, and Lucky slaps him lightly on the back with a grin.

“So why are we hitting Jayk?” Lucky asks, and I throw up my hands.

These men are too much.

“Oh, Lucky, there you are,” Beau says as Jayk straightens with a grimace. “Did you find Akira?”

Worry prickles. “Akira’s missing?”

Lucky shakes his head. He’s fixed his hair since I last saw it, and it’s now half up, the rest blond and loose over his shoulders.

“Nah, not exactly. Some of the others said she was upset, so she’s probably just avoiding the party. There are a few people looking just in case she needs a hug. Hammy Porker is ready now anyway—ifthathadn’t been sorted, we would have had a mob on our hands. You’re welcome, by the way.” He looks down at my dress and raises both brows. “How areyou? I mean, you’re walking straight. That’s a surprise.”

“Eden didn’t use her safeword with Jaykob,” Jasper fills him in absently, and I glare at him in affront.

This is acabal.

Lucky sucks in a breath and winces at me. “Oh man, did you freeze? I did that during my first big electrical play scene.”

Okay, this is quite enough.

“I didn’t freeze,” I explain firmly. “I was just slightly nervous. For amoment. I would have gotten past it, I’m sure, but Jayk noticed and stopped. We talked. Everything is fine. This is honestly a non-issue.”

Lucky laughs, but it sounds panicked. I’m trying to puzzle out why when I look around the three very still, very dark faces of Beau, Jasper, and Jayk.

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