Page 240 of Entangled

When I catch up to him, he’s knocking on Jasper’s door. Eden clinging to his neck and looking up at him in a trusting way that would have had me in a thrill just a month ago.

Now I just want to shake her and tell her not to do it. He’s no good with people’s hearts. That’s why the civilians don’t like him.

Heather opens the door, her blue-tinged red hair all kinked up on one side, and an ill expression on her face. “What?”

Charming as ever.

Sometimes I wonder what I ever saw in her, but I know it’s just one more example of me bending over to try and make something work for Dom in a way he would never do for me.

“We need to talk—Jasper and Lucky, too.” Dom adjusts his grip on Eden, and Heather widens the door open.

Aaron turns into the hall with Mila giggling under his arm. Just walking by, casual as anything, like he didn’t have duties tonight that he’s shirking right in front of us.

My jaw flexes, but Dom beats me to it.

“You’re meant to be out looking for Akira,” he snaps, his black brows like low-hanging thunderclouds. “If you’re here, you better have found her.”

Aaron looks Dom up and down with enough belligerence that if Eden wasn’t in his arms, I’m sure Dom would have slugged him.

“Look, you get to have your fun, let me have mine. She’s probably just sulking off somewhere. No reason I should have to ruin my night over it.” Aaron shrugs. His cheeks are a bright enough red that they match his hair. He’s been drinking, too.

Dom’s eyes flash like lightning. “You’re given orders for a reason, you little shit. Consider your night ruined. Go outside and get Jayk—tell him we have a civilian MIA and that we’re dealing with an emergency. Then round up every person you can find and get them to come to the lodge for a head count.”

Aaron stares at him, his smug expression vanishing into something satisfyingly uncertain. Mila steps away from him, rubbing her arm.

“Move,” Dom barks, and Aaron jumps into action, spinning and hurrying toward the staircase.

Dom narrows his eyes on Mila, and she edges backward, but Heather steps forward before he can start in on her too.

“Mila, cut the music. That will get people moving. When they come back, get them to wait on the lawn. Someone will be out soon,” she says.

Mila nods, then scampers toward the music room without a glance back.

“You’re not very diplomatic,” Eden mumbles into Dom’s chest with a sigh. “They won’t like you if you keep being mean.”

“I don’t need them to like me. I just need them to do as they’re told.” He walks into the room, and Heather points at Jasper’s enormous walk-in wardrobe.

The walk-in that I now know hides his secret sex room. We all filter into the moody space, and I try not to get distracted by the kinky candy store that surrounds us.

“Holyyyy shit,” Heather says, turning to take in every dimly lit inch. “And I thought I was freaky.”

Eden’s head lifts as she looks around, her eyes enormous in her face. They bounce from the toys to the paddling bench, over to the bed with the cage and the chains dangling from the ceiling, over the gynecologist’s chair and St Andrew’s Cross and the other furniture that decorates the room. Her eyes linger on the whips, then on the chains.

“I knew it,” she whispers.

Jasper and Lucky are nowhere to be found, but after a moment, the sound of retching registers from behind a far door.

Given that I have never once seen Jasper drunk, I’m going to take a wild stab and say thatMr Smokeshowis not feeling so hot right now.

Eden’s gaze finds the door, and she winces. “He really was too good at Never Have I Ever.”

I walk over to her, and Dom hands her to me absently, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Like it used to be.

Nothing is sitting right. I set Eden down on her feet, and she sways against me, then rubs a hand down her face.

Dom stalks over to the bathroom and pounds on the door. “Come out, Jasper. We have shit going down.”

“Dom,” Eden scolds tiredly, “you’re going to give them a heart attack.”

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