Page 101 of Ensnared

Asshe does,Jasperreleases a long sigh, the way people do when sipping spectacular wine or watching a breath-catching sunrise.

Herbreathing settles as she sits back on her heels, hands folded neatly in her lap.Minesettles too, until we’re breathing in the same rhythm.

It’salways been like this for me.Themore controlItake, the more controlledIfeel.Themore they submit, the more the awful, discordant tunes of the world begin to bleed into something pleasing.Itdoesn’t stop the fury—it’s buried too deep now—but it takes the edge off.

Iwalk around her, enjoying the way she tenses, how her head turns, just a tilt, trying to keep me in view.

“Whatwere you hoping to achieve by breaking into our private rooms and sneaking outside our door?”

“Answers.”Thenshe lifts her chin and adds, “Obviously.”

Luckysucks in a breath and, behind her,Jayksticks his tongue in his cheek, seeming to hold back a smirk.

Myeyes narrow on the girl.Thattone...Sheshould be gagged for that alone.Gently,Ibrush my fingers over her hair, down to her jaw.Herwhole body goes motionless.

Crouchingbeside her,Istudy the side of her face.Thenwrap my hand around her throat in warning, arching her head back slightly so she has to look at me out the corner of her eye.

“Youspoiled brat.Mustbe hard sitting here in safety while we take risks to protect you.”

Herpulse thunders under my fingertips and there’s no helping how hardI’mgetting.Itwould happen to anyone like me, holding her like this.Nothingto do with her, not really.

“Ican help,” she pants.

Asif she’d know how.

Ifeel the urge to tighten my grip, watch the nervousness grow in her eyes.Iwant to swallow her fear.

IfBeauandIhead off tomorrow, we’ll miss my night with her as well,Irealize.Notthat it matters.Ihave no intention of touching her—it’d only encourageBeau’sfantasy, andI’drather spend the time fixing our shit than setting us both up for failure again.

I’vefailed more than enough already since the strikes.

Irelease her.

Don’tpush me,Iwarn her with my eyes.

Sheshould pay attention.It’sthe only warning she’ll get.

“We’regoing tomorrow morning.There’sa small problem we need to deal with.BeauandIwill be back in two or three days,”Itell her, the picture of calm control.

Theothers watch me closely.Iwonder if they’d leap to her defense ifIpushed her now.

Orif they’d help me hold her down.

Mywords catchEden’sattention though, and her head whips around to look atBeau.Surpriseand no small amount of disappointment tightens her expressive features.

“Oh.But—”Herteeth tug at her bottom lip, a hint of color pinkening her cheeks.

Asif his earlier distance with me was a mirage,Beau’ssmile for her is slow and warm.Thatpeach-sweet, cowboy smile has been melting hearts since we were seventeen.Bitingback my scowl,Imove in front of the girl, between her andBeauso she can’t see that damned stupid grin.

“Look, we have bigger priorities than licking your pussy.Butif you stay on your knees and beg, one of the others might oblige—makes no difference who does it, right?”Assoon as the crude, stupid words leave my mouth,Iwant to reel them back in.

Beautenses again, andIjust stop myself from grimacing.

Thisisn’t howIdo things.She’sjust a girl.Acivilian.Anungrateful one, sure, but what else is new?I’mhere to keep her safe and to get on with my life.

Idon’t need to resort to this kind of petty bullshit.

Idon’t know why she’s getting under my skin like this.Itmust beBeau.She’scausing problems between us and that’s why she’s pissing me the hell off.

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