Page 111 of Ensnared

Thepanel’s sticking and it takes a yank to pull it out.

“Notin a talking mood?That’scool.Wedon’t need to talk.Peopletalk too much, is whatIalways say.Talkabout nothing really, just on and on and on...”

Mygrip on the screwdriver tightens, andIimagine it plunging into his neck.It’slong enough—could probably get him right through the voice box.

“Andon and on...”

“Don’tyou have somewhere better to be?”

“Notreally.Dryingshed’s stocked.Eden’shanging out withJaspertoday.”Hegrimaces and looks at the ground. “Shewanted to smooth things over with him,Iguess.”

Ofcourse she’s withJasper.

Whatwouldthosetwo have to argue about?Whethercaviar tastes better with crackers, or just on the tiny little silver spoons they were born with?

Mymood sours further asIstare at the coils of wiresI’vebeen looking at for weeks.Hishighnessis exactly who a princess like her would get all wet over, with his fancy books and fancy hair anddegrees.Thekind of guy who said things like “existential” and “grandiloquent.”

Icatch sight of my greasy fingers and scowl.Pullingout of the machine,Islam the door shut again, not bothering to re-secure the panel.What’sthe point?Thedamn thing’s broken beyond fixing.Betterto just get it out of here.

Luckystares at me from where he’s still sprawled whereIshoved him.

“Whydon’t you go run off and play with them?”

They’dprobably love that.Mostannoying shit on the planet but everyone justlovesLucky.Ryanwas like that.Probablythe only reasonIhaven’t actually beaten his head in yet.

Lucky’smouth twists in a wayI’mused to seeing in the mirror. “Nah,I’mgood.”

Myscowl deepens asIstare at him.Idon’t do the touchy-feely shit.

“Shetold me she was spending the day with you,”Itell him, not really sure why.

She’dcome in all pretty and pink-cheeked from the morning frost.Someidiotic thing in my head thought she was coming back to work in here with me.Butthat really was stupid.Thatday was a one off.Shewas hiding fromDomand needed the big bad monster to protect her.

Ifshe really wanted to hang out, she wouldn’t come to me.

Thismorning, she dropped off some breakfast and said she was spending the day out in the sunshine with the circus rat.Andthat just made sense.Shedoesn’t fit in this grubby, dark place.Matterof fact,I’mstarting to thinkIdon’t much fit in this place either.

“Shedid?”Luckysits up and wraps his arms around his knees, an odd expression on his face. “Guessshe changed her mind.”

“Yeah, well, at least you made the shortlist,”Imutter, resentment clogging my throat.

Luckyblinks, and his brows shoot up.Ibite my tongue with another scowl and turn around, packing away my tools again.Mymouth is running on stupid today, apparently.

“Whatever.Wecan have just as much fun!”Luckyinsists with mind-numbing brightness.

“Fuckoff.”

Hejumps up so he’s sitting on the workbench beside me.Hisass is on my favorite rag. “Comeon, you’ve got to be sick of being in here all day.Comespar with me.I’mrusty.”

Itug at the rag. “I’llkill you.”

“Youtry to kill me,Itry to kill you—what are friends for, anyway?”

Helifts one cheek off the rag and does some wide, pleading thing with his eyes.Iyank the rag out from under him with a grunt. “We’renot friends.”

Luckypresses one hand to his chest. “Well, now you’re just being mean.”

“Move.”

---