Page 34 of Ensnared

“How,”Irepeat, ignoring him, “you managed to find a reason to drag both of us out ofBristlebrookthe second she got there.Becauseme myself?Iwas planning on seeing what our pretty new houseguest looked like all tangled up in her sheets.Helpher get settled in.Makeher some breakfast.Youknow, actually make her feel welcome instead of dumping her on the others and bailing.”

“Youplanning to wipe her ass for her too?”

Igrind my teeth.Ididn’t even get a chance to see her last night before she ducked off to bed—andI’dwanted nothing more than to crawl in beside her.Instead,hehad me out here at the ass crack of dawn like he can’t bear to be in the same house with her.

Isling my weapon over my shoulder beforeI’mtempted to use it on him. “Youhad no right to drag me out here on some useless exercise because you can’t bear that she makes you tingle in your happy places.”

Domshoots me a warning look. “Don’tstart on that shit with me,Beau.Ineed your head in this—so pull it out of your ass.Wehave bigger things to worry about than some girl.Movewest; the clearing was that way.”

Heturns to stalk off, andIpick up the pace soI’mstalking beside him.We’renot going to avoid this conversation like we do all the others.It’spast time we talked through our shit.

“You’rekeeping me away fromEden, soI’mgonna go ahead and say you started this one,”Ibite back. “She’smost comfortable with me; it was a dick move to drag me off before she’s even settled.”

Domdoesn’t even look my way, every inch the sternCO, utterly unfazed by my irritation.Hesteps over a log, checks the compass on his kit and keeps moving. “Weneed to do recon.Thereare others still out here,I’msure of it, and there could be trouble.I’mnot compromising our security because you want to get your dick wet.”

Dickwet?

“Youtrying to piss me off?”Iask between gritted teeth. “Kissmy ass,Dom.Youneed someone out here, fine, maybe you’re even right about that, but there’s no reason that had to be me.Ibrought her in.Iconvinced her to stay.She’s—”

“Yours?”Thecalm breaks, andDomsnaps his own golden glare my way. “She’snot yours,Beau.She’severyone’s.She’sno one.She’sjust some girl we picked up.Twodays ago.Whatis with this insta-love shit?”

“She’sours,Dom,”Ibite out. “Maybeyou don’t remember what that’s like, butIsure do.Andfor the record, you don’t have to be in love with someone to show them a little good old-fashioned hospitality.”

“Forthe record,Idon’t think your mama would agree with your idea of ‘old-fashioned hospitality.’”Domrolls his eyes.

Rolls.His.Eyes.

Ishe really trying to pretend this doesn’t even faze him?

“Ifshe’s just some girl, then how come you can’t bear to be in the same room with her?”Wepass the stream whereItended toEden.Whereshe kissed me like she wanted to drown in my arms.Idrag him to a stop at the lip of the forest. “Ifshe’s just some girl, it should’ve been real easy for you to work her over with me yesterday, burn off some of that tension from the last three years.”

Domsnorts. “You’renot going to bait me into fucking her, idiot.”

“LikeIneed to.Youmight take your own sweet time about it, but you’ll snap sooner or later—you always do.”

Heglowers at me, andIglare back, trying to figure out how to get through to him.Iwant to ask if this is aboutHeather, but ifIdo, this conversation will be over.I’djust about need to pull out the cuffs and catch him by surprise to get him to gothere.Andanyway,Idon’t want to be making this about her when it should be all aboutEden.

“Yougot no interest whatsoever in pinning that girl between us and seeing how many times we can make her come?Youdon’t want to watch those pretty eyes beg for more?Youreally saying that you don’t miss waking up with a warm, pretty girl snuggled between us?”Amuscle ticks in his jaw, andIpress on. “Youknow how alone she’s been.Youtelling me you don’t want to give her a friend she can count on?Youreally want me to do this without you?”

“Idon’t want a mouse for a pet!” he bursts out, eyes flashing with temper. “Goddamn it,Iwant—”

Dom’smouth snaps shut, and my lips twist bitterly, choosing to ignore that he’s insultedEdentwice now.

Iwon’t let it slide a third.

“She’sgone,Dom.”

Heshakes his head sharply, like that wasn’t where he was going, even though we both know it was.

“Youjust want her because she’s here,” he says softly. “It’snot a good enough reason.Notfor this, not for us.”

Us.Yeah, right.Ushas been on the rocks for a long time.

Fora way longer damn time than that, though,Domwas my brother.Ingreens and out.Wemet in military school and got tightfast.Wefumbled through learning how to top with some seriously patient subs together.Wegot our first girlfriend together.Gotdumped by that same girlfriend, also together.Wegraduated together, did ourRangertraining together.EvenwhenIdid my surgical training and he started working his way up the ranks, we stayed partners.Andas soon asIgraduated, we pulled every string we had to make sure we were in the same squad.

Ialways thought it’d be him and me, preferably with some pretty subbie between us, right up until we got dusted.Thathad always beenThePlan.

ThenHeatherhappened, and suddenlyDomwas telling me good and clear thatIdidn’t feature in his new idea ofHappyEverAfter.Thatit wasn’t going to be me and him andourgirl—it was just him andhisgirl, and maybeBeauas a little side piece wheneverHeatherwas feelingadventurous.LikeIwas an extra man-shaped dildo they could pull out whenIserved a purpose.Heloved her more than me, and so fifteen years of friendship andThePlangot nuked with one brutal conversation.

---