Page 50 of Ensnared

“I’mnot making excuses.Hedidn’t do anythingIdidn’twanthim to do,”Iinsist, trying to make my voice firm, even as humiliation washes over me. “Please, sir, let him go.”

The“sir” seems to catch him.Domlooks over his shoulder at me, studying my face.Imeet his eyes, holding them steady despite my hot cheeks.Surprisetouches his features, andIsee the moment he realizes he made a mistake.Heeases the knife away fromJaykob’sthroat.

Iyelp and step back asJaykobtakes the opportunity to punchDomhard across the jaw, sending him staggering back.

“Fuck!”

BeforeIlet myself think how stupid it is,Istep between them. “Enough!”Isay sharply.Ilook atJaykob. “Enough.”

Herubs his throat, scowling.

“Eden,”Jaspersays carefully after a tense moment, a gentle crease between his brows, “an explanation might help... ease tempers.”

Icross my arms, eyes narrowing.Luckyshoots me a sympathetic half-smile and shrugs, andBeaulooks conflicted, watching me worriedly.

Domstraightens and rubs a hand over his jaw, staring atJaykfrom under his brows like he’s lost for words.Ican’t tell if he wants to return the punch, or if that’sDom’sway of looking horrified.

Atleast he’s put his knife away.

Isplutter. “Explainwhat?Hedrew the card for the first night.Wedid... stuff.ThestuffI’mhere for.Consensualstuff.Allvery consensual.Alltypesof consensual.”ThenIadd in a mutter, “Andnobody else’s business, thank you.”

Whyis it so hard to sound prim and proper when talking about... stuff?

Dom’seyes press closed at my words, his jaw clenching.Heshakes his head just once.Athimself?

“Thenwhy in holy flaming hell, darlin’,”Beaugrinds out, looking between me andJayk, “does it look like he’s come off a war zone?”

AsIglance atJaykob’schest, the heat in my cheeks deepens, then spreads to my ears, then my chest.Despitethe bitter resentment behind his eyes, a self-satisfied smirk starts working its way across his face.Heraises his eyebrows at me, as if to say, “Goahead.”

Asshole.

“Well,I—um—may have gotten...Imight have...gottenalittlecarriedaway.”Thewords leave me in a rush of squirming embarrassment.Iworry my bottom lip between my teeth. “Ishould maybe cut my nails, and—um—you’ve had your tetanus shot, right?”

Jaykobglances down at his chest. “Mightneed to get you a muzzle too.”

Mysympathy eases back, andIscowl. “Iwouldn’t have done it ifIhadn’t been so mad that you—”

Myteeth clamp down on my tongue, cutting myself off beforeIblurt to everyoneexactlywhat he did to set me off.Despitemy indignance, my butt clenches, andIvividly recall the shocked, naughty feeling of over-fullness.

Hestrolls aroundDomand into my personal space.

“Mad, huh?”Hislips curve mockingly. “Thatwhy you came so hard you ruined my sheets?”

“Y-you—”Ispit, unable to get the words out around my anger.

AndIjustdefendedhim!

Heleans in close to me, untilIcan see the ring of midnight around his mocking blue eyes. “Butsure, if you wanna test it,I’llgo again.Onlynext time,Iain’t going easy on you.”

Myeyes widen. “Easy?”Everyinch of me aches, and he’s shocked me more in the last twelve hours thanIwas shocked in the entirety of my marriage.Ofmylife.Myvoice lifts into a strident screech. “Thatwaseasy?”

Jaykob’slips curl, inches from mine.Trueamusement sparks in his eyes. “Yeah, sugar,easy.Nexttime you’ll be takin’ a whole lot more than my fingers up your—”

Myhands fly up and clamp over his mouth in pure panic, stopping him from finishing thatawfulsentence in front of everyone.Luckystarts howling with laughter anyway, andBeaumutters, “JesusfuckingChrist.”

Mortificationrockets through me.Myheart pounds as my wide eyes stare intoJaykob’ssmug ones.Thenhe grasps my wrist, thumb lingering over my racing pulse as he tugs my hands from his mouth.

Beforehe can taunt me any further,Iglare at him. “Whydid you come barging in here without a shirt on anyway?Thisall could have been avoided.”

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