Page 17 of Ensnared

Thisis not a man to be trifled with—but his quiet authority is all the more vital and interesting to me because hedoesn’tradiate raw strength.It’sin his obvious self-assurance.Inhow he radiates this inexplicable dual sense of threat and safety.

WhatIcan’t explain is why that sends slow, heavy tendrils of heat licking through me.

Hiseyes gleam in the firelight as he takes in the damp, clinging shirt, lingering on my breasts.He’sclad in an elegant pair of trousers and a similar silk button-down, andIwonder if the oneI’mnow wearing belongs to him.Suddenly, the fact thatI’mwearing someone else’s clothes doesn’t feel odd.Ilikeit.

Ilike it a lot.

Aftera long moment, he nods, seeming to decide something.Ahand trails from my upper arm to my chin, and he brushes a thumb over my lips, tracing the sharp indent at the top.Themovement shivers through me, andIjerk my head back, feeling abruptly vulnerable and overwarm.Helets me retreat, though something predatory moves in his gaze asIdo.Afaint smile curves his lips, as thoughIdid something interesting.Itisn’t likeLucky’sdelighted grin, orBeau’sslow warmth.It’srestrained.Bitinglyamused.

Uncomfortablyflushed and unsure of what that gaze means,Ilook away.

“IamJasperDouglas.Apleasure to meet you,Eden,” he says, soft and cultured. “Pleasecome with me.Wehave drinks ready in the gaming room, andIunderstand you are yet to meetJaykob.I’dbe pleased to introduce you.”

Mystomach jolts.JustwhatIneed, more men.

Jasperescorts me through the house, built entirely in rich dark wood and stone, with warm golden lighting.Iwould have called it a log cabin had it not been so massive.Itdrips luxury, decorated with artifacts and carpets and paintings so clearly expensive that the owner might as well have glued money up on the walls and have done with it.Iwonder if theAsianinfluences areJasper’sdoing.Somethingabout it calls to me.There’sa care and a warmth infused into the design that softens the obscene wealth.

Jasperleads me to an interior balcony at the end of the hall, which overlooks the sprawling lower level.Glowinglights dangle through the middle of the house from the high ceiling.Animperial staircase curls its grand, matching flights down to the first floor.

Aswe descend the left flight of stairs,Ipause by an exquisite artwork.Itfeatures three silhouettes under a vibrant cherry blossom tree, with some artful calligraphic characters in the corner thatIthink might be hangul.I’mcaught by the way the female silhouette is reaching for the young boy playing just out of her grasp.Theway the man has his hand tangled in the strands of her hair as he watches them both.There’ssomething deeply warm and cozy in the silhouettes that makes my chest ache.

Jaspersteps in behind me, and his breath stirs the small hairs on the back of my neck. “Itsays ‘family is always in reach.’Ornear enough.”

Atiny chill accompanies the ache in my chest, andIturn away from the artwork.

“Apretty thought,”Isay with forced levity.

“Mymother was a sentimental woman.”

There’sa fondness in his tone that makes me glance up—and that may have been a mistake.Jasperis drinking me in, absorbing me with his gaze untilI’mdizzy and floating inside it.I’mnot sure there’s air, here in the ether of his eyes.Ifthere is,Ican’t find it right this moment.

Hisexpression grows soft. “Familyis who you choose to make it,Eden.”

Mylips part, and there’s a small lump in my throat.He’strapped me inside of him, unraveling me in moments.Idon’t know how he managed to figure me out so fast, butI’msure he did.I’msure he just drank down all my secrets.Allmy fears.I’malmost afraid of the implication in his words.

Family.Itisa pretty thought.

Itake a delicate step out from under him and down the stairs, sucking in a needed breath and rubbing my hand over the raised hairs on my arms.Helets me escape, but his clever, curious interest follows me.

Castingabout for a distraction,Ieye the wide, clear windows that line the entire front wall of the sitting room, inviting me out into the sunshine.Alarge, solitary apple tree stretches its laden limbs toward the house.

“Howcould this possibly be hidden from the drones?”Iask as we pass the windows, changing the topic.

Jasperallows the shift, directing me with a firm hand on the back of my shirt, just lower than is proper.Ishiver under the proprietary touch, so warm through the thin fabric.

“Thelodge is built into the side of a cliff, which overhangs our valley.It’sprotected on three sides by the mountain and the fourth is concealed by the forest.It’simpossible to see from above from any angle, and you would have to know where you were going—or be incredibly lucky—to find it from the ground.”

Ifrown, letting the new puzzle take the place of my discomfort. “Whatabout heat signatures?”

Heshakes his head once. “We’retoo deep into the rock.Evenif we weren’t, we’ve seen no evidence of drones since the first year after the initial attack.Whoeverwas sending them is either now unable to or has given up their efforts.”

“Youdon’t know who sent them?”Iask. “Ithought, perhaps, since you wereArmy...”

“Themen were on leave when it happened;Ihad recently retired.Theywere summoned back to base when the first strikes hit, but by the time we arrived, it was too late.Ourbase was gone, as well as a dozen others.”Helifts one shoulder, his soft lips forming a hard, grim line. “Ourteam eventually tracked down one of their satellite phones, but by the time we were able to contact our international embassies, no one answered.Asthere has been no land invasion here that we know of, nor any aid delivered from our allies, we can only speculate regarding the state of other nations.Massdevastation, surely.Whetherthey were entrenched in theFinalWar, or wiped out as surely as we were, the silence speaks for itself.Idon’t expect they’re any better off than we are.”

Mystomach drops at the confirmation.Itwas everythingIassumed, everythingIfeared.Itdoesn’t change anything, not really, but it still hurts to hear how irrevocably our world has been torn apart.Isuck in a deep breath.

Hepauses.Takingmy arm in a gentle grip, he draws me to a halt. “Iapologize,Eden.Thatis not newsIshould have delivered so casually.”

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