Page 35 of Ensnared

WhenHeatherblindsided all of us and ran off withThomasinstead,Iwas there with him, despite it all.Butthis resentment won’t let me alone;Ican’t push it far enough down this time.Atthe same time,Ihaven’t been able to bring it up, not when our friendship is this weak.It’slike it’s lacking its old foundation—a mis-healed bone that’s still too tender to take our full weight.SinceHeatherleft, we’ve been gentle with it, not pushing it too hard.

Butit has to end.

Edencould be our last chance at happiness together.Thistime,IknowI’vegot to tell it to him straight—he’s right on the brink of fucking this up for the both of us.

“Thatain’t it,Dom.It’snot just because she’s here.She’smore than just convenient;Iwant to know her better.Andyou don’t get to make the decision thatIdon’t, just because you’re scaredI’llchoose her over you, the way you choseHeatherover me.”

Hestiffens. “Ididn’t—”

“Don’t.Don’tlie to me,”Iwarn, chest tight.

Jasper’sbeen trying to get me to talk toDomabout this for years, butIhaven’t been able to find the words.

“Dom—”

“Forfuck’s sake, would you just—”

Abullet explodes into the tree beside my head.Chipsof bark spray us both asDomyanks me down under him, pulling us both behind a tree.Hescans my face as bullets pepper the trees around us with brutal, bursting thuds, andIpull back to look him over, breathing easier whenIdon’t spot any blood.

“I’mokay,”Iassure him quickly.

Damnit, my gun is under me.Whythe hell didIsling it?

Hesqueezes my arm, then releases me to peer around the trunk. “Firingfrom seven and ten.Semi-auto.Yougood to split?”

Assaultsthrough heavy thickets are tough.Beingsurprised by a firefight even tougher.We’llhave to be quick and use the terrain for camouflage to regain an edge.Misdirectif possible.Myheartrate kicks up, andInod.Allthoughts ofHeather,Eden, and our fucked-up issues vanish.

Thisis where we shine.

“Good.Moveout.”Hepulls back behind the trunk with a curse as more bullets fly our way. “Andbe careful—don’t want you goingSwisson me.”

Ibreathe a laugh asInod, adrenaline purring through my veins. “Nonew holes today.Promise.”

Domgrins back, color high in his dark cheeks.Ipush off the tree and brace myself for an ugly fight.

* * *

Domdumpsanother body on the pile, then rubs his jaw.There’sa nasty bruise blooming where one of them clocked him, and he’s salty they got one in.Still, he came out better thanIdid.Icaught a knife across my chest and left arm.Nothingtoo serious, but it stings like a pissed-off jellyfish.

We’reback in the clearing where we took outEden’shunters two days ago, discarding the remains of the assholes who fired on us.Fivemore hunters had been lurking in the woods around the area, and it took us hours of cat and mouse before we got them all.

Andthe five of them must have been hard at work for the last two days because there’s now a deep pit in the clearing, and it’s filled to the brim with more than half of the old bug-ridden bodies.Justone big rancid puppy pile.

We’vebeen tossing today’s fresh ones over the top, but this time, as the last body thumps over the others, it groans.

Domfrowns.Hecrouches and grabs the corpse’s hair as its eyes crack open.

“You’remeant to stay dead, you know,”Domscolds mildly.

Iset my rifle across my shoulders and rest my head back against it. “Musthave been a sloppy shot.”

Withoutlooking up,Domflips me off.

Bloodbubbles from the dead man’s lips. “H... help.”

Poorlamb.

“Hmm.Seemslike you’re in dire need of medical assistance,”Dommuses, a hard glint in his eyes.Butthis breathing carcass is part of the group who chasedEden—the same coiled serpent brands his hand.Whetherhe likes her or not,Domhas no patience for predators. “Whatdo you think,Beau?Youknow anyone who might be able to help with that?”

---