Page 85 of Ensnared

“Inanswer to your earlier question,Ilike the captain just fine.Weboth have competitive natures and occasionally that leads to conflict, butIrespect him.He’sa good leader.”

Imove my bishop toF3to take his threatening knight.Assoon asIdo,Icrinkle my nose.I’mgoing to lose that piece.It’sutterly unprotected.

Damn.Ineed to prepare better against his attacks.

“MayIask something of you,Eden?”

“Mm-hmm,”Imumble, still puzzling over the board.

“Willyou tell me about your husband?”Thewords are careful, calculated—like he timed their delivery to the second.

Myhands clench hard, andIrealize he’s knocked down my defenses.Smoothand deadly,Jaspertakes my bishop with his queen.

Aclean kill.

Iforce a smile, though it feels more like a grimace. “Tryingto shrink my head?”

“Tryingto get to know you, actually,” he replies with gentle reproach.

Ilift my eyes to his, feeling shame sting my cheeks.He’sright.Thatwasn’t fair of me.ThinkingaboutHenryupsets me, puts me on edge, but that’s not his fault, and it’s a fair question.I’mcurious about his past too—about all of their pasts.I’veshared my body with bothLuckyandJaykob, butI’veonly gleaned the tiniest teases of information about who they are and where they’ve come from.

Andunlike my body, their pasts are not on offer.

Takinga moment to collect myself,Iuse my pawn to take his atE5.

“Myhusband—”Istart, then cut off, not sure where to begin.Frustrated,Iblow out a breath.HowcanIeven begin explaining all these complicated thingsI’mfeeling? “Idon’t know how to—”

Jaspernods once, and his expression grows thoughtful.

Movinghis bishop on white toC4, he says, “Iwas married for ten years.Wedivorced a year before the strikes.Oneof the last conversationsIhad with my mother was about the divorce, actually.Despiteher years here inAmerica, it was still not something she felt comfortable with.NordidI, for that matter.”Jasperpicks up his tea and sits back in his chair.Hisfingers stroke the rim absently. “IlovedSoomin... very much.”

Jasperwasmarried?Idon’t know why that surprises me so much.Maybebecause he seems so lonely to me, so distant and hard to reach.Thelines of his throat are taut, like he’s holding in some strong emotion.It’salmost incredible to me, how the rest of him seems so calm and relaxed.Unlessyou were watching closely, you could think he hardly cared at all, despite his words.

Wantinghim to keep talking,Istay silent and focus on the board.Jasper’spieces seem more involved—and far more exposed.Iwant to get more pieces out to play;I’mfeeling timid and trapped behind my line of pawns.

Imove my knight toF6.

“Igrew up in a trailer park,”Ioffer.Suckingin a deep breath,Icontinue, “Mymother was an addict—Idon’t know who my father was—and afterIwas born, she left me with my grandmother.”

“Whatwas your grandmother like?”Jasperslides his queen toB3, placing several of my pieces in direct danger again.

Nervesslide like oil through my intestines.Needingto defend myself,Imove my queen out toE7to protect my pawn from his bishop.

“Shewas fine, as long asIfollowed her rules.ButIminded my manners and went to church when she told me to, so we didn’t have any problems.”

Hiseyelashes shade his eyes, and when they fly open again, there’s a crease between his brows. “WhatIsaid to you, in the library, about your manners... that wasn’t based on anything you said or did,Eden.I’msorry ifIhit a nerve.Iwas upset about something else, andIhave an unfortunate habit of cruelty whenI’mcaught off guard.”

Istudy him. “Isthat one of the flaws you mentioned earlier?Thatyou’re not so proud of?”

Helooks away, unseeing, toward the teapot where it cools on the benchtop.

“It’sone of them,” he murmurs.

“Imet my husband,Henry, whenIwas eighteen,”Iquietly offer in return. “Hewas handsome, and wealthy, andIthought he was so kind when he did me the high honor of lifting me out of poverty.Heworked so hard to help me slide easily into his world.To... correct... all my embarrassing behaviors.”Mythroat feels sore, no matter howIswallow. “Andin exchange,Iadored him.”

Ifalter again.Whata humiliating thing to admit.

Ratherthan taking another piece with his queen,Jaspermoves his remaining knight toC3.Distracted,Itry to figure out what he’s doing.I’mexposed, andIdon’t understand why he’s not attacking.

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