Ensnared (Brutes of Bristlebrook, #1)(91)

My fists lift of their own accord and it’s fifty-fifty whether I’m going to strangle him or chuck him out on his ass.

Lucky grins, lifting his own hands defensively. “No, Jayk! Dom already took my lunch money this week!”

I grab him by his shirt and drag him off the bench.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry!” he says, laughing. “Dude, chill, I love this shirt. I’ll stop, I’ll stop!”

Huffing out a breath, I glare down at him. His dimple winks at me and, rolling my eyes to the ceiling, I let him go.

His smile changes in a way that makes me uncomfortable, and I’m just about to throw him out again when he says, “Look, just for the record? I never thought of you as just some guy who happened to be there. And I get that I drive you nuts and you’re a grouchy bastard, but I like having you around.”

He eyes my head. “And I would totally braid your hair too if you grew it out.” His gaze drops down my body, and he grimaces. “I’m not braiding it anywhere else, though. I don’t care who you are, manscaping is important.”

I shove him toward the door again. “I manscape, dickhead.”

“You manscape your dick head? Wow, you should talk to Beau about that. Pretty sure you’re not meant to have hair there.”

I pick him up and put his squirming ass over my shoulder, intending to toss him out this time, when the barn door opens. In the next two seconds, I’ve dumped Lucky and grabbed for the MK 16 strapped under the workbench. It’s only as my fingers wrap around the cold metal that I realize it’s just Jasper.

Tension brackets his mouth and lines his shoulders, and an additional crease forms between his brows as he glances between me and Lucky, who somehow managed to land neatly on his feet.

Flippy freak.

Jasper’s next look at me is nothing short of hostile, and I slap the rifle on the bench and bare my teeth. Smiling.

He’s always telling me I need to work on my body language.

When he doesn’t say anything, I cross my arms and wait. Jasper doesn’t come here without a reason—and it’s not because he’s worried I’m feeling up his boyfriend.

“Eden isn’t here.” It’s not a question, but his eyes scan the barn anyway like she might pop out of a shadow. They linger on the door at the back.

Yeah. Right. Like Miss Manners is coming anywhere near my bed before she’s due.

“I thought she was spending today with you,” Lucky mumbles.

Running his hands down the front of his shirt, he stops when he seems to realize what he’s doing. He crosses his arms, then uncrosses them. As if giving up, he shoves his hands in his back pockets and leans against the battered truck.

Idiot.

Bored, I consider the truck. I’m going to have to move that thing into the clearing beside the barn so I can dismantle this washing machine again properly. If I decide it’s worth the effort.

The lethal look on Jasper’s face eases as he watches Lucky.

“She told me she was spending the day working with Jaykob,” he murmurs, then his face sharpens again. A dark brow crooks as he addresses me, “May I assume that she told you she was spending the day with Lucien?”

That pulls me from my inspection of the truck.

Huh. So she’s a sneak.

“Wait. Wait, what?” Lucky shoves off the car. “Are you saying she lied?”

“And here I thought I was the slow one,” I mock.

Where the fuck would she have gone?

“That stupid little girl,” Jasper hisses. “She’s gone after Dominic and Beaumont.”

He stalks out of the barn, and we both follow on his heels. Jasper’s always been better at the leaps in logic. But damn. My heart rate picks up. Dom and Beau are going to take out four hunters. This isn’t a hiking trip.

Hell, she probably didn’t even manage to follow them. She could be lost. There are tons of treacherous trails in those woods, and wild animals, and other hunters. It gets cold out. It’ll be night soon. Did she even think to bring a jacket?

I mean . . . it’s nothing personal or anything. Obviously. But she’s like a kitten. I don’t want to see a kitten get hurt either.

Might have grown up rough, but I’m not a complete asshole.

Not all the time, anyway.

“Why didn’t you realize she was gone?” I snarl, feeling dizzy. “There’re cameras all through here. Outside the barn, the kitchen, the cave—”

Jasper stops sharply inside the glass sliding doors and then pushes into the kitchen. “She was in here earlier.”

Impatient, I shrug. “Yeah, she made me breakfast.”

“She made you breakfast?” Lucky shoots me a disgruntled look.

There’s a piece of paper on the counter. Snagging it, I read the short note.

Good morning!

At least, I hope it’s morning when you get this. If not, I’m so sorry. I assumed Lucky would go to the kitchen because he never stays out of here and . . . well, it doesn’t matter. I’ve decided to help Dom and Beau with the cameras. Don’t worry, I’m used to the woods and I’ve brought everything I need. I’ll catch up with them soon, so please, there is NO reason to come after me.

I’ll see you when we get back!

Lots of l

Warm regards,