Page 87 of Caging Liberty
“Jasper?”
He looks over his shoulder. “Hmm?”
“We don’t allow guests to provide their names to the manor whores.”
“Right.” He taps his forehead. “Sorry, boss man. Won’t happen again.”
He faces forward and leaves. As soon as he’s gone, my lungs expand, and the room doesn’t seem as small.
I close my eyes and roll the tension from my neck, trying not to allow Jasper’s challenging tone to get to me. If there’s one person I wouldn’t want to get into a war with, it’s him. I would tear apart everything he’s built for himself. He would skin anyone I’ve ever loved alive. Neither of us would come out intact.
When I open my eyes and look at the screen, I’m not surprised to see Jasper making his way through the playroom toward Lib. When he gets to the edge of the stage, he looks up, searching for a camera. Once he finds it, his lips spread into a wide smile, and he gives a little wave. I’m reminded of another commonality between us.
Once we decide we want something, we don’t let up.
22
Liberty
Two days later
My heart beats to the rhythm of the staccato music blaring in my ears as I make my way from the playroom. I can feel eyes on my back, but I don’t turn around, too afraid to see Jasper following me.
He’s been playing this cat and mouse game for days, and I wish I would stop letting him. I’ve been darting upstairs as soon as my shifts end to check on Naomi, but I’ve been running away from Jasper as much as I’ve been running toward her.
He scares the shit out of me. All he makes are subtle comments, but his eyes alone are enough to make my skin crawl. Tonight, he isn’t the only one I’m running from, though.
I’ve met Angel’s eyes multiple times this evening, watching me from the bar. I suspect he’s been waiting for me to leave as well. It takes more willpower than should be necessary to keep myself from running into his arms for protection.
I want to be done with it. Withhim. I started off feeling like playing the damsel and knight game was a betrayal to Naomi, but the more days that go by, the more I realize it’s a betrayal to myself.
This thing between us has to stop. I can’t be his surrogate slave, and I’m ashamed for ever wanting to be.
Cooper opens the door when I get near, and I hear Angel calling my name. A brief moment of relief that it isn’t Jasper pulls a rush of air from my lungs as I leave the playroom, ignoring Angel.
“Jesus, Liberty, would you just talk to me?” Angel asks, stepping into the hallway. The door shuts, and it’s only the two of us, but I keep walking. I fully expect him to follow, maybe even physically force me to stop, but footsteps don’t sound behind me.
I throw a look over my shoulder and get another burst of relief when there’s no one there. I turn down another hallway and stop, flattening my back against the wall and breathing for a minute.
I close my eyes and try to get the image of Jasper winking at me this evening out of my mind, try to stop picturing everything he did to Naomi, try to forget the sounds of her screaming out in the middle of the night.
I pull in a deep breath and open my eyes, pushing off the wall and heading for the kitchen. My stomach rumbles just thinking about food. I lose my appetite every night before heading into the playroom, but I’m starving by the time I leave.
Hunger gnaws more with each step I take away from Angel and Jasper. When I push through the swinging doors and step into the kitchen, no one at my back, I let out a sigh, massaging my temples with two fingers.
“Rough night?”
My shoulders lift, tensing like a wet cat, and I jump away from the voice, knocking into the doors that boomerang into my back.
My hand flies to my chest, and I sigh when I see it’s just Sawyer leaning against the kitchen counter.
JustSawyer. See what my life has become?
One side of his lips lifts as he nods behind me. “Which one are you running from? Jasper or Angel?”
“Both,” I answer honestly, walking to the kitchen island and leaning my elbows on the granite. Adrenaline drains from me, taking my energy with it. “I didn’t know you were back.”
“I got in this evening.”