Page 110 of Ensnared

“What’s going on?” Gideon’s standing in the doorway now, with Coral and Jade’s heads peering around his body.

“I’m Liz’s boyfriend now,” Axel says. “Because her bond has passed to Azar. We’re not ensnared anymore, but we’re still connected.”

He really should have run this past me.

I can’t help my hiss. “He’s not?—”

Axel takes my hand in his. “That’s why we’ll be spending so much time together, even though she’s bonded to Azar.” This is the perfect solution. I’ll be your boyfriend and your entwined.

I close my eyes. I can’t even argue with him, because how else can I explain him being around me all the time in his human form?

This is getting so complicated.

Gideon always seems to be the collateral damage.

“I think we’ll all be safer here with you instead of leaving Houston.” Gideon’s tone is flat. “You’ve shown that the humans can’t best you.”

“Let’s all go down and have some breakfast,” I say.

“We should.” Axel stands up. “Because Azar’s going to be here soon to pick you all up and take you to his tower.”

“What about Gordon?” Sammy asks. “I’ll miss him.”

Axel’s expression softens. “He can come if you’d like. He can be your personal bodyguard.”

“Really?” Sammy’s face lights up. “Can he be my friend, too? My best friend used to be Danny, but now I’m not sure if I’ll ever see him again, and Gordon’s really good at Uno.”

“What about us?” Jade asks. “We want Rufus.”

“Do you really?” Axel asks.

Jade nods.

“No one likes Rufus,” Gordon says from downstairs. “He bugs everyone.”

“I like him,” Jade says. “I do.”

“He’s okay,” Coral says.

“He can come as well,” Axel says.

“What about you?” Gideon asks. “Will you be staying here?”

Axel walks toward the door, but he stops right in front of Gideon. “You’d like that, and that’s almost reason enough for me to go.”

Poor Gideon looks like he’s about to punch Axel. That brave move would be his last, so I practically race to step between them. “Hey, I’m going to change clothes and throw my stuff in a bag. You guys should do the same thing.”

“I can help you pack,” Axel says. “I don’t have to do it myself.” He grabs the top of the door, ushers the kids back through, and then slams it in Gideon’s face.

“You should stop doing that,” I say.

Axel leans against the wall, his eyes roaming slowly from my legs upward.

“And that, too.”

“You might want to make me a list. There seem to be a lot of things I’m not supposed to do.”

“And you’ll stop doing them?” I grab my backpack. “Because I’ll start with the fact that you should stand outside so I can change.”