konstantya (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
konstantya) wrote2021-10-24 03:19 pm
konstantya) wrote2021-10-24 03:19 pm
Entry tags:
[fic] The Love Pawn - "En Prise"
Title: En Prise
Fandom: The Love Pawn (Short Story)
Genre: Drama, romance.
Characters/pairings: Paula Ingram/Red (Jack Delafield)
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 468
Summary: It had been one thing to watch Monty Lewis kiss her. The same could not be said for Eric Kendall. (Missing/expanded scene. Could be considered a companion piece of sorts to this fic, as the one picks up right where the other leaves off. Also, as before, the original short story can be read here.)
If you’d like to leave a comment, please do so on AO3!
It had been one thing to watch Monty Lewis kiss her—Monty Lewis, of the boring dinner conversation and gentlemanly-to-a-fault behavior. Oh, sure, there were times he might have lingered for an extra second at Paula’s lips, might have hesitated in saying goodnight to her and taking his leave, but he’d never truly let his demonstrations of affection go beyond what was considered appropriate.
The same could not be said for Eric Kendall.
Jack was too far away to make out any of the words they’d been speaking to each other. All he’d known is that Paula had laughed coyly and begun to say something, but then Eric—apparently overcome—had pulled her even closer on the marble bench and pressed his mouth against hers downright hungrily. Jack had started instinctively at the display, his fingers tightening around the grip of his revolver, and it was only the fact that Paula wasn’t actively struggling that kept him from revealing himself and simply shooting the other man dead right then and there. As it was, Jack was still half-tempted to do so anyway, on mere principle.
It had nothing to do with jealousy, he insisted to himself. Nothing to do with the way Eric had her head tilted back in his hand, or the way Paula’s palms were pressed flat against his chest, and it especially had nothing to do with the way she appeared to be enjoying the whole experience—her body practically radiating with surrender, so very different from the willing-but-otherwise-unenthusiastic manner in which she had always received her fiancé’s attentions. No, instead it had everything to do with the way Eric and his “business associates” had swept into the Delafield estate those few years ago, taken advantage of his father’s shock and near-desperation following the market crash, and then conveniently vanished once it became clear that their “investment opportunities” would only ever benefit themselves. Really, if Paula entered into the equation at all, it was only in the respect that it was a shame she had fallen for such a scoundrel in the first place.
Finally, reluctantly, Eric released her. He spoke in low, excited tones and removed something from the inside of his black, velvet coat. A match was struck to illuminate a piece of paper, and in the soft light, from behind his concealing tangle of yucca leaves, Jack could see Paula’s entire frame stiffen slightly. Eric was oblivious, grinning at her with a positively boyish giddiness, and was evidently waiting for a reply. The match went out and Paula stood.
“I—I’ll let you know tomorrow, Eric,” she said unsteadily. And then, with a rustle of skirts, she rounded the bench and fled back into the ballroom, leaving Jack—frankly—just as confused about the exchange as poor Eric Kendall seemed to be.
-----
A/N: I will never get over the weird voyeuristic vibes with this dude, pfft.YOU ARE LITERALLY HIDING IN A BUSH, WATCHING THE WOMAN YOU (SUBCONSCIOUSLY) LOVE MAKE OUT WITH A MAN YOU HATE. LOOK AT YOUR LIFE, JACK; LOOK AT YOUR CHOICES. Anyway, to that end, I’m really tempted to write a little pre-canon fic, involving him and his substitute butlering in Paula’s house, but who knows if it’ll ever happen.
All other fics can be found here.
Fandom: The Love Pawn (Short Story)
Genre: Drama, romance.
Characters/pairings: Paula Ingram/Red (Jack Delafield)
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 468
Summary: It had been one thing to watch Monty Lewis kiss her. The same could not be said for Eric Kendall. (Missing/expanded scene. Could be considered a companion piece of sorts to this fic, as the one picks up right where the other leaves off. Also, as before, the original short story can be read here.)
If you’d like to leave a comment, please do so on AO3!
- En Prise -
It had been one thing to watch Monty Lewis kiss her—Monty Lewis, of the boring dinner conversation and gentlemanly-to-a-fault behavior. Oh, sure, there were times he might have lingered for an extra second at Paula’s lips, might have hesitated in saying goodnight to her and taking his leave, but he’d never truly let his demonstrations of affection go beyond what was considered appropriate.
The same could not be said for Eric Kendall.
Jack was too far away to make out any of the words they’d been speaking to each other. All he’d known is that Paula had laughed coyly and begun to say something, but then Eric—apparently overcome—had pulled her even closer on the marble bench and pressed his mouth against hers downright hungrily. Jack had started instinctively at the display, his fingers tightening around the grip of his revolver, and it was only the fact that Paula wasn’t actively struggling that kept him from revealing himself and simply shooting the other man dead right then and there. As it was, Jack was still half-tempted to do so anyway, on mere principle.
It had nothing to do with jealousy, he insisted to himself. Nothing to do with the way Eric had her head tilted back in his hand, or the way Paula’s palms were pressed flat against his chest, and it especially had nothing to do with the way she appeared to be enjoying the whole experience—her body practically radiating with surrender, so very different from the willing-but-otherwise-unenthusiastic manner in which she had always received her fiancé’s attentions. No, instead it had everything to do with the way Eric and his “business associates” had swept into the Delafield estate those few years ago, taken advantage of his father’s shock and near-desperation following the market crash, and then conveniently vanished once it became clear that their “investment opportunities” would only ever benefit themselves. Really, if Paula entered into the equation at all, it was only in the respect that it was a shame she had fallen for such a scoundrel in the first place.
Finally, reluctantly, Eric released her. He spoke in low, excited tones and removed something from the inside of his black, velvet coat. A match was struck to illuminate a piece of paper, and in the soft light, from behind his concealing tangle of yucca leaves, Jack could see Paula’s entire frame stiffen slightly. Eric was oblivious, grinning at her with a positively boyish giddiness, and was evidently waiting for a reply. The match went out and Paula stood.
“I—I’ll let you know tomorrow, Eric,” she said unsteadily. And then, with a rustle of skirts, she rounded the bench and fled back into the ballroom, leaving Jack—frankly—just as confused about the exchange as poor Eric Kendall seemed to be.
-----
A/N: I will never get over the weird voyeuristic vibes with this dude, pfft.
All other fics can be found here.