“You mean like you tried to shoot me?”
“Well do it already.”
He shook his head and stood up straight. “I told you I was saving the best for last.”
“I could shoot you.”
“You could. But you won’t.”
I aimed the laser gun at him. “I won’t?” Oh shit, will I? Keiran was watching me intensely so he didn’t see the dot on his chest until it was too late. He’d been tagged.
“Score for the Dream Team, yeah baby!” Sheldon burst around the corner and shuffled her feet around. “I got the big bad Keiran!” She blew imaginary smoke from her weapon.
Keiran watched me with a small smile on his face. “You’re going to pay for that later,” he promised me even though Sheldon had been the one to tag him. A shiver of anticipation ran through me.
“Don’t make promises you probably shouldn’t keep.” His smile spread wider at my challenge.
“Will you two stop eye fucking each other? We have a war to finish!” Sheldon dragged me off and Keiran once again disappeared from sight but I knew he was still stalking me around the arena.
We played non-stop after that. Buddy, Keenan, and Sheldon were tagged out, ending our secret alliance. That left Keiran and me. Oh and Dash and Willow – if anyone could find them.
The arena was silent as I moved through it. Keiran and I seemed to be evading each other pretty well…unless he already knew where I was. I quickly looked behind me but didn’t see any sign of him. I was hunting him just as much as he was hunting me but that didn’t stop me from feeling like the prey. I stopped by one of the high walls and took out the map the officials gave us. Where the hell was he?
“You never were good at hiding from me.” I heard him behind me, and spun around to find him moving out the shadows. I tried to run but he was too fast as he hit me twice in the chest. I was tagged out. “I win.”
*
We left the arena with my hand swallowed up by his larger one. I lost but it wasn’t surprising. Buddy, Sheldon, and Keenan were waiting nearby, their gear already shed.
“Where is Dash and Willow?” They all shrugged and I immediately looked up at the Keiran. When he quickly averted his gaze, I narrowed my eyes.
“Buddy could you please go see where you sister is?” Keiran’s hand squeezed mine in warning but I ignored him.
“Why?” he asked and stayed seated.
“Remember that time in the fifth grade…”
“I’m going.” He shot up from his seat and disappeared back inside the arena.
“What happened in the fifth grade?” Keenan asked.
“A lady never tells.” Sheldon answered for me.
He looked at her with his eyebrows raised. “You’re a lady?” She slapped his arm and he stole a deep kiss from her. In no time she was in his lap and they were making out.
Keiran and I were shedding our gear when Buddy came out of the arena with a disturbed look on his face. “Buddy?” I asked concerned.
“There are just some things a brother should never see.” He shook his head and walked past us and into the main lobby.
“Come on. I want to feed you,” Keiran said and took my hand.
“But we have to wait for Dash and Willow.” He ignored me and continued pulling me into the dining area. Buddy was already seated at a large booth so we slid in with him.
“Buddy, what did you see?” Instead of answering me he looked at Keiran and then back at me and shook his head.
“I’d rather not relive that thank you very much.”
“Hey, did you order already?” Dash asked as he sat down and pulled Willow in after him. I stared at Willow, willing her to look at me but she avoided my gaze and looked down at her hands so I kicked her under the table.
“Oww!” She finally looked at me and I gave her a pointed look, which she ignored.
“Dude, what the fuck?” Buddy asked Dash.
He grinned at him. “You’ll thank me later, youngin.”
“But that’s my sister! Besides…I’ve been dancing that dance since I was thirteen.”