"Oh, come on … if this doesn't prove my theory that he's a devil in disguise, I don't know what will."
"Like I said … I just desperately want to shoot someone … and I need it to hurt," Kiara is back to her PMS self. Axel glares at her.
"Can't we just have some fun without any incidents for once?"
"Gmf, that's a stretch. You know you guys can't do anything without incidents happening," I sneer.
Naturally, this paintball shit might turn into a disaster. I mean, they're legally packing a bunch of adrenaline-junkie small-brained male maniacs with loaded guns (though not real) and a ticket to shoot each other - so I'm not expecting it to be calm and orderly.
But I'm good with it all as long as I get to shoot the cocky devil on his perfect, smooth muscular chest. Or even better, on his manly chinny-chin-chin. I need a release for this cropped-up frustration I've been nurturing this last month.
First, I'm upset because of the whole curse thing - for obvious reasons. The second case would be him telling me I don't know what I'm doing (while he's responsible for that). It might be true, but it still hurts. Thirdly, his love declaration for some girl stabbed me right in the heart. Yeah, he said it's not Chloe, but there still is someone. And lastly, that stunt he pulled at the rescue center numbed my brain throughout the whole class. I couldn't take anything in and felt like an idiot.
So yeah, I would love to hurt the bastard. Seriously hurt him.
As soon as I lay my eyes on Enrique, it's as if a cold bony hand wraps around my throat, hindering my breathing. Could the message be serious? Is D going after my brother?
He's dressed in green, like Ilkay and Logan, but Jackson is on our side.
"Revenge is staring you in the face, girls," Enrique comments with a BEAST smirk, pointing at me and Kiara.
I silently wonder if there's going to be an ambulance on standby. But I know better than to show fear.
"Not if I shoot you in the balls first," I stab back, but Enrique just winks, patting his manly parts.
"All cupped up, little witch, courtesy of Logan's football gear." I feel a bit disappointed, but I should have guessed all my brothers would be wise enough to use dick protectors.
We split into teams, the green team with Ilkay in his truck, while we get into Axel's. We drive, cheerfully chatting about the game and the party, even talking strategy a bit, deciding that we will stick together, and win this thing.
The paintball place is in a wooded area with a military-training camp vibe that reminds me of some deserted town in The Walking Dead. Axel parks near a log cabin with a sign saying 'reception'.
Ren is standing on the steps, dressed in green, talking to a curvy brunette wearing the same color. He told me he was invited - his friend's father is one of the team sponsors.
Then I recognize the girl - Chloe. She must be the friend he was referring to.
My heart bolts. Since I can't shoot D, I will settle for Chloe. That bitch is going down.
"What the fuck are those two doing here?" Jackson scolds while we're walking to the cabin. He's been in a foul mood ever since his return from Yale about a week ago.
He's not exactly happy with the sentence the President of the United States punished him with - coaching the Bulldogs instead of jail time. But I guess it's what you get for climbing over the White House fence, knocking out a Secret Service guard, and jumping into the pretty fountain. He can be glad Mr. President has a sense of humor and is a big Yale man.
So, each time he returns from his forced once-a-month coaching trip, he gets like this.
Uptight.
Maybe it's because he got stuck with 'teaching rich obnoxious jocks to pass a fucking puck' - his exact words.
Or maybe he just didn't get laid enough in Fun City.
Like usual, instead of talking, he's scowling. Only this time his scowl is even darker than normal. I'm just glad he's on our side today.
"Damion had to invite her since her father is one of the sponsors," Logan explains. "And she brought the creep with her." I guess that would be Ren.
"Hi, boys!" Chloe greets, her voice sounding like a call girl in the middle of phone sex. Not that I know anything about call girls … or sex … but it's how I imagine it would sound.
Ren pulls me awkwardly into his arms and places a clumsy kiss on my cheek.
"Oh," I squeak, not expecting it.
Axel looks annoyed. Logan looks pissed. Ilkay looks pained. Enrique looks sick. Jackson looks about to commit murder.
We haven't been on a date since Logan's party … not that he didn't ask. I just haven't had time between classes, soccer, track-and-field, the dog thing, and the equestrian club. And I'm enjoying every single minute.
However, Ren is slowly starting to drive me insane. He appears for sporadic visits on campus, between my events. It's irritating the shit out of me. Maybe I'm just not ready for a relationship. That's why I've decided to tell Ren that things between us are not working out. My first time dumping someone.
"Hey guys," Damion shouts out, moving towards us. Over the years he's body filled out in all the right places, leaving it as perfect as a body can be. And right now those muscles were dressed in a black overall. Damn. There goes my revenge idea flying through the window.
Those sexy apple Wicked Witch eyes look at me as if they can see my sudden stone-hard nipples right through my clothes, as my bones melt away. I grab onto Kiara so as not to fall down. Luckily my brothers are preoccupied with wishing their friend a happy birthday, hitting and shoving and clapping each other like the bunch of neanderthal men they are.
"Happy birthday, asshole," I say sarcastically while hugging him after my brothers calmed down. And right there an electric bolt shoots through my melted skeleton to fry my brain, kick-starting my hypothalamus into a cocktail frenzy that slowly warms up every feminine part like an old stove plate. Wanting. As if anticipating something.
I let out a private chuckle … anticipation for what? Even if he decides to go down on me, I would not know what to do with him. Great big V over here.
"Thanks my angel," he whispers in my ear. "Remember we need to talk."
I'm not sure if it's the words, his voice, or his breath, but another army of tingles flood down my spine, causing the ache down under to increase.
I clench my legs together and try to ignore the butterfly effect. My mind goes into survival mode telling me this is a biological imbalance that happens when one feeling gets mistaken for the other. Lust has nothing to do with love. It's just an animalistic instinct made of pure raw primal cravings. And boy am I suddenly craving something I know nothing about.
The next moment, Chloe pushes me from his arms, causing a little primal green-eyed monster to appear. I was frickin jealous. And I have no reason to be. He's not mine. But at least he's not hers either. That knowledge makes me smile in spite - a big, grinning, malicious smile.
"Come on, darling, the game is about to start." She wiggles her lashes and pouts that lipstick mouth into a blood-red heart and I have this urge to make her bleed for real. I think I found my least favorite person on this whole green earth.
Damion unclips Chloe's fingers from his arm, and Logan immediately squeezes in between them. Then Ilkay dips in and pushes the girl even further away. She stomps a foot and goes to stand next to Ren.
"Mel!" A shout comes from behind me and I turn around just in time to brace myself for impact as Luke huddles into my legs, nearly knocking me onto my ass. He locks his arms tight around my hips, facing up at me, his chin on my belly button. He plasters on the biggest cutest BEAST smile ever that wins me over without even putting up a fight.
"You smell so nice," he says without downgrading his grin.