“Now that you’ve met the family,” Duke clapped loudly, drawing everyone’s attention to where he leaned against the wall beside Knox, who must have joined him when I wasn’t looking. “It’s time to get to the main event. Prepare to die, Lucy.”
Knox elbowed him, hard. “Shut up, you ass. No one is dying.”
“Actually,” Tucker argued, a boyish smirk on his face, “It’s laser tag. There are guns. We’re all going to be shot. That’s the whole point.”
“You’re not helping,” Knox rolled his eyes and leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed across his chest.
It was unfair how good he looked. His sleeves were pushed up to his elbows, exposing his strong forearms—it must be from all that whisking, but I couldn’t be certain—and broadening his shoulders. He filled the space beautifully, and I felt the urge to dig out some of my old sketchbooks to draw him. Perhaps with a window so the natural sunlight could catch the top of his chest above his shirt's neckline. But I hadn’t actually done a proper sketch in a long time—maybe years—and I wasn’t about to pull it out because of a little crush I was having on Knox.
“How are we dividing teams?” Kaiden asked next, standing beside Maisie like he was her guard dog or something. “Drawing straws? Picking team captains? Boys against girls?”
Maisie elbowed him. “I would kick all your asses; don’t try me.”
Kaiden laughed and scooted away to protect himself from another flying elbow.
I bit back a smile. They really were a family. They all had this casual love between them. They apparently just came to laser tag to spend time together and have fun. It felt nice not to have thepressure I was used to. Sure, Duke apparently had it out to grill me today about being worthy of being close to Knox, but maybe if I stayed close to Knox, Duke couldn’t corner me again.
“Knox can be captain since he’s back from the war,” Tucker suggested, jerking his thumb in Knox’s direction, “and then I nominate myself.”
He smirked and puffed out his chest, looking like some kind of action figure about to jump into flight.
I bit my lip harder.
“Oh, fuck off, Tucker.” Duke scoffed and pushed off the wall to shove at Tucker now. “I won last time, so I get to be captain. Me and Knox.”
“You don’t want to be on his team?” I asked.
Duke smirked. “More fun to shoot him in the ass, isn’t it?”
I reddened and shut up. I got the feeling I might be in over my head with Duke.
“Fuck off.” Knox rolled his eyes. “I’ll kick your ass. Okay, who’s picking first?”
“Rock, paper, scissors!” Duke spun around to face Knox, fist raised in the air and knees bent in a ready position. “Go!”
He and Knox had a very intense yet silent game of rock, paper, scissors—until Duke whooped loudly and Knox cursed.
“I’m first!” Duke shouted, pumping his fist in victory. “And I pick….Lucy.”
I gasped. “Me?”
Knox glared at Duke. “Just so you can torment him again? Duke.”
Duke shrugged, grinning with the innocence only reserved for the guilty. “I will be a perfect gentleman, Knox. You’re just sad you can’t have him on your team now.”
“I don’t know,” Kaiden drawled, “Better tension from afar.”
I knew I was blushing now. My skin was far too pale not to have betrayed me already. But if I stayed silent, I might still survive the day.
Maisie laughed. “Good point, Kaiden. Knox, pick someone.”
“I’ll take Maisie.”
Tucker gasped. “What? Knox!”
Knox shrugged. “She’s a much better shot than either of you.”
Maisie smirked and grabbed my hand to tug me with her as she settled beside Knox and nudged me to stand beside Duke.
