“A fourth sounds good,” Priest says.
But her gaze is on me as if I’m the one who needs to give her permission. Has she spoken to the others? I’ve kind of avoided everyone for the last few days as I sorted my shit out. While I’ve done plenty of unsanctioned ops, I’ve never been able to step back into life as if nothing happened. It takes me time to process. There may be no bodies, and all the evidence might have washed away, but I remember what I did.
A dying man’s blood is hotter than rain.
I blink because I’m staring at her. What have the others said?
Does Priest know about what Reed said to Colton?
No words form on my lips. All I can do is extend my hand in invitation and nod.
That seems to be enough because she walks over to me. I guess she’s now on my team. Colton and Priest are going to kill us. For the first time, I don’t care if I lose.
Colton narrows his gaze, as if annoyed at the way she picked me.
Ashley grins. “First to three points?”
“Five and we’ll give you a point head start,” Priest says. He tosses the ball toward her. “And the ball.”
I shake my head. I’d have rather lost with honor.
Ashley catches the ball and bounces it a few times, as if getting a feel for it. “Wow. You guys really don’t think much of my abilities.”
“We’ve never seen you play, but I do know you aren’t as fit.” Colton takes a few steps forward, getting ready to attack.
I glance at her. She doesn’t seem bothered, but she’s watched us enough times to have learned how we play. She knows our moves.
Was she giving me that look because she wanted to be on my team?
I’m not that much taller than the other two.
She doesn’t wait for Priest and Colton to attack. She bounces the ball and darts around them.
I break to the other side, and she tosses the ball to me with enough force that I grunt as I catch it. That I wasn’t expecting.
Colton spins away from her, and she runs to the hoop and lifts her hands. I see what she did. I was there to draw the heat while she attempts a shot. I toss the ball and pray she can get us a point.
Priest crashes into my shoulder and I grab him in a tackle. Our game is a little rougher than some people enjoy.
She catches the ball, pivots, and shoots so fast I almost miss it. The ball rattles the hoop like a warning bell.
Colton backs up a few paces.
I release Priest.
“My ball since I scored, right?”
Priest nods, he’s a bit more watchful as though he doesn’t trust her.
Ashley picks up the ball and bounces it a few times. Her grin is a bit more cunning, and her gaze is sharper. “I played netball at school. Since we’re two up, we only need one point to win if my math is correct.” She glances at me, and I nod. “I guess if you two want a chance, you have to take the ball.”
Colton goes for her, and I stay on Priest. She darts and ducks, twisting away. Just before he grabs her, she throws to me. He grabs her anyway, carrying her away from the hoop.
I can’t shoot hoops and Priest and Colton have seen my lack of skill too many times.
She pinches Colton on the ass and he drops her. She runs away from him and I lob the ball over Priest’s head.
“She’s got moves,” Priest mutters.
