Sure.
My earpiece buzzes with nonstop chatter.
“I saw where Yellow Team hid their flag,” Donnelly says. Even though Beckett Cobalt is his client, the Tri-Force enlisted most of the seasoned bodyguards for the event. The Meadows, Cobalts, and Hales without their regular 24/7 bodyguards have temporary ones for three days.
Akara is on the mic. “Are you really using comms to help Jane cheat?” He assumes it’s Jane, but any way you toss it, Donnelly is Team Cobalt.
“I’m doin’ nuthin,” Donnelly says, accent thick on the wordnothing. I spy him circling a wooded area, blue bandana on his tattooed forearm even though he’s not playing.
Maximoff sits casually on a tree stump. Stuck in blue team’s “jail” until one of his red team members tags him out. I relax for a second, propping my shoulders on an oak tree.
His eyes flit briefly to me, a smile in them.
He runs his fingers through the dark brown strands of his hair. Somehow, he appears a few years older with his natural shade.
I still can’t get over it.
And he found an alternative to lightening his hair. He’s wearing Thor camping socks right now. Plus, he had Luna draw Spider-Man figures on his Timberland boots. It’s his way of shoutingI love my dadto paparazzi who’ll take money-shots and to anyone who’ll listen.
My lips begin to rise back at him.
“Quinn to security.” Another voice is in my ear. “I just overheard some girls talking about dragging someone. Should I intervene?”
“Nah,” Donnelly pipes in again. “That’s just fandom talk.”
“What?” Quinn asks.
I click my mic. “It’s not a threat. Don’t engage.” Did I just naturally “guide” Quinn right there? Fucking hell,I’ve turned into a teacher.
“Ugh, I forgot my snack,” Oscar complains. “Does anyone have anything on them?”
“Bro, youjustate,” Quinn refutes. “Like fifteen pancakes.”
“I don’t see your point. Snacks are an essential part of life. And you know what, if you haven’t learned that by now, we’ve encountered a real serious problem—guys, my brother needs fucking help, like a Snack Awareness Meeting.”
Voices pile onto one another.
I lower the volume.
Maximoff is out of “jail” and he runs into a safe zone. He slows down as a huddle of eighteen or nineteen-year-old girls in red shirts ogle him.
I don’t blame them.
He’s gorgeous. And my cock definitely agrees.
I’m more hyper-aware of people here who are apathetic towards him. It means they’re most likely at the Camp-Away for wrong reasons. Akara already red-marked twenty-three names for us to watch. Their motives for entering the charity event seemed suspicious.
Maximoff approaches the girls, and they squeal in glee, bouncing on their toes and grabbing onto his arms excitedly.
Easy there.
I raise the radio volume and catch the tail-end of Oscar asking for food.
I click my mic. “I have a protein bar. I’m by an oak tree.”
“There are trees everywhere, Redford.”
I roll my eyes. “Man, how badly do you want that snack? Because I’m not drawing you a fucking map.”
