Just Between Us (The Kings)

My whole body buzzed,knowing I was about to kick Veda’s ass in some serious paintball. My skin crawled with pent-up anticipation.

Fox Paintball was on the outskirts of Remington County, nestled into ten acres of wooded fields. It was peak season, so I had called ahead and guaranteed our reservation. With field names like Carnage, Wasteland, and Ghosttown, there would be plenty of opportunities to wipe the smug grin off Veda’s pretty little face.

I leaned against the hood of my truck, eagerly waiting for everyone else to arrive. Over the past few days, my sisters and I had cobbled a group together so the Saturday-morning outing would be fun for everyone. It was best if no one knew the real reason behind my bet with Veda.

MJ arrived first and leaned next to me with a grin. “Gang’s all here.”

I glanced down at her. “Who decided to show?”

I only cared that Veda showed up.

MJ pointed around the parking lot as cars and trucks I recognized pulled in.

“Wyatt was busy at a football camp, but Penny pleaded to participate. Lark promised to watch over her but doesn’t want to play, so she can hang with Sylvie and Gus.”

I nodded. “We’ll take care of the little one.”

MJ scoffed. “That girl is hell on wheels. I’d watch out if I were you.” MJ jutted out her chin. “Kate and Beckett are in. So is Whip, but Em has to work at the library. Annie’s also busy at the art studio. Abel’s out, but Sloane plans to come and watch. So . . . that leaves Team Sullivan with Penny, Kate, Beckett, and Lee. Our side will have you, Whip, me, and Veda.”

I had moved to speak up when MJ cut me off with one finger raised in the air. “But . . . Veda informed me you ran your mouth, and now she’s Team Sullivan. Nice going, sport.”

Team Sullivan?I frowned, but if I was going to win our bet, we had to be on opposing sides. “I’m assuming JP didn’t want to risk rumpling his suit?”

MJ nodded. “That would be an accurate assumption. I called in a couple of pinch hitters or—” She waved a dismissive hand in the air. “Whatever they’re called. Tall Chad and Other Tall Chad are both going to play on our side.”

I gave my sister a hard side-eye.

“What?” she asked. “It was them or Ms. Tiny. I had to make a choice.”

Kicking off the hood of my truck, I grumbled: “I would have taken my chances with the old bird. She’s ruthless.”

“And a thousand years old.” MJ’s laugh cracked through the air behind me. “I’m not used to seeing you like this. Competitive, sure. But grumpy? The new girl is really getting under your skin.”

Side by side we walked toward the entrance, casually greeting the others as we made our way inside.

Lark and Sloane sat in the viewers’ stands with Sylvie and my nephew. The rest of us made our way into the building to go over the rules, sign a few waivers, and receive our equipment for the day.

I caught an eyeful of Veda, and my jaw went slack. She was dressed in canvas sneakers and black jeans that hugged the curves of her ass. Her matching black T-shirt was threadbare and plastered to her chest. I could barely make out the coral-red strap of her sports bra. Her long, dark hair was pulled neatly into a bun at the base of her neck.

I must have stared a bit too long because when I glanced at her, her icy stare was pinning me in place. A lopsided grin spread across my face.

Oh, this is going to be fun.

Once the teams were divided, I went into full-on tactical game mode. Making a circle, MJ, Whip, and I stepped together. “Where is⁠—”

Looking around like a lost bird, Other Tall Chad stood a head higher than everyone else. His paintball gun hung limply at his side. Tall Chad wasn’t taking things any more seriously. He was busy leaning over the counter and flirting with the young girl working the register.

“Chads.” I gestured toward our group. “For real? Come on, man.”

“Sorry, I— Sorry.” Other Tall Chad nearly tripped over a misplaced helmet, but they both eventually joined our circle.

I sighed, knowing I was going to have to pull up the slack with them on the team. “Okay,” I said. “The first game is classic capture the flag. No hitting the staff. No faces. No dick shots.”

MJ’s face twisted in disgust as she cleared her throat. “Ahem.”

I smiled in concession. “Or other sensitive parts. Are we ready?”

Whip’s eyes were trained on Lee, who was conferring with the Sullivans on the other side of the room. “I’m gonna nail his ass.”

I turned to my brother. “Does your girl know about that?”

The joke flew right over Other Tall Chad’s head, but MJ and Tall Chad chuckled. Whip pushed me. “Fuck off.”

“All right.” I clapped. “Let’s show them who runs this place.”

MJ whooped and my adrenaline spiked. A buzz hummed through the charged atmosphere as we made our way into the forest and onto the field. I stared across the arena to where Team Sullivan was dispersing. Beckett slapped Kate’s ass before she disappeared behind a tree. I scanned for Veda but didn’t spot her. Penny stared directly at me before pointing at my face and dragging her thumb across her neck in a cutting motion.

Jesus . . .

A bubble of laughter tickled my throat as a chill ran down my spine. The spectators stood on an observation deck, Sylvie waving little Gus’s hand while he fussed. The staff barked last-minute rules through a megaphone, and with the shrill blast of an air horn, we were off.

I crouched low, darting behind a barrel to get my bearings and develop a plan. I wanted to capture the Sullivan flag, but there’d be a particular thrill in seeing the look on Veda’s face when I shot her and she was forced to go out.

Movement registered at the corner of my eye, and I popped up, only to startle a squirrel. I recognized distant shouting as it echoed through the trees. Lee and Whip were busy slinging insults.

“Come on, Bill. Too afraid to come out?” Lee’s taunts worked, because I watched as my idiot brother barreled out from behind an abandoned structure to race toward Lee.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

Hot-pink paint exploded across Whip’s chest, and he groaned.

“Way to go, rat burger!” Lee shouted to his niece. It was then that I saw Penny had been perched high on a tree branch like a sniper. She leaped down and into Lee’s arms, and he ran off with her.

I fired off a few shots in their direction but missed. Whip walked off the field with his gun and hands in the air and his head hung low.

I patted his back as he passed. “Tough break. Chin up.”

I moved through the forest, checking my surroundings and listening for movement. The pop of paintball guns firing echoed through the trees, distorting the sound.

I ran toward the noise, determined to find Veda while protecting anyone advancing on MJ as she guarded our flag. The Chads were nowhere to be found.

A whizz of air zipped past my goggles, and I reared my head back. Kate’s long brunette ponytail flashed as she crouched behind a concrete culvert. Beckett wasn’t far behind her. His attempt to protect her would be his weakness. I waited, slowly advancing on the duo.

When Kate made a run for it, I fired, hitting her leg and getting her out. Beckett let loose a battle cry and stood, shooting in my direction. He evaded my first shots, but when he stood to fire back, I caught him right in the center of his chest.

Kate laughed, and as I jogged past, Beckett gave me a good-natured shove. Breathing hard, I looked around.

Where the hell was Veda?

The forest was quiet as I slowly made my advance. Birds chirped. Leaves rustled. My ears pricked up when a twig snapped to my right. Deep in enemy territory, I crouched down to shield myself from view.

Team Sullivan’s green flag should have been perched on the flagpole, surrounded by discarded tires, but when I looked, it was gone. Another twig snapped, and I peered through the trees.

Other Tall Chad was on his belly, Army crawling through the brush with the neon-green flag flat against his back, tucked into the waistband of his pants.

Well, I’ll be damned . . .

“Psst,”I hissed, trying to not draw too much attention to ourselves. Other Tall Chad looked at me. “I’ll cover you.”

All we had to do was ensure birdman got off their side and back to our flag podium, and the game would be ours. Soft, thundering footsteps pounded through the trees.

I peered through the branches to see Lee running.

Pop. Pop.

Chartreuse paint splattered across Lee’s shoulder. In his dramatic fashion, Lee gripped the shoulder, crying out and making choking sounds as he slowly lowered to the ground. I laughed as he lay there and twitched.

Penny’s shrill war cry sent birds flying off their branches as she ran to him. “Noooooo!”

Her body was blocked by tree limbs, but from the ground Lee held up an arm. “You have to go on. Fight for me!”

Those two are ridiculous . . . and also kind of cute.

I was shifting to try to get a shot when my subtle movements caught her eye. A snarl curled her lip when she saw me.

“Revenge!” she screamed and came barreling toward where I was crouched behind a boulder. She was on the warpath, and her sights were set on me.

When she broke her cover and used a large rock to jump off, a single pop echoed through the trees.

“Ow!” Penny landed and looked down at her stomach. On the plated vest was a splatter of neon-purple paint. Penny stomped her foot and glared at me. “Next round, you’re mine.”

I chuckled and saw MJ in the distance shoot me a thumbs-up before pain overtook her face. “Hey!” She stood, whipping around and touching the blue paint on her thigh. “Are you serious? I’m on your team, doofus!”

“Oh, my bad.” Tall Chad’s face fell.

With a grunt, MJ fired her paintball gun right at him. Pop. Pop. Pop. “Now you’re out too.”

I shook my head and wiped sweat from my brow. Her temper had cost us a teammate. Based on my calculations, Veda was solo in the forest—the last of her team to survive—and Other Tall Chad had Team Sullivan’s flag. All I needed to do was get her out of the game and ensure he could reach the goal.

Cheers from the observation deck spurred me forward. My eyes swept through the abandoned cabin and around the boulders meant for protection. He was nowhere to be found.

“Oh, it’s going down now!” Lee Sullivan grinned and shouted from the spectators’ seats. I tracked his gaze and froze.

Between the trees, Veda was hauling ass, running at full speed with her weapon braced against her shoulder. Her eyes locked on a target.

What the fuck?

Her muscular legs pumped as she hurtled forward. She jumped over a log and twisted her body midair to shoot a crouching and terrified Other Tall Chad. When she hit the ground, she rolled but popped right back up to continue her run.

I was starstruck and staring like an idiot when she disappeared in the shadows of the forest. My blood hummed. It was she and I, but I couldn’t shake the feeling I was severely underprepared. Veda had turned into some kind of supersoldier before my eyes, and I couldn’t wrap my brain around what was happening.

Fear prickled at the base of my skull as the quiet of the forest enveloped me.

“Hey.” Her velvet voice washed over me like a lover’s whisper in the dark. My dick twitched, and I turned toward the sound.

Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop.

Sharp pain pierced my flank as orange paint exploded on my side and splattered as high as my face and neck. I grunted from the impact and landed on my ass. Veda popped out from behind a tree as cheers erupted from the stands.

Veda stood over me, a warrior who’d won in battle. “Consider that payback for the milk stunt.”

Laughter bubbled up inside me. I was at a total loss as to what the hell had just happened. I stared up at her as I lay flat on my back. “How did you . . . ? What⁠—”

Veda’s face lit up as she reached behind her and pulled our flag out of her waistband.

“I grew up on a farm.” She twirled the flag like a baton. “Did I not mention that?”

I frowned at her, and she laughed, joy lighting up her whole face. “My parents worked a lot, but I had a grandpa who was nice to me. He took me target shooting in the fields behind the barn. I even joined the competitive skeet shooting team in high school. I was all-state, come to think of it . . .” She shrugged. “Huh.”

Veda leaned in, and her hand patted my shoulder twice as I pouted like a petulant child. “Better luck next time, big dog.”

Veda ran off, presumably to plant our flag on her side and officially win the game. I groaned and rolled myself to stand. I pressed a hand into my paint-splattered side.

Damn, those things really sting.

Up ahead, I watched as Veda brought her team to victory. They cheered and encircled her. I hunched over, trying to catch my breath and relieve the pinch from my tender side—that shit was definitely going to bruise.

From the corner of my eye, I caught Veda’s shy, embarrassed smile as Lee and Beckett hoisted her onto their shoulders. She seemed unaccustomed to friends rallying behind her, and the happiness on her face intensified the pinch in my chest.

As I joined the group, I endured my fair share of shit-talking, but it was accompanied by a bit of good-natured ribbing. Veda seemed more at ease than I’d ever seen her. She accepted a water bottle, and I watched the delicate muscles work in her neck as she sucked it down.

When she finished, she gasped and shot a hot look my way. “Guess that means I won the bet.”

My heart sank.