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“Yeah, that sounds friendly,” Macklin drawled, swimming closer to the stairs. “I’m good.”
Reese and Ash immediately began making chicken noises.
Macklin glared at them, but the final push of his button was Walker standing up and declaring he was happy to join. Now, Macklin couldn’t very well decline. And that was my cue. I scooped up some water and splashed it on my chest and shoulders, then rose to my feet with my drink and KC’s empty cup.
“Oh, come on, Lucian!” Reese hollered. “We need you!”
“The hell you do,” I laughed. “Besides, I have a note from my parents.” I turned to him and pinched the edge of my trunks where I’d attached the pin Gael had kindly given me. “See? I’m stressed. You brats have fun.”
Each side did their best to recruit team members, with the brats arguing that they should be allowed extra participants since they were so “small and cute,” in their words.
I returned to my lounger and noticed River had set up camp on the one next to mine. He was reading a book on… I tilted my head to catch the title. Christ. War and geopolitics and the second Congo War. Talk about heavy. I preferred my Kindle library of Friedman, Hayek, and Duflo. I was currently very much enjoying the latter’s findings in third world microeconomies.
“We play by the same rules we use at home!” Colt announced. “Each team defends their side of the pool, and the opponent will try to slam the ball against the edge. No throwing when you score—your hand has to be on the ball.”
I let out a sigh of contentment and took a sip of my drink.
They’d chosen their teams. Greer had left the comfort of Archie’s arms, and he’d joined Reese, Colt, Walker, and Ash to defend their sadistic egos against Corey, Noa, Kit, Cam, Macklin, and Shay. So at least the boys had one extra player. It should even the field a bit.
“We play for braggin’ rights!” Colt said. “But losers gotta behave for the rest of the trip.”
I smirked, then noticed River was suddenly eyeing the boys.
“Any leads?” I asked.
He hummed and side-eyed me. “Between you and me?”
Come on.
He knew I was airtight.
“All right, my two cents,” he said quietly. “If Macklin joins a prank, we’re not talkin’ whoopee cushions and glitter-filled shoes. He puts thought into shit, and he’s patient.”
I inclined my head in agreement.
“Then we consider the size of their operation,” he continued. “We have a lotta brats involved—and not a single clue falls from their loose lips? Practically unheard of—even more so when you think about where we are. Their options are limited on a ship, and every brat has an Owner who’s gone through their luggage. If they snuck somethin’ on board, it’s tiny or digital.” He leaned a little closer to me. “Furthermore, they’re too relaxed. When Shay tries to pull a fast one, he’s either fidgety to a degree, or he’s territorial of a location he’s hidden somethin’ in.”
He was right. Noa, in particular, would have fretted much more if he had a responsibility to keep secret. Or an item, a prop, whatever. Yesterday and today, his biggest concern had been not using BDSM titles in public.
“So we can assume the little ones have no responsibility, perhaps only knowledge,” I deduced.
River shrugged and reached for his coffee. “Or there’s no prank at all.”
Was that what he believed?
“That’s your verdict?” I asked. And if it was, I would believe him. River Tenley was probably our most antisocial member, but nobody knew people better.
He took a swig of his coffee and mulled over his answer. “My verdict is that Macklin recruited a bunch of brats to act like somethin’s goin’ on. His goal is to show us that he can fuck with our heads.”
I’d say his two cents were worth much more.
I looked out over the pool, everybody having a great time, and figured…this was the journey they got their mental orgasms from. For as long as I had been active in the lifestyle, the risk of “something possibly going on” had been a greater drug than final results. Once a prank was revealed, there was a moment of celebration and cursing, but also a beat of deflation because the fun was over. Until someone planned something new.
I was confident that was why River hadn’t said anything. He was letting everything play out.
“There’s one thing, though,” he added with his brow furrowed. “I haven’t figured out Ash’s role in this.”
“What do you mean? Do you think he’s involved?”
