Page 91 of Give Me Peace

Havok sighs in exasperation. “Are you happy? Now you’ve got Say buying in to your crazy, waxing poetic about a goddamn beach chicken.”

Kash grins at me while casually giving Havok his middle finger. “No risk of life, I promise.”

“Okay.” I nod my agreement, hoping like hell I won’t come to regret that decision in just a few short minutes.

“You heard her, boys. To the war room! It’s time for some tactical catch and release,” Kash proclaims with a fist pump to the air.

“Oh, hell yes.” Havok surges to his feet, his grin boyish and giddy. I watch in amusement as the others join him, their eyes lit with excitement and an extra pep in their steps as the head for the lower level. Their smiles are contagious, but I’m so confused. Kash takes my hand and pulls me to my feet once we’re alone. Our chests are flush as he stares down at me tenderly.

“It’s time to face another fear, babe.” My pulse kicks up a notch as he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s his touch that has my stomach dipping and swirling with nerves. “Remember the words I told you that day? We’ve got you. Always. Trust that above anything else. I’d never put you in danger, and neither would my brothers.” I inhale deeply and dip my chin in acquiescence.

Kash twines our fingers together and leads me down the stairs. The flashlight on his phone illuminates our way, but I still squeeze his hand, reassuring myself that despite the cover of black surrounding us, it’s not the same stale air of Liam’s storm cellar. I’m nowhere near that place, and I’ll never have to be ever again. The guys are waiting for us just inside the firing range, the glow of their own phones lighting the space tremendously. The arms room is open, revealing Roan crouched down and digging through a metal wall locker.

“I think the small will work, but it’ll still be a little big on her.” He stands, gripping some sort of vest in his hand. Roan erases the few feet between us and slips the piece of gear over my head. It’s not very heavy, but it’s got some weight to it. It hangs loosely, so he readjusts the placement and tightens the straps along my sides.

“Watch the boobs,” I grunt, wincing at the pressure on my chest. It fits just fine circumference wise, but the vest was clearly meant for someone with a longer torso. As it stands, the shoulder pads are practically touching my ears and the bottom part has to be left unbuckled if I plan to walk without restriction.

“Oh, I’m watchin’ ‘em, baby girl.” Roan winks, giving the breast plate from hell a quick tug to ensure it’s nice and secure. His fingers slip beneath the fabric, purposefully grazing my nipples as he performs his fit check. I narrow my eyes, trying my hardest not to smile at the hungry gleam he flashes back at me. Whatever his plan was, I think it backfired. Roan clears his throat and steps away.

“A ra-ta-ta for you,” Kash sings, shoving a rifle in my arms. “And a ra-ta-ta for me.” I ease it away from me, blinking furiously at the scary looking firearm. Weird time to discover they’re absolutely insane, but okay.

“Relax, love.” Lochlan smiles and taps a black square on the front of my vest. It lights up, revealing a miniature, tablet-like screen. “It’s a laser gun.” My head snaps up, surprise washing over me as I glance around to see the others smirking at my not so hidden thoughts.

“Well, it looks real,” I snark, trying to cover for my gross inaccuracy. What was I supposed to think when they failed to explain that beforehand?

“Because it’s supposed to,” Krew states. “This isn’t run-of-the-mill laser tag equipment. It’s sold specifically to companies that require tactical training, therefore simulating the firearms someone in our line of work would actually use.” He takes a handgun for himself and passes another to Lochlan. “We usually plan out specific scenarios, utilizing the outside space as well, but today is meant for fun.”

“We’ll work in teams. Saylor’s with me,” Lochlan rushes, gripping the back of my vest possessively. Kash swears and pokes his bottom lip out, but Boss Man is undeterred. “Chest shots are kill shots, so if you start vibrating, you’re down. No bloody cheating.” He stares at the twins pointedly. “Any questions, sweetheart?”

“Um,” I start, realizing the whole point of laser tag is that it’s meant to be played in the dark. I look to Kash in understanding. This is the fear he wants me to face. He gives me a reassuring smile as Havok tosses him a pair of goggles.

“Be brave, babe,” Kash whispers, dropping a kiss to the tip of my nose. He slips the eyewear over my head as Roan steps behind me and ties my hair in a ponytail. “When you’re ready, we’ll turn the lights off. The specs will automatically switch to night vision. With the exception of being tinted green, you’ll be able to see just fine. Think you can handle that?” Kash cups my cheeks and patiently waits for me to answer. I lick my dry lips and nod with determination.

“Good girl,” Roan praises, placing a kiss just below my ear. “You look hot as fuck, by the way.”

“Like a tiny GI Jane,” Havok chimes in. I laugh and shake my head, knowing good and well I look ridiculous.

“Alright, let’s scramble. Set your stopwatches for three minutes. When it zeros out, the game is in play.” The guys pull their goggles on and get their timers ready. The twins are paired together, leaving Havok and Roan on a team. Poor Lochlan chose wrong. He must’ve not seen the mangled sheet of paper from my abysmal attempt at target practice. He’ll see the error in his judgement soon enough. Kash waits for my nod before they click off their flashlights. I blink, slightly weirded out by the color of everything.

“You good, Say Baby?” Havok questions as Lochlan slips his hand in mine.

“It’s like St. Patrick’s Day threw up on everything,” I answer absently, pinging my gaze around the room. The guys laugh at my response.

“Ready?” Roan asks, hovering his thumb over the start button on his stopwatch app. I grin at how cute they look, wearing matching expressions of seriousness as they holster their weapons. “Go.” The second the countdown begins, we scatter. Lochlan grips my hand tightly as we beeline for the main level. Footsteps sound behind us, but I pay no mind to where the others are headed. It feels like cheating if we know where to start our search.

We burst through the door, stopping to tint the slider, and then sequester ourselves in the pantry. Lochlan leaves it cracked, watching the others come in behind us a few moments later. When they split apart, he glances at the remaining time displayed on his phone. One minute and forty-two seconds. He spins and cages me against the wall, sandwiching my gun between us.

“So cute,” Lochlan whispers, ghosting his lips over mine. When he pulls away, my body follows unconsciously, making me stumble forward. He chuckles quietly, earning himself a glare. Deciding to partake in Havok’s ‘take what I want’ mentality, I sling my gun over my shoulder, then grip Lochlan’s vest and slam my mouth against his. Our goggles smack together, so I push them up and out of the way before slipping my tongue between his lips. The bravery I called on downstairs must be leaking over, because our kiss is far from sweet. Lochlan groans, reaching around to grab my ass. He lifts me, wedges a leg between my thighs, then lets me slide back down.

I’m on my tiptoes, and every time I shift or give him more of my weight, his jean-clad thigh grinds against my clit deliciously. I swivel my hips in search of friction as Lochlan keeps a firm hold on my butt. The tips of his fingers dip low, adding a hint of pressure. These leggings are thin enough I can actually feel him rim my entrance, teasing me from both sides. My head falls back with an audible thunk as I tangle my fingers through his hair.

“You need to come, sweetheart?” Lochlan prods softly, his warm breath fanning across my flesh. He sweetly kisses my closed eyes before taking my mouth, tugging my bottom lip between his teeth. “Ride me. Work these sexy little hips and get yourself off.” Lochlan guides my movement, helping me find the perfect rhythm. It doesn’t take long before I’m seeing sounds and hearing colors, panting and pleading for him to make me come. He pulls me down hard, refusing to let up as he works my clit, rocking my body in short, powerful strokes.

I slap a hand over my mouth at the last second, biting back a scream as I tremble from the force of my orgasm. I can’t see straight, much less walk or stand. Slumping forward, I let Lochlan catch me, knowing he’ll hold me until I’ve gone through a proper reboot. His fingers dance along my spine, content to give me all the time I need. Unfortunately, not everyone is of the same mindset. The door is kicked open, revealing an all-too-knowing Havok with his rifle pointed at us. I scream, having completely forgotten about our game of laser tag and scramble to get away.

“You dirty little birdy.” Havok grins wickedly. I’m not proud of what I do next, but I’m going to chalk it up to fight or flight. I shove Lochlan in front of me, using him as a literal human shield, just as Havok presses his finger over the trigger. I don’t even give the man a fighting chance. His googles are still askew and there’s a definite bulge tenting the front of his jeans. He grunts when the shot rings true and his vest vibrates.

Thinking on my feet, I push him forward like a piece of riot gear. Havok stumbles back and lands on his ass when I ram him with Lochlan. It’s a love tap, really. I pull my gun around and step out, hovering above the dazed man on the kitchen floor. I grin and pull the trigger, squealing when the target on his chest goes off with a buzz. I’m barely two feet from him, so it would’ve been embarrassing if I had missed. Havok gapes at me, his icy blue eyes round as saucers.