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She gasps in delight, and I feel like king of the universe. I hand it to her. She takes aim, and Owens bounds around the corner. Hartley lets the pellets fly and they hit him in the chest.
He deflates with disappointment. “Come on.”
Hartley shrugs, beaming. “Pay up, Owens.”
He pulls his Polaroid out of his jacket and hands it to her before hooking his arm around her neck, pretending to choke her as she laughs.
“See you two downstairs,” he says, letting her go and handing me his Nerf gun. He lowers his voice and leans in. “McKinnon’s on the third floor.”
Hartley’s eyes light up with competitive focus, and we creep up to the third floor, quiet as thieves, listening with rapt attention as we move through the rooms.
A phone dings in the next room over, and we freeze.
“That’s gotta be him,” she breathes, looking over at the door that leads to that room. She chews her lip, probably thinking the same thing I am: he could be waiting and ready on the other side.
“There’s another door from the hall,” I whisper in her ear, smiling when she shudders.
“It’s too risky.” Her mouth tilts. “This is so stupid.”
“Yeah.” I nod. “But it’s fun.”
She nods, smiling up at me.
“I’m going to lure him out.”
Her eyes widen in surprise. “What? No.”
“Yes.” I want her to win this. Fuck that guy. “You want to win, don’t you?”
“I wantusto win.” She blinks. “Together.”
The thing is, watching Hartley winwouldfeel like winning.
“We’re a team,” she adds, and that’s all I need to hear.
“So let me be a team player.”
Off her reluctant nod, I walk out and stride down the hallway, hands in my pockets, whistling a cheerful tune. When I pass the room where he’s lounging on a couch, texting on his phone, his head snaps up. A moment later, a foam pellet hits my back.
I sigh, and when I turn, his nostrils flare with irritation at my stupid grin. “Gosh darn it. You got me, McKinnon.”
Behind him, Hazel steps into the hall, standing tall with eyes full of fire. The hottest thing I’ve ever seen.
McKinnon gives me a dirty look. “What the fuck is wrong with you? I won, motherfucker.”
The crack echoes in the hallway as Hartley sends the Nerf pellet flying, and McKinnon flinches, turning. “What the—”
Hartley’s grin stretches ear to ear, and I match it.
“You’re out,” she says to him.
The look on his face when he realizes we played him? It’s fucking glorious.
“Fuck,” he snaps. “Stupid fucking game.”
Hazel holds a hand out. “Give me your picture.”
He rips it off the chain around his neck and tosses it at her. She catches it, watching with a feline grin as he stomps down the hall.
