Page 29 of Lethal

My men pause their efforts of using the poles to propel us along, and Jasper waves to the incoming men. He does an excellent job of appearing like a man who’s flagging down someone for help. Vander swipes his forearm across his forehead, and my innocent Grayson uses the pole to hold himself up like he’s exhausted from the exertion.

Cole though... he picks up a bottle of water and guzzles half of it before taking off his glasses and pouring the rest of it over his head. The liquid slicks his hair back before dampening his shirt further, making it cling to his skin. He shakes his head, sending water droplets in my direction before his hand runs through his hair. Who needs a tall glass of water when they have him around?

As if he can hear my thoughts, he turns toward me, flashing his pearly white smile and stalking closer. His hands land on either side of my seat and he crowds closer until I’m forced to tilt my head back. He grazes his lips against mine, teasing me before flicking his tongue out. “They lowering their guard at all?”

His hand drops to my thigh, lifting it over his hip so he can get closer, and dips his head to my neck. It figures he’d be the one to choose an act that would also rile me up. I glance at the men approaching us, searching each of them for any hint of their intent. They all seem fully focused on their jobs, but they also don’t appear to suspect us either.

They cut off the propeller and the noise slowly dies down. “We don’t come across many people using poles to get around when they have an easier option behind them,” the man with the gun propped against his leg says. Suspicion firmly in his gaze.

“Damn thing cut out and we don’t have the tools to fix it,” Vander responds.

The man who was using the binoculars before nods his head like he understands the predicament. Cole straightens his posture, watching the men from over his shoulder, but pretending like he’s still mostly focused on flirting with me.

“Any idea what the problem is?” the man driving their boat asks.

Jasper rubs at his jaw. “Yeah, I think it’s the starter switch. It doesn’t seem to signal the motor. Serves us right for taking her out without packing a tool bag.”

The man who was radioing in earlier chuckles before lifting the device and pushing the button. “All clear.” As soon as he drops the radio, I’m already whipping out my gun and aiming, but one of the men tumbles into the water before I get my first shot off.

Son of a bitch.

“I told you I got first kill,” I growl, aiming my gun at Jasper after the last man crashes to the bottom of the boat, hitting his head on the side with a thwack.

Cole seizes my arm and forces it up so the gun points to the sky. “Raven!” He grasps his chest, right over his heart. “How dare you! I’m the only one who you get to show your love to by shooting. I have dibs on it.”

“Oh, sweet lord. You do not.” I rip my arm from his hold and glare at him. “Take your head out of your ass and screw it back on, Cole. What the hell is wrong with you lately?”

A possessive gleam lights his eyes. “You shot me, Luv,” he says, the British accent coming back for the nickname he’s given me. The familiarity of it works to soften my ire. “And you made me promise to tell you the truth. Which means I had to drop all acts that I don’t actually own you.”

“Excuse me?” I hiss. “Own me?”

“Yes. Because I do. You’re mine for the rest of eternity. I’ve even marked my name into your tattoos, proving you’re my property.” That’s it. I’m going to kill him.

Jasper must know what I’m thinking because he steps between the two of us and removes the gun from my hand. “I waited a whole five seconds before shooting. It’s not my fault you didn’t get the first kill. I thought your champion status would have made you a faster draw.”

Dead to me. The both of them.

I shove my way between them and move to stand with Grayson. He wraps his arm around me as Vander jumps onto our boat after retrieving the radio the security team was using. He snaps the plastic door back into place that houses the battery. It must have popped off when the man we killed dropped it.

“Ready to get on with the next stage of our attack plan?” Vander asks, turning up the volume on the device.

“I think we need to change the plan.” Vander raises his brow at my statement, and I take it as my cue to continue. “We should take both boats. Jasper and Cole on that one, and we can take this one.”

Vander quickly glances back and forth between me and the men who no longer exist, coming to a quick conclusion. If I know them at all, they’re wearing twin smirks, amusement written all over their features, clueing Vander in on the fact they did something shitty to deserve my ire. Did we bring any bombs?

A chest presses against my back, and I sink into the touch, thinking it’s Grayson. But the moment his voice comes from too far away, I realize my mistake. “That actually isn’t the worst idea. Hit them at two points at once.”

My head whips around to find it’s Jasper who holds me. “Sorry for taking your fun. I have a competitive streak I can’t contain at times. You’re not the only one who hates to lose.” My shoulders lift as I huff out a sigh. “Loser gets consolation oral,” he grunts in my ear.

This time, I shove my elbow into his sternum. All those lessons with Vander pay off as Jasper wheezes and doubles over. “When you say it like that, it doesn’t help your case.” I turn around and direct my glare at him, placing my hands on my hips.

“So is that a no to me licking your sweet pussy?” Jasper asks, the dimple peeking out.

Hands land on my hips, and I instantly know it’s Cole. I really wish they’d stop sneaking up on me. “What if we both feast on you at the same time?” he huskily murmurs, pressing kisses down my sweaty neck, then licking the salt from my skin. The thought of them teaming up has me caving. Can’t blame a girl for choosing her pleasure over being angry over petty squabbles.

“My legs better be shaking so hard by the time you’re finished that I can’t walk,” I warn them.

Jasper presses against me, pinning me against Cole as he devours my mouth. “Good choice, Little Bird.” He gives me a panty-soaking wink and steps away, allowing me to breathe since it’s already hard enough to catch my breath in this humidity.

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