Page 56 of No Escape

Everyone except Gio rushed to their chairs, inserted their number, and got their guns ready. I shot the start button to start the game. The doors with the targets began opening and closing, but we ignored that and instead aimed our guns at the balloons on the ceiling.

Two minutes left.

“Aim at the first balloon,” I instructed.

Everyone aimed his or her gun at the first balloon until it glowed. I couldn’t see anything that looked like a dark shape hidden inside the balloon. “Nothing. Let’s try the second one.”

We proceeded down the line of balloons, skipping past the popped one. When we got to the seventh balloon, it looked different, darker.

This is it.

I glanced at the clock. Fifty-two seconds.

“Everyone, keep your gun aimed on the seventh balloon. Gio, it’s on you now. Don’t miss.”

Gio inhaled a deep breath. He cocked the crossbow, stretched up, and fired. The dart glanced off the side of the intended balloon, popping the one next it.

“Oh, no!” Mia wailed.

“It’s okay,” I said, trying to assure everyone. “We have one more dart and one more try.” Gio seemed unusually nervous, not that I blamed him. It was likely why his aim had been slightly off. I needed to calm him, help him focus, and there was one way Iknewwould work. We’d always been fierce competitors, and although I was the older brother, I’d never,everhanded him a win. If he’d won it, he did it fair and square.

“Would you like me to take this one?” I asked casually. “I’d hate to tell Vittoria you lost her luxurious honeymoon because you missed a shot. Wouldn’t you rather I take the blame?”

Gio gave me a steely glare as he set the dart and cocked the bow. “A most gracious offer, big brother, but missing wouldn’t be nearly as bad as giving up the win to you. You’d never let me live it down.”

He turned smoothly, aimed, and fired.

A balloon popped, and a second later, a brass disc hit the floor. Shrieking with excitement, Alessa scooped it up and raced to the door. “It says forty-five,” she shouted, punching the number into the keypad.

The door opened with three seconds to spare, and we piled out of the room, cheering, hugging each other, and talking excitedly.

“That was an incredible shot, Gio,” Alessa said, handing him the brass disc. “Well done.”

“It did take him three tries,” Mia groused. “And only after Slash goaded him.”

I laughed, slapping Gio on the back. “Three tries, brother? Could this be an indicator of the systemic decline of the Italian special forces?”

“Very funny, hotshot,” Gio said, grinning. “Ifyou’dcome up with the solution just a little earlier, I could have had some breathing room.”

“What would have been the fun in that?” I answered, slinging my arm around his shoulder as he chuckled.

As we walked down the hallway, it occurred to me I hadn’t had this much fun with my brothers in a long, long time.

I had Lexi to thank for that.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Lexi Carmichael

I was the most nervous I’d been since we’d arrived at the castle.

First, I was in a bathing suit. Granted, I’d put one of our shower towels around me, but it didn’t make me feel any more comfortable. I’d already shown more than enough skin to too many people as it was in the short time we’d been at the castle. I was not looking forward to doing more of it.

Second, knowing our challenge would involve water caused my anxiety to spike, which was why Slash had shot me a worried glance when my team determined the water challenge would be ours. He knew how much water scared me. Although I could dog-paddle if I didn’t have any other choice, I worried panic would drown me before my swimming ever did.

Get a grip, Lexi.

I glanced at Oscar, who looked as uncomfortable in his swimsuit as I did. We shared a little smile, acknowledging our mutual discomfort and like-minded reactions. It was strange, but I’d discovered that Oscar and I had a lot more in common than I’d ever expected. He seemed to dislike crowds, social situations, and dressing up as much as I did. We both were a little (okay, a lot) quirky. Of course that made me feel more comfortable around him. I guess it’s true that kindred souls seem to find each other and, apparently, marry socially adept partners.

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