Page 22 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

“You’ll see,” he hollers over his shoulder as he strolls down the corridor to his room.

Chapter Eight

Natia

Taurus’ are strategic and often wrongfully underestimated.

Abold sign stands proud amongst tall, green fir trees which outline a curving dirt track. I frown. “I’m concerned. Is that the name of the company or an instruction for what to wear?”

Zee brushes past me, aiming for the tiny wooden cabin nestled between the trees. He grins over his shoulder. “Both.”

Duncan appears with Emi in tow, her bronzed skin reflecting the sunshine. She’s a modern day Cleopatra with dark hair and chocolate brown eyes. She looks up at Duncan with a little too much awe. “You can teleport? Teleporting’s real? Where are we?”

Aaden grasps her hand, tugs her away from an amused Duncan and whispers something in her ear making her giggle. Zee, Duncan, and I freeze with matching wide eyes. “It’s true, you have to watch the quiet ones,” I mutter, glancing around. “Where’s Smoothie?”

Zee shakes his head at Aaden and Emi. “He’ll join us later.”

Emi draws away from an attentive Aaden and leaps towards me, wrapping me in a tight hug. “Hey, you,” I say, patting her back.

“How cool is this? I get to go on a date and see my friend at the same time.” I arch an eyebrow, I’m not sure I would feel the same.

“Very cool,” I say.

She spins around and catches sight of the sign that has us all intrigued. “Go Commando?” Emi says, squinting at it like it will explain itself if she gives it a hard enough stare.

“Don’t ask, because I have no idea.”

Zee appears from the small cabin with several bags of small, bright colored balls and adapted rifles. Aaden and Duncan groan as I fist pump the air, give a loud whoop, and jog over to Zee, I wrap him in a bear hug. “Thank you. This is exactly what I need.”

He grins as he dishes out camouflage suits and Emi approaches with a massive frown. “Hey, Emi, this should fit you and here’s your gun and balls,” Zee says, shoving a suit, a bag of sparkling pink balls, and a gun in her hands. She blinks.

“We’re paintballing,” Aaden explains, unzipping the suit and encouraging Emi to step into it. I drag mine on and whip my T-shirt off underneath, shivering against the icy temperature as I drop it on the ground. Zee hands me my gun.

“Where are my balls?” I enquire.

Zee stares at my crotch and tilts his head. “You’ve lost them?” he says, trying not to smirk.

Folding my arms across my chest, my booted foot taps an impatient rhythm on the dirt. “What are you planning?”

He scowls. “I loaded them already for you. Can’t I be nice?”

“No.”

He sighs as he loads his own gun with luminous yellow balls. “So mistrustful, Natia.” He leans the gun against his shoulder and examines us. “This is paintballing with a difference. It’s also an assault course.”

Aaden and Duncan groan again, Emi’s eyes shine with excitement. “This is an excellent first date idea,” she coos at Aaden, whose groan turns into a grin. Huh, he’s already smitten. Why hadn’t I spotted this in their previous meetings? Maybe because Emi is a pathologist and we meet over dead bodies rather than drinks and giggles.

Zee clears his throat. “We can either split into two teams, or every man for himself?”

Emi grins and grabs Aaden’s hand. “Bad idea, Emi. Go on the opposite team from Aaden, it makes the win that much sweeter,” I advise.

Emi sighs, kisses Aaden on the cheek, making him blush crimson and moves to stand next to Duncan. When Zee arches an eyebrow at her choice, she shrugs. “Seems like the guy who can teleport is a good bet for winning.”

Zee grins. “No magic allowed, you’ll only have your wits, brawn, and brains,” he nods in my direction. “Well, wits and tiny brawn for you, Natia.”

I smack him on the arm and point in his face. “You’re going down.”

“A bet then?” Zee says.

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