Page 56 of House of Deceit

“Must be nice not to have skin in the game,” I joke. We would have an odd number without her, so she gets to participate this week. But she doesn’t have to suffer the ramifications like the rest of us.

“A cold shower is good for the soul. Cleansing.” She gets into a quick tree pose, imitating Rebel.

“In that case, I want my soul as black as tar.” I blow her a kiss before strolling away, feeling Parker’s eyes follow me across the yard.

The red team huddles up with Penelope taking lead.

“All right, team, what we want—”

“Don’t get shot. Let’s do this,” Lucas interrupts. “Break.” He claps his hands and we disperse.

“You are such a douche!” Penelope yells at him.

“Now’s not the time for a lover’s quarrel,” Keith says in his no-bullshit tone. “Red,” he says to me, presenting his closed fist.

“Grandpa,” I say, tapping my knuckles to his.

“You got my back, I got yours?” he asks.

“Deal,” I respond, pulling my mask down, centering myself.

The buzzer sounds and we are off. Keith and I get low behind one of the inflatables. I look around the left side right as a paintball hits the inflatable. I barely pull myself back in time. Keith sits next to me. Paintballs are hitting all around us. Strikes against the barriers and people.

“They’ve got us pinned down,” Keith says.

“How long have you been wanting to say that?” I tease, temporarily forgetting the game.

“A while.” He smiles behind his mask.

“Glad we could make that happen for you.”

“Me too, Red, me too.”

“We’re going to get to the big “X ” in the middle. There are a few in there for us to hit. On three.”

Keith counts us down and we sprint to our new location. Paintballs fly around us. I hear Molly laughing maniacally. Ava is crying in the distance, probably got hit or a butterfly flapped its wings.

The battle is intense. We dip, dive, and dodge. Slowly, people are eliminated as they peek around barriers. On a particularly daring ambush, Keith and I were able to come around and take out three blue team members at once, including Cain.

Parker is the last blue team member. Keith, Jayden, and I are all that remains of the stalwart red team.

“Here’s the plan. We are going to send you and the kid out,” Keith says to me. “He won’t shoot you, at least, not initially. While he’s picking the two of you off, I’ll take him down and we won’t have to polar bear plunge every time we want to be clean.”

We both look at Jayden.

“Are you good with that?” I ask. He always seems so frail to me. His sickly pallor paired with his skeletal physique makes me want to wrap him in a bubble and give him a warm blanket.

“I’ll do anything if it means we win this one. I will not shower if it’s not warm.”

In deference to the collective olfactory senses of the household, Keith and I know winning is the only option. Jayden and I count to five and then head out on opposite sides and try to flank Parker where he’s hiding behind an inflatable.

A hand pinches my side, causing me to yelp and turn, ready to shoot, but Parker knocks my gun out of the way sending my paintball wide.

“Did you just pinch me?” I ask, slightly outraged.

“Hey, babe,” he smiles behind his mask. “Just couldn’t keep my hands off you.”

He has been so good selling our fake relationship for the audience, sometimes I almost believe it myself.

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