Page 81 of The Secret of Pain

“I love you, Remy, now and for always.”

* * *

“I have no idea how I let you talk me into this,” I huff as Colt pulls the chair out for me. “I can get my own chair.”

“Come on, little bit. It’s been forever since we hung out, just the two of us. And after your birthday months ago was… well it wasn’t exactly a celebration, then everything that’s happened since, I wanted us to do something nice. Especially since I missed last year, too.” He smiles that cheeky smile at me again, and I cave.

“Fine, fine, I’ll play nice.” I laugh and take a seat. He pushes me under the table before sitting down opposite me. “I don’t even remember the last time I came here.”

“Franco’s is the best Italian on this side of the world, and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise.” He grins, and I laugh at him.

“So… you and Fallon, huh?” I ask as I wag my eyebrows, and he groans.

“No, Remy. Just no.”

“Oh, come on. She’s been so tight-lipped, but I know, I know something is going on,” I tease.

“Remy, please just drop it. She’s not a Hunter, so nothing can come of it.” He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Does it matter that much to you?” I ask, for myself as well as him, and he shakes his head.

“It doesn’t. But it’s not just my opinion that matters. The Bennetts are a respected Hunter family. An affair with another faction, even with an ally, would devastate the people closest to us,” he whispers and picks up the menu.

“The people closest to us should love us, regardless of who we’re with.” I frown but pick up my menu too, because he doesn’t seem to want to talk about this anymore.

“You and Creek though, that’s a good match. That’s exactly what people expect,” he says with a tight smile. “I’m happy for you.”

“I hope you find happiness, Colt. No matter who it’s with.” I reach over and squeeze his hand.

“Thank you, now enough of this crap. Let’s eat some good food, and then I’m thinking laser tag.” He grins again, and I laugh at the childish glee on his face.

“I haven’t been to laser tag in foreverrrrrrr. Hell yes!” We order when the waiter approaches and just shoot the shit, and after eating the most beautiful chicken Alfredo and garlic bread, I am bloated as hell.

"I have no idea how I'm going to run around laser tag right now." I puff up my cheeks and he snort-laughs at me.

"You look like a hamster." He chuckles, rubbing his own stomach. "But we'll walk there, work off all these carbs, plus you can't back out. Creek and Bauer are on their way back from the airport, douchebag Archer was summoned home, thank the Fates, so they're going to join us."

"You don't like him either?"

"Guy is so far up his own ass, I can see his eyes in his mouth. Thinks he's better than the rest of us, when he's a subpar Hunter at best. He's a damn good tracker, I'll give him that, it’s why he was sent after Roman, but that's about it."

"I'm glad he's gone; Bauer was weird with him around."

"You noticed that too, huh?" he says, leaving cash for the bill and standing. I follow him out of the restaurant and out into the bright street. Fall is officially almost here, but the sun is still high in the sky.

"It's hard not to notice. It's like he's harder and just not Bauer."

"I think something happened a long time ago and Bauer just doesn't want to let his guard down, even if he says he can trust Archer with his life. He won't talk about it, just brushes me off, but yeah. It’s weird." He shrugs.

We stroll in comfortable silence to the laser tag warehouse and sit in the sun waiting for Creek and Bauer to arrive. A few minutes later, Bauer’s truck pulls into the lot and they climb from it. My mouth goes dry as I take Creek in, his hair down and wild, like he's been running his hands through it, and that white T-shirt is tight as sin on his arms.

"Down girl." Colt laughs and I shove him gently, rolling my eyes.

We play wrestle until the two reach us when I victoriously get Colt into a headlock and bounce around to celebrate my victory. Bauer bursts out laughing while Creek just shakes his head. "You guys never change."

"I don't ever want to." I smirk as I release Colt and give him a hug. "You guys ready to be annihilated?"

They all laugh at me, shaking their heads, but make their way inside. I feel giddy, like a kid. We haven't done anything like this in years, and with all of the stress and headaches of everything recently, this is exactly what I need.

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