Page 59 of Five Brothers
Iron stalks back and forth, the music starts, and we all dash into the rain.
“Ah!” someone shouts next to me, followed by a woman squealing.
The rain falls harder, dousing my hair, and people slosh through puddles, whipping to and fro as they’re grabbed by red right hands.
Aracely comes for me, and I’m not sure why she’s bent on getting me naked, but it’s probably to humiliate me.
I grab the back of a guy’s shirt, whirl him around, and block her advance, pushing him at her. She tags his shirt, and I run, hearing her yell, “Bitch!”
Followed by him. “Brat!”
I laugh and see Iron as I pass, but I keep running as screams fill the air.
I leap into the garage across the street—the firehouse next door to the Jaegers—and check myself for any marks.
Others forfeit more items of clothing, taking shots off the makeshift bars set up in every shop, and Iron stands in the rain tipping his chin at me. “You’re fast.”
I dig in the ball of my foot, getting ready again.
“Round three!” Army shouts. “Ready?”
“Whooooooo!”
The music starts, everyone runs, but I step out, one slow step after another. Iron matches me, walking for the other side, through the throngs of people, his eyes only on me.
Army goes after Chon, Dallas after that girl again, and Trace plants his hand on the naked back of a young woman over and over again as she laughs hysterically, losing every item of clothing.
My heart races. The chaos whirls around us. Iron and I move clockwise in a circle. He could pounce any second.
I call out. “Run!”
He smirks. “I don’t chase.”
“Then I’m afraid you’ll never catch me.”
Spinning around, I race for the other side, but Army is suddenly there, in front of me. I halt, rearing back, but he catches me by the neck, a wicked smile curling his lips.
The paint from his hand is ice on my neck.
He peels my jacket off my shoulders, and I let it drop down my arms, catching it in my hand.
“You’re too old to see me naked,” I taunt him.
He arches an eyebrow. “Assuming I haven’t already …” What?
He runs, and I stand frozen for a second as naked people rush around me.
What did he say?
I shake my head and run for the safe spot.
He didn’t mean anything. It doesn’t mean he’s talking about that night. It simply means he saw me naked once. Maybe he saw me on the couch the morning after. I was on my stomach, and the blanket was mostly covering me.
Mostly.
Or there was that time in June when Trace and I were in the pool alone. Really late, and we were caught up in the moment. Maybe everyone wasn’t asleep.
I land in the Jaeger garage, toss the jacket down, and check the vest for paint. Nothing is dripping through. Good. I know Liv said I could keep the outfit, but she put a lot of work into it. I’d feel bad ruining it.