Shut Up And Kiss Me (gxg)

20. Shoot Me, F*cker

      CODY WAS A HARDER TARGET than I'd given him credit for.

      Once Monroe zeroed in on Aaron, I began chasing after Cody. That left Skylar alone―which meant she'd probably go and search out Claudia.

       That means, I thought, panting as I wove between paint-splattered walls, Claudia will probably get her wish after all. 

       Every time I doubted our victory―I mean, how good at laser tag could Monroe really be?―I heard that telltale sound of a vest vibrating from afar, and the signature words: "You got shot!" 

        I had a feeling Aaron was losing. Badly.

        Up ahead, Cody knelt and aimed his gun at me.

        "Fuck!" I cursed, throwing myself behind a wall. The red laser beam glided over the floor, far enough away that it was safe for me to jump back out.

        "Fuck you, Talia!" Cody said, when the light on his vest flickered out.

        I let out a battle cry―only to realize the light on my own vest was now gone.

       "Hey!" I said. "Which one of you fuckers―?"

       From far behind, I saw Skylar give me the middle finger. Damn it. 

        Ten, I counted, waiting until I could shoot her. Nine.

        But then―as fast as lightning―I saw a beam of red light slip over Skylar's shoulder.

        "You got shot!"  

        Eight.

        All three of us had been temporarily suspended.

        I almost shouted Claudia's name, thrilled that she'd hit Skylar, until I saw the swish of Monroe's ponytail. For a moment, under the glow-in-the-dark light, her eyes glowed jade. The colour of war, of victory.

         The world was hers to take. Hers to conquer.

         Claudia had been right. She was really fucking good.

         But behind her, I saw Aaron's red vest flash. He was pointing his gun at her, aiming right for her back―

         I opened my mouth to shout, "Monroe!"

         I didn't even have to. She had already moved, already escaped. 

         Aaron's vest winked out. "You got shot!"

         I didn't know how she'd managed to hit Aaron, just seconds after he had aimed at her. Even if she'd been a CIA spy trained in the deadliest martial arts, I probably couldn't have been more impressed.

         What would it be like to fuck her?  I wondered.

         I should unstrap that vest, toss aside her gun, and kneel between her legs, surrounded by the shadows and the maze walls and the glimmering orange paint. I should claim her victory as mine, lick the sweet triumph from her lips. 

        I wanted to―to―

        Her. 

        I wanted her. Every part of her. Every dark, glorious, competitive inch of her. I wanted skin and flesh and teeth and bone. I wanted the clash of mouths and the slide of lips and hands, her hands on my body, my hands on hers. I didn't think it would ever be enough. I didn't think I could ever get enough, but goddamn if I wouldn't try.