Cuffed by Will

XXII. Paintball!

Sunday, 20th May. Day 20.

"Hi," I replied breathlessly when Ezra pulled back from my lips.

"Good morning, Kostelijk." He whispered and touched our foreheads together, looking me straight in the eye. I grinned and felt my cheeks burn up when I realized his forehead wasn't the only thing touching me. "Do you have any plans today?" Ezra asked, bringing my attention back to the person pushing me into the bed. "Anything at the store?"

"No... why?" He gave me a secretive smile in response and then a long lingering kiss before pulling us both up and out of bed.

***

"Ready to get your ass kicked again, Park?" Ezra shook the hand of the person named Park.

"This time I have back up," the young man grinned and patted Noah on the back.

"He's a coward." Ezra muttered. "Don't expect him to cover for you." We all chuckled. "Ahh, Toby, this is Clara Penn. Clara, this is Toby Park, he's helping me with a project in Detroit."

"Nice to meet you." I said kindly and shook his hand.

"Lovely to meet you miss Clara." The brown haired blue eyed 30- something Adonis grinned and brushed aside the lock of hair falling in his eyes.

"Alright, Park, let's play ball." Ezra grinned with a glint in his eyes.

Noah whispered something into Park's ear and they both grinned mischievously. Ezra looked at their exchange with a raised eyebrow and Noah took a step back, still playing the smile. "A condition if you will, Mr. Copper." Toby said and Ezra nodded slowly. "If you can beat us while being cuffed to Clara, I shall bring down the price of those materials that you wanted."

"Chicken, Park?" Ezra taunted.

"Not quite. I love a little entertainment with game time." He winked and I looked between the two men. Communication between Ezra and me could use sharpening and it certainly wouldn't be polished through a game of paintball.

"Uh, Ezra, I don't think-"

"Deal." Ezra cut me off with that one word and I glared at him. "What?" He looked at my expression and asked.

I huffed a breath in exasperation."Our communication sucks. Can't you use a little of those billions for materials?" I heard Toby and Noah chuckle but I spared them my attention.

"If I did that for every deal, I would be broke, Clara." Ezra replied in a neutral tone and turned back to the men.

"Says the person who could spend a billion on me." I muttered under my breath and the men now erupted into full fledged laughter.

***

"Damn it, Ezra, this way!" I tugged on his shirt to divert him to the left. We were hiding behind a mountain of sacks and I was pretty damn sure the other team were going to come around and fire.

"No, Clara, this way." He moved right, expecting me to crawl behind him. Asshole. Just because he had played this game more times than me meant he was such an expert?

"Ezra-" I began but he turned around sharply and narrowed his eyes into slits.

"Do you know how much experience you have? Nit. Zero. Null."

"I have eyes." I stated like it was the only reason needed for him to move left (which it was). Not wanting to fall into a direct line of firing, I grabbed his arm and pulled him like I was some heavy weight lifting champion. But then again, I wasn't and I doubt he even moved a millimetre. Ezra muttered curses under his breath, grabbed the chain dangling between us and tugged. I resisted, and when we moved away from that dusty, jute wall of protection, I struggled and pulled myself back to go behind it again.

Ezra pulled the chain even harder, demanding I follow him like some sort of puppy. Just when I saw Noah reveal himself from behind the stack of hay, gun aimed, ready to shoot, I fell off balance and accidently pulled the trigger with my hands waving about like a mad, raging lunatic. I fell down on the dirt ground, causing Ezra to stumble back. We both heard a groan but when we looked at each other, we realized it wasn't coming from either of us but from Noah.

"I got him!" I said in equal parts astonishment and pride. My eyes must have lit up and they danced with mirth as Ezra smirked.

"Good one. Next time, try shooting on purpose." He helped me up and we quickly moved to stand against a wall. "Do you have eyes on Park?" He asked and I peered from the edge to look around.

"No."

"Keep careful watch; he's a sneaky bastard." Ezra said in a low voice and kept his eyes trained for any sign of movement. I shook my head in amusement. Hitler. Well, new-gen Hitler.

After a few minutes of silence, we were prepared to move to someplace with a better vantage point but the tell tale sign of a footfall caused our heads to whip around simultaneously. The trigger was pulled but it wasn't from Ezra's or my gun. A splatter of yellow appeared on Ezra's camoflage outfit, right above his heart.

"Ezra!" I cried and he went down, taking me with him. Park came walking towards us like a sheriff who just captured the bandits red-handed and my hands tightened around my paintball rifle.

"Play along," he whispered and winked so only I could see him. He groaned like as if he was in pain and instantly, I knew what plan he came up with.

Ezra and I clearly knew if I aimed at Park now, he'd get to me first. So what better distraction than some well acted drama?

"Well, missy it-" Park started but I kept my expression as that of grief.

"Shh. My fiancé is dying, can't you wait?" I snapped in pain and look down at Ezra. "Honey, please..." I brushed his hair and stroked his face.

"Huh?" Park looked from me to Ezra in confusion.

"We've always wanted to do this, play along." I whispered and Park's guard fell. What lunatic would play along to this, I wondered. Well, Park and Ezra.

"Ezra, please don't leave me, I love you." I bent down to touch my forehead to his. My gun was under my arm, hopefully pointed at Park.

"My love..." Ezra whispered and slowly fluttered his eyes close. I sucked in a breath and pulled the trigger, hoping to God the pellet landed on a good part of Park's body. It hit his gut and Park took a step back with the blow. He groaned. "Got you." I said and punched my hand with the rifle in the air.

"We won!" Ezra cried victory and grabbed me in a bear hug. We both rolled on the sandy floor. We chuckled and then Ezra cried again, this time in sheer pain. "Ow! Bloody hell, Clara!" Ezra clutched his stomach in pain, the pink paint transferring to his hand.

"That's for not listening to me. You wouldn't have gotten shot if you did." I said and laughed when I received a glare. Park laughed behind me and Noah joined in.

"She's a keeper, Ezra. I love her." Noah remarked and joined Park and I in a fit of laughter. Ezra muttered something under his breath but we were too busy laughing to ever understand what.