**Completed** Cole Galloway has always had just enough of an ego to believe that the women falling at his feet were deserved. With an abundance of charm and looks to die for, who wouldn't want him?
Wynona Caldwell. That's who.
When Cole sets his s...
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Wynn
It's got to be a test.
Harris Galloway has either lost his mind completely, or he's deliberately having Cole and me work together to witness our connection firsthand. I'd place my money on option two.
I swing the black vest over my shoulders, cinching the belts tightly across my chest and abdomen. Luckily, I'm savage when it comes to laser tag—I can definitely hold my own. Zach, too. Harris picked a hell of a team.
My brother beams as he suits up, no doubt thrilled to be included by Harris the Great. We then slide past the clusters of opponents, guns in hand, making our way over to our teammates. Harris grins, fist-bumping Zach in welcome and Cole... Cole refuses to meet my eyes, causing my heart to lurch.
This is what you wanted.
It is for the best, especially right now as we're being observed by his father, for us to be at odds. He'll be at no risk of an ass-beating tonight, seeing as he won't even look at me. His demeanor makes everything crystal clear—he took my words to heart, and I've lost him for good.
Now he can move on. Just like he should.
"I can't get this damn thing to work," Harris huffs as he attempts to program his name into the computer. He seems genuinely excited about tonight, and he's so friendly that it's hard to imagine him being the demon he truly is behind closed doors. I can see that Cole enjoys this side of his father, which has me aching to my core. I guess every child wants affirmation from their parents.
"May I try, Mr. Galloway?" I ask politely.
"Be my guest." He steps away from the keyboard and I type in a name for him. Harris, Cole, and Zach then look to the board above, waiting for his name to show up to complete our team.
The Punisher.
The irony behind his name has not been lost on Cole, who casts a dark look in my direction, causing a shudder to ripple up my spine.
He's done with me.
Harris, however, laughs heartily in approval. "I like it!" he says, wrapping a heavy arm around my waist and tugging me into a friendly hug at his side. "Sounds menacing." Our gear clashes together with the gesture, and for a moment I can understand Cole's conflict. Harris seems so...normal. Kind even, but after seeing his handiwork on his son, I find it hard to imagine a world in which Harris could ever be a good person. I know without question that Cole has seen all the many sides of his father's Jekyll and Hyde persona—the lighthearted, the dark and the brutal.
"Aw, man," Zach groans. "I just did my real name. I want a cool one like Mr. Galloway."
"Too late," I say, smirking at my brother's bitterness, only to watch his shoulders slump as he rolls his eyes. Nothing like having a team full of people who hate my guts.
