Page 49 of Us Defiant Few

Khalani took back every wonderful thing she said about the male species. They were stupid, aggravating, and only survived by driving everyone else around them insane—to make themselves look like the normal ones.

“You think I nearly fell off a ladder and choked on water to get a reaction out of you?”

Even saying the words out loud made Khalani want to smack him. She vaguely noticed the others had stopped talking.

“Absolutely. There’s no other reason why I would be responding this way.” Takeshi puffed up his chest, so used to being in control of his emotions that the possibility of his heart betraying him never occurred.

“Maybe you’re right,” Khalani whispered.

Perhaps she’d been going about this the wrong way.

“If I say sorry, will you forgive me?” Her voice rose innocently.

“No.” Takeshi’s entire body tensed as Khalani shifted closer.

“Not even if I say please?”

“Especially then.”

She was inches away, and when Khalani placed her hand on his shoulder for balance, he growled, “Get your hand off me.”

But she ignored him and with her other hand, she lifted her shirt to wipe the sweat from her face. She felt Takeshi’s hot gaze sweep her exposed skin, completely distracted.

That was when Khalani slammed her knee between his legs.

Takeshi doubled over, his face turning an unhealthy shade of green as he cursed loudly.

“When I want a reaction out of you,” she seethed, “you’ll fucking know it.”

She turned without another word and marched toward the well to fill her flask, ignoring the wide stares and open jaws from everyone.

Brock’s low chuckle broke the silence. “Remind me to never get on your bad side.”

“You’re already there,” Serene chimed in with a grin, glancing at Takeshi. The vein in his neck throbbed as he straightened, slowly marching toward the well like an encroaching prophecy of doom. But Khalani lifted her chin and glared back with equal fire.

With his jaw still clenched, Takeshi calmly grabbed his canteen and bent to the spigot, filling it with water. The others watched him warily, waiting for a response as Khalani mentally braced herself for a new round of threats.

“Word of advice.” He slowly lifted his gaze and locked onto her. “If you put more force in your knee, it will knock your opponent down longer.”

“Giving me tips for the next time you’re an asshole?”

“I’m merely giving you a head start.” His eyes sparked menacingly. “Do that again and you’ll be drinking sand instead of water.”

They glared at each other, aggression filling the air like a bomb waiting to go off.

Serene broke the deafening silence.

“Look at you, Captain. Using your words instead of a knife. That’s what I call character development right there.” Serene raised her hand for a high-five.

Takeshi’s expression twisted in disgust as he stomped away.

“That’s him, all right,” Serene smirked, filling her canteen to the brim.

Khalani caught Brock gazing at Serene longingly before following Takeshi. Adan and Elise marched behind him.

And when Winnie reached over and gave Khalani’s hand a gentle squeeze, a strange warmth spread through her chest that had nothing to do with the sun.

For the first time in weeks, it felt like their dysfunctional family was slowly coming back together.