Page 46 of Double Shot

Corey huffed again and touched my shoulder. “I do wish both of you would stop partaking in those horrible bare-knuckle fighting matches. I’ve told Darryl that I’m happy to train him to wrestle professionally—”

“I know. He says he’d hate it.”

Corey spluttered indignantly, nostrils flaring. “Well that’s just ludicrous. Why would he hate it?”

“He says because it wouldn’t be real, and he likes, um, actually punching people.”

Corey rolled his eyes. “He can be such a child. I mean, really—actually punching people. Is that why you go, Brian? Is that what you like about it?”

I could tell from his tone that he expected me to say no. “I mean…” I shifted from foot to foot, then shrugged a little. “Kinda.”

Corey shook his head in exasperation and cracked open his fancy protein shake. “Well, next time you see him, please let him know that I have not forgotten about the bet he lost, and that he still has to pay up.”

I nodded obediently. And then my curiosity got the better of me, and I found myself asking, “What was the—”

“He has to be my assistant on stage for some of my upcoming drag shows that have a human magician number.” Corey shook his head with a little laugh. “Honestly, Brian, you’ll need to come and watch. It’s so delightfully campy. And Darryl will be in full drag. That was one of the terms,” he added in a darker, slightly threatening voice.

I grinned at the idea of Darryl—a huge, hulking orc just like his brother, yes, but one who was covered in tattoos and scars and was missing teeth and a chunk of his ear—in full drag. He’d probably look great, just like Corey, but he was definitely going to break both ankles in platform heels.

“Right, I must make my announcement while most of the team are here.” Corey tipped his head back and poured the entire protein shake down his throat in one go. It was impressive, but more impressive was his ability to somehow make the action look elegant. After conscientiously rinsing out the bottle and placing it in the recycling, he strode to the centre of the room while clearing his throat.

“Alright, team,” he called in his deep, sing-song voice, gently adjusting Cora under his arm so he could clap his hands together and get everyone’s attention. She bounced in the crook of his elbow, tongue poking out as she panted merrily without a single thought in her head.

Once everyone was focused on Corey, he smiled and tossed back his long black hair, which made the threads of pink hair tinsel in it sparkle in the overhead lights. “So,” he began with a beaming smile that showed off his gold-capped tusks, “Holt and I were talking, and we think a lovely work outing is in order.”

“An outing?” Vince asked as everyone in the room perked up. “Like a night out? On the company?”

“More like a wonderful day of team building,” Corey said brightly. Everyone groaned, which made him frown with a little pout. “Now, everyone, team-building days are delightful. There’s no better way to build camaraderie and bolster our strong, tight-knit relationship as a work family. Plus, we thought we’d give you all the chance to throw out some suggestions!”

“Day drinking at Gargy’s,” Val immediately called.

Corey’s nostrils flared. “Sensible suggestions only, please and thank you.”

“The Kumite,” Kit called from the pipes on the ceiling.

Corey’s brows twitched. “I don’t know what—”

“A big, sexy pillow fight in our underwear,” Gabe suggested eagerly. “You know, actually, now that I think about it, I could’ve sworn I read a study once that suggested orgies are the most effective and efficient way to bond with your co-workers—”

“Oooh, what about something like those movies?” Larkin piped up. I hadn’t even realised he was in here, but he was sitting on the couch with an abandoned clipboard beside him, which most likely meant Holt had sent him here with a specific task and he’d already forgotten all about it.

“What movies?” Heidi asked.

“The ones where they all get locked in an old warehouse and have, like, sixty seconds to figure out some really weird and specific puzzle, and if you don’t do it, someone’s dick gets blown off or something.”

Susan frowned. “What if you don’t have a dick, though?”

Larkin was silent for a moment as he thought about it, then blurted, “Boobs!”

“Excuse me,” Corey said in a loud, authoritative, and deeply unimpressed voice. “I said sensible suggestions only, ple—”

“I like Larkin’s death puzzle idea,” Vince said with mock sincerity.

“Me too,” Carl added from the couch. “That sounds fun.”

Corey took a deep breath and lifted his chin. “Right. Well. If no one’s going to make any legitimate suggestions, I suppose Holt and I can just decide.” A wide, slightly evil smile stretched his mouth. “And I was thinking that we could each prepare a slide deck presentation on—”

“I have a real suggestion,” Vince hurried to cut him off, making me breathe a silent sigh of relief as everyone else in the room tensed in panic. Nothing caused me more abject fear and distress than public speaking. Especially a fucking slide deck presentation.