Blanketed by the night, she dared herself to tell him the truth.
“I like being here,” she whispered.
“Being here or being here with me?” he asked.
Be honest.
“I like being here withyou, Joaquin.”
“Stay with me.”
She tensed, stopped caressing his chest. Her thoughts were racing.Too fast. Stay where you are. Rent a one-bedroom.
“Breathe, Brit,” he said. “I got you.”
She inhaled and her taut muscles released a little.
“Just until you find a place,” he added. “No pressure. I’ve got the extra bedroom and bathroom. They’re yours.”
After a long moment, she said, “Okay, thanks, but just until I find my own place.”
As she was falling asleep, he whispered, “Welcome home, Brit.”
18
READY YOUR SHOT
Britain
The following morning, Brit had been squirreled away in her office at the black site when a round of gunfire shattered her thoughts. She grabbed her Glock, hurried toward the sound of shots being fired.
After shoving open the back exit, she stepped outside, the cold breeze whipping through her as she scanned the area.
Addison, Hawk, Slash, Sin, Dakota, and Prescott were firing at targets that stood twenty yards away. They were dressed in combat fatigues, goggles protecting their eyes, safety earmuffs in place, and assault rifles cradled in their arms. A streak of envy swept through her.
Her gaze jumped to Rebel.
He stood five feet back, watching them. Then, he shouted a command. They stopped firing, lowered their weapons, and formed a horseshoe around him.
Eager to hear what he was saying, she set off into the woods. But she didn’t want to startle them. They were all armed with high-powered rifles.
“Hellooooo!” she called from a safe distance.
Everyone turned. She had already ruffled feathers, already broken so many rules. At this point, what was one more?
“Can I try?” she asked.
Before Rebel could answer, she took the long gun from Addison. Addison covered Brit’s ears with her muffs, then plugged her own with her fingers.
Brit readied her shot and opened fire.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
She pierced the center of the target each time, the hole blowing up to the size of an apple.
With the gun pointed toward the ground, she handed it back to Addison, but her attention shifted to Rebel. “Thanks. That was fun.”
“Holy hell,” Slash murmured.
