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Then there was the way she treated Macy. She was playful and caring, and I knew it wasn’t just because she wanted to impress me. She did it because she was genuine and her heart was huge. I can’t explain the feeling you get when someone shows your child love. Unconditional, no strings attached love. It made you appreciate them differently.
“Shooting range!” Op called as Kit followed him out onto the patio with a sly smirk on his face. “I’m gonna take back the dignity you stole last time you fucking came down here and played me on my own soil.”
Kit laughed. “You’re fighting a losing battle, brother. Doesn’t matter how long it’s been, Rifle is still a better shot than Kev, and you know it.”
Rifle was one of Kit’s boys, and I had to admit, he was a killer shot. But he should be for an ex-military sniper. Kev was an ex-police officer. He had skills with a gun, especially under pressure.
Being in the military, I knew I could shoot, and I could shoot well. But it wasn’t my forte. So I opted to leave this kinda shit to these guys.
The kids were taken inside, while we walked over to the far corner of the compound where a target was set up. Even though it was a reasonable distance away from where the kids were playing, we never took chances with that kind of shit. We weren’t going to risk one of them running over, wanting to join in and accidentally running into the path of a bullet.
Kev lined up his shot first. They were using a bolt action hunting rifle with a scope. It meant that it provided an evener playing field, given it was neither of their gun of choice.
He fired the shot and Ham ran down to the target to mark his place. Once he was back and out of the way, Rifle took his shot and this time we all walked down. Kev’s shot was marked with an X and was just on the side of the center circle. Rifle hadn’t hit the center, but it was obvious that his was closer in.
Kit laughed loudly. “Pay up, bro.”
“Two outta three?” Op asked on a groan as we walked back to the shooting line.
Kev held up his hands in surrender. “I’m out man. I’m good, but I’m not that good.”
Rifle patted him on the back. “No worries.”
“I’ll give it a go.” We all looked to our left where Hadley was wandering over with Rose.
Optimus and Kit looked at each other. Kit shrugged. “You wanna rest your rep on a club girl, be my guest.”
Op thought for a moment before turning his attention back to Hadley. “You shoot?”
She shrugged. “I’ve shot a gun before.” Kit covered a laugh, but she ignored him. “I get to pick what kind, though.”
She looked at Rifle, who smirked. “Be my guest.”
She smiled, it was sweet but what the others didn’t see was the confidence behind it. She had something up her sleeve. “Anyone got a 9mm?”
I was surprised by the request. “Ham, run and get a 9mil,” I said, not taking my eyes of Hadley.
Ham was back in a few minutes. Kit had spent that time counting the money gleefully that Op had handed him. “How ‘bout double or nothing?” Kit offered, still unable to squash the smile on his face.
Op groaned. He looked over his shoulder to Hadley, who gave him a broad smile. “Fine. Double or nothing.”
“He goes first,” Hadley said, pointing to Rifle.
Rifle shrugged and took the handgun from Ham. He let off his shot, and Ham ran down to mark it. Even I could tell from here that it was pretty close to the center. Rifle handed the gun to Hadley. “Be careful.” She narrowed her eyes at his mocking tone before stepping up to the mark.
“How many bullets in this clip?” she asked as she lined up her shot. Her stance was perfect, and I think the boys were starting to realize she wasn’t as clueless as she seemed.
Rifle answered her. “There’s fourteen left, but you only get one—” The boom of the gun cut him off. She squeezed the trigger over and over, firing consecutive shots until the clip ran out. “—shot,” Rifle finished, staring at her in shock.
“Maybe we should have explained the rules a little better,” Kit commented as we all walked down to the target.
As I got closer, I started to laugh. “Holy shit.”
We could all see it now. Fourteen bullet holes. But they weren’t in the center of the target. Far from it actually. They were framing the center circle in the shape of a fucking heart.
Hadley’s voiced hummed behind us. The tune non-other than the song,All You Need Is Love.
We all stood in a group and looked at each other, stunned, no one saying anything.
