I nod.
He studies me for a moment, as a thought twists in his head.
“What?” I ask.
“Come with me.”
I don’t like the swift mood change, but I stand up and follow him. Sweat coats my body, and my legs ache with every step. After the first task I really need to start working out again and at least make an attempt at protecting myself.
We walk back towards the house and around to a private area on the side of the house.
“Zeke!” I say happily. He’s sitting in a chair with his feet in the sand.
He smiles back at me.
“You’re out of bed. That must mean you’re feeling better and out of the woods?” I ask.
He nods. “I’m feeling well enough to help teach you a thing or two.”
I cock my head, not understanding. I look from Zeke to Langston, and then I notice what else is new. Two targets planted in the sand.
“What are you talking about?”
“We decided Zeke and I should teach you some of the basics before tomorrow. We can only do so much with the limited time we have, but knowing how to shoot a gun at least could come in handy tomorrow.”
My lips curl up. “Does Enzo know about your plans?”
Langston gives Zeke a worried glance.
Damn, I like these two. Enzo may be their boss, and they would follow him to the ends of the earth, but they also make up their own minds and do what they think is best.
“What Enzo doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Zeke answers.
I grin.
“Here,” Langston says handing me a gun he pulls from the back of his pants.
I take the gun, it feels heavy in my hands, but I don’t feel dangerous holding it. I doubt even if I knew how to aim, that I would be able to shoot anyone with it—least of all Enzo.
Langston goes over the basic mechanics of how to load the bullets, how to check the safety, and how to aim, with Zeke jumping in occasionally when he has things to add.
And then I’m standing in front of a target with a gun in my hand, rapidly firing the gun. My first few bullets barely hit the edges of the target, but with a quick adjustment, I hit the bullseye almost every time.
“I think you need to back up and try some more, but you are a natural,” Zeke says.
“But don’t forget, it’s easy when no one is firing back. All dangerous men carry a gun, even when they aren’t supposed to. Be prepared for them to turn a gun on you at any second,” Langston says.
I nod, taking in Langston’s words. Then I exhale deeply as I back up and fire off more shots, hitting the bullseye again and again. It’s a thrilling feeling to be holding something so dangerous in my hands and knowing if I aimed it at a person, I could kill them.
Zeke and Langston must really trust m
e if they feel safe with me holding a gun.
“What are you doing?” Enzo asks, stepping down from the deck as he walks toward us.
We all freeze and stare in Enzo’s direction. Even when he’s dressed so casually, he holds the power to get a room full of thousands of people to follow his orders with only his voice.
“Teaching her the basics to protect herself,” Zeke answers.