“Oh,” I say, uncertainty suddenly making an appearance at the thought of Seb showing his face.
I can only imagine what kind of mood he’s in after the way we left things earlier. Hoping that he went and got himself so wasted that he can’t even stand up, let alone chase me.
“Right then, Princess Doukas. Let’s see what you’ve got,” Nico says, coming to stand beside me.
I have no idea what I was expecting to find out here, but I’m impressed.
There’s an array of targets sitting in front of a high bank and then the treeline that runs between the two properties, and a small canopy for us to stand under.
Someone’s really planned this out. But then I guess this kind of thing is necessary when you’re running a gang.
It’s not all that different from the places I’ve been with both Dad and Calvin over the years, and I feel at home immediately with the weight of the pistol in my hand.
“There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance, Nico. And one is really unattractive.”
“Did I say anything about my shot?”
“Your tone said it all,” I mutter, stepping up, ready to take my first shot as Toby hangs some fresh target sheets up for us.
The second he’s well out of the way, I line up my first shot and fucking kill it.
“What the—” Nico mutters, coming up beside me to get a closer look—not that it’s necessary. “Well, fuck me. You’re better than the boys.”
“Speak for yourself,” Toby shouts, walking up and high-fiving me. “Next time I’m in a gunfight, I want Stella right beside me.”
“Oh yeah, because caveman Papatonis is going to let her anywhere near that shit.”
Turning back to Nico, I place one hand on my hip.
“Seb doesn’t let me do anything. He. Does. Not. Own. Me.”
“You might wanna tell him that, Princess. As far as he’s concerned, he might as well have just pissed all over you that first day of school.”
“Whatever.”
Turning my back on his smug smirk, I lift my arm again and fire off a few shots, hitting each target right in the center.
“I can’t believe you’re my sister,” Toby mutters behind me.
“Thank fuck she’s not mine, because that shit is getting me hard.”
I fire off another round, wishing I’d stopped to put some sound-canceling headphones on just to drown those two motherfuckers out.
“Calli, you ready?”
“Uh…” She looks between me and the guys.
“Ignore them, this is about you. Do you want—”
“Yes,” she says excitedly, coming closer.
“Now, she’s not my sister,” Toby says, getting his own back as I show Calli how to hold the gun correctly.
“Fucking hell, this was a really bad fucking idea.”
I’ve never taught anyone to shoot before, but even with ignoring the two assholes behind us, I find that I really enjoy working with Calli—especially when her shot actually starts to improve and she doesn’t look like she’s going to piss her panties every time she fires.
I don’t realize that anyone else has joined us until a shadow falls over us and a deep voice announces, “You’re showing her wrong.”