The way his breath fans the back of my neck as he places his head in the crook of my neck to make sure I’m perfectly aligned.
I feel like I might faint.
Taking a deep inhale, I try to concentrate.
“You got this, firefly.” He whispers, “Look at the target.”
I do.
“Pull the trigger.”
I do.
The shot rings through the air.
I can barely see where the bullet flies. My pulse accelerates to a breakneck speed clip.
“Beginner’s luck.” He laughs.
And that’s when I see I hit the tree.
Bull’s-eye.
28
GIDEON
So.About Minnesota… Wining and dining Sasha Lennox among fireflies? Not my finest moment. And not to be repeated now that we’ve returned.
Seeing as I’m five seconds from entering Joe Goldberg territory, I force myself to avoid Sasha, committing all my waking hours to work. Sure, one could argue watching her on twenty-eight surveillance cameras doesn’t constitute avoidance. But it’s progress.
Today, I’m back earlier to meet with my men.
When I walk into the meeting room on the lower level, it doesn’t surprise me to see Jaxson Price sitting at the table.
“To what do I owe this honor?” I say in greeting.
“For the amount of money you pay, I figured I’d make a social call.”
“And here I thought you never left the Batcave.” The joke isn’t lost on him.
“Typically, I don’t, but seeing as you’re as bad as I am, I figured one of us had to give.”
Taking a seat across from him, I motion for him to talk. “Well, what do you have for me?”
He pulls out a computer. “Over the past few weeks, I’ve looked into all associates of Roman’s. Besides the people he knew through your organization, I picked up on some alarming patterns. I found some images, and I brought them here.” My eyebrow rises, and he rolls his eyes in return. “Don’t worry, I printed them out for you.” He winks.
“You printed out pictures? How 1994 of you.”
He chuckles. “I figured it was easier for you, being a boomer and all.”
“What exactly is that supposed to mean? I’m thirty-one. I’m younger than you, dick.”
Jaxson’s mouth parts into a smile. “Age isn’t what makes you a boomer. Remember, I know you. Did you forget I set up your surveillance?”
“Point taken.”
It’s not that I’m bad with electronics. I own a computer and use it regularly, but rarely for communication. In my business, nothing should ever be put in writing. As for the rest of the technology around this place, there’s no need for me to do it when there are plenty of people to hire that can do it better and faster.