Page 7 of When Sinners Fear
She tucks it closer to her. “Okay.”
“You should work out if I was a pleasure or not first. I have little time to waste on indecision. No matter how sweet the flavour. You understand?” She nods as I get in the car, so I take some more time looking at her from down here. “You’re really very beautiful, Peyton. Almost angelic.” That earns me a sweet ass blush again, and I chuckle at the innocence of it as I debate staying longer. I have things to do, though.
The door closes me off from her, and I watch her back away as I start the engine and rumble quietly out of the parking lot. I even watch her watching me in the rearview as I peel out of the driveway faster to get to the road. Cute as fuck. Although, she’s got a brain about her, which is far more interesting than those other college girls ever were. And there’s something about her manner – her fragility. What is that? I despise fragile anything. Maybe I just want to break it. Or at least show her some fucking reality before she gets swallowed up by a system that’s rated on complete bullshit and lacking anarchy.
Who gives a damn? Not me.
Certainly not at the moment.
~
The wasteland we always use looks just as derelict as it always does when I pull up. The only thing looking anywhere near unusual is the sight of Mariana’s Aston parked up. I hold still for a moment and get my phone out, scrolling until I find Dante’s messages. There’s been nothing in the way of communication since he left. Nothing. No answering me, no explanation. Fuck, he must be so pissed at her. I know him, though. He’ll be sulking in his misery. He might love Wren, but this around us, this family of consequences and obligations, will always be everything to him.
Answer my texts, Asshole.
Nothing. No scrolls or dots to show me he’s replying, and no drop-down to show me he’s read it either.
I get out and walk to the trunk, popping it, and then the hidden base, so I can get to a selection of guns. She’s out of the car and watching me the moment I’m out, lifting her sunglasses as I approach.
“Any reason why I’m meeting you in the middle of the desert? I thought we were going to the range,” she says.
“The range is stationary. Neither you nor a target are most of the time. We don’t kill targets. They won't kill you either.” I start loading various guns and take the one she’s holding off her. “What’s this?”
“Abel’s present to me. I quite like it.”
“Asshole.”
“Whoa. What’s got your ass all heated up?”
“Nothing. This piece of shit is for kids, though. You’re not one. Pick up the rest. Find one that’s comfortable.” I watch her choosing and then walk off into the wasteland, tipping up old tin cans and various targets we’ve used over time. By the time I get back she’s holding something more useful for a Cortez.
“What’s wrong with the one Abel gave me?”
“Nothing. Keep it in your purse, but when shit gets real, you grab anything you can. Aiming with that one won’t teach you how to aim with the others.”
We spend time doing stationary shots, and after a while I start making her move and shoot through an organised run of shots. Tin cans spin up into the air, and old pieces of wood splinter hard and heavy with each shot fired. She gets better each time I push her for a better aim, and eventually becomes a damn fine shot now she’s learned to hold it correctly.
“Knox, my arms hurt now. Can we–”
“No. Move faster. Run the run-through again.”
“Fuck.” Still, she sprints like she’s meant to, using every inch of her Cortez given right to aim, fire and destroy. It’s comforting to watch, in some ways, making me smile on her last run.
“Good,” I say as she gets back to me. “You feel good?”
She sits on the old boulder beside me. “You know, yeah, I think I do. How was Kai this morning?”
“Fine.”
She scuffs the dust around on the floor with her boot. “Okay.”
“Everything alright with you two?”
“Yeah. It’s just, he’s different now. Harsher. Sometimes, you know? It feels like I’m battling to keep who I met.” She shakes her head, stands and stretches her arms around as if this conversation is over. “It doesn’t matter. I think I’m just being sensitive about things. He left this morning without saying goodbye, that’s all.”
I sigh. “Mariana, I’m teaching you all this so we know you can defend yourself. Kai has to go out knowing he needs to attack. Different mindset. Give him a break.”
“I know, I know. Have you heard anything from Dante?”