Page 31 of Save Me

I dismiss him with a look because he’s already heading back to his car. I turn to the woman who brought me here. Her eyes are narrowed.

“What the hell was that?”

“That was me taking out the trash.” Hell, that isn’t the first male I’ve made steer clear of Kennedy.

I move closer and gesture toward the shooting range. “Interesting place to meet.”

She cuts her eyes from me to the guy now pulling out of the parking lot. “I could’ve … would’ve gotten rid of him myself.”

“Are we still talking about someone who doesn’t matter?” I raise an eyebrow.

She looks at me with that beautiful fire in her copper eyes. “I thought you would appreciate this place.” She smiles, but it’s very obviously fake.

I’ll turn it genuine soon enough.

“Your first time at a shooting range?” she asks.

“Sure is.”

“You’ll have fun while you answer my questions about Blackmon.” She brings up his name as if to remind me this is the only reason she’s here.

I step to the side. “After you.”

The owner greets us as we enter.

“I didn’t schedule a private lesson,” Kennedy says, confused.

“I did.” When she texted me the location, I called and upgraded the lesson.

Kennedy narrows her eyes at me.

“Before we get started, I need to go over a few safety protocols with you,” the owner tells us.

Instead of listening to him go on about safety instructions and bullshit, I watch Kennedy intently. She’s taking in everything he says. She’s cautious with how she holds the weapons we’ve chosen for our lesson.

I get lost in watching her.

“We’ll be in the largest private range today. It’s usually occupied on Saturdays until closing, but lucky for us, we had a cancellation.”

Cancellation my ass. It was the extra money I paid to kick whoever had a reservation out of here for the next few hours.

“Like this?” Kennedy asks as she holds the handgun with both hands and aims it directly at the target down range.

“Yes, that’s right,” the owner says, sounding proud. “Plant your left foot slightly farther back. And pivot your hips a little forward. Like this …” He steps closer and moves his arms as if he’s about to place them on her waist.

“No.” Comes out in a low but menacing tone.

Kennedy’s too focused on the target with a large pair of headphones over her ears to have heard.

He blinks and looks at me. Clearing his throat, he takes a step back.

“Like this?” she asks again.

“Yes.” The owner nods before giving her the go ahead to shoot.

She lets out three shots back to back. Two bullets hit the target’s lower half. The third hits just above the shoulder. Her lips twist in disappointment.

She pulls off headphones at the same time she says, “It’s been a while since I’ve held one of these.”

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