Page 42 of Seeds of Sorrow

Picking up a knife from the kitchen counter, Peyton examined the jagged blade. The handle was made out of steel, a strip of leather covering it to give a good grip. When Peyton looked up again, Hadina was watching her with a heated, hungry gaze. It sent heat pooling to her core, Peyton’s body reacting instantly.

“Do you like knives, Peyton?”

Feeling the weight of the blade in her hand, Peyton had to admit that she did like it. Remembering how much more in control she’d felt when she had held the dagger from Hadina’s office… She could see why Hadina liked to have a fully stocked arsenal at her disposal.

“Yes.”

Hadina’s eyes darkened as she licked her lips. “Then let me teach you how to use one.”

Chapter28

HADINA

TeachingPeyton how to use weapons was going to be far more difficult than she thought. Every time Hadina so much as looked at a gun, she pictured how hard she had come when Peyton fucked her with her own gun, and now she wanted to repay the favor. They had far more pressing things to do, but damn, if she wasn’t tempted to fuck her against every surface in the apartment with every weapon at her disposal.

From the way Peyton eyed the various daggers, Hadina knew that would be her weapon of choice. Hadina herself was as equally fond of knives as she was of guns, but everyone had their preference. She’d teach Peyton how to use everything but made a note to pay particular attention to daggers.

After they packed up the car with some of Hadina’s personal favorites, the duo headed north. Adis & Co. had acquired an old farmhouse on a plot of land far out from the city. While it was dilapidated when they purchased it, Hadina had made sure to turn it into a state-of-the-art training center. From the outside, it looked like an old, unused building; from the inside, it was a spectacular space with a gun range in the backyard, surrounded by a high fence and plenty of security.

She was excited to teach Peyton how to use a weapon, how to stay safe and protect herself. Hadina had never allowed herself to be close to anyone, and now that she had, she wanted to make sure that she’d done everything she could to ensure Peyton’s protection.

Peyton was quiet as she pulled up to the house, her eyes darting around to take it all in. The pair exited the car in silence, the gravel crunching under their feet as they walked the path up to the house. “I can’t believe the powerful Adis family owns a rundown farm.”

Hadina unlocked the door, pushing it open to reveal the large, empty hallway. The walls were painted a pale gray, making the space appear dull and dreary. Hadina had figured it would look less used, and would prevent people from poking around too much.

Kicking the door closed with the heel of her boot, Hadina grabbed her gun cases and opened the last door on the right, which led to the main training room. The walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling bulletproof mirrors, except one at the farthest wall, which was lined with targets.

Peyton gasped. “Holy shit!”

Hadina chuckled at the surprised expression on Peyton’s face. “What did you expect?”

“Clearly, not fucking this,” she deadpanned. “Do y’all just have secret weapon storehouses everywhere? Damn.”

Dumping her equipment on one of the empty tables, Hadina started to unload the various cases she had in tow. She should have sent one of her people to set up, but she liked the idea of being in control of Peyton’s first session. She’d probably have been spooked if they turned up and Harris or any other members of the team were still at the house.

“We’re fairly equipped, yes.” Hadina turned around and crossed her arms, leaning against the table. She watched as Peyton paced, her eyes roving over the various weaponry now on display. “Are you ready for this?”

Peyton laughed feebly. “No.”

Hadina’s mouth quirked into a half smirk. “Right answer.” Taking her hand, Hadina pulled Peyton close. She pressed a featherlight kiss to her lips before spinning her around to face the mirrors. “The most important thing that you need to know before we start is respect.”

Peyton rolled her eyes at the reflection. “I do respect you, Hadi.”

“Not me,” Hadina said, nodding her head towards the table. “The weapons. You should always respect your weapon, Peyton.” Picking up her own 9mm, Hadina pulled out the magazine to show Peyton that it was full of bullets. “We respect our guns because we always assume they are loaded. The moment you pick one up, you treat it like the deadly weapon it is.”

Peyton’s eyes widened as she watched her, her pupils darkening as she swallowed. “Okay. Respect—got it.”

“I know you’vehelda gun before,” Hadina said, her voice dripping with the memory of being pushed to the edge by the very one she was holding. “But do you actually know anything about them?”

Peyton shook her head.

“Okay. Then the next thing you need to know is that you never point the gun unless you mean to shoot it, understand? The second your hand is on a gun, you make sure it’s aimed at the floor—away from everything—unless you plan to pull the trigger.”

Setting her weapon back on the table, Hadina swapped it over for the 380 semi-automatic that she’d be showing Peyton how to use. It was smaller and lighter, which made it the perfect gun for a novice to handle.But it was, Hadina thought to herself,every bit as lethal.

“This is a semi-automatic, meaning every time you squeeze that trigger”—she pointed at it with her free hand—“a bullet will release. Which is why you always keep your finger resting on the guard until you’re ready to shoot.” Tapping a finger, Hadina demonstrated proper placement. “This is where your index finger should be when you’re not aiming to shoot. You’ll train yourself over time to keep your hand just like this…” She held the barrel in her left hand before placing the handle of the gun in the web of her thumb and curling her fingers around.

A surge of pride moved through Hadina as Peyton mimicked the actions with empty hands. “Like this?”

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