Page 74 of Vengeful Secret

I look down at the target—several shots, all in the same area, in a little row.

“You did amazing,a ghrá,” I assure her, smiling.

“Let me see you shoot,” she insists, and I raise an eyebrow.

“All right.”

I place my legs apart, aiming the gun, and shoot four shots in the torso and two in the head in quick succession.

When I turn to look at Sutton, her eyes are half-lidded.

“That was hot,” she blurts out, and I laugh out loud.

“Glad you think so. It’s just practice. Now, let’s change out the magazine and go again.”

Sutton’s doing an amazing job, and I have to admit it’s sexy how well she’s handling this. I know it can be overwhelming, learning this kind of thing, but Sutton’s a natural.

Her shots get closer and closer together as we practice, and by the end, they’re all in a little circle, just the way I taught her.

She’s gotten more comfortable with the gun, so I show her how to take it apart.

“Make sure you always pop the chamber when you unload.” I don’t have to tell her to keep the gun away from Ciara. She knows to put it somewhere safe if it’s not on her person.

Sutton lets out a shaky breath. “My heart is racing.”

“I know." I grin. "Isn't it great?"

“Like being on a rollercoaster.”

“You love rollercoasters.”

“I do, but I don’t want to be on one every day.” She chuckles. She looks up at me, her smile fading. “I don’t want to have to shoot anyone, Gray.”

“Hopefully, you won’t have to. It’s just in case. For your protection.”

Sutton dismantles the gun just the way I showed her, and I can’t help beaming with pride.

If there was any doubt in my mind that I was in love with Sutton again, there isn’t any now. She’s great at taking instruction, and she’s a natural marksman, making more progress in one session than Declan had in five when he was young.

I hope she never has to use it, like I told her, but I’m glad that she can handle knowing how. She’s so strong and beautiful, and I hope against hope that we can find our way back to each other.

To be honest, I don’t know if I can lose her again.

21

SUTTON

I washesitant about learning how to shoot, but I have to admit it was a wonderful experience. It was cathartic in many ways, allowing me to let everything out.

By the time we’re finished, it’s time to pick up Ciara from school.

“Yay, Gray’s here! Gray’s my mommy’s friend,” Ciara says to her teacher as Gray and I pull around to pick her up.

Her teacher just nods and smiles, and Gray waves at her. She waves back.

Ciara bounces to the car, happier than I’ve seen her in a while. I suppose she doesn’t have much of a social life outside of school—I've always been afraid to let her do sleepovers. God, I’m just like my mother—a helicopter parent.

“Hey, bug,” I tell her. “How was school?”

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