Page 76 of Mine, Forever

“Do it.”

I let a shot ring out, the force of shooting the gun propelling me back. My upper arms hurt, and I squeezed my eyes closed.

“This time I want you to shoot with your eyes open.”

He pushed me back into position. I raised the gun again, and shot, making sure my eyes remained open.

“Good.”

He pushed a button beside me pulling the target forward until it was right in front of me. The bullet had gone through the center of the nose.

“Very good, actually. You may just be a natural.”

I didn’t want to be a natural. I wanted anything but that. It had been three months since he’d killed my mother. Even though I missed her, I forced myself not to think of her.

It was the only way to get through this life of mine. Guns had been my first lesson, but he kept mentioning my battle skills, something he’d need to drill into me if I were to join his organization. As his son, I was being primed to take over when he retired. My childhood was well and truly over, and there was no way back.

I woke up, clutching my pistol. I smelled the heat from the gun. Looking around, I found the bullet hole.

Damn it.

Getting out of bed, I moved to the basin and splashed my face. These dreams had been vivid lately as if I was reliving those moments of weakness in my childhood.

I didn’t like it.

One of the dreams I’d had sat with me still. I didn’t remember this part in my childhood, but it had accompanied a memory dream so it must be real.

“York,” I called out as I left the bedroom. He was in the living area looking over what we had collated on John so far.

“Is it possible I have met Aubrey Caine before?”

He put the papers down and sat back in the chair considering my question. “Yeah, it’s possible. Same circles and all that, why?”

“He’d know my father?”

“Yeah, he did for a while.”

“Then I need to see Aubrey.”

York nodded without questioning me. I grabbed my cell and called my contact at the prison. After some serious negotiating, I had the warden release Aubrey for the day. York had cleared the living area of all documentation before he arrived.

I was going to meet Ebony’s father—wasn’t there some ritual for meeting the parents? I had to laugh at myself. I had tortured Adora, and now I was teasing Aubrey with freedom for a day. Some boyfriend I am.

Fuck ritual! Eb’s and my relationship wasn’t normal. So why should this be?

“He’s here,” York announced. I sat down at the table, placing my hot hands down on the cool, black marble, instantly cooling myself. This was for Ebony—I had to keep telling myself.

An older man with graying hair but a svelte form came in, a bright orange jumpsuit stood out against my white walls. He had a suspicious look on his face, one that I knew well.

I couldn’t blame him.

“Take a seat,” I said. He looked over at York briefly before sitting down opposite me.

“Jett Black, I take it.”

I nodded. Had Ebony told him about me—about us, when she’d visited him?

“Is Ebony here?”

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