The rest of the drive passed in stilted silence.
When we reached our destination, I smirked to myself when I saw her perk up in my peripheral, but I pretended I didn’t as I stepped from the Denali and held out my hand. Hunter ignored it and climbed out. As soon as her feet touched the ground, I placed my hand on the small of her back, and she stumbled a step.
Abel, who had beaten us here, strode forward to meet us as we approached.
“I did a sweep of the building. It’s all clear,” he said while glancing nervously between Hunter and me. I already knew what he would say before he spoke. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“It’s fine,” I told him as we entered the building.
It was unusually quiet since we had the entire place to ourselves today, but Hunter was already looking around suspiciously, as if she were seeking out another trap.
Or planning her escape.
I led her over to the heavy double doors with multiple safety signs hanging on them and a grim-looking man standing in front.
“Kilpatrick,” the range safety officer greeted gruffly.
“Stoll.” I shook the older man’s hand.
He grunted grumpily and then turned to lead us inside the control booth—a long stretch of hallway between the bathroom, office, and cleaning room on the left side and firing lanes behind a bulletproof wall on the right.
“Your man got everything set up for you,” Stoll said after letting us inside the firing lanes and over to one of the booths in the middle. “Handguns, safety gear, mags, and ammunition.”
“Thanks, Stoll.”
“I’m told you have some experience. I assume you know the safety and firing regulations, young lady? Same as any other range.”
“Yes, sir.” Hunter’s smile was genuine now as she eagerly eyed the array of weapons for her choosing.
“Okay, then. I’ll leave you to it. Range is hot.”
Stoll shuffled out, leaving us alone.
Well, mostly alone.
Abel had taken up guard by the door, and I knew more were posted at every exit in the building to keep anyone from coming or going without my express permission.
Hunter and I secured our eyes and ears with safety goggles and earplugs, but when she reached for one of the handguns, she stopped, and I tracked her nervous gaze toward the door where Abel was openly watching her every move.
“No one will hurt you,” I assured her.
Hunter forced her gaze away from Abel to regard me. “I think he’s more afraid I will hurt you.”
“We’re all afraid of that, Hunter. Even you.”
Her expression was thoughtful now. “Then why did you bring me here?”
I leaned against the divider separating this booth from the next one. “Because I’m choosing to trust you anyway.”
Hunter inhaled sharply and then turned away from me to snatch up one of the magazines and a box of ammunition. “Well, don’t expect me to return the favor.”
I didn’t respond as I pressed the button to call the backboard from the end of the firing range, and then I grabbed a paper target to hang. Once that was set up, I sent the target back while Hunter grabbed a handgun, locked the magazine in place, and chambered a round.
The target stopped ten yards away.
Hunter looked over her shoulder at me with her brow raised, and I grinned as I pressed the button again and sent it to fifteen yards.
She rolled her eyes but took aim as soon as the target stopped. I watched her shoot maybe five rounds before I was willing my dick to behave. I brought her here to see her shoot for myself, but I did not count on what it would do to me.
