I grab the gun from his hand wordlessly, feeling the weight of it in my hand. He slides his hands in his pockets and leans against the back wall. I shift my stance, close one eye, and center my target. It’s not fresh; looks like there’s a few bullet holes already shot through, but it doesn’t matter. There’s enough sporadic shots that I can still aim for the bullseye, which hasn’t been hit yet.
“Come on. Fire away. Show me you’re not rusty.”
I scoff at his words, knowing he’s only doing it to agitate me on purpose. Usually, I’d ignore such things, but today I’m all out of sorts, so it only pisses me off. I snap off a shot, my lips pursed and my jaw tense. The smoke from the barrel slips into the air, and I fire another one. And another.
Every shot hits the bullseye until I empty the fucking chamber.
Diego grins.
“What?” I ask.
“Feel better?” He asks, a smug grin on his face.
“No,” I say. He laughs.
“Not even a little?”
I set the gun down, noticing my shoulders are still aching, but…
“Okay, maybe a little. Like….five percent.”
Diego turns, heading to the sheet to remove it, and I watch him casually put up another clean sheet.
“Where are Gage and Auryn?” I ask as he takes his time sauntering back to where I stand.
“Outside.”
My eyes widen. He shrugs. “Running laps most likely. You know how Gage likes to drill.”
I nod. I do know. I try to avoid drills unless they are absolutely necessary because I hate feeling all worked up, and usually I get pretty worked up if I’m being tested.
I head over to the ammunition cabinet, looking for more ammo, and Diego doesn’t stop me.
In fact he kicks back against the cabinet, out of my line of sight.
“How are you feeling?” I ask as I load the chamber.
“I’ve been better,” he says with a smirk. “But I’m still here, thanks to Gage.”
I nod as I take my stance again.
“And you,” he says coolly.
“I didn’t save you, Emmett did. Gage did.”
“Gage did not pull the bullet out of me,” he says calmly.
“He could have if he wasn’t so…”
Diego looks to the ground before speaking. I lower my gun.
“Te debo mi vida.”
“You are just saying that,” I say as I pick it back up and fire a shot. I hit just above the bullseye and purse my lips.
I should have been better. I should have shifted my weight, I should have—
“You are a part of this pack, too. You are capable of more than you think.” He nods to my hands. “Again.”
