Hard to Fight - Bella Jewel Page 0,47
“What do you mean, why you?”
“What drew you to me enough for us to be here?”
He looks back up at the ceiling. “It was the first night I met you and you didn’t throw yourself at me.”
I giggle. “Shock and horror.”
He laughs. “Yeah, it surprised me. Most girls are flirting within seconds. You didn’t. You gave it to me and you held your own. Then when I saw you again, I knew you were trying to get my attention. I couldn’t help it, you intrigued me.”
“Did you really think I was stalking you?”
He snorts. “For a while, yeah. Till I saw you at the club with your cousin, and I realized you weren’t.”
My cousin. God. “But we never really spoke. I mean we ran into each other but—”
“Speakin’ of, why did we run into each other so much? Denver ain’t a small place.”
I swallow but say, “No, but we both either live or have friends on the same side of town. It would seem we frequent the same places. Sometimes people meet because they have similar interests. I like clubbing and I’m into guns. So are you. It does happen, you know? I’m sure there were plenty of places you didn’t see me.”
“Yeah,” he says. “You’re right about that.”
Thank heavens he dropped that one. Denver isn’t a small place; therefore, it is actually highly unlikely we would end up in so many of the same locations, at the same time, and so frequently. Even if we did live on the same side of town, it’s not logical.
“So why the interest in guns?” he finally asks.
I shrug. “I learned self-defense because of my dad. He thought it wouldn’t hurt to teach us girls how to use a gun. We all learned, but I was the only one who loved it. I loved the power. I loved the strength and security it gave me, so I decided to keep practicing.”
“Fair enough.”
Change-of-subject time. “Benny’s family, they seem lovely.”
He smiles. “Yeah, they’re like the family I didn’t have.”
“They’re good people.”
“Yeah, they sure are.”
I yawn and turn into him.
“Go to sleep, lady,” he murmurs against my hair. “Tomorrow I’m goin’ to kick your ass at shooting.”
I laugh. “Dream on, buddy.”
He chuckles. “Night, baby.”
“Night, Raide.”
* * *
“Three targets!” he yells. “Best shot wins.”
I grin and give him the thumbs-up. He gives me a grin that’s even bigger, and we both line up with our guns. Raide shoots first and he’s a solid shot, hitting the target with ease. He hits right in between the fake man’s eyes.
“Nice!” I yell.
“Do one better, baby.”
I shoot my target right in the heart, a perfect clean shot. Raide whistles low and his eyes twinkle with lust. He shoots both kneecaps next, hitting the target exactly where they would be on a real person. I do mine’s elbows.
“What’s goin’ on here?”
We both turn to see Benny striding up the path to the open field we’re in.
“Target practice!” I yell. “You can be the judge, Benny.”
Benny rubs his hands together and in a loud voice starts saying, “And Grace is in the lead, but Raide is coming up fast. Oh no, it looks like Grace has tripped. Raide is taking his stand, he’s aiming his gun—”
“Dude!” Raide yells. “It’s not a horse race.”
Benny sighs and rolls his eyes. “You’re so boring. Fine, tell me the terms.”
“Best shot wins.”
“Wins what?” he inquires.
My cheeks go pink and Benny grins. “Well, I know what Raide’s prize is.”
Raide chuckles.
“What does she win?”
I’m grinning again. “He has to take me on a romantic date.”
Benny bursts out laughing so hard, he has to clutch his belly.
I put a hand on my hip. “What’s so funny?”
“Raide wouldn’t know how to do romantic if it kicked him in the face. It makes me want to let you win just to see how hilarious that would be.”
Raide purses his lips at Benny and I giggle.
“Let’s finish this, shall we?” Raide says.
I wave a hand. “After you, handsome.”
Raide lines up his gun and fires off round after round. When he’s finished, the target has a hole in his forehead, his heart, his elbows, knees, groin, and stomach. He did it quickly and effortlessly.
“Shit, don’t think you can beat that, honey,” Benny mumbles.
“She can’t beat it,” Raide smirks.
“No, I’m pretty sure she can’t.”
They laugh and I glare at the two of them. While they’re still laughing it up, I spin and aim my gun. I hit every single hole Raide made—perfectly, so my bullets don’t go outside the space at all. When I’m