tone was pure arrogance, but his face flashed with anger. He was probably just pissed that I would even try to screw him over.
I said nothing back, but silently thanked him for confirming my suspicion. An annulment would be a dead end. I knew it sounded too easy to work—regardless of legal grounds—and besides... I wanted to cut out a pound of D'Ath flesh when I regained my name.
The range seemed empty of other people, but the steady crack of gunshots clued me in to at least one other person there.
"Oh good, your instructor is here already," Archer commented, walking straight over to the door behind the cashier’s desk and opening the lock with a combination code.
I gave him a narrow-eyed glare. For some reason, I'd assumed he was teaching me. Not that I was objecting to someone else, but...
"You must be a pretty lousy shot if you're outsourcing that task," I muttered, then mentally berated myself for saying that much. What was wrong with me that I was disappointed?
Archer just huffed a laugh, leading the way through a door where the gunshots grew louder with every step. "I can admit when someone has superior skills. Meet your teacher for the day."
The dude in a black hoodie with his back to us popped off a few more shots at his target, then placed his gun down and turned to grin at me. His gray eyes swept over me from head to toe, and heat flared in his gaze.
"Hellcat, that's an interesting outfit for a shooting lesson."
I rolled my eyes. "I wasn't exactly given a chance to change. Caveman here grabbed me off the street and tossed me in his car."
Steele shot Archer an accusing glare, but he just shrugged in response.
"I guess I forgot my manners when I found my wife coming out of a meeting with Demi Timber." His tone was edged with sarcasm and anger, and that fun little vein throbbed in his temple.
Aw yeah, someone's ego was bruised. Suck it, bitch.
Steele's brows shot up, and he gave me a curious look. "That's the meeting Zane set up for you?"
I jerked a nod. "Yep."
Steele's unreadable gaze passed between Archer and I a couple of times, then he shook his head and sighed. "Alright, let's do this. Arch, fuck off and get us coffee."
I grinned at his casual dismissal of the big bad bastard, and Archer looked like he wanted to punch his friend in the face. Still, he didn't argue. With one last, all too lingering look at me, he stalked out of the gun range, letting the door slam closed heavily behind him.
Looking around, I didn't find Kody anywhere nearby, which seemed odd. I cocked a brow at Steele. "Where's the third stooge today?"
Steele flashed me a grin, stepping closer and placing his hands on my waist. "Getting us coffee. Proper coffee, not that sewer water Arch drinks."
I snickered a laugh. "Smart." Acting on instinct, I looped my arms around his neck and tugged the hood of his sweatshirt down. He wore a ball cap underneath, and it was an insanely sexy look on him. "So, you're going to teach me how to shoot, huh?"
A wicked smile crossed his lips. "I'm going to teach you all kinds of things, Hellcat. But we'll start with shooting today." His hands tightened on my waist, and his eyes burned with desire. "I can't wait to see you handling a gun in this outfit, by the way. Maybe I owe that surly bastard a thank you, after all."
Desperately fighting the grin that wanted to plaster across my face like a lovesick moron, I forced myself to step out of his grip. "Well let's do this, then. I'm excited to learn." I couldn't help myself, I shot him a suggestive look over my shoulder as I approached the area where he'd left his gun.
Steele let out a groan. "Torture," he muttered under his breath. "Pure fucking torture."
He wasn't joking either.
23
The guys hadn't been messing around when they'd mentioned Steele's marksmanship skills. It was seriously scary how good he was. When he was moderately satisfied with my skills on the indoor range using his Glock, he took me outside to introduce me to long-range guns.
"Holy fucking shit," Kody declared when he arrived some time later. "Did I bump my head on something? Because I'm pretty sure this is a scene right out of my dreams."
"I knew you dreamed about me," Steele replied, giving him a cocky smirk from where he lay beside me