pyromaniac.” I held onto Shiloh. “Not until you tell me what you’re blowing up. I have a class tomorrow and I prefer not backfilling a crater.”
“Just Tannerite,” Shiloh beamed.
“Liberty,” Carter groaned.
“What?”
“How much?” Carter pushed.
“Three pounds.”
“Fuck no.”
Shiloh giggled. Liberty crossed her arms over her chest. Carter scowled.
“Why not? As Brady pointed out, I own the place just like you. And we’re shooting it from three-hundred yards so no worries,” Liberty argued.
Three-hundred yards? Yeah, that won’t work.
“You know better than that,” Brady chided. “A two-two-three won’t detonate Tannerite at three-hundred yards. The bullet needs to be traveling over two-thousand feet per second at impact. It’s about—”
“Velocity, I know,” Liberty snapped. “I’m totally offended. Next, you’ll want me to sit in on your Bullet Ballisticts101.”
Shiloh’s mouth twisted in amusement but she didn’t interject.
What are these two up to?
“Then what are you shooting it with, a fifty cal?” Brady pushed.
“Nope. My brand new Sig Cross,” Liberty bragged.
“No shit?” Carter stood and came around the table. “You have one?”
“Yep.”
Well, damn. That was a sweet rifle. The last and greatest from Sig.
“And you’re taking her out now?” Ethan got up but dropped his keys on the table.
I guess he was staying.
“Yep.”
“I’m in.” Brady started for the door then stopped. “How much ammo you got? We don’t have two-seven-seven Fury in the armory.”
“Just enough to show you boys how the big girls play,” Liberty retorted.
“Seriously?” Ethan groaned.
“Naw. I’m just kidding. I wouldn’t come just to tease you. But me and Sunny go first.”
Brady took off like a shot and Ethan nodded.
“Deal.”
“We’ll meet y’all out there.” I pulled Shiloh off to the side to let Carter and Ethan exit.
Liberty paused, turned, and smiled at Shiloh.
“I told you we wouldn’t have to set up targets today.”
“That you did,” Shiloh returned.
“I’ll have the guys load your gear. We’ll see you out there.”
“Thanks.”
I waited until everyone was gone before I bent and gave my woman a proper greeting, one that included lots of tongue and my hands on her ass, and this went on until she moaned into my mouth. Unfortunately, that was my cue to break our kiss.
“How’s your day been, baby?”
Shiloh did a slow blink before sadness crept into her eyes.
“River’s going undercover.”
“Shit, Shiloh, that’s rough. He say what the assignment is?”
“There’s a local gang with ties down in Pensacola. The local boys upped their game and are transporting. River’s been working this case a year and finally flipped one of the guys he’s been working. So he has an in and he’s taking it.”
There was something else working behind her eyes.
“What else?”
“Echo and Phoenix are working it, too. Not undercover. But the crew here in Georgia is running drugs and guns. All three of my brothers are wrapped up in this. That’s why Echo was here a few weeks ago talking to Jason. He was giving him the heads up the operation was likely to happen and if it did Echo wanted Jason in the loop.”
No. Echo wanted Triple Canopy as backup. If shit hit the fan and there was blowback here in Georgia, he wanted his brothers and Shiloh covered.
“When we’re done at the range, we’ll find Jason and talk to him about what he knows. He hasn’t mentioned anything to the team. Though he wouldn’t until there was something to be mentioned. But I’m sure he already has contingencies in place should River need something.”
“That’d make me feel better,” she admitted.
“I know, baby, that’s why we’re gonna talk to Jason.”
Shiloh fell silent and she did this studying me. Her eyes roamed my face and when they caught mine again the worry was gone. But there was something new at play. She did this from time to time—looked at me like she wanted to say something. Like the words were right there and wanted to come out but each time she held them back.
“I…um…thank you.”
So close.
My hand went to her cheek. She leaned into my palm and my thumb stroked her jaw.
“You’re welcome.”
Sadly, we had people waiting on us.
“You ready to go blow shit up?” I continued.
“Do you need to ask?”
“Right. We better get on that before we miss the action.”
Shiloh rolled to her toes, plopped a hard, fast kiss on my lips, and rolled back down.
“Lead the way.”
“Ladies first.” I swept my arm toward the door.
“You just like looking at my ass.”
“Yep.”
And that was all it took for Shiloh’s smile to beam.
So damn beautiful.
“Good Lord!” Brady whooped.
My gaze didn’t go to the fireball three hundred yards out.
I didn’t share in the excitement of a target exploding