On The Border - Marry Him Or Die

2.53

Lucas’s POV

I saw the look of pure shock cross her features as she gazed into my eyes. Trying to understand what I meant by my last sentence; even though it couldn’t get more clear than that.

Just like I was expecting. She’s trying to avoid me because she thinks I was just playing around with her, entertaining myself while she was here.

It hurt me more than it should have. She truly doesn’t have the slightest clue that I started having feelings for her.

I mean it was pretty crazy to begin with, falling in love with her so fucking fast. But it fucking happened. Beyond any rationalization, it happened. She rooted herself inside my heart from the get go, and there was no removing her from that spot. Not unless it stops beating altogether.

“You’re crazy. There could never be anything like that. Stop playing games, Lucas. Especially this one” she whispered fiercely before leaving me standing there, baffled by her words.

Did she really not feel that pull I felt when our lips touched? Did she not feel how fucking electrifying that kiss was?

Or was she just resisting and lying because she doesn’t want to get involved with me?

Why? Am I really that unlovable?

One thing was for sure though, she truly believes that I’m just messing with her for my own entertainment.

Despite the way she just hurt me with her words, I’m still not giving up on her, on this.

“How about we get back to practice April?” Angel said firmly.

April and David were staring between us in fascination. Even they could sense this pull between us; and yet she was denying it, stubbornly.

When Angel turned around to adjust the mats properly, David nudged April slightly and shook his head at her.

I didn’t get the gesture, but apparently April did.

“Actually Angelina, I wasn’t expecting the first lesson to be so exhausting but my whole body aches. I think it has something to do with me not working out for a long time now. I guess my stamina is a little weak. Can we pick this up tomorrow?” she asked softly.

Angel looked up in surprise but recovered quickly as she said gently “Of course, I guess I’m used to training all the time, I forgot how tiring the first few sessions can be. Let’s head back to the house then”

“What about gun training, April?” David asked her gently.

“Nah, My arms are already killing me. I don’t think I can even hold a gun today. But Lucas can drop us off at the house and train Angelina” she said tiredly.

They were both totally playing a game here. And I was the only one who caught up with them.

“No, that’s fine. We can both start tomorrow together” said Angel nonchalantly.

“But you’re probably only staying for a few days. You need to get the hang of it quickly. You should just start today” said April sweetly.

Angel spared me a glance in suspicion and before she has the chance to refuse, I said firmly “She’s right. You need a lot of practice. It’s for your benefit, but of course you can say no”

She pursed her lips then sighed and said defeatedly “Fine”

We drop David and April off at the house while I go inside to grab my gun and extra clips to practice with, then return back to the car where she was now riding shotgun.

“Would you like some music for the road?” I asked gently.

“No need” she said flatly.

“Not a fan of music?” I pressed as I started the car and passed through the open gate.

“Not in the mood to listen to anything” she said dryly.

“Well, normally what do you listen to?” I asked curiously. I was curious, but I also wanted to hear her voice all the time. I wasn’t a big fan of silence.

She pursed her lips, totally fed up with me forcing a conversation she was obviously trying to evade.

“I listen to everything, I don’t have a specific taste” she said firmly.

“Where are we headed to exactly?” she asked as I started to climb through the mountain’s unpaved route, away from the main road into town.

“We need a secluded place to practice in, away from any people and out of earshot so we don’t scare anyone into thinking there is an attack or something. There is a spot I always use to brush up on my skills all the way at the top of that mountain” I said casually as I pointed at one of the highest mountains in Snow.

“Yeah, not surprised that you have a spot to practice shooting in. It must have taken a lot of practice to shoot a man in the middle of his forehead without even looking at him” she said flatly.

I chuckled at her words and she just shook her head and muttered under her breath “Of course you’d think it funny”

“Actually, it didn’t really take me that much time to perfect that blind aim. I’m a natural at this” I said playfully.

“Guess it comes naturally with the psychopathy” she fired at me.

Man, she really is something else. Calling me a psychopath right to my face with no regard to whether it’s gonna offend me or piss me off, which it didn’t.

“It’s part of my charm, Angel. And I’m not ashamed or shy to admit it” I said smugly.

She rolled her eyes and remained quiet after that.

We reached the spot shortly after that and we got out of the car and started heading towards the man-made shooting range right ahead of us.

There was a wide, thick, tree trunk on the ground balanced on two short, thick, trunks on both side to provide a little height to the big trunk, that was bearing the signs of being shot at so many times.

I went ahead of her and started taking out bowling pins that were always stocked up in a ratty big barrel by the trunk, and began lining them up and balancing them on it.

I put up eight of them, then retreated back to where Angel was standing a few feet away, looking a little nervous.

I pulled out my gun and handed it to her.

She looked at the gun like it was going to electrocute her or something, then looked back up at me, unsure.

“It’s okay, the safety is still on don’t worry” I said softly.

Hesitantly, she took a deep breath and held the gun from me, waiting for me to begin instructing her.

“OK first of all, you need to learn everything there is about the gun you’re holding. It’s a classic 9 mm. The first step to use it is to switch off the safety. You will slide this lever here to do that, go ahead” I said firmly as I pointed at the safety lever.

She slid it a little shakily and looked back at me to continue.

“If you want to make sure the magazine is full, you can press this button to eject it” I pointed out.

She pressed it and I put my hand under the gun to catch it before it fell to the ground and showed it to her.

“See, it’s already loaded. You can press the bullet out through this side if you want to empty it or push the bullet inside to load it. You need to put the magazine back in its place after that and you should hear a click sound to indicate that it’s secured in its place” I handed her the clip.

She complied, her hands still slightly shaking.

Once she heard it click, her eyes darted back to me to carry on.

“Now you need to pull the slide on the top of the gun backward in one swift motion all the way in order to make it ready to fire. This will let the bullet slide in its proper place” I said methodically.

Before she does it, I carry on in warning “Your index cannot be anywhere near the trigger until you are ready to fire the gun, because the slightest pressure there can make it go off, so be careful during that step and keep your index on that trigger guard instead of the trigger until you’re ready to go”

She gulped visibly and kept a solid hold on the handle while her other hand held the top of the slide.

It took her a few seconds to slide it backward, I’m guessing she was readying herself to now hold a loaded, ready to fire gun in her hands.

“You’re doing great, Angel” I whispered encouragingly.

“Now the real practice starts” I added gently.

“The real practice would be me fighting myself not to shoot you if you keep calling me that” she muttered under her breath.

I chuckled and said playfully as I opened my arms wide in an invitation “It would be an honor to be shot and die by an angel like you….. Angel”