Page 33 of Veiled Vengeance

Rule #1: If you want to kill people, you must own a warehouse.

The warehouse is a little smaller than . . . the only other warehouse I’ve ever been in. And thank God, this one is nothing like the first. The floors are concrete but clean, and there’s more lighting that illuminates the space. Rows of metal shelves cover one-half of the warehouse, and the guys arranged the other half as a training space for me, Dahlia, and Hayes. Rio grabbed a couple of targets from somewhere amongst the sea of shelves. Asher and Zane had no idea where Rio got those, or when he even brought them here. When asked those questions, he answered with a shrug. “I’m like a Boy Scout—always prepared.”

That first day was a mess. I thought I had a good aim, but that was proven wrong. My hand-to-hand combat skills passed my guys’ inspection, but they said they didn’t want me to have to rely on them because then that would mean that someone is too close. So, Rio insisted I learn how to use knives. That, too, was a disaster.

At least I’m hitting the target today.

Dahlia made a point to let us know she doesn’t like violence. But when her self-defense and shooting were tested, she was a natural.

Hayes’s skills with a gun were a shock. Rio and Zane put a Glock on the table in front of him and said, “Show us.” He kept eye contact with Rio and Zane while he disassembled the gun completely, then reassembled it in under one minute.

The guys said that Dahlia and Hayes were good to go, but apparently, I still need help. Hence the useless target practice.

The guys have been taking me out, teaching me what they call “survival skills.” We usually go to the warehouse or “The Bat Cave,” as I have come to call it, and go over hand-to-hand combat, shooting, knife-throwing, or anything that could help me strike and get away.

Ripping the knife out of the wooden target, I return to my place ten feet away, between Rio and Zane.

Breathe. Aim. Bend. Release.

The knife lands in the second ring from the bullseye.

“Yes!” I exclaim, jumping up and down.

Rio lifts me up and spins me around. “Bien hecho, Mama!”Well done.

He sets me down and gives me a quick, passionate kiss, then passes me to Zane, who gives me a congratulatory hug and a kiss as well. I step back with a huge smile on my face.

The door squeaks open as Asher ambles in. He’s wearing the sling, despite his constant complaining. None of us will let him take it off.

“Hey! You finally hit the target,” Asher teases.

I shoot him a menacing glare. “Fuck off.”

My swearing amuses him, which only makes me more flustered.

“We need to load up,” Asher informs Rio and Zane. “I want us prepared in case anything happens. Anthony and Pierce have been too quiet lately.”

“Good idea,” Rio comments.

They all spread out amongst the various wood crates and metal shelves and begin to dig through them.

“Umm. What should I do?” I shuffle from foot to foot.

Zane tosses me a plain black duffle bag. “You heard Asher. Load up.”

Asher puts his hand on the small of my back and leads me over to Rio and Zane. I feel that spark zip through me at his touch. Lord, these men have turned me into a very horny woman.

Not now, vagina. You need to learn timing.

Asher hands me a duffle bag and says, “Grab what you want—however much you want.” I still have no idea where these bags are coming from.

“Words every woman wants to hear. Although I won’t lie, I always imagined it would happen in a store on fifth.” I laugh as I peer into the wooden crates.

Guns, ammo, zip ties, and grenades. All that and more.

“Noted,” he says with a wink and starts to fill his own bag.

I wander from crate to shelf and back, checking out all their “supplies.” I grab some handguns and the proper ammo, but this bag is getting heavier by the second. So much for working out, I can barely hold this dumb duffle bag.

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