Page 4 of Bullseye
“In a moment, I think I’m going to take in the scenery first.”
Turning, he leers at the woman who’s standing to the side of her lane and licks his lips. “That is one hot piece of ass…” Grinning, he steps closer to her. “Hey, why don’t you come over here and sit on my lap—”
Before I know what I’m doing, I grab Clyde by the collar of his jacket and lift him into the air, holding him a good foot off the ground.
“Storytime is over. Now, you’re gonna talk, while I beat the shit out of you.”
Chapter Two
Wildfire
I’m a stalker now. There’s no other way to look at it. Great. I’m adding stalking to my ever-growing list of winning behaviors.
I heard through the grapevine that Avery “Bullseye” Pairings shoots at this range, and I came to find him, even though he has no idea who I am and what I want. But being the new kid in town leaves me no choice. I just didn’t expect to get lucky enough to catch him my first time out.
I also didn’t expect him to look likethat.With wide shoulders, a tall, lean body, short dark brown hair, and from this distance, what looks like light-colored eyes, I’d heard he was straight-up, old-school handsome.
Handsome is one thing. This is hot.
And okay, so maybe I’m not being completely upfront, but today, September thirtieth, may qualify as an emergency, and extreme times call for extreme measures.
Getting in here wasn’t difficult. The guy, Jackson, who runs the place, gave me the once-over, told me Bullseye was here, and sent me in. Not such great security, but looking at Avery, I’m assuming he really doesn’t need protection. He could handle anything that’s sent his way.
Maybe even me. Seneca “Wildfire” Villetrio.
No.Focus, Seneca.You’re here for one reason, to impress him with your shooting skills and then convince him he needs to let you pledge for the Steel Knights.
The Steel Knights, Avery’s club, has a good rep with how they treat women—certainly in comparison to their rivals, the Unchained Dogs, or any of the clubs back home that are run by that asshole, Ironclad. There’s no nasty, sexist initiation for women, and we’re not considered property to be handed off or traded. Not that I’d put up with that crap.
Yeah, there’s talk that the Steel Knights has a member who has the President’s ear, and this guy hated the past VP, Tess I think her name was, but apparently, he hates all women. Well, I’m sorry for him, because that sure as shit won’t keep me away.
As discreetly as I can, I glance at Avery and my confidence soars. Yes, he’s just the Treasurer, and that doesn’t make him a decision-maker per se, not like their President, Nick Nicholas, or “Squared,” as they call him, but rumor has it that Avery is the one who really likes women. As in, respects them. If I’m going to play in the big leagues and get a club to allow me to pledge, this guy is the way in.
However, I’ve also heard that he’s so damned charming, he can get a woman to flop onto her back just by smiling at her. So, I’m going to walk a straight line. The last thing I need is the complication of a man.
Staring into my gear bag at my singular pistol, that damned melancholy feeling washes down over me.No, no, not now!Since I left my parents’ house and Matt was sent to jail, a cloud of depression has followed me everywhere. I am completely alone, worrying about him.
The only time I’ve come close to not thinking about Matt is when I’m riding. Turning the throttle and releasing the clutch, the roar of the pipes drowns out my anxious mind. As I sail faster and faster over gravel and dirt, holding—no,commanding—the bike to do as I say, for those few moments, my mind is at peace.
But as soon as my feet hit the ground, I see Matt, first at twelve years old, jumping his prize-winning horse, and then now, at twenty-two in a brown jumpsuit stamped with, “Ossining Inmate.” How did this happen?
No. There’s no time for this now. I can’t let that affect me. Not before a performance.
Opening my bag and popping the top of the case reveals the gun pointing toward me. Uh-uh. I may be here to show off, but I’m not stupid. Spinning the bag in a one-eighty, I remove my weapon from its case and run a quick safety check. Aiming the piece away from me and Bullseye over there, I check the safety is on. Tapping the magazine floor plate and using my dominant hand, I release the slide and then let it return.
This is my chance. Who knows when he’ll see me ride? With the speeds we move and the zigzagging in and out of traffic, I may lose him, leaving him in my dust before he even notices me.
Taking a deep breath, I release it slowly through my nose. Shooting isn’t as natural to me as riding, but I’m still pretty good. Word is the Knights have had some recent trouble with the Dogs, and they could use a shooter like me. Adjusting and securing my ear protection, I take a few more cleansing breaths to slow my racing heart. Then, I lift and point at the target. It can’t be more than twenty-five yards away. I can do this.
This is your chance, Seneca.You need this club. You need this protection.
Maybe it’s selfish to come into a club carrying so much baggage, but right now, feeling how I do on this particular day, I just can’t worry about that. I need them. Besides, it’s not like I come empty-handed. I bring skills. Not only can I ride like the wind and shoot, but I can fix anything on two wheels.
It’s time for Bullseye to see almost all of what I have to offer. Steadying myself with a deep breath…
Boom!I follow up one shot with two more.
Not bad. I’ve nicked the right side of the target’s bullseye and then landed a few shots farther to the right. If that were a person, it’d be just about at the left side of the heart. Enough to get the job done, for sure. Glancing over, I can see more of him from behind his partition. He’s stepped back and out of his ready stance. I have his attention. Now, I need to impress the hell out of him.
