“No one here for miles.”
Liberato pries my fingers off a shotgun and I stick my tongue out at him.
“Don’t touch them so carelessly, they’re dangerous. The first step is to respect the weapon, toy.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Why not?”
“Does Heath call me that?”
“No,” he begrudgingly admits.
“So why would you get to?”
“You got a sharp tongue on you, Rain,” he smirks. “But then again I knew that already. Or at least my dick did.”
I turn to face him with a horrified expression.
“That first time in the dungeons...”
“That’s right,” he smirks.
“I sucked your cock?” I feel myself flush as he watches me with mean satisfaction.
“Not just mine. There were more of us, remember?”
“Oh god.”
I pick up the gun, grinning as I see the horrified look in his eyes.
“Well, I’m just beside myself.”
“Put down the gun, Rain.”
“Why?” I smile innocently. “You don’t trust me?”
“I really fucking don’t.”
I put it down, rolling my eyes, and he glares as he takes over.
“No more embarrassing me,” I order him.
“You’re embarrassing yourself, toy.”
He places the gun in my hands and stands behind me, telling me how to position myself as he places some protective goggles over my eyes. I make the shot without waiting for his instruction.
Liberato is about to lose it with me when he sees how near the target I was.
“Huh,” he mutters. “Beginner’s luck.”
But as we continue working on the shooting, it quickly turns out I’m a natural. I’m delighted by the fact. I can’t stop smiling. Knowing I can defend myself with a gun will make life so much less stressful. Now I just need to convince Heath to get me one.
We spend three hours in the gardens before Liberato decides we’re done for the day.
“Don’t mention this to Heath or he’ll fucking gut me,” he tells me as he escorts me back to my bedroom.
“I don’t want him to find out either. Thanks for helping me.”
“You’re welcome,” he gives me a reluctant smile. “Turns out you’re more fun that I thought.”
“Thanks, Liberato,” I grin wickedly. “You’re a barrel of laughs, too.”
“Oh, shut up, toy.”
We smirk at each other, and he heads down the hallway. By the time I close the door of my bedroom, I’m pleasantly tired and I take a sigh, peeling my jacket off.
“Why don’t you come in here?”
Heath’s voice scares the living hell out of me and I tremble as I realize he must’ve heard everything that just happened. Fearfully, I go around the corner and face him. He’s sitting on my bed, dark charcoal eyes trained on mine.
“You afraid I’m going to punish you for going behind my back?”
“Y-Yes,” I admit quickly. “We were just-“
“Just what?”
“Shooting.”
“I saw you,” he hisses. “You didn’t think to ask me to help you with that?”
“I didn’t think you’d want me to learn.”
“Of course I do.”
His expression softens just a little, making me feel less tense.
“I would’ve taught you myself. You need to protect yourself. And even though you were a bad girl and kept this from me, I have something for you.”
He hands me a small velvet box.
“What’s this?”
My senses are on high alert as I accept the box. I remember all the times Xavier gave me gifts like this one. How he pretended like it was something nice, but it always ended up being a way to hurt me.
Maybe a diamond plug for my ass, or a simple gold hook for it.
A pair of ruby-encrusted nipple clamps, or a golden collar.
Xavier’s gifts were never innocent, and they came at a price. He thought I should be grateful for the reward and beat me if I didn’t have the proper reaction. The one he wanted.
I open the box to reveal a small revolver on a pink pillow. My eyes shoot up to Heath’s and my lip trembles.
“I can keep this?”
“It’s yours.”
“But what if I shoot you?”
“I’m trusting you won’t,” he growls. “Don’t disappoint me, Sunshine.”
“I won’t.”
I take the gun out and weigh it in the palm of my hand. I’m so overwhelmed by his almost sweet reaction, I feel like I’m about to pass out.
“Why do you trust me this much?” I wonder out loud. “All I do is let you down.”
“Bullshit, Rain.”
He gets off the bed and approaches me, pulling me in for a hug. I hold the gun between us.
“We belong together, you know that. And when you told me about your fear with Xavier, I tried to listen. I hope this makes you feel safer.”
“It does. Thank you.”
We break apart, but there’s still something on my mind as I set the gun down.
“Did you lie about being away?”
“I did,” he smirks. “Needed to see if you’d behave this time when I wasn’t watching.”
“I learned my lesson the last time.”
“Good girl.”
As he kisses me, I let myself feel everything I’ve been holding back, just for a moment. All those feelings come rushing in, hitting me hard as I struggle to catch my breath.