Page 72 of Merciless Obsession (The Bloodline #2)

We were at Nazai’s second house. When I first arrived here, I wondered why he didn’t stay here full-time but I guess it was his off the grid house when he didn’t want to be deep in the city.

It was on the outskirts of the city, toward the mountains, a couple blocks from the Kents’ estate.

What surprised me about the house was the private shooting range in the backyard.

It was in a large, garage-looking building I assumed was soundproof.

Nazai’s house had a large backyard with a ton of unused ground going back.

I paused from pulling the trigger and watched Cashlynn. She was comfortable with her gun and didn’t even flinch when she pulled the trigger. My eyes went to the targets. My brows shot up seeing how nearly all her bullets hit the center of the sheet.

“Damn,” I mumbled, focusing back on my own target.

My finger pressed down on the trigger and it was safe to say I wouldn’t be hitting the center anytime soon.

Having a gun in my hand felt odd. I had done kickboxing and self-defense classes for years and was good with hand-to-hand fighting but I’d never held a gun before.

The one I had wasn’t big. According to Cashlynn it was a Walther PDP F-Series and a good beginner gun for women.

Honestly, watching her shoot made me envious.

Even with her belly she was a good shot, confident, with steady hands.

“Just don’t shoot to shoot. You’re not going to hit your target like that. Level your gun and aim, then pull the trigger,” she coached me.

I never realized how bad my hand-eye coordination was until now.

We stayed in the range for almost an hour before wrapping things up and heading into the main house. Both mine and Cashlynn’s guards were locked at our sides, following us.

“I hate being watched twenty-four-seven,” I muttered, drinking from my water bottle and taking a seat on the couch.

“Trust me, I know.” Cashlynn rolled my eyes. “I’ve told Nazai one too many times I can handle myself, but he refuses to call them off and they only listen to him and River.” She cut her eyes in the directions of the men.

“You know, you’re kind of bad ass, girl. You’ll probably protect them before they protect you,” Inaya said, laughing.

“I told my stubborn husband that but he doesn’t listen.”

I scanned the room. I could tell a lot of time wasn’t spent here. There was enough furniture to claim residence but not to be a home. I raised a brow noticing all of the boxes on the other side of the living room.

“What’s over there?”

Cashlynn followed my sight and her face went blank. “The stuff we found in my parents’ storage unit.”

My mouth opened then closed. She sounded so detached when she spoke about her parents; it was eerie.

“What’s in it?” Inaya asked.

Cashlynn twisted her mouth to the side, her expression closed off. “So far it looks like different jobs they took over the years. I’m still going through it all.”

Inaya snickered. “You’re not used to having female friends are you?”

Cashlynn twisted to look at Inaya. “I don’t have friends, period.” She blinked once, then twice.

“I can tell; your voice is so stoic and stiff. Girl, it’s okay to relax and speak casually.”

“Trusting people is how you get killed.”

Inaya glanced at me. “Yeah, well, doesn’t it get lonely being so defensive and closed off all the time?”

Cashlynn cocked her head to the side and stayed quiet. “What Inaya means is that if you’re open to being friends, then we are too. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Inaya I probably wouldn’t be here today. She’s my best friend and kept me afloat during some of my darkest times.”

“Aw, babe.” She bumped me with her shoulder and grinned. “You know we’re sisters forever.”

Cashlynn changed the subject. “You know when you get better with a gun you can kill your parents for all they did to you growing up.”

“Is that what you would have done?”

She blinked once. “If the most important person in the world to me was taken and killed, and my parents didn’t care, I wouldn’t hesitate.”

A chill shot up my spine from how calm and collected her words were.

I cleared my throat. “Yeah, well, my parents are living miserably in the same rundown home I grew up in. I’d rather they keep suffering like that than to end it for them.”

Cashlynn rolled her eyes. “I guess. That’s the problem with people, they see killing someone as a get out of jail free card when in reality it’s taking control. But I guess not everyone is built for that life. If you change your mind though…”

Swallowing hard, I nodded.

“Okay, so for kills, what’s your weapon of choice?”

Cashlynn smirked and sat up. She leaned down and lifted her sweatpants leg.

“This.” She pulled a knife out and whipped it open. “She goes everywhere I do.” Her eyes focused on the blade as she ran her hand over it.

“I’ve never seen a knife like that before,” I mentioned.

Cashlynn’s smile heightened. “Technically they’re a prohibited weapon to have, but I’ve never been the one to follow the rules.” A crazed look appeared in her eyes that showed I never wanted to be on the other side of that knife.

“Guns are fine, but I’m the type of girl who doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty. Makes a kill more personal.”

I brought my water to my mouth and swallowed a large sip. Being around Cashlynn showed me I would never want to meet her in a dark alley. Nazai had his hands full with her.

“Cash.” Her little brother’s voice rang out and soon he appeared in the living room with his game system in hand.

Cashlynn’s full attention went to her brother.

Pain shot through my chest watching her interact with him.

Her face softened. It made me think of my sister.

To everyone else, I was a closed off bitch who thought I was too smart to interact with others, but not with Charlie.

She was the only thing in the world that mattered to me.

It was clear Carson was the same for Cashlynn.

Ignoring the tightness forming in my chest, I turned my attention back to the boxes. I wondered what secrets were inside waiting to be uncovered.