Page 75 of Russian Roulette
“Believe me, if it gets any hotter, I might. You didn’t answer my question. Where is this elusive shade we’re searching for?” She wipes her damp forehead with the back of her hand. Unfortunately, she’s right, the temperature is quickly rising. “I need a mountain man who can find shade for me in the desert,” she says.
“Challenge accepted.” I pull my shirt off over my head and toss it to her. “Hold this for me while I transition into mountain man mode.”
“Stripping off your clothes isn’t helping the situation,” she says in annoyance. “Why are you always taking off your clothes around me?”
“I keep hoping you’ll join me. I’ll go find the shade and then I’ll come back for you. Sit here and wait.”
“As if there’s another option?” She rolls her eyes at me. “In the meantime, I’ll try not to melt. Damn, it’s hot out here!”
“Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”
I scramble over the rocks blocking our path and hurry along the trail in search of shade. Sitting out in the scorching sun until we’re dehydrated isn’t anyone’s idea of fun. Even if we turn back now and head toward the helicopter, the heat will still be dangerous.
I didn’t think this through, and I’m putting Jade in a dangerous situation. The guys would be mad at me if they knew. It only takes me a few minutes to locate a small alcove underneath overhanging rocks where we can rest. I turn around and sprint back up the trail. Jade raises her eyebrows when she spots me.
“Any luck?” she asks. “Did you find a big, leafy shade tree? Or a lemonade stand? An ice cream cone would be good, too.”
“Come on, we’re almost there.” I lean down to grasp her hand and pull her up. “I found a cave we can hide out in.”
“Sure you did,” she says with a touch of sarcasm. “I’ll play along. Lead the way.”
When we reach the overhang, I motion for her to duck her head and step inside the small opening in the rocks. She nods back at me while checking it out. “This isn’t technically what I would call a cave,” she says. “Closer to a hole in the rocks. It’ll work, and it’s at least ten degrees cooler here than in the direct sunlight.”
“Don’t get too comfortable in here,” I tell her. “We need to get started on that work I mentioned before it gets too hot. Drink some more water and we’ll begin.”
“What is this important work you keep mentioning?” she asks, while following me back out of the cave.
I pull up my pants leg and reach for the gun tucked into a holster wrapped around my calf.
“Whoa!” She jumps back away from me in alarm. “Put the gun away! What are you doing?”
“Teaching you how to stay alive,” I tell her. “Do you own a gun?”
“No.”
“By any chance, do you know how to use one? At all? Even a tiny bit?”
“No.”
I blow out a long breath. “How the hell do you expect to protect yourself if you don’t even know how to use a gun?”
“I didn’t have anyone to teach me how,” she replies. “And California is one of the most difficult states to get a gun permit in. I didn’t want to go through the background check in order to carry a gun. Until the Russians showed up, I never needed one. Believe it or not until last week I’ve never worried much about my safety. Certainly not enough to purchase a gun. I do my work behind an anonymous computer screen where I can’t be traced back to a physical location.”
“Things have changed, darling,” I say. “If you’re planning to run with the big boys and commit crimes in Vegas, you need to be able to defend yourself. We might not always be around to protect you. Besides, we can’t keep you a prisoner forever, no matter what Kit and Vulcan think. So today, you’re learning how to shoot a gun. Once you feel comfortable, I’ll give you a gun of your own to carry from my stash of untraceable guns. And then we’re going to practice until handling a gun becomes second nature to you.”
“You dragged me way out here in the middle of nowhere to teach me how to shoot a gun?” she asks, her hands on her hips in a defiant stance. “And here I was thinking this would be a nice, relaxing helicopter ride with a picnic and champagne.”
“Yeah, I did. What’s the problem? You’re doing it and I don’t want to hear any grief over it either. If you want to be treated like a queen and entertained with fancy shit, stick with Seven. If you want to learn how to stay alive, hang out with me.”
“And Kit?” she asks. “What’s he good for?”
I hesitate for a second before answering. “If a time ever comes when I fail you and your world implodes, Kit would be the one to help you piece it back together.”
“Damn, that’s some serious shit,” she says, flashing me a grin and stepping closer. “I was only fucking with you. I want to learn, so show me what to do.”
I’m relieved she’s not fighting me. “That’s my girl. There are four important points you need to remember,” I begin. “The first is to treat every gun as if it’s loaded, whether or not you’re the one handling it. The second is to keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. Never point it at someone unless you’re willing to pull the trigger. Following me so far?”
“I’m listening,” she says, nodding.