Retribution (13 page)

The car came to a stop
then, and he immediately got out, needing fresh air.

Katya got out the other
side and looked around. “Where are we?” The sparsely travelled road
ended in a densely forested area, but there was a visible path
ahead.

“In the middle of nowhere.”
He walked back to the trunk as Jose popped the latch. He removed
his case and indicated toward the path. Jose got out and removed
the basket, and followed them.

It was about a fifteen
minute walk through the trees, and it was very peaceful. Then it
opened up into what looked like a huge empty gravel pit. She could
see actual targets set up at the far end. There was an old rusty
brown ford truck parked near the middle and an older man with a
cane standing there. He had grey hair and about three days’ worth
of stubble on his jaw. Beside him were two tables, set up with some
chairs, and a large umbrella over for shade. She supposed he did
that for them. He waved when he saw them.

“Who’s that?”

“My friend. He’s a retired
colonel. His name is Jimmy Jackson. He’s Jackson or Jack to us.
Come I’ll introduce you.”

“Ryan, you are a sight for
sore eyes!” Jimmy limped over and gave him a genuine
hug.

“Jack!” Ryan grinned, “I
thought you died.”

“I may have and no one told
me.” His eyes went to Katya with curious surprise.

Ryan introduced
them.

Jimmy gave Ryan quirky
smile before addressing her. “Well, it’s nice to meet you Katya.
Any gal that wants to learn how to shoot is always welcome. And any
gal that Ryan brings along is even more welcome.” He shook her
hand. “I could quite possibly fall in love with her too.” He shot a
look to Ryan and grinned wide.

That expression made him
seem a lot younger to Katya. By about ten to fifteen years. She
wondered if this whole cane-beard thing was a ruse. Regardless,
liked him instantly. He had unspoken amusement in his eyes, and
there were crow’s-feet at the corners like he laughed a
lot.

“I’ll leave you to it then.
Don’t blow anything up.” He winked directly at Katya. “Like last
time.”

“I’ll try not
to.”

Jackson got in the truck
and left.

“Last time?” her eyes went
wide.

“Long story, and it wasn’t
my fault.”

“I’d like to hear
it.”

“Someday.” He set the case
on the table and opened it.

Jose set the basket down
and started to look interested in what Ryan was doing.

Translation;
never
. Oh well, Katya
couldn’t have expected anything different. Maybe someday he would
share a little more. She didn’t push him because she certainly
wasn’t forthcoming about anything that happened to her.

She returned her attention
to the contents of the black case he’d opened up. He was arranging
the firearms on the table. She was more eager to get started but he
wouldn’t even let her touch the gun for the first hour as he went
over all the safety components, showed her how to dismantle it,
clean it, and put it back together properly. Then he made her do
it. Then he spent another half an hour showing her how to draw it
out of a holster, and hold it correctly, sighting, and using the
proper stance; knees bent, arms straight. Then she got the cardinal
rules;

1. Always treat every
firearm as if it were loaded. No excuses. Even if you know the gun
is unloaded, still handle it as if it were loaded.

2. Always keep it pointed
in a safe direction.

According to Ryan, even the
most proficient break this rule all the time. They’ll take a gun
and start pointing it all over the place when
distracted.

“They don’t even know
they’re doing it,” said Ryan, “which makes it even more dangerous.
It only takes one careless moment to end a life. Best area to point
it, is downrange.” He pointed to the targets. “What you see on
television, isn’t the way to handle a gun. Only fools imitate
that.”

3. Always keep your
trigger finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until
you are ready to shoot.

“Do not shoot with only one
hand either. You are no cowboy—or girl in this case. Both hands on
the gun at all times, to steady it. If not, you’ll end up with one
hell of a black eye, broken nose or even a concussion from the
kick,” he added.

“Kick?”

“The opposing force emitted
on the gun from the expulsion of the bullet. All that energy has to
go somewhere, and it will cause the gun to kick back.”

“Oh.”

4. Always be sure of your
firing line, target, backstop, and beyond.

“You got that
Katya?”

She nodded. “I think
so.”

“Repeat it,
then.”

She did, bit by bit. She
was really good at memorization. It served her well
today.

Somehow Jose ended learning
right along with her and Ryan went through the same motions with
him.

Then to her excitement,
they finally got to shoot.

The first bullet she shot
missed the target completely. She saw it explode the rocks and dirt
next to it. The shot also had a strong kick like Ryan said. Now she
could see that the stance he taught her kept her from falling on
her ass. She could also see how easily it would to get a black eye
or a broken nose if she didn’t absorb the effect with her arms and
shoulders. She could also feel the impact on her wrist. It ached,
but she didn’t care.

Jose’s hit the target, but
barely.

She narrowed her gaze at
him. “Teacher’s pet.”

He laughed.

This was the first time she
could admit to actually enjoying herself since she came home. Jose,
had always been quiet but polite, but now she got to see a side of
him she never knew about. Ryan was very respectful to him also.
Most people treated him like hired help, which he was, but Ryan
spoke to him as an equal. She could tell that Jose really
appreciated him for it.

“I’m terrible.” Though she
wasn’t discouraged. She was laughing at her own terrible
aim.

Ryan told her to try again.
This time he stood behind her, reached in front and adjusted her
arms. She could feel the heat from his body, the strength of his
arms, and the hardness of his chest at her back. Then he leaned
down and spoke in her ear, “Concentrate.”

Yeah
right
. “I’m trying.” She sounded a little
breathless. Hopefully he didn’t catch it. Who could concentrate
with a man like that standing close enough to feel his body
heat?

“Eye your sights. Get them
in line. Widen your stance.”

“Okay.”

He released her and backed
up.

She fired again and
actually hit the second outer ring of the target. She squealed her
delight.

“Good job.”

She turned and grinning
from ear to ear. That was it, she was hooked.

They spent the next few
hours shooting, then they took a break and ate.

She took in her
surroundings. There was a small breeze and she enjoyed the feeling
of it over her skin and turned her face toward it. “I could spend
all day, every day out here, just away from everything.” She said
absently.

Ryan watched her
thoughtfully. Her cheeks were flushed from excitement and she
looked radiant. “It does look good on you.”

She smiled at him and took
a drink of water. “This is your territory isn’t it?”

“The outdoors?”

“Yes.”

“Of sorts, yes.”

“I’m beginning to think
that you honestly don’t do much bodyguard guarding.”

He smiled at her. “Not
much, no. I’ve done my fair share, though.”

“You’re not so bad Mr.
Casey,” she teased.

“I’m glad you think
so.”

They made it back home
before supper and Katya rushed upstairs to change before dinner.
They were dusty from the gravel pit.

Ryan watched her disappear
upstairs. He had gotten the results back from the note and the
package. It was messaged to him on the way home. Katya had fallen
asleep next to him. She’d slid against him and was resting her head
on his upper arm. He was trying to be as careful as he could to not
disturb her. He’d found himself staring at her more than he usually
did. He couldn’t help it. She was bewitching today. There was just
something about this woman. She was smart, sexy, and had spunk.
Then you add on her perseverance to recover from a traumatic event
and take steps to protect herself from further harm. He really
admired the drive she had. It wasn’t as if she needed something
else to make her more attractive to him. She already was. He shook
his head and returned his attention to his phone.

He spent the next hour
conversing with his superiors. There were no traceable prints or
DNA on the letter. There was however, some interesting news about
the finger.

It wasn’t
Anna’s.

That information was being
kept to himself. He needed Peter afraid and weakened. Although it
did raise some questions. Katya moved and sighed in her sleep and
he took a moment to look down at her again. He had to keep himself
in check around her. It was becoming quite clear that he was
getting a little over his head.

He rubbed his forehead and
turned away from the stairs. While Katya was getting cleaned up, he
sought out Peter to give him the news.

Katya, however, never made
it to her room right away.

“Oh darling there you are!”
Porsha stopped her outside her room in the hallway. She was wearing
a skintight stretchy white skirt and a red blouse that was
unbuttoned enough to show the black bra she wore
beneath.

“Hello.” Katya was going to
try and be polite. It wasn’t the woman’s fault that her father was
a pig. She also didn’t want to ruin the mood she was in.

“I wanted to ask you if we
could go shopping tomorrow—together, you know, for some girl time.
Your father seems to think it would do us some good to bond, and
get you out of the house.”

Eck, girl time?
Katya wanted to blow the other woman off, but she
just had a great day and was still on a high. Not only that, Porsha
was like her and alone in the big house. She nodded and agreed
before she could change her mind. “Okay.”

“Maybe we can do lunch
too,” she turned to walk away, paused, then turned back, “Oh and
bring that sexy beast of a bodyguard.” She wiggled her manicured
eyebrows and wandered off giggling to herself.

Sexy beast?
Oh, she was not telling Ryan that. In fact she’d
love to leave him home so that woman didn’t get her nails into him,
but she already knew he wouldn’t go for that at all. Still, she
should probably warn him, but she didn’t get the chance.

At dinner Porsha announced
their outing to her father with more excitement that Katya thought
warranted.

“That’s an excellent idea!”
Peter agreed. “Maybe you can find a dress for Saturday’s
event.”

“Shopping?” Ryan asked
softly.

“I was caught in a moment
of weakness,” she answered in a whisper.

“Apparently.” His eyes
went to the other woman who gave him a flirtatious glance.
God, she’s going to be a handful.
He’d been ignoring the subtle hints the woman was
throwing his way, but they’d been getting bolder. Now she looked as
though she wanted to crawl across the table and hump his leg.
Jesus. Women like that don’t know when to stop or how to take no as
an answer. Oh, he could handle her well enough, but it would make
his work twice as hard to keep focused and protect Katya. “I’m
fucked.” He said under his breath. Katya was in the middle of
taking a drink and she started coughing. Apparently she’d heard
him.

“Are you all right dear?”
Peter asked.

“Wrong tube,” she coughed
twice more and spared Ryan a quick glance. She was certain she
heard him correctly. He looked very amused when he met her gaze.
Obviously she did. And, it was also apparent that he did notice
Porsha’s flirtations, and now he would probably have to deal with
them. She felt herself smile. This may be quite the trip after
all.

“For a big strong
bodyguard, I find it funny that you are acting afraid of a young
woman,” she said once they were back in their rooms.

“She’s been throwing hints
my way all week about getting me in bed. I’ll be busy fending her
off, and not one hundred percent focused on you.”

Oh, she never thought of
that. For some reason she didn’t like that idea of him in bed with
another woman. Still, having him off balance was funny. She turned
and faced him smiling. Then she patted him on his thick chest in a
placating gesture. “I’m sure you’ll figure out a way. Something
tells me you’ve had your share of fending off promiscuous women.”
She went into her room. This may be the only time he seemed
frustrated and she was going to enjoy it.