Chapter 7
“Earth to O’Malley.”
“Then what the fuck did I just say?”
Trevor returned from Dubai ahead of the others, just in time for their weekly target practice at the outdoor range.
“That I have to take the wind speed and distance to target into consideration, not just the site picture.” He knew he was distracted.
Hell, anybody could tell he was distracted, and the hickey on his neck was only part of the reason why.
The image of the car bomb was still lodged firmly in his mind, blocking the way for rational thought and conversation.
Not to mention Gemma had gotten away this morning without him knowing her relationship to Anthony Royce.
“Okay then, fire when ready.”
Logan looked back down the barrel of the gun to his target some hundred yards away and pulled the trigger, emptying his magazine.
“Bring it back,” said Hawk.
Logan hopped to his feet and reeled in the target.
Hawk spit on the ground. “I’m guessing whatever is on your mind has a kick ass pair of tatas and a cooch that just won’t quit.”
Logan grinned. Easier to talk about sex than death, any day. “That, she does.”
“If you are in the field, shit like that will get you killed.” The paper target came into view, a hole the size of an egg blown through the heart. Hawk whistled. “Nice grouping.”
“If this is me getting killed, maybe I ought to think about those kick ass tatas and cooch more often.”
Hawk met his eyes. “Do it again, smart ass. Two hundred yards this time.”
Logan nodded and sent another target down the outdoor range.
“We rely on each other in the field, Logan. We need the complete attention of the entire team. Frankly I don’t give a shit if you’re good at multitasking. I want your whole brain with me when the bullets are flying.”
Logan nodded. Hawk was testing him. The other guys were always testing him, and Logan appreciated it. Not everybody who wanted to learn this shit got trained by some of the best in the world. And if that meant he had to take some of their crap, then so be it.
“So, tell me about this girl,” said Hawk.
“Woman.”
Hawk chuckled. “I’ve seen you at the bars. The girls love that brainy geek thing you’ve got going on. So why do you pick the cougars?”
“Don’t make it sound like they’re hunting for prey. I picked her because I wanted her.”
“What’s the attraction?”
“A girl doesn’t know what she wants. A woman does.”
“You mean sex?”
It was Logan’s turn to laugh.“I mean everything.”
“And this woman wanted you?”
An image of Gemma riding him in the night popped into his mind. “Oh yeah, she did.”
“How long you been seeing her?”
“Just one night. But I’m going to see her again, don’t you worry.”
Hawk shook his head. “If I didn’t have the most beautiful Academy Award nominee in my bed every night, I might be a little jealous of you, boy.”
“You won the freaking lottery with that one. When are you going to make an honest woman out of her?”
“Just as soon as she lets me. She wants to get through shooting one more movie first so she’ll have time to plan everything. She’ll be on location in Paris for six months.”
“Damn, that’s rough.”
“Nothing we can’t handle if we’re going to make it ‘till death do us part. Now fire that gun.”
Logan got in prone position and lined up his sight, mentally calculating the effect of the wind on his projectile. He imagined the black outline was an actual tango, knowing it would feel different to fire at a real person.
His role with HERO Force was changing into something more tactical.
The more he learned about combat and martial arts, the more was expected of him from the team.
But his medical degree had taught him how to repair the damage from a bullet wound, not to inflict one, and he was quickly learning that supporting a righteous cause from a distance was very different than defending it himself.
He emptied his magazine and hopped back up, reeling it in. “You remember the first time you fired with the the intent to kill?”
“Of course I do. Everybody does.”
“Tell me about it.”
“It’s a lot like losing your virginity. My story won’t be anything like yours. When you’re in the moment, you’ll know what you need to do. The trick is actually doing it.”