32. Chapter 32
One year later
I aimed my sights at the target in front of me and emptied the entire clip into the paper target hanging from the ceiling. My aim had gotten quite good. Maverick had been an excellent teacher, but he was gone now. So I was left to practice on my own.
I looked over at the next stall where he used to practice almost every single day, and I felt…
empty. Even after a year, a pang hit me weirdly in my stomach, and I rubbed it.
I took it to mean I missed him. He’d been a regular pillar here at The District since I came on board.
He was always patient with me, and ready with a smile or a joke that I never understood.
The first sign that there was a problem had been his missing the target when we went to save Thomas from Russian traffickers; no thanks to his fucking father, who I still loathed. After the rescue, Maverick and Khai vanished together for about three weeks.
Maverick had finally reached out and met with us, explaining he had to process things and come to terms with the fact he was going blind.
Being our sharpshooter, not being able to see would be useless to The District.
Glaucoma, he said. He was young for it, but it happened.
There were laser treatments and surgery.
It wouldn’t stop it, but it could slow it down.
However, he’d been hiding it for too long, and now it was severe.
Then Khai left with him to take care of him as he got treatment or lost his vision. Apparently, they’d been in a secret relationship for over a year at the time. Khai had also been a big part of my life, honing my skills with the knife, bow, and sword.
Our family was smaller now.
Malik was still trying to hunt down a sharpshooter with no luck, especially one of the queer variety. That was the purpose behind creating The District in the first place.
It took me a while to adapt to the big changes, not liking losing family members. It wasn’t that I could love or feel for them, but I preferred consistency.
The District just felt… incomplete without Maverick and Khai.
But everyone else remained the same, just the way I liked it. Sid and Dalton were still married and working to hunt down the criminals, whether they were missed by law enforcement or someone wanted revenge.
Malik and Sully were still going strong. Malik was a little grayer than before, but he was still fit and kept a relatively strong leash on Sully when he needed to .
Layla was also content doing her job as a hacker. She lived for it. It was all a challenge for her.
Beyond that, I would stay as long as Sid stayed. If he ever left, I would leave with him, though I doubted either of us would go. This job was in our blood, and I would be bored without it, even with having Thomas in my life.
I made sure the gun was free of bullets and had the safety on before I put it away and headed up to the main level.
Luca was on the leather sofa, waiting for Dante. He was eating a bowl of cereal, watching some nature documentary, his wavy blond locks falling in his face. He looked up, waved at me with his spoon, and went back to watching his show.
Dante was off on a job, so it was quiet around here.
And I was bored.
At least I had Thomas’ birthday to look forward to tomorrow.
I planned on dragging him to Switzerland for a surprise trip.
He’d told me once he’d never been anywhere, so I had Layla draw him up a passport.
Since he was out of school for the summer and wasn’t currently working, it was a good time to surprise him.
I headed straight to Sid’s office and knocked on his door. There were some shuffling noises coming from inside, and because he was taking too long, I knocked again.
He coughed and said, “Come in.”
I opened the door and stepped inside to see Sid adjusting his tie and Dalton running fingers through his wrecked hair.
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t you two have enough sex at home?”
Dalton’s face pinked. “Well, ah, thanks for ah… checking on that for me, Sid. I’ll …
He fixed his hair again and walked out, closing the door behind him.
Sid just laughed. “My husband is so adorable when he’s flustered and embarrassed.”
“I’m not sure adorable is the right word.”
Sid laughed again and straightened the papers on his desk.
“What do you need, East?”
“I’m going home early to take Thomas away for his birthday. Besides, it’s boring today.”
“Oh, I thought you two would like to come over for dinner. Dalton had planned to make Thomas a cake.”
“Some other time. I’ll bring him by next week when we return.”
Sid’s blue eyes twinkled, and he smirked. “Well, have fun, you crazy kids.”
I rolled my eyes again and walked out, but I stopped outside of Sid’s closed door, pressing a hand to my stomach.
It was such a rare sensation when excitement coursed through me enough to get the tingles in my stomach. I looked forward to being inside Thomas in another country. Maybe we could find some secluded woods to chase him in.
I walked off and headed home to wait for Thomas to get home from visiting his father.
Our home .
I was ready to remind Thomas of how much he belonged to me forever.
The End