Chapter 50 Range
Range
The ceiling fan spins slow while Mr. Blair sweet-talks some big-time real estate agent on the phone. We just spent an hour searching land listings, and now he’s grinning like he’s known this woman forever. First convo, and he’s already laughing like they got history?
“Yes, I know him personally. He’s a single-minded businessman… very successful too. I’m sure you’ll get along with him,” he says, clicking his pen back in that recliner.
Mr. Blair hangs up, still grinning. “She already has a location in Kingston. I gave her your number. Talk to her, check it out, then we’ll handle the paperwork.”
“Respect,” I nod, shaking his hand before I head home to pick up Zara.
When I pull up, I spot her cousin chatting with Micheal, the younger security.
I smirk.
Wonder wah she up to now.
“Zara,” I call. She kisses the babies and waves, then slides into the car, Stanley cup in her hand as usual.
“Ready?” I ask, eyeing her lips while she sips. They glisten. I think she said yes.
You d’even a listen.
I glance away, feeling myself staring too hard. I want to kiss her.
“Every time we a go pan the road, yuh have that cup. Wah yuh a drink this time?” I ask, leaning back.
She giggles. “Water this time.”
“Ohh.” I dig for my vape. She slides her cup in the cupholder. My eyes drop to her thighs, her black biker shorts riding up. Then her face. She meets my gaze. I don’t look away.
“What, babe?” she blushes.
I lean in, brushing her face. “Suhm deh pan yuh lip.”
Man lie.
She freezes, waiting for me to take it off. Poor ting.
I kiss her instead.
She laughs into it. “Nickoi.”
Pretty…
I pull back, grinning. She hides her face, still laughing. “You lie! Yuh just wah kiss me.”
I honk and head for Mountain View. She stares out the window, quiet.
“Zara?” I say.
She looks at me… a bit off?
“Yuh good?”
She nods. Of course she would. But mi study her, I know she’s not. Something’s bothering her. I swing by the milkshake spot, get her favorite.
Strawberry.
“Thanks babe,” she says, sipping soon as I hand it to her.
“You want?” she offers. I nod, even though mi nuh want it. She holds the straw to my lips and I take a sip anyway. Hope it count.
“Wah do yuh now?” I ask.
“Nothing, mi good, Nickoi.” Sure.
“Yuh nuh wah go a the range?”
“Mi excited!” she says, patting her LV bag. “Mi have it right here.”
I laugh. “So wah yuh did a think ’bout?”
She sighs. “It’s just that… I kinda feel like my dad isn’t in the twin’s life, I feel guilty you know. I know he wasn’t a good dad to me but that doesn’t mean I should keep his grandkids away…”
“Nuh feel guilty, man. Him know yuh forgive him. If him nuh see them, him nah tek it personal,” I reassure her. “You’re a teacher enuh… yuh busy.”
She’s staring down at her fingers.
“Yuh wah mi bring yuh over deh later?” I ask soon as the idea comes to my mind.
Her face lights up. “Yes, mi would love that. Gavin all say him ever a brag ’bout them.”
I hold her hand.
“Zara.”
“Yea?”
“Nuh feel no way. Mi nah go hold them back from him. Mi nuh wah nobody feel excluded.”
She hugs me, smiling.
“Thanks babe.”
“I love you,” I whisper by her ear. She strokes my chest.
“I love you more,” she says. And just like that… my Zara is back.
Your Zara? The voice in my head jeers me.
Yeah. A wah? A fi mi woman.
ZARA
How much rounds we doing?
I don’t say it out loud right away. I’m busy watching Nickoi, how the sounds of the gunshots don’t even rattle him. Meanwhile, my stomach jumps every time the room shakes. But I’ll manage. I have to.
Oh you betta and nuh embarrass wi, the girl in my head warns.
Nickoi’s already at the counter asking for bullets. He belongs here. From how the owner greets him to how quick he moves. This is his second home. I glance around. Everyone’s holding their guns like they were born with them. Stance solid. Focus locked in. I stiffen when I hear—
“Hello, Mrs. Jacobs.”
It takes me a second to realize that’s me. I flash an apologetic smile.
Still not used to that name.
Zara Jacobs.
Ugh. It’s gonna take a while.
“Hey Mr. Xander,” I reply, using the same name Nickoi did.
He smiles gently. “Are you ready?”
“Sure am.”
We walk to the table lined with guns. He starts explaining stance, grip, breathing. I listen, mostly. My brain is bouncing between his instructions and how much I don’t want to make a fool of myself.
Then—
“Xander!” A woman’s voice interrupts.
He looks up. “Give me a sec, Zara.”
But Nickoi steps in.
“Mi will guide har. Just do wah yuh affi do.”
Butterflies.
My man’s taking over. And I feel… safe.
Mi love how you depend on him for protection.
Damn right I do. He’s my knight in shining armor. All who nuh have a bad man fi protect dem a bat. That last line makes me laugh. Nickoi lays out several guns. Some I recognize. Most I don’t.
“Next time yuh use these, take out your own,” he says, and I pull mine from my bag. He walks me through everything, parts, reload, unload, locking. Then stance, grip, trigger pull.
It’s giving: Certified Gunman Professor.
“I’m impressed,” I say, smiling. “Mi cya say yuh never teach me nuh’n.” He doesn’t crack a smile. He’s locked in. I think it’s because I’m holding a loaded gun now. Understandable. He gives me a list of rules. I repeat each one. He nods. Then his eyes turn to mine.
“How yuh fi treat all firearms?”
“Like they’re loaded. Even when they’re not.”
He nods again, slow.
“Alright. Position the gun like how mi do mine.”
I copy him. He circles me, eyes sharp, correcting little things. My shoulders tense. He’s so serious, it’s hot but unnerving. I miss his goofy smile. I miss his dimples. But also…
Wah yuh want? Yuh love him this way and yuh still a complain. He closes the space between us, chest brushing my back.
“Keep yuh trigger finger outside the guard and off the trigger til yuh ready fi shoot,” he murmurs, his voice right at my ear.
I nod, breath caught in my throat.
“Know your target. Aim small, miss small.”
His hand covers mine, his veins flexing, body warmth melting into me and I can barely think straight.
I aim.
I breathe.
I shoot.
It lands close.
“Me? Affi try again!” I squeal, jumping around.
He finally laughs, dimples and all.
“Aight, do the next one on your own.”
I nod, eyes on the target, gun steady in my hands, and this time I don’t miss.