Chapter 15 #3
“You don’t have to give me anything for putting up with any of it. Honestly, I’m just really happy to get to spend time with you.”
“It’s fine. I saw this and knew you’d like it,” he says as he goes around to his trunk and opens it.
I’m expecting something small, but when he hands me a large heavy box that’s wrapped up, I’m confused.
“I think she thought it was for your birthday because she wrapped it quite nicely. Look, even a little bow.”
“What… is it?” I ask. “And why’s it so heavy?”
He shrugs, so I peel at the paper until I see that I’m revealing a gun case… and what kind of gun needs a case this large? With a hand on each of the locks, I flip it open and peer inside before promptly shutting it.
“This is obviously a joke,” I say.
“It’s not. Your birthday is in a couple of weeks, so pretend it’s for that.”
My fingers are nearly shaking as I flip the lid back open. “Grayson!”
“Cal!”
“Good lord, no! This… the money… this gun is so expensive! I can’t even fathom how much you paid for it! Absolutely not! Why’d you get such an expensive gun?”
“Because with your talents, you need the best of the best. I’ve seen how far you can shoot with a mediocre rifle, but with one like this? I bet no one could outshoot you.”
I really want to stroke it, just touch it a little, but instead, I hastily lock it down so I’m not tempted.
“I… am at a loss for words. Thank you, but I really can’t accept this, Grayson.”
“Well, I can’t return it.”
“I’m sure you can.”
“Nope. They were like, ‘Today only, any guns purchased cannot be returned.’”
“You could sell this in seconds.”
“Nah. I’m either giving it to you or tossing it in the trash.”
“Don’t even joke about my baby like that,” I say as I gather the case in my arms before remembering that I was trying to make sure he’s well aware I can’t accept this. “Really, Grayson, I can’t. Thank you, but I can’t.”
He sets a hand against my face and tips it toward him, so I stop longingly staring at the case and look at him.
“I knew how much it was when I ordered it. If I wasn’t comfortable spending that much, I wouldn’t have gotten it.
But I really wanted to get it for you. The moment I saw it, I knew I had to buy it.
If it makes you feel better, we’ll consider it an early birthday present. ”
“This is like… birthday and Christmas for the next ten years.”
“Sure, we’ll pretend that,” he says. “My plan was to give it to you before dark so you could shoot it… but I was selfish and really enjoyed sitting up there with you.”
“After I get back from tomorrow’s assignment, I want to try it out. Will you come with me?”
“Of course. I want to be blown away by your skills.”
“Grayson, I really don’t know if I can accept this.”
“As you hold it like it’s your baby.”
“Yes, I already love him, but I really can’t accept him.”
He grins as he kisses my forehead. “We’ll pretend you’re not accepting it, alright? So do you think you can babysit ‘him’ for me?”
“Gladly,” I say with a grin, which makes him laugh.
I wouldn’t say that I had the best sleep of my life. I was too busy grinning and looking up things we could do when I visit him, interspersed with staring at my new rifle. So when Tate picks me up the following morning, I feel like I could take a nap.
“You look half dead.”
“As long as I’m half alive, your ass will be safe,” I assure him.
“Will it? You’ll like sneeze and pull the trigger and be all, ‘Whoopsies.’”
“I’m going to be real honest, I probably won’t say that. I’ll say something like, ‘Oh my god, there must be another sniper! Did you guys see that?’”
He laughs as he drives us to the airport. When another yawn hits me, I decide that the moment I get on that plane, I’m going to be sleeping.
We’re flying commercial, but at least we’re seated in business class. When we arrive, Audrey and Devon are there, but Eddie’s not.
“Any of you heard from Eddie?” Devon asks.
“No, he didn’t make it last night either,” I answer.
“You act like being late isn’t one of Eddie’s character traits,” Audrey says. “That man was probably late to his own birth.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Tate says. “Sorry I had to back out last night as well; did just you and Grayson do something, then?”
“Yeah, we went for a hike.”
“Oh?” he asks. “What kind of hike?” He waggles his eyebrows, well aware of my pining after Grayson. He knew quite early when I’d asked about Grayson and he told me he’d seen him out with his boyfriend.
“The kind where he made me run straight up the ‘Stairway to Hell’ and then laughed when I fell on my face.”
“I was thinking something a bit more… romantic, but he’s a stubborn one. I have faith. You can do it!”
“Hmm…”
Tate’s eyebrow lifts as he leans into me so the others can’t hear. “Wait… so… was that a romantic run up the stairs? A romantic laugh when you fell on your face?”
“He kissed me.”
Tate smirks. “Like… how Eddie kissed you?”
That makes me laugh. “No one kisses like Eddie. Speak of the devil. There’s Eddie and his tonsil-stroking tongue.”
Eddie walks over right before it’s time to board.
“Eddie, we were just talking about your skills,” Tate says.
“Oh yeah?” Eddie responds, clearly distracted.
“Something… going on?” I ask.
He looks over at me and smiles. “Sorry, just running late and was positive I wasn’t going to make it on time. We’re like The Avengers where you’re all like Person Number Sixty-Nine in the credits and I’m the main Avenger.”
“So what number am I, then?” Tate asks.
“At least Person One Ninety-Two.”
“Wow, they sure took their time deciding they needed me, then.”
Eddie laughs. “You’re like the person who is walking toward the restroom while I give my glorious speech.”
“Do you ever get tired of loving yourself?” Audrey asks.
“There’s a lot here to love,” he says, throwing his arms over Tate’s and my shoulders as we wait to be called to board. “You know I love you both, right? I’ll share some of my glory with you. Where’s Grayson?”
“He’s not coming today.”
“Seriously? My boy is holding out on me? What’s he up to? Probably playing with his pizzle, if I had to guess.”
“Good lord. Can we board so I don’t have to hear you talk?” Audrey asks as she waves him toward the attendant who is calling for all military personnel to board.
“Looks like you’re next to me, Eddie,” Devon says, and I notice the way Eddie hesitates. I guess he’s disappointed that he can’t pester someone for the whole flight, which is fine with me. I plan to sleep and know if I ended up next to him, he wouldn’t let me.
“Oh look, you’re seated next to the only person you haven’t tried kissing yet,” I realize. “Maybe this flight is the meet-cute you’ve both been waiting for.”
“I have been having a tough go of it. I think all of you broke my spirit a bit,” Eddie says.
Tate grins. “I’m pretty sure nothing could break your spirit.”
We load onto the plane and Tate slides in next to me.
“Where’d you go last night? Did you ditch us for that girl you’ve been talking to?” I ask Tate.
“Excuse me, does someone need dating advice?” Eddie asks as he tries to look between the seats. I grab the safety pamphlet and shove it between the seats to ward him off.
“Dammit. You two are no fun,” he says. “I just want to be involved.”
After about half an hour, I fall asleep and sleep for the rest of the flight until Eddie’s whispered “Just leave him here” wakes me up.
“No, don’t leave me,” I groan, struggling to get up.
I feel like a zombie as I trail after them and am immediately stuffed into an SUV where I’m given the gun I usually use, since I couldn’t very well bring the one Grayson gave me with no notice.
Once in the vehicle, they go over everything, explaining that Devon and I will be inside an abandoned apartment building facing a hotel which is owned by whoever the deal is being made with.
To my understanding, the hotel is now for the rich men and women this man deals with on a daily basis, marking it as a high-end establishment.
We plan on trading money for their supplies, again sending a tracker with the money in the hope of seeing how the money is transferred through the city and what places we need to target.
This group is the one that Lt. Allen was hoping to learn about from the men who tried shooting us.
Thankfully, it seems like after months of work from Devon, he’s finally made contact with them and is sending his “men” in to deal with them.
Which means that Devon is staying back with me while the other three go in for the exchange.
We’re given our earpieces so we can communicate with each other, and the two of us are walking toward the apartment building when Eddie wishes us luck through them.
Devon taps his earpiece before pulling it out. “Is yours clear?” he asks.
“Yeah, no issue on my end.”
“Mind if we swap? Mine’s crackly as fuck. That way I can direct things better if you’re concentrating.”
“Yeah, of course,” I agree as I pull mine off and hand it over.
“Thanks. I’ll just relay what’s being said if any of them try to communicate with us,” Devon says as he holds his hand out, so I give him mine and he sticks his old one in his pocket.
“You don’t have a spare set?”
“I do in the vehicle, but we need to keep moving. I don’t want to delay.”
“True,” I say, hurrying after him. Once in the run-down structure, we make it to the fourteenth floor, taking the stairs since there’s no electricity in the building and the elevator’s not in operation.
It’s apparent that this place has been broken into more than once, so getting inside isn’t much of a hardship.
“I think I need to exercise more,” Devon comments. “I’m not used to steps.”
“These are nothing like the steps on that hike yesterday,” I say. “If you want to practice steps, I have the perfect spot for you.” I show off my wounded hands and he shakes his head.
“I’m good. I like my hands the way they are.”