FIFTY SHADES OF KIARA | 18+

𝟏𝟒 | 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬

Spent casings fall like whispered secrets,
Blood and lust blend in the heat of the aftermath.

The private, outdoor shooting range under the late morning sun. The wooden targets stand at varying distances, weathered and scarred by countless bullets. Kiara stood in front of one of them, her focus narrowed, her frustration building with each missed shot.

Kiara's mind wasn't on the target. It was on Adam Morningstar. His face, his voice, the shadow he cast over her thoughts-it all merged with the distant mark she aimed at. Her frustration fueled each shot, but no matter how hard she concentrated, the bullets refused to strike the center. Instead, they scattered around the bull's eye, teasingly close yet painfully off the mark.

She gritted her teeth, raising the gun again. Her hands shook slightly, whether from anger or anxiety she wasn't sure. She squeezed the trigger, but the shot missed the center once more. The frustration boiled over, and she almost hurled the gun aside when she heard footsteps behind her.

Samantha approached quietly, her expression a mix of concern and resolve. "Kiara," she called out gently.

Kiara lowered the gun, turning to face her. "Hey," she greeted, her voice thick with the frustration she'd been battling alone.

Samantha hesitated for a moment, her eyes searching Kiara's face. "I wanted to apologize," she began, her voice soft but sincere. "For slapping you that day. I shouldn't have let my emotions take over like that."

Kiara's tense expression softened slightly. "It's okay, Sam. I think I needed it," she admitted, a small, rueful smile forming on her lips. "It knocked some sense into me."

Samantha nodded, relieved. Her eyes drifted to the target, noticing the scattered bullet holes. "Are you sure you're doing it the right way?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Yeah," Kiara replied, her frustration returning as she glanced at the target. "This is how Deepika taught me."

Samantha stepped closer, examining Kiara's grip on the gun. "Maybe," she said thoughtfully, "but let me show you something that might help."

She gently adjusted Kiara's stance, her hands moving over Kiara's, repositioning them on the gun. "Here," Samantha instructed, "hold it like this. And when you aim, don't just look at the target-imagine where you want the bullet to go. See it in your mind."

Kiara followed her instructions, her muscles tensing with focus. She took a deep breath, steadied her aim, and squeezed the trigger. The shot rang out, and this time, it struck the bull's eye dead center.

Kiara's eyes widened in disbelief, and a grin broke across her face. She jumped up, her excitement bubbling over. "I did it! I actually hit the bull's eye!" she exclaimed, turning to Samantha with bright, thankful eyes.