One Night Only

Chapter 4

The next day, I am preparing for our date at the shooting range when Owen enters the bedroom. The look on his face tells me something is wrong so I turn away from the vanity and look him in the eye. "What is it?"

"Some guys went into the underground casino and started causing trouble. That's all I know right now but I need to be there to help take care of things. Michael went silent so I need to get there quickly."

"I understand," I say, turning around. "We can go some other time."

"I'm sorry, babe. I really wanted to take you out."

"It's not a big deal," I shrug. "You have a job to do, just like anyone else."

He hesitates for a moment before making his way towards me. Pushing my hair over my right shoulder, he places his hands on my waist and presses a soft kiss to the crook of my neck. "I love you."

"I love you too," I respond softly.

"I'll call you later," he says, removing his hands from my waist.

I watch his retreating back through the mirror and sigh. He finally agrees to take me out on a date and this happens. Will we ever have time to ourselves? Deciding the night shouldn't end because of this, I leave the room in search of Dominic in hopes that he didn't have to leave with Owen. I find him standing in the lounge with a little girl in his arms, throwing her up in the air. She squeals in excitement each time. A small smile forms on my lips as I watch their interaction. When he catches her this time, his eyes flicker to me and he raises an eyebrow. I blush, having been caught staring. He chuckles, making his way over to me. "Hey, Bub."

"Hey," I smile. "Who is this?"

He looks down at the little girl. "Aliyah. She's one of my close friend's kid."

"She's adorable," I say. "Is she going to be with you all day?"

He shakes his head. "No. I was just watching her so her dad could go speak to her mom in the club," he says, nodding towards the strip club.

"Well, I was going to ask if you'd take me somewhere if you weren't too busy."

He nods with no hesitation. "Of course. Where did you want to go?"

"The shooting range."

He furrows his eyebrows. "Really?"

I shrug. "I should know how to shoot if I'm going to be in Owen's life."

"Does Owen know about this?"

I nod. "Yeah. I told him yesterday."

"Have you handled a gun before?" he asks.

I shake my head. "Nope."

"Okay. I'll take you then."

A moment later, a man emerges from the strip club and takes the little girl from Dominic. "Thanks, man. I appreciate it. I'll see you around."

"No problem," he says before returning his gaze to me. "Ready?"

I nod. We go out front where one of the SUV's are waiting. He opens the passenger door and I climb in. Once he's in, the engine roars to life and he glances at me as he buckles his seatbelt. "So do you have any experience with shooting or gun safety?"

I shake my head. "Nope. I never really needed it."

He nods. "It's not too hard. With a little practice you'll be a better shot than Michael."

I laugh. "I doubt it."

The men at the gates allow us to pass and Dominic speeds down the street, turning up the music a little. One of the things I like about Dominic is how comfortable he is with himself. He's also very good with others. He's always so relaxed and fun to be around. He's been a great friend to me during my time at the house, especially when Owen was away.

"Did Owen take Bryant or is he in the day care?" he asks, interrupting my thoughts.

"He's in the day care. He has been with me most of the time Owen was away so he missed playing with all of his friends."

He nods. "He's a good kid."

"Yes, he is."

About ten minutes later we pull into the parking lot of a shooting range. We get out of the car and I follow him into the building. The room is filled with guns, ammunition, gear and targets. We head up to the counter where a woman stands. "Dominic? I thought you were too good of a shot to be coming around here," she jokes.

Dominic chuckles. "I'm getting a little rusty," he nods towards me. "I'm going to introduce her to gun safety and show her how to shoot. Her name is Madison."

"Tori," she says, introducing herself before turning her gaze back to Dominic. "You know where everything is at. If you need something just yell for me."

"Okay, thanks."

I follow him through a door where there is an indoor range. He grabs a pair of safety glasses and safety earmuffs. "Why do I have to wear these?" I frown.

"For your safety," he responds. "Indoor ranges are incredibly loud. You'll damage your hearing without them."

I set them down and begin pulling my hair back in a ponytail. I put the glasses on and wait further instruction. As he explains, I watch him with interest. He demonstrates how to load the gun then allows ne to try. After explaining some safety rules, he shows me the proper stance. "This is the best position to begin with. Once you get used to this one, you can move on to some more useful ones."

"Like what?"

"Well, you won't always be able to stand like this. For example, when you're being attacked you're going to need to take cover behind an object. You'll need to be comfortable with shokting from different angles. Lastly, you'll work on your timing. I'll test you to see how fast you can withdraw and reload your gun."

I smile. "Sounds good."

He hands me the gun and I hold it like he showed me. "Move your fingers here," he says, wrapping his big arms around me. "I'll help you on the first shot then let you finish on your own."

The front of his body presses against the back of mine as he positions his hands on mine. I squeeze my left eye shut and adjust my aim. He presses his finger down slightly and I pull the trigger. The shot leaves me feeling exhilarated. Why haven't I learned to shoot sooner?

Dominic steps back and allows me to continue on my own. I shoot a few more times before lowering the gun. I place it on the table facing down-range before pressing the button to retrieve the paper. When it stops in front of us, Dominic whistles. "Damn. Are you sure you haven't done this before?"

I examine the paper where there is a small cluster of holes in the center. "Pretty soon I'll be a better shot than you," I say jokingly.

He chuckles. "We'll see about that. Come on. Tori will be closing up the shop soon. We can grab something to eat before heading back to the house."

"What about part two and three of training?" I ask.

"We'll come again soon. I promise."

I nod, actually believing him. We clean up our mess before leaving the range. He waves goodbye to Tori before holding the door open for me to walk through.

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