Free Bare Hearts by Devon Youngblood Page B

killed.”
    “You need to learn to be fearless yourself. I know deep inside you are just as scared as you were when you were younger. You don’t fool me. How could you not be scared with a father like yours? He’s dangerous, and you need to learn to protect yourself,” Parker says.
    “Okay, you’re right.” I throw my hands up in defeat.
    *****
    At the shooting range, Parker helps assist me with picking out a gun. He chooses a thirty eight pistol handgun for me to start with. Suddenly, I’m nervous, holding a gun.
    “We’ll start with something small, but not too small; something that is easy to conceal, and easily accessible.”
    Before I start shooting, Parker goes over a few simple rules. “Only point the gun at your target, never wave it around. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Always make sure the safety is on while not in use, as well as never leave the ammunition in when not in use.”
    Now I’m even more freaked out with these rules and hope I can keep myself in check. Parker hands me a pair of safety glasses and earmuffs to put on to block out noise.
    “Now, face the target and raise the gun to eye level. Take your time aiming at the target; you want to make sure you shoot where you intend to. And gently squeeze the trigger,” Parker says, standing behind me.
    I nervously raise the gun, aiming at the target. Closing one eye, I aim at the bull’s-eye, gently squeezing the trigger as Parker instructed. Unfortunately, I miss the actual bull’s-eye, but I get close to it.
    “We’ll keep practicing. You’ll get better,” he says with enthusiasm.
    After a few more shots, I get really close to the bull’s-eye finally hitting it with my last round. Once I secure the gun, Parker gives me a high-five. I feel more comfortable with it now.
    Parker and I switch positions, and I stand behind him as he practices. He’s been in the war, so I’m sure he knows his way around a gun quite well. And he looks quite sexy using it. Is it bad that I think that ?
    Once we are finished target practicing, we head back to the counter to return everything.
    “How’d the gun feel?” Parker asks me.
    “Really good. Thanks for teaching me.”
    “How about we get you a permit, and you pick a gun out and I’ll buy it for you,” he says, pointing to the selection of pistols.
    “Parker, I couldn’t.”
    But with the look I receive from him I know he is insisting I pick one out, so I don’t argue with him. He can be so persuasive with just a look. Imagine what his touch does to me. Parker watches me as I glance over the selection. I take my time looking them over. Finally I settle on a plain black one. I don’t need anything fancy; I mean, I doubt I’ll even need to use it.
    “Good choice. Now, onto the next thing,” he says happily.
    I fill out the necessary paperwork while the sales guy boxes up the gun and a holster, and hands me a pack of bullets to go with it. Now I’m kind of nervous; now that I actually own a gun.
    “I think we need to get some of your things so you can stay at my place tonight. I doubt your father knows where I live. Plus, we will be busy anyway,” he says with a sly look on his face.
    “That’s fine, but my father can be very resourceful if he wants. He probably knows everything about you already; like where you live, what you do for a living, etc.,” I say as we walk to his car.
    Parker looks at me with his brows furrowed at the last comment. Inside the car, he holds my hand while driving. About ten minutes later we are back at my place getting some of my things together. I would hope that my father wouldn’t know where Parker lives, but I am being realistic in knowing that it’s quite possible that he does know.
    Back at my place, I grab a few essentials as well as a few changes of clothing. Before I leave, I check the machine for messages just in case my aunt called.
    “Your aunt just called to let us know she is halfway home already,” Parker says