The Last Time I Cried Your Name novel Chapter 180

Petty wrapped her fingers more tightly around the gun. Still facing forward, she called back to Malcom behind her.

“Is this how I’m supposed to hold it?”

Silence. He didn’t say anything and she didn’t press the issue. She turned her focus to the target, steadied her breath, and squeezed the trigger. The shot rang out, sharp and clean, and the bullet hit the second ring.

She turned back to Malcom, searching his face for any kind of reaction. Her eyes stung just a little. “Was that okay?”

Malcom had his phone in hand. She couldn’t be sure, but for a split second when she turned around, it felt like the air around him had gone icy. Maybe she was just imagining things. Right now, he acted as if nothing was wrong, simply giving her a small nod.

His approval didn’t bring the usual rush of happiness. Still, after a few more shots, Petty started to get a real feel for the gun in her hands.

Then, out of nowhere, another voice echoed through the shooting range.

“Petty, there you are!” Aaron came rushing in, eyes wide with equal parts shock and worry at the sight of her with a gun.

Petty with a gun? He could practically hear Hans losing his mind somewhere out there. Hans would never, ever let her near anything like this.

Petty set down the gun and slipped off her safety glasses, surprised to see Aaron. “How did you even find me?”

She hadn’t told Aaron where she was going on purpose. The last thing she wanted was for him to find out she was learning how to shoot.

Malcom had brought her out here to a shooting range in the middle of nowhere, having booked the whole place just for her. No one should have known.

So how did Aaron end up here?

He walked over and explained, “J sent me your location, so I just came straight here.”

Aaron stepped in, rolling his eyes. “Don’t let him get to you, Petty. J’s always been that way—cold, impossible to read. He probably had something important come up, so he sent me your location to watch over you.”

Petty pressed her lips together, watching Malcom leave so quickly. Maybe Aaron was right, maybe something urgent came up. Besides, he hadn’t just ditched her on her own—he made sure Aaron showed up first.

Aaron picked up the gun Petty had been using, turning it over in his hands. “I honestly can’t believe J actually agreed to teach you how to shoot. The guy’s a shooting legend. I begged him for pointers once, and he completely ignored me.”

He looked up, voice teasing. “So? Still haven’t answered me—what made you suddenly want to start shooting?”

Petty let her gaze drift away, playing it cool. “I heard shooting practice helps with stress, so I thought I’d try it, just for fun.”

Less than a month from now, she’d be heading to Everell. Until her application was officially approved, that had to stay her secret.

Aaron gave a low whistle. “Learning from J is ‘just for fun’ now? If you’re looking to just play around, you could always learn from me—although, actually, that sounds a little wrong.”