Chapter 56

“Before I forget, I booked the shooting range at eight p.m., wear something comfy. And there will be touching… a lot of it, just saying!” He pulls open the door, winks at me again cheekily and moves to slide in, but I’m quick off the mark.

“Wait! Alexi, about that,” I call out in afterthought, not about the touching remark, even if it’s an instant piss me off point because he has no chance, but the gun thing.

He pauses, and I impulsively make my way down to where he is, steadily down the steep steps on stilettos, coming to stand on the other side of his open door so it separates us and face him over the top. Bold and brave in the topic we need to talk about. I can’t miss the opportunity he has opened up.

“What about it?” He turns serious, that glint of Master that I know well, and it puts me more at ease than his previous few minutes. This Alexi I know and can sometimes handle. The Alexi I know how to behave around—the one who never made me smile despite myself. Th