Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
I felt lost. I was just going through the motions.
I had no drive left in me, so I opted out of pilot school and never looked back.
Flying might’ve been my dream, but it wasn’t going to drown out the ache Tallie left behind. I needed something that would match the chaos in my chest, so I changed my path and headed for the front line—where precision and focus could cut through the noise in my head.
Becoming a sharpshooter wasn’t just a choice—it was survival.
I didn’t have to think about the heartbreak or what I’d lost.
It was just me and my target.
Seven men in seven seconds—that wasn’t luck.
It was me proving to myself that I could still hit what I aimed for, even when I’d lost the one thing I’d wanted most.
1
SEVEN
“Hey there, handsome.”
“What do you want, Misty?”
“Nothing. I was just...”
I glanced up and found Misty leaning against the doorway with her arms crossed and a soured look on her face. “Just what?”
“Have you checked next week’s schedule?”
“Not yet. Why?”
“Keeley’s overbooking herself again,” Misty huffed. “I get that she needs the work, but I don’t want to deal with her drama when she can’t make it in for her shift.”
“I’ll look into it.”
“Okay, great, but can you keep this between us? I really don’t want to get into a thing with her.”
I gave her a nod, and once she’d left my office, I grabbed the schedule. I’d just started looking it over when I heard Grim say, “Thought I might find you here.”
“Seems like I’m here more than I’m not.”
“That’s because you are.” He walked over and sat on the chair in front of my desk. “How’s it going?”
“It’s going.” Grim was the club’s enforcer. It was his job to look out for the brothers and handle things whenever trouble came knocking at our door. He took his job seriously, so I knew he wasn’t here for small talk. He wanted the lowdown on the Vault and our latest sales. “Keeley’s been pulling her usual crap, so I’m shuffling things around to keep the stage covered.”
“Might be time to send her on her way.”
“I’d consider it if her sales weren’t so damn good.” I leaned back in my chair, rubbing the bridge of my nose. “Hell, she almost sells twice as much as the other girls.”
“Even the shrooms?”
“Especially the shrooms. They are flying off the shelves. Buyers keep coming back for more, which is good, but we gotta keep it tight. No slipping.”
“Tight’s your middle name,” Grim snickered. “But that’s why you’re in that chair and no one else. You’re the reason this place runs as well as it does.”
“Just doing my job.” I tapped my pen against my desk. “Now, unless you’re here to deal with Keeley, I’ve got work to do.”
“Nah, she’s your problem.” He chuckled as he stood and started for the door. “Keep me posted, though.”
“Will do.”
“And hey, don’t forget to take a break.” He cocked his brow. “You’re starting to look a little rough around the edges.”
I smirked as he walked out, already turning back to my work. Breaks weren’t in my job description. There were too many things on the line, so I got back to it. I leaned back in my chair, and the soft creak of leather against leather underlined my irritation as I stared at the schedule in front of me. Keeley had booked herself for six shifts this week, including a double on Friday.
I understood the hustle better than anyone, but this was over the line.
I hit the intercom and barked, “Keeley, my office. Now.”
Seconds later, there was a knock, and Keeley stepped into my office. “Shut the door.”
“Okay.” Her eyes were wide with worry as she stepped inside the office and closed the door behind her. “Is everything okay?”
She looked tired—more than tired.
But I wasn’t about to let that derail the conversation. It needed to be had, and it needed to be had right now. I gestured to the chair across from me and ordered, “Sit.”
“I’ll take that as a no.” She sat down and started fidgeting with the hem of her tank top. “What did I do this time?”
“You want to explain why you’ve got six shifts this week?” I asked, sliding the schedule across the desk toward her. “And two of those on Friday, back-to-back? You think I don’t notice stuff like this?”
“I need the money,” she said quickly, her voice shaking just enough to catch my attention.
“We all need the money, Keeley. That doesn’t mean you kill yourself trying to make it.” My tone was firmer than I meant when I told her, “You’ve been here long enough to know that burning out doesn’t help anyone—not you, not me, not the club.”
“I know.” She looked down at her hands. “But it’s different this time.”
“How?” I asked, leaning forward. “Because unless you’ve got a damn good reason, I’m cutting you back to four shifts with no doubles.”