Angelina’s POV
Dammit my decision was the furthest thing from being final.
I was fighting one hell of a battle with myself trying to stay away from him and deny all those confusing feelings he was erupting within me just by being near me.
Gosh! I was almost positive that if I agree to stay here with his family and give us a chance, it would be the best damn thing that could ever happen to me. I would be happy, safe, and possibly end up falling in love with him.
But a huge part of me was reluctant to give in to those feelings and hopes. I still carry that guilt within me and it wasn’t going away no matter how many times they tell me and show me that they don’t hold me accountable for everything.
And no matter what Lucas says about their lives being constantly in danger and that me staying here wasn’t going to bring anything new to their lives, I’m still drowning with terror at the thought of any harm befalling any of them because of me. It would kill me if something happened to any of them. And that’s the main reason why my mind won over my heart and shut it up for good. Because even though my heart wants to stay for him, it can’t handle anything happening to him because of me.
Did I convince him that I was having zero doubts about my final decision though? I had no idea. But he did seem to let it go….. For now. God only knows what’s going on in that psychotic mind of his.
“Shall we continue?” I asked to put an end to our argument.
“Sure thing” he said cheerfully.
Yeah…. Those ten days are going to be so full of adventures, I had a sinking feeling about that.
He picked up the gun and gave it to me.
“Show me what you have to do from the beginning, then we can see if you can hit the target this time” he said huskily.
I switched the safety back off and loaded the gun. I walked over to my previous position in front of the targets and focused my senses back on that first pin, shutting one eye and concentrating on lining up my sights correctly.
He walked over to me and stood right next to me, I could feel his breath fanning over the side of my face. He was trying to distract me again, but this time I wasn’t going to let him make me blow my shot again.
I’m a very competitive person and always strive to do things right from the very first try.
I exhale slowly then pull the trigger.
A low whistle came from him as my shot blew the pin away into the ground behind it.
My shot was dead on this time.
“That was impressive, Angel. You’re going to be a pro in no time” he complimented me cheerfully.
I couldn’t help my smile from escaping at his sincere encouragement and belief in me.
“Thanks, you’re a good teacher” I said softly.
“Nah that was all you. Not many people are able to get a clean shot like that from the second time. It takes at least ten tries to get anywhere near that target you just bullseyed” he said in an impressive tone.
Okay, now he’s being way too sweet for his character. It was starting to creep me out….. A little.
I blushed and said nothing as I pointed the gun at the second target.
***
“So how was your practice with Lucas? I hope he didn’t provoke you enough to try to shoot him instead of the targets” said April tauntingly while gazing at her brother in a teasing gesture.
We were all gathered around the living room after dinner. Diana, Lucas, April, David, and me.
The day passed by without anymore drama between me and him.
We stayed for a whole hour up there on that mountain and I bullseyed the heck out of all those bowling pins.
I left the mountain feeling a lot lighter and more at rest than when I first got there.
Holding a gun for the first time wasn’t exactly easy for me. My mind kept flashing painful memories of all the horrible things I witnessed whenever a gun was involved and I had to resist like hell not to let those memories drag me down and make me change my mind about this whole thing.
And I’m glad I fought against those dreadful memories. Because after practicing with Lucas, I realized it was the best thing for me right now. Learning how best to defend myself in any situation gave me this feeling of security that I’m starting to gain back some sort of control over my life after the way it shattered in the blink of an eye.
We got back home, had lunch together, then I hung out with April in her room for the rest of the day just before dinner.
I told her everything about my life in Seattle and my love for fashion design. And she was so sweet to me the whole time, listening to me talk about everything with a lot of interest. I also asked her to tell me a few things about her life here and she was happy to share back.
We went down just before dinner and helped out Sara and Diana with dinner preparations.
I stifled my chuckle at April’s question about shooting Lucas as I cast a look at him from where he was sitting in front of me on one of the armchairs by the lit fireplace.
He was staring back at me smugly, daring me silently to come clean about what I did up on that mountain.
“It was a close call but I managed to remain cool” I said sarcastically.
“There’s always a next time…. Angel” he drawled with a smirk.
“Lucas” his mom said in slight warning to quit provoking me.
“It’s okay Diana. I’m used to him being his provocative self. It has no effect on me anymore” I said nonchalantly.
No effect my ass, but I wanted to tease him the way he always teases me and show him that I really don’t carry any sort of attachment to him or to the emotions he awakens in me whenever we’re together in the same room.
He raises one eyebrow at me without saying anything back.
He knows I just lied and I had no problem with that one in particular, especially if it protects me from him.
I just have to stick to my plan. Pretend to be indifferent towards him as much as I can to get him to let me go without letting him drag me down into his complicated, confusing web.
How hard can that be?
I got a slight answer to that right after midnight, after I had one of the worst nightmares that I’ve been having lately, ever since my mom died.
After we hung out in the living room for a while, everyone got up and said their good nights, retiring to their own rooms, myself included.
I stayed awake for two hours tossing and turning in bed, trying everything I can to sleep instead of going down there to that front yard near the back door of the kitchen where I knew Lucas was probably having his late night smoke.
Nothing good can ever come out of it if I give in to my temptation and go down there to hang out with him, as much as my heart was yearning for it, I pushed it down and did my best to let sleep take over and a new day to begin, striking off one of those ten days I have left here in this house.
But as soon as I closed my eyes, I was trapped in the most terrifying dream I’ve ever had so far.
And I had a feeling that if Lucas wasn’t there to shake me awake, that nightmare would have probably sucked me into it and imprisoned me inside it, making me relive it over and over again until I lose my damn mind.