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Duke(35)

By:Candace Blevins


Gen rolled her eyes at Duke and said, “If this keeps my brother calm a little longer, what can it hurt?”

“Sorry, Beautiful, he’s gonna have to deal with us as a couple. I’m not up for pretending we aren’t. I need you to walk in with me.”

She looked at Cam and said, “Thanks anyway, Cam. My brother’s lucky to have you.”

“Oh, you don’t know the half of it,” Cassie said with a chuckle as she snuggled into Cam and he wrapped his arm around her.

Dinner was a lively affair, with Sam and Ethan, Viv and Tyler, and another of their friends, Kirsten. Frisco wouldn’t let any of them help with dishes, but herded everyone out back and to the range.

Isaac took control as they stepped behind Frisco’s huge garage. “Okay, I want Frisco, Cassie, Gen, Duke, and Kirsten in the range. Everyone else with me, out at the course.”

Gen followed her brother down the stairs into the range and heard Duke say from behind her, “Nice, Frisco. I didn’t know what to expect, but I’m impressed.”

“Thanks, Duke.” He shook his head. “Still feels weird to call you something else, but hearing Gen say it… I’m gonna try.”

“I realized the other night,” Gen told her brother, “he’s the same guy we grew up with, but a different man. Duke fits him better than Keith now, I think.”

Cassie handed out targets, everyone put hearing and eye protection on, took a station, and the shots began. Gen could see the target next to hers moving, but Duke was shooting into the same hole in the center every time. Gen started with her Ruger, as she was a better shot with it and could center it every time, but knew she needed to spend more time with her Sig, since it was her primary carry weapon.

When she changed out the target and loaded up her mags for the Sig, Duke stopped shooting and stepped into her area. “I’m impressed again, Beautiful.”

She glanced up and went back to loading magazines. “That was the Ruger, I’m not as good with the Sig. I mean, I keep ‘em tight, but don’t center it every time.”

“Mind if I shoot your Ruger a little?”

It was still locked open, so she handed it to him along with her three empty magazines. “Be my guest.”

She saw him take a few minutes to get the feel of it before he started shooting centers every time again, and then she stopped watching as she started shooting again.

She used target paper with five targets on it, and shot them in a pattern, moving from target to target instead of staying on the same one. She knew she’d need that kind of practice for Isaac’s course, so she was more interested in warming up and being ready for the course than she was in impressing Duke this time.

Still, when she stopped to reload again, he handed her Ruger back and told her, “Damn. Isaac told me you excel at whatever you set your mind to, and I’m beginning to believe him.”

“Isaac said that? About me?”

“Yeah, Beautiful. You want to shoot my Ruger LC9 a little, now?”



* * * *



When the groups finished with both range and course time, Duke was pronounced the winner, followed by Tyler, Kirsten, Gen, Cam, Sam, Frisco, and Cassie. Cam and Sam actually tied, but neither was interested in going through it again for a tie breaker.

Isaac declared himself the bartender, with Cam his assistant, and they made sure everyone had plenty to drink. Tyler had driven his wife, Kirsten, Sam, and Ethan, so they could all drink. Duke said he’d drink a beer and then stop, so he could take Gen home. Isaac gave him a look, but Duke was more interested in making sure Gen knew he was taking care of her than in being honest at the moment. She didn’t know he was a werewolf, so she couldn’t know alcohol didn’t affect him. She already thought he was irresponsible for drinking while carrying a firearm.

Isaac started Gen out with rum and Coke, and she collapsed onto a sofa and leaned into Duke with her glass. “I’m glad you came today. About time someone gave Tyler and Kirsten a run for their money.”

Duke looked at Kirsten and said, “You’re a therapist? You could probably consider a career change with the way you handled the course.”

Kirsten looked at Tyler, back to Duke, and said, “I handle Drake Security’s mental health needs, and Aaron gives me access to his training facilities.”

Duke could smell she wasn’t telling the whole truth, and wasn’t sure why she’d need to say anything at all. He glanced at Isaac, who was aware Duke had smelled the lie. Isaac gave a very short shake of his head, telling him to be quiet and not mention it.

Changing the subject, Duke asked, “So, Frisco, what do you have in that great big garage?”