ZADE

I shot at the paper silhouette target multiple times until I was out of bullets. I took out the magazine and loaded it with more rounds,

I resumed, not stopping until I exhausted the cartridges and repeated my action, positioning my gun at the target again, already burned with a deep hole right at the forehead.

Luca whistled. "Now that’s something no one can ever top. They should have called you Headshot instead of the Serpent. That name would have stuck more than the latter."

"Shut up, Luca..." Dante grumbled. "You already know why the latter sticks."

I dropped the gun and took the cigar between my fingers.

"What? An upgrade wouldn’t be so bad. Bite me."

They glared holes at each other. Most of the time, they are like this, and for the rest of it, they are not.

However, recently, they have been at each other’s throats for whatever reason.

"Are you gonna bite your asses off all day?" I muttered, cocking my gun. "Or kiss and make up."

"Dante is the one with the problem. I’m a peacemaker, okay, it’s not my fault he’s the spawn of the devil."

"We shared the same womb."

"And I came out first, dickhead. So maybe you polluted the place and came out infected."

"Boys..." I said, pointing toward my target.

They went quiet, but I could tell they were glaring holes at each other, more insults building and ready to be tossed around.

As much as this annoys me, I must say this was gonna make this season more fun. The competition will be worthwhile.

"Brother..." Dante began, clearing his throat.

"Mm?" I loaded the magazine.

"The meeting with the Russo family. How is it gonna play out? You haven’t told us the plan yet."

I took the last drag of the cigar and stubbed it out in the ashtray against the bench beside me.

"There is a plan, right?"

"Of course there is," Luca interjected. "There is always a plan."

I have completely forgotten about that meeting.

"What’s the theme again?" I asked.

Luca and Dante shared a look before they sighed.

"Try running a bunch of grown adults and see how good your memory stays." I shot at the target again, but something seemed to be wrong with the gun, so I took it apart.

"Elliot probably knows you forgot and already got it handled," Dante murmured.

I chuckled. "What would I do without him?"

"Make fewer bad decisions."

I passed a slow look toward Luca, and he shut his mouth.

"Probably," I conceded.

He chuckled. "I’m more excited for hunting season! Gotta get all the ammo I can find."

"You aren’t going to war."

"You gotta be prepared for anything, butthead. Oh, hi sis!"

I threw a quick look over my shoulder and found Anastasia walking into the shooting range with Elliot. I had asked him to bring her here.

"Awesome, everyone is engaged and pumped for the hunt," Elliot said. "Let’s not have another unfortunate incident like last year."

"It’s not my fault the dude stood close. Mistakes happen..." Dante defended.

"You shot twice, that doesn’t count as one."

"I had to be sure."

"What about you, Elliot?" Luca grinned. "Are you gonna promenade the deers to death?"

Dante snorted.

"Maybe I’ll make you my target," Elliot gritted.

For once, Dante and Luca seemed to agree with each other, laughing their asses off.

"Maybe he’s gonna serve them tea too!" Dante hooked his arm around Luca, laughing.

"Milady, do you care for a promenade this fine afternoon, right before I shoot you?"

"Children," Elliot commented, leaving the range.

I turned around, observing Anastasia. She would usually be rolling her eyes and murmuring under her breath at this kind of display, but she just stood there spacing out for a while.

Her dark hair was down, cascading softly to her waist. She looked cute in her blue knit cardigan and chemise. My eyes traveled down to her legs, a muscle ticking in my jaw. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

She’s not wearing the anklet.

As if sensing my burning stare, Anastasia snapped out of whatever thought that had hooked her mind, her eyes falling on me.

This is new. I can’t read my little kitten.

"Don’t just stand there, darling, come closer," I said to her.

I wasn’t counting on her obedience, but she did, taking slow steps toward me until she was within arm’s reach.

"Leave," I said to my brothers.

They compiled, leaving us alone. They can come back later. I want some alone time with my kitten. I haven’t seen much of her since the opera house. Not physically.

She has been quite busy with her dance lessons, spending more time doing those moves that made a grown man contemplate his entire life choices.

"Why am I here?" she asked, voice stiff as if she didn’t know what kind of emotion to invoke.

"I need to get you ready."

"For what?"

A smirk curled on my lips. "Hunt season."

She looked at me, confused, before I caught a flicker of fear that flowered beautifully in her eyes. I could almost hear her thoughts. ’Hunt? What are we hunting?’

Cute.

"Family tradition. It’s your first. Everyone competes against each other, and I have to make sure you hold your ground."

"I’ll skip."

She turned to leave, but I yanked her back by the wrist, her palms falling on my chest, and I could feel her quiver slightly, her eyes descending.

Her mouth fell wide, almost as if she couldn’t believe the texture beneath her touch. But she quickly blinked away, realizing her mistake.

"There’s no choice in the matter, kitten."

Another shiver.

"You have a problem with boundaries..." She wriggled against me, and I grew irritated.

"Why?" I questioned, taking her chin in a firm hold, and she gritted her teeth in frustration, still glaring, and all I wanted was that look she gave me, that raw desire that cracked those gray eyes.

"Two nights ago, you were melting in my arms. Dripping. Cumming all over my pants. Or have you forgotten so soon?"

"It was a moment of weakness!" she hissed. "And it won’t happen again!"