BREAKING STEELE (A Sarah Steele Thriller) (11 page)

Despite my reticence over his questions, I couldn’t help but like him. As the hour went on, I was impressed with his knowledge and his ability to teach that knowledge in an easy-to-understand way. And after those first few personal questions, he became a professional.

But I had to be careful; this was, after all, a man. A handsome man. And handsome men were usually dangerous, especially to me.

After I’d shown him what I knew about cleaning and caring for the gun, and he corrected a few of my mistakes, he went through a list of safety regulations I needed to know. He said by the time we finished five lessons, I would be able to apply for my concealed weapon permit. That thought thrilled me.

Solomon did a quick overview to make sure I knew my gun safety manual. He showed me the difference between a revolver and a closed action pistol. He handed me my GLOCK and explained how to load the clip and chamber a round.

“Now, you’re good to go. It’s better to have a revolver when you’re first starting out because it’s easier to see if it is loaded. But this—” he motioned to the GLOCK “—will hold more rounds.”

I liked learning new things. And knowing more about guns made me feel more comfortable around them. I was starting to see why education was key,
the more you know.

I chuckled and Solomon looked over at me with a lopsided grin. “Something funny?”

“Nope, just having fun.”

“Good, this is fun. You’re a fast learner. Now, see if you can knock some of those cans down.”

Solomon had set up ten or so pop cans against a sandbar. I put my earplugs in and looked down the sights and concentrated on my breathing. Solomon said the best time to squeeze—not pull—the trigger was at the bottom of a breath. I blew out and fired, a second before I breathed in again.

Pop,

Pop,

Pop!

Two of the cans flew into the air. I whooped.

“Good job, not bad—two out of three.”

But just as we were about to go again he got a call. His eyes darkened and he turned away. “Yep … yep … no. I’ll be right there.” He snapped his phone shut and turned to me.

“I have to go.”

I was aghast. “In the middle of my lesson? What kind of teacher are you?”

“Teaching isn’t my only job,” he said. “Sorry.” His mind was already miles away, I could tell. “But, hey, we’ll have to set up another lesson.” He handed me a card, shook my hand hurriedly, and ran off to his truck like he was running from a fire. Or … to a fire.

Chapter 34

THAT AFTERNOON I DID everything I could to distract myself from thinking about Williams. I watched TV for about forty minutes until I was bored. So I turned on a movie. But it had a character in it that looked just like Tracy Mulligan. So I went to the mall, even though I hated the mall. There was an orange dress that caught my eye, and I tried it on. Maybe I could wear it to the club tonight.

It fit me perfectly. The skirt swayed around my hips, making me feel like a lady. However, when I went up to purchase the dress and the cashier told me how much it was, I backed off. I just couldn’t spend more than fifty dollars on a piece of clothing. I’d never gotten over that side of me from when I lived in poverty as a kid.

I texted Angela, but she didn’t respond. So I went to the dojo and met Cassandra and Jessie there. We hung out for a while, and did some light sparring. They said they hadn’t seen Angela in a couple days, but that wasn’t new. Sometimes she’d shack up with a guy and not come out until they ran out of alcohol or he pissed her off. Although I didn’t approve of her choices, since she was over eighteen, I didn’t make a big deal about it.

I took them out to a café, but they had to run soon after. They had a Saturday class they needed to make. I wished them luck, then sat there alone at the table, finishing my coffee.

It was only one o’clock and I was bored out of my mind.

So I did what any normal person did on a boring Saturday. Got online.

I Googled Solomon, but without the last name, all I got were references to the Biblical character. I typed in “Solomon gun training in Boise,” and this revealed more. I came to a Facebook page but it had no pictures, so I wasn’t sure it was him. However, I found a last name: Cole.

Solomon Cole. I typed his name in a few databases I had access to, but nothing showed up. And there was nothing about him anywhere else online. Which was weird. Even the average Joe had a small online presence, whether they wanted it or not. But him ... nothing. Who was he? And did he have another interest in me than what he let on?

Chapter 35

A PULSE, WITH ACTUAL pressure, went through my body in and out, making my breath catch. The club music was not too loud, it was just really good. Tuned in for the perfect blend of sound and feel.

Mandy was not going to be good tonight. I knew it the moment I saw her dress, or long tube top, I wasn’t sure which it was. It was neon green and her red hair was down and wavy. She was dressed to kill. I was a bit uncomfortable being next to her as every guy in the radius of that dress was looking at her.

I went for a black number I wore once at a wedding a few years ago. It looked good on me but didn’t bring the kind of attention a dress like Mandy’s brought.

“Hey, I am going to have fun. We paid big bucks to get in here and ... oh, my ... shirtless and hot!” Mandy pointed to the bartenders. They were, in fact, shirtless, and all of them looked like Abercrombie and Fitch models.

Rick wrinkled his nose and pulled her chin up so she would look him in the eye. He gave her a reproving glance, but there was laughter behind his expression.

“For Sarah,” Mandy said. “They’re hot ... for Sarah.”

“Mmm, I see,” he said, and then pulled her out to the dance floor.

The club was set up really well, with four bars, so no matter where you were you only had to walk a few feet to get a drink. In the center was a lowered dance floor and raised areas to dance on.If you were feeling brave, you could cut loose in front of everyone.

The place was upscale. Huge screens surrounded the dance floor and played the unedited version of all the hottest music videos. People danced and laughed on the main floor, and the scene intimidated me at once.

I scanned the place for Hannah Williams, but didn’t see her anywhere.

When I looked around the place, all I could imagine were a hundred ways a girl could get in trouble.

What was wrong with me? This was supposed to be fun and here I was imagining the worst that could happen.

Put me in a courtroom and I was good.But this ... it was not my natural habitat.

“What can I getcha?” I turned and looked into the darkest eyes I’d ever seen. He was tall, tan, and shirtless.

“Uh ...”

He smiled, and darn it if he didn’t have dimples. “Not sure we have that ... how about a— ” He leaned toward me and I turned my ear to him. He cupped my face and whispered, “How about The Lover’s Kiss. Or maybe Ménage a Trios if you’re feeling naughty.” I felt the heat rise up my neck.

“Get me a gin and tonic,” I said. I couldn’t handle hard liquor very well. And if there was anything I wanted at the moment, it was a clear head.

No, screw that. I needed some trouble. The good kind of trouble.

He turned to go but I grabbed his arm. “Get me a Lover’s Kiss.” He raised his eyebrows. “Now,” I said.

He smiled and turned to get me my drink.

Mandy and Rick returned from the dance floor, faces flushed. “Got a boyfriend already?” she said.

“Yeah, but I’ll have to pay his way through college. Ha. No, I don’t think I could go out with a guy who worked at a place like this.”

Mandy rolled her eyes and sipped her appletini. “You don’t have to marry him, Sarah. Just lighten up, have fun, and try to relax a little. Go ask one of those guys who are staring at you to dance.” She tipped back the rest of her drink in her mouth. A new song came on. “Ooo,” she squealed. “It’s your favorite, Rick.”

“It hasn’t been my favorite for like five years,” he protested as she pulled him to the dance floor.

“Okay, okay.” I closed my eyes and sighed. I could do this, have fun, be fun, and relax. I’d bury the darkness deep inside me and play the happy ADA.

“Here you go, let me know if you like it.” I opened my eyes and the hottie bartender was there with that amazing smile again.

“Sure thing. Here goes nothing.” I picked up the glass and downed the pink drink. It tasted like cotton candy and was ... really yummy. I could take about two or three more of those.

A deep voice to my left rumbled through the music and sent a shiver down my arms and legs. “Can I buy you another?”

Chapter 36

“YOU’RE READING MY MIND—” I stopped short when I saw who said it. “Solomon?”

He smiled and spread his hands. “It’s me.” Adorable. He was dressed nice, in a suit coat and designer jeans. So he had money. Or he was broke so he could look like he had money.

“Well, I won’t force you to have a drink.” He shrugged and his eyes took in Mandy and Rick dancing on the floor. “I only offered so I could talk to you.” He waved a hand toward the club. “You know, the game and all.”

“The game? I’m confused.” He laughed, and the sound made me laugh too.

“The game. This game. Women dressing up to attract guys or to impress other women, guys hitting on women, trying to figure out who is a witch, who has daddy issues, who is just out with her girlfriends, and who is seriously looking for a man. It is all so confusing, as you said.”

He lifted a finger and the bartender, not smiling now, brought him a drink. How did he do that? I looked him over trying to figure him out.

“What do you think—good guy, DB, or player?” He looked at me with this hard stare; it was so direct and confident.

“I, uh, I don’t know. I mean, you dress well. Maybe you come from money and expect to get your way just because. Or maybe you live in your mother’s basement and drive a huge truck to compensate for something.”

He threw his head back and bellowed.

“Who is your friend?” he pointed to Mandy. “She has been pretending not to notice me for the last few minutes.” He leaned back and nodded to Mandy.

“That’s Mandy, and her boyfriend, Rick.” When I nodded towards her, she came over. I put a hand over her shoulder and she smiled and acted all shy. “This is my arms dealer, Solomon.”

Solomon looked up in surprise and I laughed. “I mean, he’s my firearms instructor.”

“Hi,” Mandy said. “Good to meet you.” Behind her hand she mouthed to me, “He’s gorgeous.”

I ignored her, as I was having no trouble noting that myself.

Rick and Solomon shook hands.

“We-ell,” Mandy drawled, taking Rick’s hand. “We want to go explore the lounge upstairs. You have fun.” She winked at me. She had never been the subtlest of my friends.

But this time, I didn’t mind. I wanted to talk to this guy. Not that I was going to go home with him or anything, but I figured he was more interesting than any other guy in the club and it would keep me from having to go dance with a stranger.

I couldn’t stop looking at him. Was it the short, neat facial hair, the dark eyes, or the way he seemed so at ease? It was like this was the plains and he was a lion, king of the pride, not afraid of anything.

I, on the other hand, was not in my domain.

“What is going on in that head of yours?” He tapped his finger to his temple and I smiled.

“Just thinking I might need that drink.”

“Ah ... I see that we have reached stage two.” He lifted that magic finger again and the same pink drink was placed in front of me. “Shall we sit at a table? It is a little quieter for conversation between two real people.”

I nodded and he led me to a back table that overlooked the entire club. I sat down and it felt so good to be off these heels. But I made sure I sat with my back to the wall, so I could see if Hannah Williams showed up. Still no sign of her.

“There, that is better. Now I can hear myself think. Tell me, Sarah, what brings you to a place like this?”

“My well-meaning friend,” I said. “Okay, you got me to talk to you, I let you buy me a drink, answer me this: what is your other job?”

His eyes widened and he smiled, making his whole face light up. “Hmm, Sarah, with an H at the end, you’re not a club-goer by nature, are you?”

“What are you trying to do, impress me with your insight into women? You never answered my question.”

He chuckled. “And you’re a first born, maybe an only child.”

“Really? That’s easy. I have been in the papers and you could have Googled me for all I know.” I thought about the nil info I’d gotten when I Googled his name. How much did he know about me?

He took another sip from his glass and seemed to lose himself in his own thoughts. What was with this guy? He was smart, I could tell that much, and yet he seemed almost not into the conversation, as if he didn’t want to be here.

“So, what are
you
doing at a place like this?” I asked. “You don’t seem the type to be in the game either.”

“No, I am not much of a club guy, not really into the whole dating bump and grind thing.” He shifted in his seat and said easily, “I own the place.”

“What?” I laughed. “Come on, that is the oldest line in the book.”

“I know, and it’s a lie. I just saw you over there being drug in by your well-meaning friend and I figured you wouldn’t mind a simple rescue. And I wanted some grown-up conversation. And here we are.”

“And here we are.” I echoed. No doubt there was much more to his story than that. He was an expert at dodging questions.

“Tell me something about you,” I said. I sipped from my glass, and waited.

He spoke quickly, with a crooked grin. “Favorite color is blue, favorite food barbeque, grew up all over—long story. Only child, military background. I like Dr. Pepper, movies, guns, and you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, then, now that we got that out of the way—”

“Not so fast, your turn. Hit me, we have to do this ... it’s in the manual.” He winked and sat back in the booth.

“Okay, fine. Crappy childhood, some good parts, but mostly bad—long story. Love working out, pizza, and Pepsi. I am a workaholic and I let people get to me no matter how hard I try. I love watching thrillers and horror, listening to punk and rock, and white wine. One day I would love a
real
life, with a stupid dog and maybe a kid or two.”