SOONER OR LATER

“I want to show you something, Ava. But first, you'll have to promise me that you won't be scared,”


Ava was stunned. She pulled away from his embrace and looked up at his face, “What do you want to show me, Zac?”




“You’ll find out when we get there,” Zac answered, picking a strand of her hair and putting it back with others.




Ava was silent, only staring at his face with thoughts running through her mind.





“Are you scared already?” Zac asked.




Ava smiled, shaking her head, “One thing I know for sure is that you'll never hurt me,” the corners of her lips rose, revealing her white and perfect dentition. She looked beautiful and cute.




A small smile emerged on Zac’s lips as he stared deeply into Ava’s eyes. He thought that he didn't deserve to be trusted by Ava as he was somehow going to hurt her sooner or later.




“Come on, show me already. I'm never going to get scared when you're going to be by my side,” Ava affirmed, holding his wide hands in hers.




In a matter of moments, they arrived in a passageway that looks like the kind that leads to a basement. Ava was a bit scared but one look at her man reassured her and she found herself smiling again.




The basement looked beautiful with interior captivating sculpture designs that one would doubt the fact that it was just an oubliette.




Actually, it was not only a basement but a training room too. And it could be clearly distinguished.




A lot of artillery, including rifles, short guns, handguns, cannons, revolvers, rapiers, and swords, all could be seen in different sizes and models, shattered around the golden walls and some were arranged neatly on the racks.




There were three bullseyes on the wall, and a shelf containing assorted guns.




Ava couldn't keep calm any longer, she raised her eyes toward Zac and asked, “What are we doing here?”




“To do some exercise,” said Zac.



Ava’s heart raced in that instant.




“E-Exercise? We c-can always do that at the gym, Zac. Not in a place that has so many torturing tools,” Ava glanced around while saying her last words.




“It’s a different exercise, Tinkerbell. Here, you'll be trained on how to use different types of guns,” Zac dropped the bombshell, and Ava’s eyes instantly widened in disbelief.




“What did you just say?” she whispered, panic feeling her body and catching on her throat




“I’ll be training you on how to use some types of guns, Ava,” Zac repeated, his voice stern this time.




Ava’s eyes opened wide in unbearable degrees, not believing her ears. “But why? Why do I need to learn how to use guns?”




Sighing, Zac put forward two steps closer to her and asked in a calm tone, “Do you love me, Ava?”




Their eyes locked after his question.




“Do you love me, Ava?” Zac asked again and Ava found herself taking a sharp breath before nodding her head continuously.




“Yes, I love you, Zac, but what does it have to do with me using a gun? You're scaring me,” her timbre trembled and worried tears filled her eyes.




And this is absolutely what Zac hated to see the most in her eyes. Her tears.




He cursed something inaudible under his breath and held Ava’s arms, looking at her like she was the only thing that mattered most in this life to him.




“Listen to me carefully, Tinkerbell,” he said seriously, “You know how much I love you, don't you?”




A tear slipped down Ava's cheeks while she nodded her head and muttered “Yeah, I know,”




“Then you have to understand that I'm doing this for you. For your safety. You should know by now the kind of person your man is and for you to continue being with him, it’s important for you to know how to use the simplest thing which is the gun,” Zac explained like it was the most natural thing to talk about.




Ava gulped, her nose flaring while she stole a glance at the gun range over Zac’s shoulder and her heart constricted in pain inside her chest.




On the other hand, a tiny smile could be seen playing around Reid’s lips as he found his way out of the mansion, striding to the garage where his car was parked.




He suddenly halted his steps when his phone started ringing in his pocket. He fetched the device and the smile faded away the moment he registered the caller.




Charlotte.




“Why’s this bitch calling me?” he muttered to himself while he answered the phone and pressed it against his ear.





“Yes?” His tone was harsh.




“Is that how you respond to someone who you proclaimed to find attractive?” Charlotte’s depressed tone met his ear and he couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes.




‘That was all a lie. I've never found you attractive and if not for the boss’s plan, then I would never have approached you in the first place,’ Reid clamped his mouth to stop those words from coming out.




“What do you want?” he asked instead, trying not to growl.




“Well, it hurts my heart to say this but I'm really pregnant. Our last encounter led to it,” Charlotte whispered her last words but Reid heard it loud and clear.




He tuts and scoffed, “Then why are you telling me this? You should know how to take care of it, don't you?”



Silence.



“What do you mean take care of it? You mean I should get r-rid of it?” Charlotte’s tone wobbled, breaking the silence.



“What do you plan to do with it then? Do I look like someone who’s ready to become a father to you? And do you really think someone like you could become my baby mama?” Reid was the least bit polite and it was evident to Charlotte that he was furious.




“Quit dreaming, girl. Well, I might have taken a liking for you if you were not head over heels for Zac, someone who hadn't even noticed you for once,”




Charlotte’s loud sob rang in Reid’s ears after he said that but he didn't stop him from continuing talking.




“Now listen to me carefully. Don't ever call me because of this matter again. Do whatever you want with the pregnancy but I'll have you know that I do not give a least damn, do you feel me?”




Charlotte’s whimper intensified as she had never expected this cruel reaction from Reid. Although she was very much aware of Reid’s cold side, it never crossed her mind that he would behave like this upon hearing the news.




“You can’t do this to me, Reid. This is your child and_” Charlotte tried to explain to him, sounding firm but Reid had cut in mid-way her sentence.




“Don’t call me regarding this matter again. In fact, don't ever call me again. It's over between us, got that?” he grunted and hung up immediately.





He inhaled softly and planned to pocket his phone when a familiar voice rumbled from his back.




“That was the most cruel way to break a lady’s heart, Ried,”




Reid was almost startled but he calmed down as soon he turned his head and saw the person coming to him. Nick.




“Stay out of my shit, dude,” he glared at him coldly.




Nick shrugged, “I was not going to meddle in your shit, anyway. Especially when it has to do with pregnancy,” a mischievous smirk arose at the corners of his lips.




“You sneaky bastard. How long have you been standing at my back?” Reid frowned at him, his nose flaring.




“Long enough to have heard the phone ring,” Nick grinned, pocketing his hands.




“Don’t even think of saying any of this shit to the boss, got it?” he didn't shout but his eyes were blazing.




Nick smacked his lips, “I wonder who the bitch that's getting you so worked up. Is it by chance related to the boss?” plain curiosity rounded his face.




“I’ll deal with it. Don't just mention it to the boss,” With that, Reid turned and walked off, leaving a curious Nick standing there.




Back in the training room. Ava eventually gave in. Not like she had another choice though.




They were now in the shooting range. Ava was holding a gun with a trembling hand and even supported the hand with her other hand to stop it from shaking so hard but it wouldn't stop.




Zac smiled and came to stand beside her, holding a gun too.




“Alright, Tinkerbell. Do you know what we're gonna do now?” he asked, looking at her.




Ava didn't say a word, waiting for him to continue.




“You see that bullseye is our target and we’re going to make sure to hit it, got it?” Zac proposed, not smiling.




Ava nodded vigorously, noting that her man really meant this business.




“Now raise your gun and do as I do,” Zac instructed.




Ava swallowed and shakily raised her hand toward the target.




“Pull the trigger,” Zac ordered, looking at her.




Ava had a hard time pulling the trigger as the hand holding the gun hadn't stopped shivering. Zac noticed this and came to stand behind her and held her hand.




“You just have to know this, darlin’, I'm sorry if I'm doing too much,” he apologized, his breath caressing her ear.




Ava breathed and nodded and then grabbed the gun firmly, looking quite determined now.



Seeing this, a gentle smile tugged up at Zac’s lips.



Ava stood poised, her eyes locked onto the target ahead. ‘I’ve seen many action movies. This should not be hard,’ she mentally encouraged herself.




Her senses were heightened, every muscle in her body taut with concentration and she was on the cusp of pulling the trigger when Zac held her hand from behind.




In an instant, his body pressed up against hers, causing her heart to skip a beat. She felt his warm breath on the nape of her neck, his hand taking hold of hers carefully, guiding them to the perfect position for the shot.




“If you want to target the bullseye, you have to make sure your aim is directly in front of it, not slightly lower nor slightly higher,” his voice was a low rumble in her ear.




Ava found herself distracted, her attention drawn to the barely space between their bodies.




Her hands lowered and she swirled her head to gaze into his eyes. The move brought their heads very close to each other, their eyes met and held. At the same time, they lowered their gazes to each other’s lips.





“Hell,” Zac cursed in a low voice, recalling what Reid had told him about assigning another teacher for Ava.




He wrapped a strong arm around her waist, pulling her very close to him.




As much as Ava wanted this too, but she needed to concentrate. “Zac_” she tried to say something but Zac’s lips had already devoured hers.