Chapter 6: Weapon.

The gunshot echoed through the office.

The recoil slammed into Iris's arms, forcing her a step backward.

Her ears rang. For a split second, she couldn't see through the cloud of smoke curling from the muzzle.

When it cleared she gasped.

Cassian was no longer standing where he had been.

The bullet had punched a neat hole into the wooden wall behind him.

He stood a few feet to the side, one hand still tucked into the pocket of his black trousers. His expression hadn't changed even a bit.

It was as though the gunshot had been nothing more than a door closing.

Iris stared at him."...How?"

Cassian ignored the question. Instead, his gaze drifted to the hole in the wall.

"Your aim was off."

She lowered the gun, disbelief replacing every other emotion.

"I shot at you."

"I know."

""You..." Her voice shook. "You moved."

Her pulse hammered in her ears.

She had barely pulled the trigger.

How had he crossed that distance before the bullet reached him?.That was a matter of seconds and he dodged the bullet that fast.

"I did."

"I could've killed you."

His gaze settled on hers. "No."

The certainty in his voice irritated her more than anything.

"You sound awfully confident."

"I am."

He pushed himself away from the wall and walked toward her with slow, measured steps.

Every instinct screamed at Iris to step back but she didn't.

He stopped right in front of her.

"Your shoulders tensed before you fired."

His fingers tapped the barrel of the pistol.

"You tightened your grip too early."

He lightly nudged the weapon downward.

"And you anticipated the recoil."

Her brows furrowed.

"What does that even mean?"

"It means..." His voice remained calm. "...you were more afraid of the gun than of me."

Her jaw tightened. Her left eye twitched.

"I'm not afraid of you."

"No?"

His eyes searched hers for a long moment."Then why did you hesitate?"

She went quiet. She opened her mouth to utter something but nothing came out.

Because he was right.

There had been a moment...a tiny moment before she pulled the trigger where she'd wondered if pulling it would somehow make everything worse.

Cassian took the pistol from her hands effortlessly.

"If your intention was to kill me," he said, removing the magazine and checking the chamber, "you should've fired the moment I handed you the weapon."

The metallic click echoed through the room.

He placed the unloaded pistol back on the table.

"You ask too many questions."

"I deserve answers." She stared at him her breath slowly calming.

"You deserve nothing."His words were cold.

He turned toward the door.

"So that's it?" Iris called after him. "You bring me here, make me shoot at you, then you leave?"

His hand rested on the doorknob.

"You wanted to know how you'll repay your father's debt."

He looked at her over his shoulder."This..."

His gaze flicked briefly to the pistol. "...is only the beginning."

Without another word, he opened the door. A guard waiting outside straightened immediately.

"Prepare the training room," Cassian ordered.

The huge guard nodded once. "Yes, sir."

The door closed behind him.

Iris remained rooted to the spot, staring at the gun lying on the table.

A cold realization settled over her.

This man was more like unraveling a puzzle. He didn't want her to kill him, he wanted to teach her, in his own fu**** up way.