Chapter Fifty ThreeThe explosive sound shattered the morning silence, the sudden force of the recoil sending a sharp shockwave traveling straight up my wrists and into my elbows. But this time, my grip remained tight. The gun didn't try to fly out of my hands. I held my stance, watching as a tiny, clean hole appeared in the upper chest area of the wooden target."Holy shit," Lexa muttered with a proud, booming laugh, slapping me hard on the shoulder. "Look at that! Right in the center mass! You actually hit the sweet spot, Tessa!"A sudden, unexpected rush of pure adrenaline and pride flooded my chest. I looked at the hole in the target, then down at the smoking weapon in my hands. I had done that. I had controlled the violence of the machine."Don't get cocky yet, girl," Lexa teased, though her smile was wide and warm. "You've got fourteen more rounds in that magazine. Do it again. Keep that exact same focus."For the next two hours, the back field was filled with the rhythmic, boom
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