Shackles on the heart (Book #1)

26. Route to desertion

(Lincoln's POV)

This have to stop, the sick games these psychopaths are playing need to end. It will take a bit of planning on my part, I don't know how long it'll take, but whatever time I have to sacrifice will be worth it, as long as RaeAnna and her family remain safe. That is the priority here, making sure they are protected.

First things first, she needs to be able to defend herself if it ever comes down to it. My dad has a gun safe in his room inside of the closet, he taught me the basics of how to use one after we got robbed several years back. He said I might be young, but learning about them might save my life or other lives in the long run.

He has a private shooting range not too far from our house, if RaeAnna is going to protect her family she needs to learn how to shoot. We will take all the precautions necessary, but let's face it, she is much more mature than her age. I know she will handle it responsibly, I will be there to guide her.

This isn't something kids our age should have to learn to do, but with her dangerous situation I believe it needs to be done. The question is, how do I approach this subject with my dad? Do I just take the gun without him finding out or can I come up with a good enough excuse for him to let us practice with it? Do I ask him to supervise us or do I leave him in the dark? Would he even let me?

I haven't been paying attention to what the teacher has been saying, my mind has been consumed with RaeAnna, how I can keep her protected from the harm she has been confined to. "Lincoln! Are you paying attention to me?" The teacher questions me. "Uh..yes sir." I reply. "What did I just say?" He asks in his taut voice. "I..um." I try to think of an answer while rubbing the back of my neck. "I wasn't paying attention." I say honestly. "I thought so. Pay attention and get your mind out of La La Land. It's time to learn." I inwardly roll my eyes. "Yes sir. Sorry." As soon as he inaugurates back into his teaching I zone out once again, thinking of the numerous ways I can keep RaeAnna safe. She is the one and only thing on my brain right now, there is no room for anything else.

(RaeAnna's POV)

Lincoln looks like he has been deep in thought ever since I told him about my mother, I wonder what is on his mind right now. "Link what are you thinking about?" I inquire in a low voice. "You need to come over to my house today after school." It wasn't a question, leaving no room for me to argue with him, not that I would anyways. "Okay. I'll come with you."

He has piqued my interest. I wonder what he has planned, my mind is swimming with different outcomes. After school is over I tell my grandma that I will be going over to Lincoln's house for a few hours, she agrees. I get into the car with him and his dad Felix. "Hello there RaeAnna." Felix says without a single care in the world. "Hi Felix."

"How was y'alls day at school?" Felix questions with his Texan accent. "Good." "Boring." Lincoln and I say together in unison. He puts the car into drive and we head to their house. Once we arrive we all go inside, Lincoln tells me to wait downstairs in the living room while he goes upstairs to talk to his father. "I'll be right back okay?" Lincoln tells me, giving me a small, tender kiss on my cheek.

About 30 minutes later he finally descends from the stairs, I had almost fallen asleep when his voice jolts my eyes wide open. "Tired are we?" He says with a smirk in his tone. "Yeah sorry." I rub my sleepy eyes. "What's going on?" He sets something down onto the table, it takes a few minutes for my eyes to adjust, then it comes into clear view, a gun. "What the hell link? Why is there a gun and why did you bring it to me? What is happening here?"

He explains his whole plan to me just like I did with him, on a piece of paper, in a letter. He then takes the paper back, which I'm assuming to get rid of later. "I convinced my dad to let us practice at his shooting range. I didn't tell him anything so get that worried look off of your face." He chuckles then grows serious once again. "He agreed as long as he is there to supervise us." I wonder how he convinced his dad to let us do this.

"This is actually happening isn't it? I'm going to learn how to shoot an actual gun." I say in an orotund voice. "Yes. Yes you are. We will be going there in 10 minutes."

Felix drives us to his secluded gun range, it is ginormous with green grass every way you turn, with about 20 different targets scattered throughout the area. We practice for a couple of hours, with his dad there to guide us through the ropes. "That was absolutely exhilarating." I say, my tone laced with pride. "How did you learn those big words that you are always using?" Felix asks with curiosity. "Oh..um I just like to read is all." He shakes his head slightly, amused and looks towards his son. "You should keep this one." Lincoln smiles. "Oh trust me. I plan to." He winks at me.

I can't believe that just happened, but how will it protect me if I can't actually take his gun with me? There is no way Felix would just let me have it. Lincoln comes to me and as if he is reading my mind he tells me "We will practice every day from here on out, when you get it down completely I will have to take a gun from his safe, I will have to find the code to it, but I will when you are ready." He says quietly so his dad won't hear him. "No way Link. That isn't a good idea. I can't do th-" he puts his finger softly to my lips telling me to stop talking so I can hear what he has to say.

"It doesn't matter what you say. I have my mind made up, you need this to be able to protect yourself, to protect your family. This is so you can keep them safe. Okay? Do this for me so I don't have to worry as much about you. Please." His voice is so sincere, I can't argue with his logic, he just made a huge point, I need to be able to shield my family from harm. I look him straight into his eyes, inhale then exhale. "Okay I'll do it." Relief floods him. "But if your dad finds out, you will take the blame won't you?" He chuckles lightly. "Ofcourse Ann, but he won't even know the difference, he has like 20 guns." My eyes go wide. "Why so many?"

"He got pretty paranoid after we got robbed about three and a half years ago. It makes him feel safer with them in the house."

"Oh my gosh, you guys got robbed? That must have been so scary." I say in disbelief. "Yes, it was a long time ago. Maybe I'll tell you about it someday."

We all head back to his house, his dad heads to his room to lock the gun back into his safe. "Thanks link. For today."

He narrows his eyes, playfully at me. "You don't need to thank me for anything, ever. I care for you a lot. Probably a lot more than you realize." I give him a big hug, say my goodbyes and then make my way outside to my grandma's car to go home. I feel like I have a new sense of purpose. I will actually be able to protect them. Let's just hope nothing happens before I have that gun in my possession. The weight of the world rests on my shoulders. I couldn't help my mom, but I will do everything in my power to protect Dakota, my grandma and my sister.