The Sins of Anna

"Ouchy," I wince as she jumps and clings to me.

"See daddy this is the girl I was telling you about she saved me from those kidnappers." She hugs me tighter.

"Brittany, you must have been imagining it Anna here is good at getting caught herself." Ren says in protest.

"For some reason that kind of pisses me off hearing him say that." I glare at him.

"Darling we can\'t just let an outsider be your bodyguard." The older man protests.

"But she\'s not an outsider, she knows Ren, and Maliki I saw them talking enthusiastically yesterday," she hugs tighter I wince in more pain. I was now confused to the topic they were discussing.

The old man turned to Ren questioningly as to who I was and how he knew me. However, he ignored explaining it except that I was a simple journalist that wrote an article on him.

"I don\'t care, I want her, don\'t you think it be better if I had a female bodyguard rather than a male anyway daddy." She begins fluttering her eyes beggingly not giving up to all the protests.

"Wait just a minute." I begin to protest.

"You girl, you can fight?" The older man suddenly addressing me despite my attempted interruption.

"It\'s Anna, and well yes I can but…" I try to talk but am quickly cut off.

"Fine then; Brittany if she can pass the tests she can be your bodyguard." The old man says relenting to his daughter.

"Now hold up." both me and Ren shout then turn to each other in shock. However; his eyes soon turn cold.

"Elder I respect your wishes often but you are making a mistake Anna is useless. She has no combat skills she can\'t even shoot a gun without being afraid and hitting the wrong person. Ren declares so out right that I want to make him eat his words.

"THE HELL I CAN\'T!" I yell back at him furious at being called useless.

"Don\'t you ever know when to shut the hell up, you stupid brat!" Ren turns yelling at me his eyes furious.

Tension fills the now silent room as we glared back and forth, Next thing I know I\'m being called an idiot as Ren left the room and I was dragged out by Brittany followed by Maliki and the elder. Glancing back, I saw the glum look on Maliki\'s and Mike\'s face. I never expect this.

After being pushed into a limo with the others we arrive some where I had become familiar with all too well after joining the Feng clan and living at the manor. It was the shooting range Maliki and Mike had taken turns taking me to several times a week. I could make out the sour face Ren wore as we entered and even more the face he made when he looked back at the people that worked here greeting me so familiarly. I went to the far end or the shooting range while my ammo and ear muffs where collected for me by the staff. Maliki said nothing just staring at me as we waited.

"I\'m sorry Maliki I hadn\'t thought before I spoke I lower my head hating myself. I just got…" He held up his hand stopping me from continuing my apology. Ren and the rest were watching from a safe window behind us. I realized if I explained now this would cause more problems.

"Anna," Maliki sighed taking a deep breath and leaned in close as we faced the target.

"You got two choices." He whispered in my ear.

"You either do this and give it your all or you botch it. It\'s your choice. If you botch it your free to go back to your life however; I know your skilled and from the way you were sounding so confident talking to Ren I\'m sure you have improved since we last saw you. If you prove him wrong you will be forced to be her bodyguard to protect her and Ren. Your life will be what they decided to do with it whether you live or die. You will have to stand at their side as they marry and have a family together can you handle that?" Maliki explains quietly trying to make me think this through but it was short lived when a door slammed.

"If you\'re going to shoot then do it already your wasting our time," Ren growled as he walked up to us.

"I mean if you can\'t do it then just admit it no need asking for pointers now." He had such a damn smug look on his face as he accused me of lying. My blood boils again why did I love this cocky conceited jerk I wonder.

"I bet I can keep up with you." I sneer back at his damn smugness. I won\'t lose to him. Pulling up the side of my shirt I pull my pistol from its holster I watch Ren\'s eye expression change as his eyes glance at the part of my body that\'s exposed that same spark when we would embrace each other in his eyes. I almost feel embarrassed suddenly recalling his touch pulling it back down. I release the cartridge checking my ammo already loaded and sliding it back in strapping the other cartridges to my waist. Ren\'s eyes met mine as I glanced over then returned to the target in front of me. Forgetting Maliki\'s warning I let off one round after another till my clip was empty quickly releasing and loading into the next continuing to shoot going from one stall to the next all down the line without pausing to double check. As I reached the end, Maliki walks down pushing the button to bring forward all the targets. Each with the exact same hole without missing even a little off the mark. I looked back wanting to see Ren dumb struck instead I felt so much anger and hatred I almost wanted to cower. Next thing I knew the girl had come out jumping on me excitedly saying she told them so, over and over. I was frozen though in his gaze I was afraid to even swallow. Convinced the old man had declared I would be his daughter\'s personal bodyguard I had been pulled back in and all because of my stupid pride all because of Ren baiting me and talking like I was worthless. Ren refused to speak to me after I was brought back to the manor though where I stayed was not like before. I was now living with the rest of the men. I was to be at Brittany\'s side from now on.