17. "That's what people say in horror movies before they die."
I sat dwelling in the pride of securing the deal, in the passenger seat of Zayden's car. He drove in silence with one hand on the steering wheel, his jaw tight as usual.
He was too arrogant to admit that I had done him a major favour. Again.
"Zayden?" I broke the silence, getting bored.
"Hmm?"
"You might want to get that vein in your forehead checked. It looks like it's about to burst." I said, concealing my smile.
He let out a long sigh before relaxing his jaw, choosing to stay quiet.
I aired my collar, feeling warm. "Can you turn the AC on? It's so hot."
He snorted. "You're just not used to being this covered up. Otherwise the weather is a lot on the chillier side today."
I rolled my eyes, reaching forward to turn the AC on, but it didn't work.
I sighed in irritation. "What's the point in being so rich if your AC doesn't even work?"
He didn't reply, just continued to drive in silence.
I looked ahead at the empty road, surrounded by trees on both sides, frowning at the unfamiliar route. "Are you kidnapping me?"
"I don't kidnap people I want nothing to do with." He answered flatly.
"This isn't the way back home." I argued, looking out the window and gazing at the sky as it suddenly lit up with thunder.
I blinked. Another storm was on the way.
"The GPS showed traffic on the other route. We're forced to take the longer way." He replied gruffly.
I sighed heavily. "Another storm is brewing..."
"Thanks for the heads up. I'll avoid sharing couches with you today." He spoke, a tinge of sarcasm coating his nonchalant tone.
I shot him a glare. "Says the man who was holding me like his life depended on me with his morning wood pressed to my ass."
"Do you ever think before you speak?" He asked through gritted teeth.
"I could ask you the same." I shot back.
He huffed in exasperation, keeping his eyes ahead.
I began undoing the buttons of my blouse before sliding it down my shoulders.
"Sinclair," he gritted out. "Why the fuck are you stripping in my car?"
I rolled my eyes, throwing the blouse in the backseat and sitting in my white camisole. "Calm your tits."
"Behave." He warned, tone dark.
"Or what?" I asked, not afraid in the slightest.
"Don't make me stop the car right here and throw you into the woods." He threatened, raising his voice.
I snorted. "By all means, be my guest."
The car suddenly came to a halt on the side of the road. My eyes widened, and I turned abruptly to look at him.
"What? You're actually throwing me out?"
His jaw clenched before he tried bringing the engine back to life. "Fuck."
"What?"
"The car's not working, genius. What else do you think is happening here?" He snapped.
I facepalmed myself. "Great."
He stepped out, opening the bonnet to take a look at the problem, just as thunder roared through the silence. I sat stiffly, afraid, hoping to be back home before it started to rain.
I sat rigid in the passenger seat, watching Zayden with mild horror as he poked around under the hood like he had any clue what he was doing. His sleeves were rolled up, the muscles in his forearms flexing with every movement, but unfortunately, biceps didn't fix engines.
I stuck my head out the window. "You're not a mechanic, Ashford. It's crystal clear."
He didn't even glance my way as his voice came out annoyed. "And you're not helping."
"I'm offering moral support." I spoke.
"You're offering a headache." He deadpanned.
I scowled, sinking back in my seat. "You know, for someone who can afford to buy an entire car company, your taste in vehicles is impressively garbage." I called out.
He slammed the hood down with more force than necessary and then sat back in the driver seat. "It's not the car. It's the battery. Or the alternator. Or... whatever the hell it is." He muttered, yanking his phone out of his pocket.
Thunder rumbled in the distance again, louder this time.
I glanced nervously at the sky through the windshield. "Are you calling for help?"
"No service." He announced.
I stared at him, mouth parted. "No... please tell me you're kidding."
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" He retorted, a frown etched over his face.
He didn't. He looked like someone who wanted to punch a tree.
"Perfect," I muttered. "Stranded in the middle of nowhere with a malfunctioning car and your sparkling personality."
"I'm sure this is a dream come true for you." He said sarcastically.
"I'd rather be struck by lightning." I shot.
"You might want to step out for that." He said, throwing a small smirk my way.
I trembled slightly, eyes wide as tiny splatters of rain hit the windshield.
No, no, no. Please no.
He shut off his phone and tossed it onto the dashboard like it cost nothing, leaning back in his seat. His fingers drummed on the steering wheel, slow and agitated.
I crossed my arms. "So what now, genius?"
He sighed. "Now we wait for the rain to trap us here and pray the car doesn't slide into a ditch."
A moment of silence passed. Then—
"You know this is your fault, right?" I bickered.
"My fault?" He arched a brow, giving me an incredulous look.
"You took a weird route with a dying car and no service. What kind of CEO doesn't check basic logistics?"
"I'm not a fortune teller to be able to predict that my car would break down in the middle of nowhere," he retorted. "Do you know why this is actually happening?"
"Why?" I asked flatly.
"Because I'm chauffeuring bad luck disguised in human form today." He shot.
I glared at him. "I'm not bad luck. It's your dark, gloomy existence that's the problem. You carry dark clouds of sinister vibes and inauspiciousness every where you go."
He let out an agitated sigh. "Shut up, Sinclair. I swear my head is going to explode. You're like an annoying mosquito constantly buzzing in my ear!"
I gasped, slapping his shoulder. "Oh really? Then don't make me bite you and drink all your blood!"
He glowered at me. "Don't get touchy with me, Sinclair."
I forced a smile. "You're the last thing I'd want to touch."
"For starters, I'm not a thing." He said with a roll of his eyes like he'd said something so cool.
"You're stupid." I affirmed.
"You're idiotic."
I sighed exaggeratedly, palming my face.
The sky cracked open with lightning, followed immediately by a clap of thunder that made me flinch.
I hated storms.
I always had.
Then heavy rain came pouring down, blurring the surroundings.
Another flash lit up the car, followed by a deep, earth-shaking rumble. I swallowed hard and looked out the window again, only able to make out the pitch black darkness that surrounded us eerily.
Zayden was still glaring at the empty road like he could force a rescue vehicle to appear out of sheer willpower. His hand was clenched around the gearstick, his jaw still tight enough to crack.
I glanced at him, then at the storm creeping in around us. My heart was pounding louder with every new bolt of lightning, but I kept my voice steady. "So, do we sit here in silence all night, or do you want to keep insulting each other to pass the time?"
He glanced over. "Do you ever shut up?"
"Do you ever lighten up?"
"No."
"Shocking." I rolled my eyes.
The wind picked up suddenly, rocking the car ever so slightly. I instinctively gripped the door handle, my heart skipping a beat.
Zayden noticed.
He frowned. "Relax, Sinclair."
"I'm relaxed." I forced the lie out of my lips.
"You look like you're about to jump out of your skin." He stated matter of factly.
"Nope." I refused.
He tilted his head. "You're scared of storms. We both know it."
I kept my gaze ahead. "So what?"
"So relax. The storm's not going to kill you." He said calmly.
"I told you I'm relaxed." I said tightly.
"You flinched like the thunder personally offended you." He pointed out the obvious.
"I flinched because I'm trapped in a confined space with you, not because of the weather." I countered.
He exhaled slowly, draping an arm over the back of my seat. "Relax, Sinclair. It's just rain."
"It's not the rain. It's the thunder. And the wind. And the complete lack of cell service. And the fact that we're literally in the middle of nowhere, thanks to your detour from hell." I rambled, frustration bubbling within me.
The loud sounds of thunder made me want to cry.
His voice was quieter now, less sharp. "It's fine. The car's not going to go anywhere. And I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
I blinked before I shot him a skeptical look. "Really? That was almost... comforting. You okay?"
"Don't get used to it."
"Wouldn't want to allow myself the pleasure." I uttered sarcastically.
I tried to focus on anything but the increasingly violent weather. I fiddled with the hem of my camisole, tapping my foot restlessly against the floor.
Another crack of thunder rattled the air, louder than the last.
I pressed my back deeper into the seat, fighting back tears. "I want to go home."
"It's a storm. It'll pass, and we'll find a way to get home safely." He replied calmly.
"That's what people say in horror movies before they die." My voice came out hushed.
He huffed a laugh, but didn't say anything. Instead, he began removing his blazer before tossing it onto my lap.
I looked down at it, confused. "What's this?"
He rolled his eyes. "A truck... it's my blazer. What else do you think it is, Aurelia?"
I gave him a glare. "Why are you giving it to me?"
"You're cold."
"No—"
"You're shivering." He interjected.
I was, slightly. But I didn't appreciate the observation.
Or maybe I secretly did.
I lifted the blazer, burying myself under it without another word.
The silence stretched between us again, heavy but not quite uncomfortable anymore.
The rain began to pour harder, hitting the roof of the car in an angry rhythm. It sounded like war drums.
My throat tightened. I hated this part. The sound, the pressure, the isolation.
Zayden leaned his seat back and glanced sideways at me. "Why do you hate storms?"
I looked at him warily. "Why do you care?"
"I don't."
"They're just scary..." I muttered.
"Sure." He replied in a tone that said he didn't believe me.
I tugged the blazer tighter around myself.
"When I was a kid... I got into a car accident with mom and dad during a storm.
.. they both lost consciousness while I just sat there, alone, crying with the only sounds being those of thunder and heavy rain.
.. help arrived eventually, and nothing happened to them, but.
.. the noise and the chaos reminds me of the fear I felt that night every single time. "
His eyes flicked to me, something unreadable crossing his expression.
He didn't say anything. Just turned his gaze back to the rain.
A few minutes passed like that. The thunder rolled on, but he stayed quiet. No sarcasm. No smug comment.
It was weird.
But not entirely unpleasant.
The storm outside raged, but inside the car, things felt... still. Like some kind of truce had settled between us.
Temporary. Fragile. But real.
I closed my eyes for a second, the warmth of his blazer and the low hum of the rain lulling my nerves.
"You better not fall asleep again." He warned, but there was a warmth lingering underneath his words.
I cracked one eye open. "Why? Afraid you'll be tempted to cuddle me again?"
"Afraid you'll drool on my blazer."
"Please. You should be honored I'm even breathing near your blazer." I replied.
He scoffed, but there was a faint curve to his lips.
I smiled to myself, just a little.
Storms still sucked. But maybe this one wasn't so bad.
Maybe, somehow, the company wasn't either.
Even if he was the grumpiest man on the planet.