Chapter 18 Cassian #3
“Is it this model that used to stick between third and fourth?” she asks, fully focused on driving, not taking her eyes off the road as she shifts gears a little clumsily for my liking, but it could be the car. “Yep.” She answers her own question.
“Slow down a little, this turn is tight,” I say, again reaching over to adjust the steering wheel.
“Relax, will you? I got this.”
“There’s little room for error.”
“Are you going to hold on for dear life the whole way?” she asks with a glance at me.
“I don’t want whiplash. Who taught you how to drive?”
“My dad.”
“Did he let you go this fast?”
“Oh, I only ever drove on our property with him. He’d never let me on the highway. Or a real road even.” She grins.
“You told me you knew how to drive.”
“Well, I don’t have a driver’s license or anything.”
“You don’t have a license? You lied to me?”
“Not really. I mean, would you have let me drive if I’d told you the whole truth?”
“No, probably not.”
“But look at you now. You’re having fun.”
“What I’m having is a heart attack.”
She rolls her eyes. “It’s fine. I just haven’t had much real practice, but I know the basics.”
“Ease off the gears a little. It should slide into the slot not be rammed in. Like this.” I cover her hand with mine and instinct has her gasping, trying to pull away, but I don’t let her and a moment later, she stops trying.
“Push the clutch in,” I say, and she does, and I ease the car into a lower gear for the turn.
“Good girl. Again, clutch.” I shift up as she speeds up.
We drive like this for a while and when we get to the highway, I give her a nod to continue.
She smiles happily and weirdly, that smile makes me happy.
I keep my hand over hers even when shifting isn’t required.
I’m just beginning to relax into this, into her not pulling away from me, into her not fighting me, when my phone rings.
It’s Vivi’s ringtone or I might not answer.
She glances at me. “I’m fine. Go ahead.”
“Stay in the right lane.”
She sighs. “Boring.”
“Right lane,” I repeat.
“Fine.”
I dig my phone out of my pocket and answer. “Vivi, everything all right?”
I see Allegra glance my way.
“Everything is fine. Just wanted to let you know we’re on the plane. Angelo wanted to make sure you knew.”
“Thank you.”
“I gave Angelo a list of what we’ll need. How long do we have to stay away?”
“Not sure. Until I figure out who sent that package,” I say with a glance at Allegra. “Just relax and try to enjoy yourself.”
“It’s not that easy.”
“I know. Give me a few days. I’ll be in touch as soon as I can.” I am careful with my words because Allegra may pretend she’s focused on the road, but she’s listening to every word.
“We’re going to take off in a few minutes. Let me get Gage settled.”
“All right. Let me know once you land.”
“I will.”
“It’s just to keep you all safe. You know that.”
She sighs. “I know, Cassian.”
We disconnect and I tuck the phone into my pocket. Allegra looks at me, eyebrows raised.
“Take the next exit. We’re just about there,” I say, the mood in the car shifted now.
She nods and exits the highway. One of the SUV’s pulls around us to drive ahead of us into the lot.
“Follow him,” I tell her, and she does, nodding. We pull into the parking lot and follow the SUV to my spot. “There.” I point.
She slides the car into the spot, kills the ignition and turns to me. “See, I didn’t hit anything. That was fun actually.”
I rub my neck. “What? You didn’t expect to have fun with me?”
“Not really, no.”
I reach into the glove compartment to retrieve my Glock, slipping it into its holster before opening the door. My phone pings with a message. I pull it out of my pocket.
“Is it Vivi?” she asks.
I glance at her, noting her tone. She’s trying to be casual, but she’s not. “No, actually.” It’s Angelo telling me where he is. I type out a text to let him know we just arrived. “Let’s go in.” I climb out, close my door and by the time I walk around to open hers, she’s distant again.
“If they’re here because you think I’m going to make a run for it, I’m not.” She gestures to the soldiers climbing out of their SUVs.
“You wouldn’t run the first chance you got?”
“What would you do if I did?”
“I’d come for you,” I say, not needing to think about it. Not for a second. But I’m not sure she or I understand my reasons behind that. “But they’re here for protection. That’s all. Just as your family would have protection when out in public.”
I take the keys from her and pop the trunk. Before I can slip on my jacket and grab her bag, she does, hoisting it over her shoulder.
“Who’s Vivi?” she blurts.
I study her for a beat. Her attempt at casual has the exact opposite effect. “My sister-in-law.”
“The one who keeps her clothes in your closet.” She doesn’t quite look at me when she says it.
“I’ve already told you, it’s not like that.”
“I don’t care if it is, Cassian. I just want to be sure I’m protecting myself.” She takes two steps then stops. “From STDs I mean,” she adds hurriedly.
“Ah. Okay. Well, in that case, you’re safe.”
My phone pings with a message. “You should get that. It might be Vivi.” She starts to walk away again, but I capture her arm and stop her.
“Are you jealous, Little Moth?”
She tries to tug free, but I don’t release her. “Of course not.”
I study her, see the flush creep up her neck. She pulls at her arm again and this time, I tug her to me, wrap one arm around her back to grip her braids. Tugging her head backward, I lean close to inhale her scent, that subtle one of me, of my bodywash on her.
“I like my smell on you,” I tell her. She shudders. “Just to be clear, Vivi has never nor will she ever sleep in my bed. She’s like a sister to me.”
Allegra stares up at me. She’s searching my eyes, and I get the feeling there’s more.
“I heard what Jet said,” she says.
“Refresh my memory.” I say tightly, really not wanting to think about any of what Jet said because it makes me want to kill him all over again.
“That you’ve shared before,” she says. That’s not what I expected.
“My, what big ears you have, Little Moth.”
She shrugs her shoulders.
I grit my jaw. I remember well the moment. The rage I felt. The fury that I might share her. That he might touch her. That I’d allow it.
My eyes narrow as my blood begins to boil at the memory of him looking at her, laying his hands on her.
I glance around, draw a deep breath in. “Allegra.” I bring my mouth to her ear.
“You belong to me.” I lick the shell of it and she shudders.
“You have belonged to me ever since the moment you walked into your father’s study with those ridiculous wings on your back.
You’re the only woman I’ve thought about since that night.
You’re wild and violent and angry and you are mine.
Only mine, my Little Moth. And once we’re upstairs, I’m going to show you exactly what it means to belong to me. ”