Treachery

“I’ll do what I want,” she answers, her eyes like little daggers stabbing me in the face.

Shifting my posture, I go about this a different way.

Luca may be frustrating as shit, stubborn as a mule, and a fucking problem I never asked for, but she’s still reasonable. Smart, even. Not a stupid little girl who climbs into cars with strangers.

Why the fuck didn’t Shane do more than drain her battery? I told him to make sure the car was fully out of commission.

Lazy ass motherfucker...

“You don’t even know him. That guy-“

“Priest,” she says, as if his name should matter in the least.

“Priest,” I say with a tight grin, my voice leaving no room for anyone to think his existence isn’t something that’s riding my last nerve at the moment, “is someone you don’t know. And smart women know better than to climb in cars with strange men.”

“Smart women also know not to climb in cars with assholes who are trying to destroy their lives.”

More like I’m trying to save it at this point, but I can’t tell her that.

Leaning down so we’re eye to eye, I refrain from grabbing her shoulders to shake the shit out of her.

Luca can’t be left to wander around anymore, and a split-second decision is made to lock her down fully.

She’ll fight. I know that. Know her. But she’s not safe out in the world where men are trying to kill her.

“I may be a problem in your world at the moment, but I’m also not some strange guy offering to drive you off to God knows where. Get in my car, and we’ll follow behind him.”

A mischievous glimmer erupts in her eye, a look I’m familiar with only because I see it every time she gets an idea in her head that means trouble. Notching that rebellious chin of hers a touch higher, she crosses her arms over her chest.

The motion only drags my gaze down for a split second, appreciation bursting through me at the tight top she’s wearing that showcases just how beautiful her body is.

“Up here, Ta

My eyes flick up, and I grin. “Couldn’t be helped.”

Luca scowls, but then those tempting lips turn up at the corners. There is pure evil in the expression.

“I’ll make you a deal,” she offers, her tone of voice mocking because if anybody should be offering deals at the moment, it’s me.

Straightening my posture, I stare down at her and slip my hands into my pockets. “What’s the deal?”

I’m always curious with her. If this were any other woman, I would have walked away, bored that somebody thought they could play me at my own game, but with Luca, it’s always a challenge I’m willing to accept.

Her grin widens. “I’ll get in your car.”

Nodding my head, I grin back. She’s going somewhere with this, and I’m practically holding my breath to discover where.

“But in return, you have to cancel the hearing.”

I’m like a wolf staring down a very confused rabbit, it’s fluffy bu

I want to snap my teeth at this woman, but instead I round my shoulders, feign a

“Done.”

What Luca doesn’t realize is that I already canceled the hearing. Partly as a pretend professional courtesy, and mostly because I had no intention of going forward with it anyway.

But she doesn’t know that, and she doesn’t need to. I have no problem letting her believe she bested me.

For now, at least.

Surprise widens her eyes for only a second, the expression gone when she schools her face into a blank mask mimicking mine.

“Fine. I’ll ride in your car.”

“Excellent choice.”

Spi

But only to see where the shop is, I don’t say. I have no actual plans of stopping there.

The asshole flashes me an arrogant grin while reaching to scrub a hand over the back of his neck.

“Whatever. Just be sure to keep a good distance back. I have no idea what’s actually wrong with the car, and it might stall out if the battery dies again.”

He meets my stare, grins again, and then turns to start pulling all the wires from her battery before slamming the hood closed.

Not knowing who this dumbfuck is that thinks he can intimidate me with nothing more than a cocky grin, I ignore the fact I don’t trust him. For all Luca knows, this guy could be pla

Really, I should care, but unfortunately for Luca, I don’t. The less ability she has to get away from me, the better.

I grab Luca by the elbow, ignoring the way she attempts to jerk her arm from my hold, and lead her to my car. Opening the door for her, I watch as she slides into the seat, her eyes tipping up to me with suspicion rolling behind them.

“That was too easy,” she says, that blue gaze narrowing just a fraction.

It’s about time she caught up, although a pity for her that the trap has already sprung.

Closing her door, I round the car to climb behind the wheel, my Bluetooth ringing as soon as I start the engine. Shane’s name flashes across the screen, but I hit the button to ignore it.

Making a mental note to call him later when Luca isn’t within earshot, I pull out of the parking spot and trail Thug as he drives Luca’s junker ahead of us.

He stops as we reach the end of the lot, climbs out of the car, grabs Luca’s things from the back seat and walks them back to us.

My skin bristles with concern as he opens my back door like he has the right to touch my car, and tosses the bags in.

Peeking in at Luca, he explains, “I’m going to toss this up on the lift as soon as we get there, so I thought you might like your stuff now. I won’t be able to get it out once the car is up.”

It’s as good an explanation as any, but also a load of shit.

What the hell is this guy up to?

Slamming my door closed, he walks back to Luca’s car, hauls ass into traffic and hangs a left that forces me to haul ass after him.

Luca’s four-cylinder has nothing on my eight, making it easy to keep up. But just as we come into sight of the shop he’s leading us to, Luca’s car suddenly spins out of control, crossing the sidewalk, hitting a pole on one side of the car before spi

My eyes round at the crunch of metal and screeching tires, Luca’s voice filling my car on a scream as smoke rises up from the pavement, the car coming to a stop a few feet from the building.

It lists right with two flat tires.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

Her car is totaled, and Thug climbs out of it without so much as a scratch on him when I pull up.

“Stay here,” I bark at her before jumping out of my car to run up and figure out how the asshat isn’t dead.

Ru

Brown eyes glance my direction and he shrugs. “The brakes gave out, boss. Went to take the turn and the car wouldn’t stop.”

The brakes gave out.

Of fucking course they did.

Because if you can’t kill her by ru

Settling on a decision that will only set Luca and I against each other more, I glare at Priest and pull a business card from my wallet.

“Give me a call when you figure out what happened to them.”