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“Oh, I see. My father said something in your presence.” He adjusts himself and turns away from me, back toward the driveway to check if the coast is clear. “Fine. You do what you want, I’ll do what I want, and we’ll put on a show for him.”

“Trino…”

My heart sinks for some reason. Did I offend him?

Chapter 6

Tristano

This woman is poison.

My cock is rock hard, staring up at me from the seam of my pants as I’m tasked with dragging her to myfucking house. I can’t help but sniff my collar when she’s not looking. Her scent is on me. Some faint perfume mixed with her sweat that’s making my entire body remain on high alert.

There’s something about being hopped up after a kill. I imagine it like the olden times or something. War. Maybe the Spartans felt this way after murdering Persians – not like in history when they fucked each other afterward, but like the movie when they came home from battle to lay with their wives. Blood never quite runs as hot.

And this woman is denying me, after Isavedher.

“C’mon,” I growl.

“Trino,” her voice cracks with sympathy, as if she didn’t cause this mood of mine.

“Stop making noise. Let’s get to my car first.” I look both ways at the tail end of the driveway to the row of houses I recall when I parked. Should be just off to the left. “Did‘Gil’text you back? With a name like that, I doubt he’d be reliable in crises.”

She checks her phone, and while she does, I can’t help but notice the blotchy red marks on her tanned chest. Good to know she wanted me all along at least. Butmy God, what a prude goody-goody. Can’t stand it. Thinks she’s better than me because I like to spend time at one of my businesses.

Fuck.

Off.

Once we get to the sidewalk unseen, we’re just normal pedestrians. I beckon her to catch up and hook my arm forappearances. I hate that there’s volcanic levels of chemistry between us. I wanna tear her head off as much as I want to spread her legs apart and show her what she’s missing.

I beep open my brand-new black BMW M3, waiting for a reaction. Hmph. She doesn’t even flinch. Usually it’s a ‘Damn, Tris,’ or ‘Oh my God,’ but she just keeps bashfully eyeing me. Now I’m even more annoyed.

“Get in, bug.”

“I don’t very much like this new nickname,” she scoffs.

“Shouldn’t have told me that.”

The red leather seats are scorching from sitting in the sun. It doesn’t bother me because I’m not a pussy, but I do take pleasure in her yelping like a stupid puppy when she sits in the passenger’s seat. I turn away to hide my smirk.

“Well, did he respond?” I ask, pulling a screeching U-turn down the block.

“He said it’s done.” She holds onto the side panel dramatically. “Can you not kill us on our first hour together, Toretto?Jeez.What are you trying to prove, anyway? All you’re going to do driving like a maniac is alert the neighbors that something is up.”

I grit my teeth. She has a point.

Blue balls just makes me angry. I’m swearing off this broad right now. I’ll do what I have to for appearances… to make Pop happy in his dying years. But that’s all this is. An arrangement.

“What are you doing? Didn’t we just trespass in my neighbors’ yard to getawayfrom my house?” She puts a hand to her heart when I slow down at the end of the block.

“Are you going to act like Miss Shakespeare this entire ride?”

“Soon-to-be Missus.”

I groan.

“So… what the hell are we doing, Trino?”