Page 24

“I can’t. Can you please just take over?” She went to unclip her seatbelt.

“Listen to me, foot on that break. Start the car,”

The car horns started again.

“I can’t do this!”

Unclipping my seat belt. Getting out of the car. Pointing at the driver. “Do you have a problem?” walking to the back of the car. “Touch that horn one morefuckingtime. I dare you.”

Walking back to the car. “Alright, let's go again.” Closing the door. “Clutch to the ground,” putting her hand on the shifter, “First gear, alright, you're good both ways. Slowly accelerate.”

We started to move, crossing the road. “You’re doing great pea. Now, indicate and pull over.”

I took a few seconds after the car stopped. I had never needed a cigarette more in my life.

“Now, Sofia, I need you to be honest with me. Why are you insisting on learning a stick? I’m not saying you can’t, but I want to know why you’re focused on it.”

“Bastion said that automatics are not real cars.”

Did he just.

“Nealy, all of Bastion's fleet of cars are automatics. Fuck, he only drives stick when he wants to impress a girl.” How impressive that is, though, I’m not sure. “Is Bas the only reason you want to drive a stick?”

Tapping the stirring wheel, she sighed loudly, before turning to look at me. “I don’t want to be considered not a real driver.”

“I only drive automatics.”

“That’s not true.”

“Well, from today onwards I will.”

Rolling her eyes, she crossed her arms.

“Ignore Bas’s one-off comment. What do you want, pea? Either way, I’m teaching you.” Might just be here a lot longer if she insists on learning manual. Fuck. I’ll have to get Nik to handle those guys that were still waiting to be tortured.

The sooner we find out who is lacing our drugs. The easier my schedule will get. Though knowing my brothers, and my luck, something else would happen.

Solve one problem, three more normally followed.

Staring out the side window, she wouldn’t look at me. God, give me patience.

“Okay, fine. Let’s go again.”

Her hand hovered on the ignition. “Will you say something if Bas starts telling me I’m not a real driver?”

“He won’t, but if he does. Yes, I will remind him of the definition of driving.”

The corner of her lips twitched up. “Promise?”

“You liked that silver SUV he has, right?” reaching for my phone to search for a car dealer. “Why don’t we go buy one of them, and you can learn in that. If he says anything, you point out his daily isn’t a real car.”

“Can I keep it?”

“No point to a driver’s license without a car.”

Just like that, she was fine with the idea of driving an automatic.

Staring at my phone. When did I become scared of sending a message? Goddamn it. It’s just dinner. We ate together all the time before. Sending the message to Madeline, I sat back on the couch. Pretending to listen to Sofia's long, detailed explanation of a television show.