Page 135 of Risky Obsession

She pulled on her seatbelt. “You were so quick.”

I drove out of the car yard. “No paperwork.”

“Yeah, but still.” The confusion in her eyes showed how much this messed with her plan to stay on the right side of the law.

The engine whined as I drove through the main street, heading the other way out of town. I kept an eye on the rearview mirror, checking to see if we were followed. If the dodgy car dealer wanted to turn us in, he could tell the cops what car we were in, and we would be screwed.

Forcing that disastrous possibility out of my mind, I turned off the main road, onto a street that ran parallel to the ocean. After breakfast this morning, I’d used the train station Wi-Fi to search for the location of Ünetzburg Castle. According to Google Maps, it was just a thirty-minute drive away. We probably could have walked there. Although, the less we were in the public eye, the better.

Lacey drummed her fingers on her sweatpants and her stiff body language told me she was well out of her comfort zone.

Good. I wasn’t comfortable working with a liar either.

At the other end of town, we drove past buildings that still bore the signs of war. Several were half demolished, and nature had taken over as occupants.

Lacey’s unexpected silence continued as we left the outskirts of town. I thought she’d continue gloating about her discovery. What was going through her mind?

Why did I even care?

Furious that I couldn’t switch my thoughts off her, nor could I get rid of her, I stomped on the gas, trying to get the fucking car to at least reach the speed limit.

Small bungalows with stone fences that looked centuries old lined the street. I turned onto a road that veered away from the ocean and as I gradually drove up a steep incline, the car’s whining grew louder. I crunched down a gear to navigate a hairpin turn and the road became even steeper. The car slowed to a crawl that was fucking ridiculous.

“I think we can walk faster than this,” Lacey joked.

“Go on then.”

“No way. This is exciting.” She flashed a wild grin.

I couldn’t decide if she was faking that smile, or if it was real.

She did that to me, triggered my need to question everything she said and did.

The higher we climbed, the narrower and steeper the road became. Dense vegetation flanked the sides of the road, stealing any potential views from us.

Lacey shifted in her seat angling to face me more. “I wonder what the castle will be like.”

“Old.”

“Maybe it will be in a better condition than Carinhall?”

Our trip to that castle seemed like ages ago.

“Do you think we’re going to find the gold there?” she asked.

“Nope.”

“Well, aren’t you the party pooper.”

“Just keeping it real. Unlike you.”

“Thisisthe real me, Kane. Lacey Brooks.”

I clenched my jaw, determined to block her out.

Once a liar, always a liar.

That mantra had been for my sister. Lacey proved that she earned it, too. With her in my company, that mantra was the only way I could keep my sanity.