Page 49 of Villainous Kingpin

There were worse crimes than extortion. “I can afford it.”

She rolled her eyes. “The richest and youngest gazillionaire.”

I chuckled. “Gazillionaire, huh?”

She shrugged. “That’s what the papers said.”

“You believe everything you read and hear in the media?”

For a moment she stiffened and a shadow passed her expression. “No, not everything.”

Rays of sun caught strands of her hair, making them shine like gold. She was a mystery and an open book. She didn’t play coy. I sensed her honesty when answering, but there were parts of her she was hiding. I couldn’t shake the feeling and usually my sixth sense never failed me.

I overheard part of her conversation with her mother last night. I got the sense she cared about her very much, but there were clearly some issues in their relationship.

The squeal of tires sounded behind me, and I flicked a look into the rearview mirror. I saw the corner of a black Land Rover three cars back. It was a habit to check surroundings and I was glad for it now because I swore the same black Land Rover followed us since we left the hotel.

“Wynter?”

“Hmmmm.”

“You think you could lose that black Land Rover three cars behind us?”

She glanced in her rearview mirror and her brows furrowed, worry crossing her face. Then her eyes darted my way. “I don’t want to get a ticket,” she murmured. I couldn’t help smiling. She worried about getting a ticket while I’ve done much worse.

“You won’t,” I assured her. “If we get pulled over, I’ll handle the cops.”

A spark flickered in her eyes. “Promise?”

I nodded. It was all the encouragement she needed. She stepped on the gas and the car accelerated so fast, my back pressed against the seat.This girl has some recklessness in her, I mused as I pulled up my phone and shot a message to Priest.

I watched her odometer hit 80… 90. She was a confident driver. I had yet to find something that I didn’t like about this girl.

“You better tell Priest it’s your fault if I crash his fancy Jeep,” she teased. “And don’t ever let him recite my last rites.”

I threw my head back and laughed. “I’d crush his throat before he’d be able to say the first word.”

She grinned happily, then reached and turned up the music. It was the first thing she did when she sat in the Jeep. Connected her music to the Bluetooth. She had a lot of chick and classical songs, though as long as she was happy, I didn’t care.

Glancing behind me, I noted the Land Rover was still there. My phone buzzed. It was a message from Priest. He had a pin on my location and sent men. I didn’t expect anyone to be tailing us in Pennsylvania so I only had a handgun on me, tucked in the back of my pants. I refused to risk Wynter’s life if there were men after me.

I pointed to the exit we had to take and Wynter slowed for it, then glanced over her shoulder and cut through three lanes at the right moment to take it, ditching our Land Rover friends.

“Good job,” I commended her.

She beamed. “Thank you. My first high speed chase.”

“I might be corrupting you,” I mused.

She shrugged, her eyes twinkling. “I like it.”

Fuck me. She might be corrupting me too, in the best way possible.

Because this feeling around her was addictive. Her smile. I’d do anything to see her smile.

* * *

I stepped up to the two men hanging from the ceiling. Two days in a row in Priest’s basement. What was it about Wynter that brought out the crazies? Or maybe she was bringing out the crazy even more in me?