𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 [18+]

- 25 -

I just wanted those expensive fucking leather seats to rise and swallow me up.

The car revs in the wide streets. I suppress a gasp at the strength of this thing. I can't even help clenching my thighs together.

"What the fuck do you want, Val?" I snap.

He speeds up, his hands aggressively clenching on the steering wheel - but his eyes anything like. They're so calm, always.

"What do you think?" He answers, not taking his eyes off the road.

"I told you. I don't want you! You're wasting your time if you think I will change my mind."

He laughs. He just fucking laughs.

All the thrill fades away when I recall that I'm riding with the devil. "Pull over."

"We're not there yet."

I face him with an incredulous look. "You really think I'd let you drive me to school?

"Who said we're going there?"

He glances at me, a dark gleam in his eyes. "Somewhere we can talk without interruptions."

My heart races as I stare at him. "I don't want to go anywhere with you. Pull over now!"

His grip tightens on the steering wheel, and his jaw clenches. "You need to calm down, Zara. I won't hurt you much today."

"Then act like it and let me out!"

He sighs, his calm demeanour cracking slightly. "I'm not letting you out until we've talked. Properly."

I feel trapped, anger and fear warring within me. "There's nothing to talk about!"

"On the contrary," he says, his voice firm. "There's a lot we need to discuss."

"Val, please," I try to keep my voice steady. "I don't want this. I don't want you."

"I told you to be a good fucking girl and answer all my texts, didn't I?"

He lifts his shoulder, "A word of advice, don't ignore me - you probably won't like the consequences."

"Another word of advice, you can shove your word of advice up your ass." My voice rises.

The stunt he pulled with my Mom and her look of betrayal makes me sick to my stomach. I hated it.

He makes a humming sound before turning the wheels, "You can take my word or advice or..." he reaches over and clutches my hands in his, interlocking them, "I will continue to show up at your house and make your mom fall absolutely in love with me." He lifts my fingers and kisses them.

Oh, my god.

To an outsider, the gesture would look gentle, almost chaste. But this is Val fucking Lawrence. The malice in his eyes twists me in knots.