DAWNING POINT (AgeTabooRomance)

Chapter 8

Mr. Manning walked me outside to the front lawn. It was fairly dark now with the cloud cover, only the porch light and streetlights offered a glow against the otherwise black night.

It was past ten and the temperature was cooler than earlier. The smell of rain, fresh and crisp, made the air feel moist. It was definitely about to rain.

The chill had me rubbing my arms for warmth as I stepped further away from the front door. Thankfully my Uber was only a few minutes away.

Manning hovered beside me a moment, as if a thought came and went, before walking away toward the beautiful black Chevrolet Silverado parked on the driveway.

I had a feeling. "What are you doing?"

He was quiet a moment as he unlocked the truck and opened the driver door. "I'm driving you home."

"The hell you are," the alcohol must've given me courage because I didn't know what the hell I was saying.

He stilled, staring. Then he made short, clicking steps on the pavement that fell silent on the grass as he approached me, eyebrows handing low. "When a gentleman offers you a ride home for your safety, you take it." His voice was a command.

"A gentleman?" I scoffed but wished I kept my mouth shut.

He just moved closer. "Get in the truck."

"And how are you ensuring my safety?" I questioned despite my newly alerted nerves. I didn't trust that I would be.

If he thought he could tell me where to go and what to do, he had another thing coming.

"Oh, you're safe with me," he purred, that sickly-attractive-but-still-sick smile on his face.

Oh God. Shit.

This isn't a good idea.

I eyeballed him for a minute, wondering how far I'd get if I ignored his instruction. Would he let me go? Would he follow me home anyway? Was I safer just doing what he said and letting him drive me home; appease him so he wouldn't retaliate?

Manning, if I had learned anything about him, didn't like being challenged. He fought only to win.

Just a hunch.

In my mind, however, the biggest problem was that I didn't want him knowing where I lived. Stupid, surely. Why would he care where I lived?

Of course doesn't.

But somehow I'd still feel safer if he didn't know, stupid or not.

I swiped on my phone, bringing up the Uber app. My ride was two minutes away. "And if I choose to wait for my Uber?" I flashed him my phone screen, baiting him.

He didn't look at it, his eyes still firm on mine.

"You can wait if you want," he allowed. "But you won't be getting in that car, no matter how long you wait." It was an order.

What the hell was wrong with him?

Would I make it to the Uber before he scared the driver off? Paid him to leave?

What would he do to me?

I seethed, knowing that no matter what choice I made I'd be getting in his car at the end of it. I hated being told what to do. My mother was a big part of that.

But just because you're older, that doesn't always make you smarter.

I could handle myself. I refused to let him scare me. He was playing a game with me, and I just had to play to my advantage.