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He shakes his head quickly. “We’ve been… kind of estranged until recently.”

“Oh.” I nurse the accelerator like it’s a skittish horse, trying not to kangaroo us down the drive, the way I did when I left the North House. “So you’ve never been in any of his cars?” I ask him.

“Nope. I think he has a lot of them, though.”

The phone rings through the car’s speakers before I can ask him any more questions. West’s name flashes across the dash.

Oh, he’s found out. A little rush of excitement pulses through me. I take a cleansing breath as I say ‘hi’.

“Um, I think you have to press the button on the wheel to answer,” Bennett says helpfully.

I frown. “Which one.”

“Or just yell answer it,” he says, like he knows I’m inept, at least at this.

That’s more my level. “Answer it,” I command. And to my shock, I hear it connect on the speakers.

“Hello, little car thief.” West’s voice is a low purr. It sends a shot of something way too hot between my thighs.

“Hi,” I say, trying to sound innocent at the exact same moment Bennett chirps, “Hello, sir,” though his tone is much more embarrassed. “It was just a mistake,” he says. “I’m sure my uncle will explain.”

I look at him, biting my lip to stop from smiling. So that was the police trouble? “As you can hear, sweetheart, you’re on speaker.”So be nice to me.“I was just telling Bennett how sweet you are for giving me the Aston Martin as a wedding gift.”

West coughs. Or chokes. I’m not sure which. “Is that right?”

“It’s a very generous gift, sir,” Bennett says. “Uh, aren’t we supposed to drive on the right here?”

It takes me a second to realize that second part is for me. “Oops,” I say, moving the Vantage smoothly – or as smooth as I can when you’re driving a car that costs more than some peoples’ mortgages – onto the right side of the road. “Too many trips to England. Don’t worry, darling, your favorite car is safe with me.”

“Oh, I’m glad you’re enjoying it, angel” West says, all velvety smoothness that doesn’t fool me for a second. “Though I have to say, she’s… temperamental.”

“Who, me?” I ask, widening my eyes even though he can’t see me.

“The car,” he says, but the pause before the word is long enough to drip with meaning. “She needs someone who knows exactly how to handle her. Someone patient. Skilled. Someone who knows how to control her.”

Bennett shifts his long legs.

“Well, I guess she’ll just have to make do with me today,” I say. “Look, Bennett, isn’t that the most beautiful sight?” I inclinemy head at the ocean. “I used to go skinny dipping there when I was younger.”

Bennett makes a strangled noise.

West’s voice drops half a shade, rich enough to curl heat low in my belly. “Stop scaring Bennet. Or I’ll show you exactly what happens to bad girls when you get home.”

I shift in the seat, tightening my grip on the wheel, and pray that Bennett can’t see the flush creeping up my neck as I think about what West did to me last night. The slide of his lips on my neck, his fingers inside of me.

The way I shattered into a million tiny pieces.

“I can’t decide if that’s a promise or a warning,” I say lightly, even though my pulse is thudding in places it shouldn’t be right now.

“Oh, sweetheart,” West murmurs, “I don’t do warnings.”

The words ripple through me, low and dangerous, curling heat in my core.

“Uh, that’s a stop sign,” Bennett says, his voice lifting an octave. I hit my foot on the brake, and we judder to a halt, the hood only a few inches over the line.

Bennett exhales like he’s just survived a near-death experience. “Wow. These brakes are… sensitive.”

“Yeah,” I mutter, easing us back into motion, “they should join the club.”