Page 79 of Good Girls Beg

He wore a navy suit with a dark tie, his hair neat but damp from a shower. His composure was back in place. Not the worried, furious man from the night before. Were they the same person?

"I don't mind walking," I said. "Or I could call for a ride-share." I should pay a visit to the bike store after college.

"I'll drive you." He scooped his keys up from the stand beside the door, giving me no room to argue.

"Fine. I could use a…" I trailed off as an enormous truck turned into the driveway. On the back were several cars, all gleaming and new.

"Right on time." Fade shrugged into a suit jacket as he appeared from his room.

"What is this?" Hel demanded.

Fade responded with a slow smile. "Teddie needs a car. I called in some favors." He looked like the proverbial cat that got the cream.

Hel looked furious he hadn't thought of it first.

As for me, I didn't know where to stare. At Hel, Fade, or the expensive looking white car the truck driver was backing off the truck.

"What are we all looking at?" Oak came to stand behind my shoulder. "Oh, nice. Which one of you…"

"It's for Teddie," Hel said, his jaw as tense as I'd ever seen it.

"I can't accept this," I said once I finally remembered how to talk.

"You already have." Fade grabbed my hand and led me out to the front of the house. "She's paid for. She's in your name. No take-backs.”

"Why would you do this?" I asked. My head was spinning.

"Like I said, you need a car," he said. "White cars are safer, because everyone can see you coming. This one has all the latest safety features too." He rattled off a few more things while I watched the driver park my new car under a tree.

"It must have cost a fortune," I said.

He leaned over and whispered in my ear. "It was a really good blow job. Besides I have more money than I know what to do with. This was nothing."

I believed him. "I don't know what to say."

"You can start with ‘thank you,’ and ‘my mouth is yours whenever you want it.’" He grinned.

I gave him the side eye and a smirk. "You wish. If you think I can be bought that easily⁠—"

His smile widened slowly. “Sweetheart, you already were."

CHAPTER THIRTY

TEDDIE

I couldn't get what I heard during the storm out of my head.

All the way through college and the drive back—the car was a dream—I kept thinking about it. I was sure I didn't imagine it. Nothing seemed amiss with any of the houses in the area. I saw no sign of police cars or ambulances. That only left two other possibilities. Either it was a ghost or…

I parked my new car back under the tree and locked it carefully behind me. I had a feeling Fade wouldn't be impressed if it was stolen from the front of the house hours after I got it. That begged the question, when did he organize it? Either he moved fast, or this was in the works before last night. I wouldn't put either past him, to be honest. The fact my car was old and tired wasn't lost on anyone. Of course he'd want me grateful to him.

As for being bought already, I tried to put that out of my head but it also continued to echo. It wasn't exactly inaccurate. They bought my time in return for helping my fathers. I'd acknowledged that from the beginning. Hearing it from his mouth though? That brought it into sharper focus. Sharp enough to be uncomfortable. Sharp enough to break under my skin. I was going to have to thicken it up.

I headed into the house and put my things down, keeping an eye out for Shannon. I couldn't see her anywhere. She must be out doing the grocery shopping. That meant I had a small window of opportunity. I might as well take it.

I bit my lip and pushed open the door to Oak's bedroom. Why did I expect it to be locked today? I didn't know, but it wasn't.

I stepped into the room and stopped. Something was different. It only took a moment to notice what it was. Oak's clothes had been pushed aside, leaving the door down to the basement exposed.