Page 44 of Safe Place

“Hey, do you have your driver’s license?” I ask.

“Yeah. I got one as soon as I could, but I’ve never had a car, so I’m very much inexperienced,” she says.

Good to know.

“Why?” she asks, narrowing her eyes.

I shrug casually. “Thought maybe you’d want to drive my car sometime.”

Her eyes widen. “What? No way. I am not driving something this expensive. I looked up this car, and there’s no way I’m ever getting behind the wheel.”

She’s practically panicking, which is honestly adorable. She has no idea I wouldn’t care if she totaled this car, as long as she was safe, of course. What I do care about is her taking unreliable buses or walking everywhere, especially to and from that sketchy part of town her apartment is in.

“What are you picking up?” I ask as I pull up to the student center.

“I’m not sure. The student I’m tutoring said he left me something,” she says.

He.

“You must be a hell of a tutor if he’s leaving you gifts,” I say lightly, though my grip tightens on the wheel. “Do you want me to go with you?”

She places her hand on my arm, soft and warm. “No, I’ll be right back.” She smiles before slipping out of the car, leaving me staring after her.

Who the hell is this student, and why is he leaving her gifts? Is he trying to get with her? Fuck. There it is again—that jealous feeling. It keeps showing up uninvited every time I'm around Sophie, and I still don't know what to do with it. I've never had to feel this before her. Attention has always just come to me without any effort on my part. Cocky as that sounds, it's the truth.

Sophie comes out of the student center looking nervous. Not flattered, not happy, but very nervous. She’s holding an Amazon box like it’s something she doesn’t even want to touch, then climbs into the car.

“You wanna open it? See what it is?” I ask, curious—and, okay, maybe a little on edge.

“Uh, no, that’s okay. I’ll open it at home.” She gives me a quick, tight smile. “Thanks for the ride. Again.”

The box has been re-taped. Weird. What kind of gift needs to be hidden inside an Amazon box?

Sophie peeks inside anyways, then immediately shuts it again, her face draining of color.

“What is it, Sophie?”

“Nothing. Can we just go? Please?” she says quickly, almost begging.

Between the text from earlier and now this, my patience snaps. What the fuck is going on?

Before she can stop me, I take the box from her and tear the tape open.

Inside is a sleek white La Perla box.

What the fuck? My stomach drops.

I flip it open. Bras. Panties. A bodysuit. A robe. All black and deep red silk. I’ve had my fair share of flings with girls who bragged about their La Perla sets—they were careful not to get anything on them, treating them like fragile treasure.

This all must cost a fortune.

And then I find the note.

I like my girls in quality lingerie, and this is as good as it gets. There’s more where this came from, if you’re ready to start enjoying the finer things with me.

My jaw locks.

“Micah—”