Page 223 of Vicious Temptation

I slide beneath the truck on a creeper and shine my work light along the undercarriage. Fresh bullet holes scar the steel, but thankfully, there’s no structural damage. Replacing body panels is easy. Straightening a bent frame is another story.

This is where my brain has always made the most sense because every problem in here has a solution, and every broken part can be repaired or replaced if you know what you’re doing and have enough patience.

I wish people worked the same way.

There isn’t enough sanding in the world to smooth over what Rafe did, and I haven’t figured out how to repair the part of my psyche that keeps waiting for someone else to come after me.

It’s been weeks since the highway, and there hasn’t been so much as a whisper of retaliation. My parents haven’t uncovered anything new about the rumors surrounding our family either, but instead of making me feel better, the silence has left me wondering what the hell is still out there.

The hardest part has been staying away from Furia.

Some days, I wonder if it’s time to let that part of my life go. I’ll always have my cars, and I’ll always love the speed, the adrenaline, and the roar of a high-horsepower engine. What I haven’t wanted to admit is that the track doesn’t bring me the same joy it used to when Val and I tore it up together and gave everyone hell.

Maybe Rafe took some of that from me, and I hate him even more for it.

Blowing out a slow breath, I reach for my ratchet, reminding myself to deal with one problem at a time. For now, I can fix the truck and figure out the rest later.

The lock to my garage disengages with a familiar click, followed by the hiss of the door sliding open. I smile before I even see him. By the time I slide out from beneath his truck, he’s already standing above me with that panty-melting grin firmly in place.

“Hey, handsome.”

He offers me a hand and pulls me to my feet, caging me against the frame.

“Hey,” is all he says before capturing my mouth with his.

His hand slides over my bare waist before settling on the coveralls tied off around my hips. Fisting the fabric, he pulls me closer.

“God, I’ve missed you all day.” His tongue sweeps along mine. “Couldn’t get here fast enough. There was so much fucking debriefing.”

He hooks a hand beneath my thigh and lifts me until my legs wrap around his waist.

“Busy day?” My voice comes out breathless as his mouth trails down my neck.

“Busted a warehouse downtown. Drugs, guns, and enough illegal shit to keep us occupied for a while.”

“Baby, I’ve been sweating,” I warn as his lips skim my collarbone, and my fingers tangle into his still-damp hair.

“Mmm,” he groans against my skin. “Even better.”

A laugh slips out of me, and I tip his chin up until our eyes meet. “By the way, your truck has seen better days.”

“What’s the verdict, Doc?” He grimaces and scrunches his nose, and I swear it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. I kiss the tip of it and laugh at how hopeless I am when it comes to this man.

“Well, you’ve got a couple of options. We can order the parts and Frankenstein this beast back together, or we can haul it to the junkyard and let it become scrap metal.”

“What are you thinking?” he asks, his lips now brushing the swell of my breasts.

“A normal person would total it and never look back.” I grin. “But I’m not normal, and this is basically my dream project. Plus, I may or may not have already ordered you a set of Method Race Wheels.”

His eyes lift. “You did what?”

“No more factory for you. Not on my watch. I can’t be seen driving around with you on stock tires. I know people.”

He drops his forehead against my shoulder and laughs. “Fera, how much do I owe you for all this?”

“I’ll give you my friends and family discount. Only, instead of lollipops, I want something else from you.”

Thiago growls low in his throat, gripping my ass and rolling my hips against him. “Name your price. Whatever you want, it’s yours. I’m all yours.”