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His expression darkened into a scowl as more rain hit the windshield, until it was a full-blown downpour.
She poked the beast. “Let me guess—you don’t like surprises either.”
“There are enough surprises in my job. Something needs to go by the book.”
“Well, if you’re counting on the weather being the stable factor, you’ll never be happy.”
Suddenly, she realized they were slowing down. At that moment, Jace did too.
He stared down at the controls on the dashboard. “Something’s wrong with the engine.” He signaled and pulled off the highway. Cars zoomed past them.
“What do you think is wrong with it?” Bronte’s stomach churned. What if someone had tampered with the vehicle? Someonewasafter her.
Jace rocked forward in the seat to stare at the blinking light in the corner. “Fuck! It’s out of charge.”
She sucked in a gasp. “You forgot to charge it?”
“Hell. Where’s the nearest station?”
“You passed it two miles ago.”
He whipped his head to look at her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you’re the driver and in charge!”
“Hell,” he repeated like an ornery beast.
“There are roadside services for this sort of thing.”
“And risk another driver trying to kill you?” He shook his head and snapped his phone to his ear. He barked words into it. “Jaren. The EV is out of charge. We’re stranded on the side of the road.”
His brother must have asked what an EV was because Jace pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. “Electric vehicle. Yeah. Come pick us up. I’ll drop you a pin.”
An overwhelming urge to giggle stole over Bronte. She crushed her lips with the back of her hand and twisted to stare out the side window.
“I know you’re trying not to laugh at me.” His sour tone really made her lose it, and she shook with laughter.
“You should…see…your…face!” She rocked in her seat.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”
She wheezed through another heavy tremor of laughter. When she glanced at him, she saw the corner of his mouth twitch.
“You have to admit it’s a dumb thing to do.”
He snorted. “Don’t rub it in. You could have warned me the charge was low.”
“I’m not used to checking those things either. I have a driver, remember? Or at least I did. After this is all over, I’ll probably be walking to work.”
“No, you won’t.”
She met his stare across the small distance. His eyes burned with some emotion she couldn’t make sense of. “What’s wrong with walking?”
“It makes you a target. And you work long hours. A woman walking alone at night isn’t a good idea.”
She started to say that she could take care of herself when he looked in the rearview mirror. “Here’s Jaren. Be careful getting out on the side of the road in those high shoes. I’ll get the bags.”
Within seconds they transferred cars and abandoned theirs on the side of the road. She settled in the back seat, thinking Jace would take shotgun next to his brother, but when the back door opened, she started.
