Page 96 of The Cute Psycho

"What were you thinking?" I run toward him, my hands wrapped in the material of his shirt.

"I got what we came for," he says, "information." He briefly winks at me before giving a nod to Seth.

"We need to go. Now. I just bribed an employee for the contact information of whoever bought the twins. Imagine mynotsurprise when it turns out it's our Miles." He scowls, "So we need to act fast and follow his broker."

Taking my hand, we sneak back into the club, leaving through the main entrance to reach the parking spot.

"And now," Vlad says, stroking his chin. "Since we have an additional guest, the motorcycle is out of the question," he muses, his eyes lighting up as they move around the parking lot. "But that," he points to a big car, "is perfect."

He doesn't wait for me to reply, dashing to the car. Taking out his leather cut, he wraps it around his fist before he brings it down on the window, smashing it to pieces.

Recognizing that he's already planned the entire thing, I just wait while he finishes whatever he's doing.

Sneaking his hand inside, he effortlessly opens the door to the car, calling us to hop in.

"You're crazy," I mutter as I climb into the passenger seat, Seth taking the back one.

"We need to be fast, Hell Girl. I can't waste any time," he smirks, kicking the board of the car and grabbing onto the wires underneath.

"Do you know what you're doing?" I ask just as I see someone else exit the club, their eyes fixed on the car we're currently trying to steal.

"Maybe." He scrunches his nose, combing through the wires attentively.

"I think youshould,because those people don't seem too friendly." I point to the three men who are already unholstering their guns and aiming toward us.

"Almost," Vlad mumbles, flinging the wires together until there's a spark. "There we go," he says, pleased with himself.

But just as the car purrs to life, the bullets start raining on us.

"Down!" Vlad shoves me down, my head hitting his lap. He's maneuvering the car around, putting it in reverse just as the bullets hit one window.

Pushing his foot on the accelerator, he successfully leaves the parking lot.

"What now?" I ask breathlessly when I finally come out for air. Seth is unbothered in the back, his gaze as empty as before.

Vlad, on the other hand, has a manic smile on his face as he speeds down the street.

"Now, we go to the back entrance and wait for the broker to leave with the twins," he answers, his voice full of enthusiasm.

"Then we just follow?"

He nods, his eyes gleaming as he steers the car toward a hidden spot a few blocks down. Parking just off the entrance, he stops the engine and we wait.

"Can you tell me more about this mutation?" I muster the courage to ask since he hadn't seemed very receptive the first time.

He leans back in his seat, his eyes on me.

"I don't know much about it, only that in my case it causes my emotions to be muted," he starts. "There's not much research on it, but the one doctor I've spoken to has noted that generally it affects areas of emotions and social interactions."

"Your emotions are muted?" I ask, blinking rapidly as I'm trying to digest the information.

Does that mean he has no feelings?

"Indeed." His lips widen in a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. I'm just staring at him, every moment of our acquaintance replaying in my mind.

His learned behaviors and the social masks he dons. The wicked smile that he plasters on his face, so that everything he says is taken as a joke, even when it's the furthest thing from one. The way his words seem to amuse, but theyalwayshide a double meaning unknown to anyone but him. The emptiness in his gaze that I notice in the rare unguarded moment, or the way his eyes rove around the room like a predator stalking his prey.

It all makes sense... And yet it doesn't.

---