Page 61 of Isaac

"Where to?" I ask.

"You'll see." His lips twitch with a small smirk, something I’ve never seen him do. Actually, our visit to Shonda Murphey aside, I’ve hardly ever seen him show any emotion except for controlled aggression. But now his poker face cracks a little to reveal the real man behind the mask.

"I gotta shower," I supply, pushing back the strands of hair that fell into my face with my hand.

"Rough shift at the club last night?" he asks, pinching one eyebrow as his gaze drops to the Glock I’m holding at my thigh.

"Something like that."

"I’ll wait in the parking lot," Isaac declares. "Half an hour enough?"

I nod. "That’ll do."

Thirty minutes later, I’m in the parking lot. Time is irrelevant, but promises are chains. I find myself slipping intoHawk with ease that frightens me more than any gun to my head could when I climb into an SUV Isaac is driving.

There are two paper cups with coffee in the cupholder and he motions at one.

I take him up on his offer. Yesterday was a real clusterfuck at Purgatory and my body is hurting. I need fuel as much as I need air right now.

Isaac’s SUV eats the road beneath us while we weave through the streets. The landscape outside is a blur as we make for the edge of the city.

We hardly talk. Isaac has music on. Something vintage. Could be from the sixties. His index finger is tapping over the steering wheel along with the beat and I can’t bring myself to break this spell, to yank him out from this little bubble of his. So I remain mostly quiet unless he asks me a question first.

Eventually, when the skyscrapers of the Strip are left long behind, we pull up to the car dealership.

"Let's go check out a few rides," Isaac says, stepping out into the warm Vegas air.

So, he’s buying a car…

And he needs my help why?

But I don’t voice any of these thoughts as I follow him into the lot.

The gleam of polished chrome and the scent of new leather pull me into the moment, a stark contrast to the usual grime, sweat, and gunmetal of my days. Isaac leads the way like a kid in a candy shop, only these treats have horsepower and come with a hefty price tag.

"Pick one," he says, a challenge in his tone that brooks no argument.

I shrug, playing it cool. "Dealer's choice." But inside, I'm a live wire, every sense attuned to the danger of joy riding with aman who's both my mark and an enigma that's getting harder to solve.

He points to a line-up of cars, a buffet of speed and luxury. We start with a sedan, too sleek, too civilized. Then a sports car that's a bit too on-the-nose for guys like Hawk or Isaac. I’m the one taking them around the block, wondering if Isaac is too lazy for this type of activity.

When we get to the latest GT model, all black and growling like a caged beast begging for release, something clicks the moment we slide into those leather seats. It's not just a car; it's freedom on four wheels.

"Look how smooth she rides," Isaac says, his voice a low rumble that matches the engine's purr. His face is turned my way, his eyes on me like a light stroke of a paintbrush on my skin.

I suppress the shiver that runs through me and nod in agreement, fingers coiled tight around the steering wheel.

We roll through the streets around the dealership, the Mustang responding to my touch with the precision of a lover. I smile under my nose as I direct the car, feeling its power thrum through me. Cover or not, I appreciate good cars.

Beside me, Isaac is a study in relaxation, his posture slouched, legs spread wide in the confines of the passenger seat.

His hair is a tousled mess from the wind whipping through the open windows, giving him an air of reckless abandon that's just too infectious.

When he laughs softly at the exhilaration of the drive, it's a sound that's free and untethered, and it does strange things to my insides. His smile is a rare thing, genuine and unguarded, lighting up his face in a way that makes him look almost... innocent.

It's disarming—seeing this side of him.

"Feels good, doesn't it, Hawk?" Isaac says, turning that smile on me like a weapon I have no defense against.

---