Page 14 of Furious
But Ares doesn’t let go of my hand, so it can’t be that bad. Right?
“This morning while I was on duty, I bumped into your ex, Calvin Fox. It looks like he’s looking for a job in town.”
This doesn’t come as news to me, since I heard his brother telling Chance and Lev that Cal wants to race them. Is it possible that Ares knows about the secret race Dave and Cal are organizing this weekend just outside of campus? I don’t think so. When he came to pick me up to take me driving, he saw Chance and Lev. If he knew about the race, there’s no way he would be so calm.
A crazy idea comes to mind. Maybe I should tell Ares about it. I don’t trust Cal to play fair, and maybe Ares can talk Chance and Lev out of it. I would, but they don’t know I followed them, so I’m not supposed to know.
I open my mouth to say something, but I change my mind. Ares might be Chance’s brother, but he’s also a cop. If he knew about the race, he would be obligated to do something about it. Maybe he would have to report it to the sheriff. With the new law that makes just keeping a motorcycle within city limits illegal, that’s a risk I can’t take.
If Ares got Chance and Lev in trouble with the law—and most of all with Scott—they would never forgive me for telling on them. They could have told me about the race since rush night, but neither of them said one word about it, despite having the opportunity multiple times.
Ares interprets my internal conflict as shock about the news he just gave me. “Princess, are you ok? Look, the guys and I didn’t want to tell you. But we thought you should know. As far as we know, you didn’t end things amicably with him. And thatmotherfucker looks like the kind of asshole who would bear a grudge. So we wanted you to be prepared in case you bumped into him. Watch your back, you know?”
“Thank you.” I say softly.
He brings my knuckles to his lips. “Don’t mention it. But can I ask you to do something for me, princess?”
God, those eyes are so intense I swear they can look deep into my soul. Ares is so gorgeous, with his high cheekbones and those soft, perfect lips that rarely break into a smile but feel so good against mine.
“What is it?” I ask.
“If you see your ex and he says or does anything even vaguely hostile, I want you to call me. Is that ok?”
I’m about to argue that I can handle Cal. But then I remember how I met Ares and the others, and I nod. “If I’m by myself, I promise I’m gonna call you. You know, Ares, I think you chose the right job.”
He tilts his head to the side, his curiosity peaked. “What makes you say that?”
“It’s how we met, remember? Cal was being an asshole, and you stepped in and kicked his ass. Your instinct is to help others. You protected me even if you didn’t know me.”
He’s still holding my hand. “I will always protect you. With my dying breath.” He kisses my knuckle again.
I’m about to jump out of my seat and into his lap, but he lets me go and buckles up again. “Come on. Let’s take another couple of laps around this parking lot. We’ll do a few stops and starts. When I say stop, I want you to step on the brake as gently as you can. Remember the clutch, or we’ll get jolted again. Knowing how to stop is half the battle here.”
I’m a little disappointed that the moment we seemed to be having is over. My body is certainly not happy with the lack of contact with Ares. It’s hard to explain, but he’s like a magnet.When he’s in my vicinity, the attraction I feel is so intense that it hurts.
But we’re here for a driving lesson, so I do as I’m told and turn the key in the ignition before lifting the handbrake.
The next half hour goes fast, as I follow Ares’s instructions. He’s a good teacher. Calm and confident, he doesn’t berate me when I do something wrong. He just explains how to correct my mistakes and he’s quick to praise me when I get things right.
“Ok, come to a stop now. See if you can stop right within those white lines.” He points to a parking spot ahead of us.
This is all about keeping the car straight and knowing when to stop, as the parking lot is completely empty.
“Well done, princess.” His face lights up with one of his rare smiles. “I’m proud of you. Do you feel like driving home? If we take the old coastal road up the hill, we shouldn’t meet much traffic.”
“I think I can drive home, but are you sure you trust me enough on the road?” I ask.
Ares immediately understands why I asked. “Look, we had to do your first drive somewhere without traffic. My brothers and I all learned how to drive right here.”
“You did?” I look at the empty lot.
“Dad liked to joke that from here it’s a three-minute drive to the ER, just in case something went wrong.”
I laugh, but it comes out more like a snort. “Jeez, he was confident in your abilities as future drivers.”
“It’s the Hunter’s way of life, princess. Hope for the best but always be prepared for the worst. But this place is perfect because there’s never anyone here.”
Ares is right.
