Page 44 of Psychotic Faith
"Heated seats," Luca notes, reaching across to adjust something on the console. His arm brushes my thigh, deliberate. "You're always cold in winter. I've watched you sit in your car for five minutes in the library parking lot, waiting for the heat to work, rubbing your hands together."
"You're very creepy, you know that?"
"Yes." He doesn't sound even slightly bothered. "Blind-spot monitoring on both sides—those lights in the mirrors will flash if there's a car you can't see. Lane-departure warning if you driftwithout signaling. Automatic emergency braking if it detects an imminent collision."
"You really did memorize the specs."
"Bulletproof glass. Nothing extreme, just level 3 protection. And the tires can't be punctured—you can drive fifty miles on them even if they're slashed."
I look over at him.
"I researched for six hours last night. Had Santoro prepare his best modified vehicles." His hand rests on my thigh now, possessive and warm through my jeans. "After watching you sleep for two hours."
I should slam on the brakes. Should demand to know why he was watching me sleep. Instead, my body warms under his touch, heat pooling low in my belly at the casual admission.
"The GPS," I say carefully, testing the car's handling as I turn onto Lake Shore Drive. The steering is precise, responsive. "You'll be tracking me constantly?"
"Yes."
"What if I go somewhere you don't approve of?"
"Then I'll either join you or eliminate the threat, depending on the location." He says it like it's reasonable, like this is how normal relationships work. "But you'll always know I'm watching. I won't hide it."
Somehow the honesty makes it less invasive. Or maybe I'm just as sick as he is, finding comfort in the idea of being constantly observed.
"There's a remote start feature," he continues, his fingers tracing small circles on my thigh that make it hard to concentrate on driving. "You can warm the car from inside your apartment. Defrost the windows, heat the seats, before you even step outside."
"That's… actually thoughtful."
"I think about you constantly, Faith. What you need. What would make you comfortable. What could hurt you." His fingers tighten slightly. "Obsessive thoughts become protective actions."
The lake spreads out beside us, gray and infinite under the morning sky. Other cars pass, normal people living normal lives, completely unaware that I'm test-driving a $110,000 car bought by a killer who times how long my engine stalls.
I pull into the dealership parking lot twenty minutes later, my hands steady on the wheel despite my racing heart.
"Okay."
"Okay?" Luca's voice is carefully neutral, but I can feel his tension.
"I'll accept the car." I turn to face him, needing to see his reaction. "But I have conditions."
Interest flickers in those pale eyes. "Name them."
"One: You teach me how to access the GPS tracking. If you're watching me, I get to watch you too."
His smile is genuine this time, reaching his eyes for once. "Agreed. Fair is fair."
"Two: No more surprise gifts without asking first. The car makes sense—I need reliable transportation. But I don't want to wake up to a new wardrobe or jewelry or whatever else you think I need."
"You could never be bought." He interrupts before I can finish. "You're too sharp. Too dangerous in your own way. This isn't about making you dependent on me, Faith. It's about keeping you safe while you plan Neumann's destruction."
The phrasing shouldn't make me hot. It really shouldn't.
"Three: Stop watching me sleep through my window. It's creepy even by your standards."
"No."
"Luca—"
