Page 29 of Genevieve

“What the fuck Cannibal.” Karma’s confusion at this information is more amusing than I thought it would be.

“Don’t you two want to know how your parents met?”

19

GENEVIEVE

I’m going to choke Abel. Dylan is going to be a widow, and the girls will have to depend on Cane as a father figure. Which probably would be better for their upbringing because this man is a complete and utter ass.

“Let’s go, ladies. Your chariot awaits.” He beeps open his minivan, and the side doors slide open for us.

“Cannibal, I am not getting in that thing.” I pass him and go right into Wrench’s garage.

“What? Why?!” I hear behind me and shake my head.

Like hell, I’d be caught dead riding bitch in a dad mobile. I look around the garage and find my baby under a tarp in the far corner. I’m pulling the heavy cloth off the hood of my cherry red sixty-nine Ford Mustang with a smile when I hear an Irish accent yelling at me.

“Judge, she ain’t ready yet!” Wrench stomps over to me while a whistle fills the garage.

“Damn, ok. I see why. Fuck Wrench, she’s beautiful.” Abel praises the man for his restoration job.

The rusted old car I brought him months ago is shiny and brand new now. I hold out my hand to the tall ginger man, and he frowns.

“Keys, please,” I say just in case he had any doubt about what I wanted.

“Don’t pout, Cher. She needs to see asphalt.” I laugh as he goes to retrieve what I asked for with serval curses under his breath.

“Don’t go scratching up my paint job. And don’t let that eejit drive her.” He points over his shoulder at Abel, who’s flipping him off behind his back.

“I saw that,” Wrench says.

I snatch the keys from his hands and get into the vintage muscle car. I turn the ignition on, and she purrs to life. The rumble vibrates up my spine, and I sigh with my eyes closed. I hear the passenger door open and the lever being pulled so one of them can get in the back seat, but I just lean back and let the car soothe my soul.

I’ve always had a love affair with fast cars. So when I found this baby on the side of the road rusting away on some old farm west of New Orleans, I had to have Wrench come to save her. Turns out the farmer’s son had parked it years ago, and after he’d passed away, it just sat. He barely took a dime for it saying I was doing him a favor if I was restoring it.

I open my eyes and smile, thinking of that old man. I reach up and pat the dashboard.

“You ready, Levi?” I ask the car while shifting into first gear.

“You named the car Levi?” Abel asks me from the back seat.

“Yes, after the first owner.” I honk the horn and wave at Wrench, who still looks nervous about me driving off in the car he’s spent months working on.

I clear the bay and give her more gas. I reach for Karma’s hand once I’m on the highway and interlock our fingers.

“You ready for this?” I ask her and glance in her direction.

“Is a mouse ever ready to be eaten by the snake?” She meets my eyes, but I have to shift mine away to keep them on the road ahead.

The rumble of the engine fills the car as we speed down the highway until Abel breaks the silence.

“No, but we can make sure it’s the snake’s last meal.”

* * *

Abel

Genevieve parksthe Mustang in front of Fukuma Tower. The valet driver has been standing outside her door waiting for five minutes, but neither of the ladies has moved. They are both staring up at the imposing building with matching frowns on their faces.

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