Page 29 of Exodus

He lowers his eyes to the keys in my hand. “Give me your car keys, Cecelia.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so.” He walks over to me and holds out his hand, and I sigh before handing them over. He turns and hurls them at Terrance, who barely manages to catch them at his chest, a wince on his face from the sting. Tobias’s tone is unforgiving when he speaks.

“Wash and shine her car—soap, sponge, water, and wax, and she better be able to see her fucking reflection in it when you’re done.”

I step forward. “That’s not necessary, I—”

Tobias cuts me off with a look while RB glances over to Terrance with a ‘you just fucked up’ written in his expression. Tobias addresses RB next. “You watch him do it.”

RB nods, regarding Tobias with distinct respect.

Tobias ignores them both as they glance around the foyer. “You’re coming with me.”

“Uh, no I’m not, I’m in need of a shower—”

“We’ll be back in an hour,” he tells them both, gripping me by the arm to escort me out. “No one gets past this door. Tyler will meet you here in ten.”

“Got it,” RB answers.

I rip my arm away just as Tobias rounds the driver’s side of his Jaguar.

“I want to talk to Tyler.”

“No.”

“Well, I’m not decent,” I snap, arms crossed in an attempt to hold my ground.

“This isn’t a fucking date. And we’re not done with our conversation. Get. In. The. Car.”

We lock our eyes on each other for a second, then two, before I slide into his leather seat. Shortly after, we’re flying down the lone road toward town.

“Want to tell me why you’re giving anyone with ink access to Roman’s house?”

Silence.

“You didn’t have to do that back there, you know? I can take care of myself.”

More infuriating silence.

“If disrespecting women is a hard limit for you, you might want to consider taking a closer inspection at your reflection.”

He navigates the roads easily as I scowl at the side of his head, attuned to the fact I must reek after a two-hour hike, my skin sticky from dried sweat. My hair matted in a heap atop my head.

“Where are we going?”

He remains mute, relaxed in his seat as we drive another ten minutes until he whips into the parking lot of my bank.

“Making a deposit?”

He backs into one of the spots on the opposite side of the door facing the entrance.

“Let me guess, scoping for your next big heist?”

“Jesus.” He shakes his head. “Just watch.”

“What am I looking for?”

“Criminals. I want you to take a good look at that building and tell me when you spot one.”

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