Page 27 of Captivated

“I can’t leave the house looking like this, so I need to get my fix of the outside world somehow.”

Sean’s bruises have gotten nastier and more prominent, and I know he must be in a world of pain.

“How about I let you pick where we order dinner from tonight?”

“Wow, you must really feel bad for me if you’re going to give me free reign over food.”

“Maybe,” I concede, and drop the curtain back into place to go make coffee.

“Then I want Chinese.”

I smile. “Perfect. Exactly what I was craving.”

I sit down with my cup of coffee on the couch and watch the local news for a few minutes before putting on a station that’s having a Fast and Furious marathon. I won’t deny I have a weakness for Paul Walker and men who love fast cars.

It’s a little while later that my phone vibrates with a text from Nico, and I’m not proud to say that my heart does a little stutter beat in my chest from excitement.

Nico:Did you look outside yet?”

Me:Yes…?

Nico:The color reminds me of you, so I knew you had to have it. The keys are in your mailbox.

Me:If you’re saying you bought that car for me, then you’re crazy.

Nico:Then I’m crazy.

Me:I’m not keeping it.

Nico:Yes, you are. It’s yours. You said you wanted your car back.

Me:That didn’t mean you needed to go out and buy me one. One that’s worth at least ten times what mine was.

Nico:It’s yours, Cassie. Drive it or don’t, but it’s yours.

He’s crazy. He’s fucking crazy.

I don’t even know how he arranged something so quickly, but it’s too much.

I can’t keep it.

Can I?

No, I shouldn’t. I can’t be driving a hundred-thousand-dollar car when that’s what I need to save Sean.

Oh, there’s an idea…

But I still can’t keep it, and I need Nico to know that this isn’t okay.

Me:Nico, I can’t be bought.

Nico:I’m not trying to buy you, Cassandra. It’s in your name, so it’s your choice what you do with it. Keep it, sell it, leave it sitting in your driveway until you decide it’s just a car and you want to drive it. It’s your choice.

That motherfucker.

He bought it for me knowing I had money problems.

Goddamn it.

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