Vincent (Made Men, #2)(48)

Fumbling with the car door, she swung it open and stuck the key into the ignition. She turned it, only for it to not even attempt to rev the engine. It was completely dead.

Lake laid her head on the steering wheel, trying to take deep breaths. Then the driver’s side door came open a second later, and she didn’t even raise her head to look at who it was.

“Why the fuck did you just run from me like that?”

She continued to keep her head down after Vincent’s harsh question.

“Lake, look at me,” his voice commanded.

Looking at a furious Vincent, her eyes started to blur with tears. “I’m scared of what you will tell me.”

Vincent softened his face and his words. “He’s okay. I just talked to him.”

“He is?” Her eyes stopped from watering.

He began lessening her fears. “Yes. He’s just been busy working, it seems, but he knows you’ve been worried about him. He’ll probably come home tonight to see you.”

She felt the weight on her chest release at knowing he was alive. Thank God.

“I have to go to my mom’s tonight for the weekend. I’m just glad he’s okay.”

“See, there was no need to run from me, Lake. I don’t want you to ever do that again.” His tone became slightly rougher.

Her eyes drifted down to his chest. “I just got scared.”

“I know. It’s okay. Come on, I’ll take you to your mom’s.” He held open the car door for her.

“No, that’s okay. I’ll take the bus.” I am not getting in his car again.

“You are not taking a fucking bus,” Vincent snapped at her.

“Jeez, what do you have against buses?”

“Lake, do you have any clue where you are and how dangerous it is downtown?”

Shit, he’s right.

“Maybe Nero can take me?”

He shook his head, becoming aggravated. “No, he’s busy with Elle after I made him work a double shift to watch you.”

“Well, how about A—”

Vincent grabbed her arm and started pulling her from the car. “Don’t you fucking dare say Amo. I should let him take you home for even suggesting that.”

With no other option, she went to his car with him. Why couldn’t my car start today, of all days? It was like every time he was around her, her car magically didn’t work.

When Vincent opened the car door for her, she got in and buckled her seatbelt as he went over to the driver’s side.

“Is Amo bad?” she asked when he started the car.

He looked over at her. “Where the fuck did that come from?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. You just said ‘I should let him take you home’, and it makes me think he’s a bad person.”

“None of us are good, Lake. I don’t think you understand that.”

“But how bad is Amo … like, compared to Lucca?”

Vincent snapped his head to look at her. “Listen to me. You stay out of that fucked-up situation. That is something you sure as fuck don’t want to get in the middle of. You’ll find out real fucking quick how bad Amo and Lucca really are.” When she didn’t respond, he asked, “Got it?”

“Yes. I was just asking. Why are you being so bossy today?” She crossed her arms over her chest. He needs to calm down. He turned hot then cold every five seconds.

“Because you just ask for trouble. You don’t think before you speak, or fucking act for that matter. What you did was suicide. My father told me all about you asking to see the boss and dropping twenty grand in front of him. No one—no one—approaches Dante like that and lives. You don’t even begin to understand how lucky you are. From now on, you speak to me, Nero, and Amo. That’s it. Family men are not men; we are fucking deranged animals.”

Lake looked out the window. “He told you?”

Vincent understood what she meant. “Yes, he told me you gave him all of your college money. Why would you do that?”

“It was the only option I had. My father is my family. Please don’t tell Adalyn anything. I don’t know how to tell her I’m not going to college yet.”

He took a moment before he responded with, “You don’t have to worry; I’m not going to tell her anything.”

Lake believed him, if only for the fact that he would probably have a lot of explaining to do himself if he did.

She rested her head on the window, trying to relax before she had to face a torturous night with John and Ashley. She was pretty sure he was going to kill her since she was already exhausted from working. John was livid the last time he had seen her, and he’d had a whole week to plan her demise.

When Vincent pulled up to the huge house, for once she would have preferred to stay in his car.

“How come I’ve never met your mom before?” Vincent asked.

“She and my dad broke up when I was young, and she’s usually busy.” She went to open the door.

“Does she work?”

“No,” she quickly answered, going to open the door again.

Vincent stopped her. “I just think it’s strange that I’ve never even seen her. Why wasn’t she at your graduation?”

Lake shook her head. “Thanks for the ride and for making sure my dad is okay.” She managed to open the door that time before he grabbed her arm, stopping her.