All I've Never Wanted(19)
I just stood there, mouth agape, wondering what the hell was going on.
Noticing my lack of response, the irritation on his face grew. "Get in!" he repeated, more forcefully.
This time, I had recovered enough to muster up a fairly strong and defiant, "No way in hell!"
Before I could say anything else, Roman, obviously exasperated, got out of the car, gripped my arm, and dragged me into the passenger seat.
The residual traces of shock were still in my system, slowing me down, and everything happened so fast I barely had time to think before Roman peeled away from the curb.
"What the f*ck do you think you're doing?" I demanded angrily, having finally found my voice. "Let me out right now!"
He didn't even look at me, that bastard. "Or what?"
"Or…or…or I'll call the police!"
He snorted, making a sharp right turn. I let out a small shriek as I slammed into the passenger side door. Deciding it was better to be safe than sorry, I immediately buckled my seatbelt.
"You and what phone?" he asked, casting a pointed glance at my empty hands. "Besides, it sure looks like you're making yourself comfortable in here."
"I am not making myself comfortable, I merely do not want to die," I snapped. "Now stop this car this instant! I don't want to be here!"
"Too bad," came the detached reply. It was followed by pounding rock music that drowned the car and nearly deafened me, and I noted with resentment that Roman controlled the sound system on his steering wheel. No way would I be trying to manipulate those, not unless I wanted us both to die.
As we sped through town at breakneck speed, however, it finally dawned on me that I was essentially being kidnapped by the heir to the most powerful family in the world, and there was not a damn thing I could do about it.
Have I mentioned how I really, really, really hated my life?
CHAPTER 5
There was a look of grim determination on Roman's face as he guided his car through the town's pristine streets, narrowly avoiding hitting a pedestrian on several occasions and dangerously ignoring more than a few stop signs.
"Where are we going?" Maya demanded, her voice managing to rise above the thumping music to make its way into his ears.
Roman ignored her, pressing his foot down harder on the gas pedal. The Ferrari's quiet, powerful engine let out a satisfying small roar in response.
"Where are we going?" Maya repeated, this time sounding even more pissed off.
Roman gripped the steering wheel, trying not to explode from irritation, because in all honesty, he had no f*cking idea. Not about where they were going, or why the stupid girl was in his car in the first place. He hadn't planned to drag her inside, it had just… happened.
It’s official. I've gone certifiably insane, he thought. The past week had started off promisingly enough, but then it devolved into a disaster. How f*cking hard was it for so many students to break one girl?
His violet eyes narrowed slightly as he examined her out of the corner of his eye. With her delicate features, silky straight dark hair, and uniform that still bore the faintest remains of food stains despite countless washes, she looked more fragile than the overpriced Lalique figurines his mother scattered all around the house.
But if that was true, why the hell was she still here?
"Are you going to answer me?"
Was she really still talking?
"Shut up," he finally replied crankily, though his words were mostly drowned out by the music. Whatever. He didn't care if she heard him or not.
When the car finally reached its destination, Roman, who had been driving without really thinking about where he was going, was surprised to be faced with a pair of exceedingly familiar wrought-iron gates.
Even though he couldn't see it, Roman knew an invisible scanner, part of the Fiori mansion's astronomically expensive, state-of-the-art security system, was taking in all the details of the car and its inhabitants at that very moment. A mere ten seconds later, the gates opened, sliding smoothly into the high, thick brick walls on either side.
Roman was oddly pleased to see a fleeting look of awe on Maya’s face until she quickly covered up.
Thankfully, she remained silent until he had pulled up right in front of his family’s imposing, palace-like mansion. The minute Roman fully stopped the car, Maya threw open the door, burst out onto the cobblestones, and ran down the driveway.
At least, that was what probably would have happened had she been able to get the door open. Unfortunately, Roman's customized Ferrari was so high-tech and complicated Maya couldn't quite figure it out, which was how Roman ended up standing by the passenger side with a smirk on his face as he watched her struggle to get out. He had locked the doors and made no move to help her.
Maya glared at him through the glass. "Let me out, you bastard!" Her voice was muffled by the shatter-proof glass.
Roman's smirk grew wider. He leaned against the side of the car so he was looking at her profile. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" he drawled, crossing his arms over his chest and thoroughly enjoying her discomfort.
"Let me OUT!"
He yawned, staring up at the sky. "Still don't know what you're saying," he declared loudly.
Maya's full lips thinned. She sat up straighter, narrowing her eyes, and drew in a deep breath. "I SAID LET ME OUT YOU GOOD-FOR-NOTHING SCUM OF THE EARTH!" she screamed so loud it would've shattered any regular glass ten times over. She punctuated her furious statement with an equally furious pounding on the window.