“Jett?” My fingers barely touched his arm. “What’s wrong?”

“Did you notice Doug stayed on our tail but didn’t take the lead—until now? He thinks he can catch up in the end, which is possible, given that it’s one of the tricks I taught him. I’m devising a different strategy.” He peered at me briefly before turning his attention on the rearview mirror.

I feared the answer, but felt compelled to ask. “Which is?”

“A shortcut he doesn’t know,” Jett said calmly.

Ah.

Somehow I didn’t like it because, knowing Jett, shortcuts were never “shortcuts” as in “the easy way.”

I didn’t just suspect.

I knew.

Doug had almost disappeared from my vision, but if I craned my neck I could still see him stuck at a red light. Jammed in with other cars, he couldn’t possibly follow Jett.

“It’s not so much a shortcut as a plan,” Jett continued. That sounded even worse. “We’re taking the same route, only the opposite way.”

I had no idea what he was talking about, but had no time to ask because Jett went into full reverse. The car spun around, earning us more honks, but he didn’t seem particularly fazed by the swearing drivers as he navigated down a narrow strip of lawn, swerving straight into oncoming traffic.

“Are you fucking crazy?” I shouted.

Ignoring me, he floored the accelerator, and the car jerked forward. We were driving so fast I wanted to cry. Instead I made do with burying my nails into the soft leather of my seat. My breath came in labored heaves each time cars drove out of our way to let us pass, or we dodged them.

“Please stop,” I whispered in the hope Jett might listen to me for a change.

“We can’t. This is the only way.”

“But Doug’s stuck,” I argued. “Can you at least—”

Slow down.

Jett shot me a strange look, and I clamped my mouth shut to stop myself from whining. At an intersection Jett took a sharp left into a quiet one-way road. Straight ahead was the main road.

We were in the city.

So many people, so many cars. Jett didn’t seem concerned as he continued to race through the streets. I caught the flashing blue lights of a police car before I heard the siren.

“Shit!” Jett floored the gas pedal, turning the wheel expertly as he crossed a red light. The police car followed behind.

“We need to stop, Jett.” My voice came so low I wasn’t sure he heard me.

“We can’t. Trust me, we’ll get out of this.”

Oh, God.

His shortcut involved driving like a madman. If I didn’t know any better, I could’ve sworn the brakes weren’t working.

“Relax,” Jett whispered, his voice was strained but by no means nervous. I always knew Jett was a risk-taker. Now I realized the guy was crazy beyond my wildest dreams, because he apparently thought anyone could relax with him behind the wheel.

Relax?

I felt physically sick. In fact, I prayed I’d just pass out and wake up when the nightmare was over. My heart pounded hard against the layer of frost spreading over me. I buried my face in my hands and started to chant in my mind.

Stay calm. Be quiet. Breathe in. Breathe out. Think of sunshine, of calming waters, the sound of seagulls. Think of violins, of heaven.

No. Bad idea. I didn’t want to think of heaven.

Think of walking on the beach. Healthy. With Jett and a baby. Happy. Alive.

“Oh, God,” I muttered. “Oh, God.”

My fear intensified and transformed into a growing chill that could turn into ice and shatter me into pieces. The car chase in Italy had been bad. It had been horrendous. But Jett racing through New York City’s streets with a police car trailing us was a living nightmare.

“Baby, just close your eyes,” Jett said.

Close my eyes and pretend it wasn’t happening? That had been the plan all along.

“I’m trying,” I muttered.

“Just continue to keep them closed,” he replied, encouragingly.

“Oh, God,” I muttered. “Oh, God.”

Please, please, please, I prayed. Help us win. Help us arrive safely. Help us make it out alive. Help that nobody gets hurt.

Could I have that many different wishes at the same time?

“They lost us,” Jett said at last. Confused, I opened my eyes. He had slowed down and we were cruising a half-empty parking garage.

The sirens echoed in the distance.

Jett drove out of the building, past several blocks, and turned onto a highway for a few minutes. I recognized buildings in the distance before Jett exited the highway and drove along the fence. To my utter disbelief, we had made it unscathed.

I frowned.

“Is that—”

The warehouse, I wanted to ask until I saw Jett turning the wheel, spinning the car. He floored the gas and drove past the gates. The finish line had to be on the other side. In the distance I could see car headlights. Jett hit the brakes, and the tires screeched. My head jerked forward, and a pang of pain shot up my spine.

I smirked. My eyes fell on the crowd of people. They looked surprised, as though they didn’t expect us to come from the back. And then the cheers began and more people gathered. Jett ignored them as he drove into the open garage. Doug’s car wasn’t there. Jett switched off the engine and turned to face me. His dark hair stuck to his temples, and sweat rivulets were running down his neck.

My legs were trembling so hard I pressed my soles into the floor to stop them from shaking. My whole body felt numb.

“We’ve won,” Jett said, calmly. Was that a hint of pride? “You okay?” I shook my head, because I wasn’t okay. “Don’t worry, we have a fake license plate.” The corners of his lips curved upward. So I had been right. He was proud. Maybe even elated.

“A speeding ticket isn’t what I’ve been worried about,” I muttered.

Fury burned inside me—at Jett’s reckless driving, at his whole alpha “I do everything to win” attitude, and at a million other things. How could he smile when barely seconds ago he’d scared the hell out of God knows how many people, including me?

“I fucking hate—” I struggled for words, the shock rendering me unable to form a coherent sentence.

“How much you love me?” His dimples appeared, and for a moment I felt torn between hitting him and kissing him.

I stared at him, and then I started to laugh.

“Yeah. I do, and how crazy is that?” I knew it was hysteria and the adrenaline pumping inside my veins. That, or gratitude that we were still alive.

I didn’t know what came over me, but seeing him hot and sweaty, with that amused glint in his devilish green eyes, I wanted him. I wanted him badly. Madly. Furiously. And I didn’t care if it happened here, right on the spot, and if his ego grew sky high. I climbed over to his side and moved on top of him. My fingers buried in his hair as my lips descended upon his mouth with the kind of hunger that demanded immediate gratification.

“I knew there was a wicked side to you, Miss Stewart,” Jett whispered against my mouth, and pulled back.

“You forgot crazy. I was crazy to come with you. I was crazy to think I could make it out with my sanity intact,” I said. “I’ll never do anything like this again.”

“Never?” His eyebrows shot up in mock surprise. “What happened to ‘no exceptions, no regrets’? I really liked that one. It sort of gave me leverage to try new things with you.”

I shook my head. “I’ll do anything for you, but no car races. No more stunts.”

“I like a challenge. You know that.” He grinned. “According to our arrangement and my rules, I still have several hours left.”

I groaned.

Not that horrendous bet again!

“You’ve won. Get over it,” I mumbled.

“Just one more stunt, baby.” His eyes twinkled. I shook my head. “How about you let me change your mind?”

“Nice try, but I’ll pass.” I’d had enough of an adrenaline rush to last me a lifetime.

“I’ve heard second times around can be pretty good, too,” Jett said. “Let’s sneak out of the party and spend time together. It’s long overdue, anyway.”

The way he said it, he made it sound like a date. We hadn’t gone on a date in forever. Actually, since breaking into Kim Dessen’s house. But it sure felt like an eternity. “What party?” I asked.

“Call it a welcome party,” Jett whispered. “Time to meet my gang.” I had no idea what he was talking about, but the prospect of spending more time with him sounded tempting.

“Let me take a shower first,” I said. “And no more stunts, Mayfield. I really mean it.”

“No stunts, I promise.” He grinned.

I rolled my eyes. Hadn’t I heard that one before?

“At least for a while,” Jett added.

My smile matched his as he pulled me to him for another kiss.

Chapter 25

THE UPPER FLOORS of the warehouses were converted into bedrooms. Brian had arranged that Jett and I would take a shower and change in a room upstairs, which was pretty much the opposite of how I envisioned it: tiny but tastefully decorated in cream and brown with an adjacent bathroom and a shower cubicle. A four-poster bed lined the east side. A soft cream couch was set up in the middle in front of a TV set mounted on the wall. Everything looked neat and tidy. Whoever had decorated it obviously had taste.

“This used to be my room,” Jett said.

“Really?” That really changed everything. I spun around slowly, trying to take in the details I might’ve missed. I walked over to the bed and lay down. The mattress was soft and the covers smelled fresh, as though they’d been changed recently. There were no pictures on the walls, but for some reason, I could feel a younger Jett’s presence, his spirit and attitude. He had been tormented, yet he had also been happy.

“I like it here,” I said, softly. “I’m happy we get to stay for a while.”

Someone—I assumed Sylvie—had brought over clothes and as soon as I closed the bathroom door behind me, I stripped off and stepped into the shower, eager to let the hot water relax my tense muscles and calm my frayed nerves.

I had barely shampooed and rinsed my hair when the bathroom door opened and I saw Jett’s silhouette clearly outlined through the curtain. He took his clothes off and peered behind the curtain, his impossibly green gaze a mixture between hesitation and desire.

“Brooke.” His deep voice saying my name sent a jolt of fire between my legs. “I want to do something dirty to you. Something you’ll never forget.”

My pulse picked up in speed, and a rush of excitement washed over me.

“What do you have in mind?” I whispered.

He pushed the shower curtain aside and joined me in the cubicle, naked in all his glory. My mouth went dry at the beauty of his sculpted body with bulging muscles beneath taut skin.

Sex incarnate.

As though reading my dirty thoughts, Jett smiled, and our mouths met in a heated kiss. His tongue slipped inside me, prodding, demanding that I open up and give him what was his to take. At the same time, his hand settled between my legs. I moaned when he started to circle my clit. He didn’t just make me wet; he made me ache for his fingers inside me, to touch him and test if he was real.