Chapter Seven
Vincent Vitale is Dead to Me
Lake took a deep breath at the passenger side door. She wished she could sit in the backseat, but that would make her look childish. Wait, maybe not too childish? Yep, it definitely would. Okay, fine!
She went ahead and opened the door, sliding into his dark car quickly then buckling her seatbelt. Lake stared straight ahead, unwilling to even look at him. He never asked to take me home before, and now he just has to do it.
When the car didn’t begin to move, Lake looked out of the corner of her eye. Five seconds later, she turned her head to face him.
Vincent was merely sitting there, staring at her. She felt uncomfortable with that.
“Well, are we going to leave today?”
“Yeah, but I kind of have to know where to go first.”
Oh, shit, right… She was clearly nervous.
“Um, it’s…” Lake contemplated what to do. She didn’t like telling anyone where she lived, and that was why she always ended up having her parents come pick her up.
Vincent looked confused. “Do you want me to take you to your dad’s, instead?”
“No!” Lake tried to laugh. “I mean, no, my mom is probably already upset I didn’t see her yesterday. Do you know where Magical Cupcakes is?”
He was looking at her like she was crazy. “Uh, yes.”
“Okay, just drive like you’re going there.” Lake smiled.
“All right, then.” Vincent put the car in drive then headed off.
Lake sank into the seat, looking out the window. She knew he probably thought she was crazy, but she didn’t care. She had to make a choice on which house she wanted him to see, and no fucking way was she going to pick her father’s house. She hated that she had ended up in the situation to begin with. Yeah, all because he couldn’t keep his delicious lips to himself.
“So, do you split the time up evenly with your parents?” Vincent questioned.
She was a little taken aback. He had never really asked her a personal question before.
“Um, no. I spend the week with my dad and weekends with my mom.”
“How come you spend more time with your dad?”
Why is he asking me this? I really wish he wouldn’t. “I don’t know. I just do.”
Vincent shrugged. “I just figured you would spend more time with your mom.”
Lake looked at him. “Why would you think that?”
Why does he have to be so freaking good-looking? The worst part was when he asked about her, he got even better looking, and she had no clue how that was even possible.
“Well, since you’re a girl”—he turned to look at her—“and because it doesn’t seem like you care for what your father does.”
Don’t stare into his eyes! She snapped her head forward, telling herself to come up with something. She knew Vincent was trying to get somewhere, and she didn’t like it.
“I guess I don’t want my father to be alone since my mom’s married.” She was glad when he turned his head back to the road and accepted her lie.
Lake was really starting to hate being alone in the car with him. Her nostrils were filled with his glorious scent and since he had just taken a shower, it smelled even stronger. Not to mention his clean-cut, light blonde hair was still damp, making him look sexy and adding to the aroma. Ugh! She hit the button to roll the window down.
He quickly pressed the one on his door to roll it back up. “What the hell are you doing? It’s freezing outside.”
“I just wanted some fresh air. Cracking the window won’t hurt.” Lake hit the button again.
“Yeah, well, you’re not the one with wet hair.” Vincent rolled it back up.
Exactly! She went to roll the window down again.
“Stop it.” Vincent grabbed her hand. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Lake tried to free her hand, but it was useless. “Let me go!”
“Are you going to roll the window down?”
Why does his hand have to feel so good?
She tried to fight him off again and again. It didn’t work. “Okay, fine! No, I won’t roll the window down.”
Vincent slowly let go of her hand and when Lake didn’t make a move, he responded, “Good girl.”
Oh, my God, get me out of here!
Lake unsnapped her seatbelt and turned to the side to squeeze between their seats to reach the back. She didn’t care if it was fucking childish anymore; she was going mad being so close to him.
“Lake, are you fucking insane? I’m driving!” He grabbed her waist with his free hand while keeping the steering wheel steady.
Yes! She kept trying to squeeze through.
“Let. Me. Go,” she ordered through short breaths.
“Sit your ass down before I pull this fucking car over and spank you!” Vincent roared.
It took a total of two seconds for her ass to sit back down. Lake hated that a part of her regretted that decision, just to see if he would actually do it. However, she knew all too well that he would, which was exactly why she had sat down.
She crossed her arms over her chest and gave a humph sound.
“Put your seat belt back on,” Vincent demanded, still mad she would jeopardize her safety.
Lake kept her arms crossed.
His voice came out low, almost at a growl. “Sweetheart, you have three seconds before my arm becomes your seatbelt.”
She hurriedly reached for her seatbelt and snapped it back into place with a few fumbles. Although, from the way he had roughly called her ‘sweetheart’, one part of her wanted him to put his arm across her lap.
What the hell is wrong with me? She thought she should be telling him to quit ordering her around.
“You are so bossy.” Well, at least she had met somewhere in the middle.
He laughed at her choice of words, going back to his normal self. “I wouldn’t be if you would quit fighting me.”
“Sorry I’m not obedient like the girl climbing in and out of your window for you.” Lake stared at him and thought she saw anger behind his eyes again.
I don’t know why he has a reason to be mad about it.
“We know you’re not obedient, because you can’t follow the fucking rules.”
“Fuck the rules, and fuck the mob! They are completely unfair and sexist. When I turn eighteen, they’ll hold no power over me, because I’ll be gone.” She watched him squeeze the steering wheel tightly, thinking it would break.
Shit, it was word vomit! She really hadn’t meant to say it.
“Who gave you the pills?” he asked calmly.
Lake took a deep breath. “My mom did, and I need them back, Vincent.”
“Does your dad know?”
She had known that was where he was heading. “Give them back, and I’ll tell you.”
Vincent reached into his pocket and pulled them out for her to see.
“No, he doesn’t know. You’re not going to tell him, are you?”
“I’m thinking about it,” he said coldly.
Lake snatched them from his hand after a small struggle. She swallowed hard when she saw Magical Cupcakes ahead. She seriously thought about asking him to drop her off there, but by the way the car ride was going, she knew he wouldn’t. Therefore, she quickly gave him the rest of the directions to her house which, thankfully, wasn’t much farther away.
As the car settled back into silence, she heard Vincent take a deep breath, which made her turn her head. She could tell he wanted to tell her something, and it was only making her nervous.
“Um, it’s this one on the right,” she instructed, biting her lip.
“Holy shit, you live here? I didn’t know your mom married someone rich,” he said, driving up the long, private driveway.
Unfortunately.
She turned to look at the expensive house, which sat in an exclusive area of town. It was exactly why she didn’t want him to see her mother’s home, because looking at Lake, you wouldn’t have guessed it. To everyone else, she looked poor. Like trailer trash.
She tried to give a fake laugh. “Yep.”
Vincent took another deep breath. “Listen, Lake, I made a mistake last night kissing you.”
Lake’s heart began to beat out of her chest. “Is that why you wanted to take me home?”
When he didn’t respond, she had her answer. Lake could have sworn her heart broke in that moment. Don’t cry in front of him. Don’t cry in front of him.
“Lake, I’m sorr—”
“Don’t be. I’m the one who should be sorry for letting you take my first kiss.” She wanted to make sure he understood what it meant to her.
She was ready to get the fuck out of there so she threw open her door, set to jump out.
“Wait.” Vincent grabbed her arm before she could escape.
Lake stared at his hand around her then glanced up to his eyes, praying he would say something to make it all better.
“You didn’t tell Adalyn, did you?”
If her heart hadn’t been broken before, it officially was right then.
She snatched her arm back from his grasp and kept her gaze steady. “No, because as far as I’m concerned, nothing fucking happened to tell.” Lake got out of the car and slammed the door shut, coming to one conclusion.
Vincent Vitale is dead to me.