"What was that?" I barely managed to ask.
Ethan brushed a lock of hair behind my ear. "I had need of you, Sentinel."
"You've got me," I assured him with a smile. "But at the moment, we have need of speed."
"Not your best work," he cannily said, but he put a hand on my cheek and gazed into my eyes as if he might discover the world's secrets there. "What's wrong?"
"I'm nervous about leaving," I admitted.
"You're worried about your grandfather."
I nodded. "He was asleep when I called. He'll understand—he always does. I just wish I didn't have to ask him to be understanding."
Ethan kissed my brow. "You are a good granddaughter, Caroline Evelyn Merit."
"I'm not sure about that. But I'm trying." Sometimes, that was the best a girl could do.
I gestured toward the gleaming silver bullet that sat in the House's visitor spot, the antique Mercedes roadster Ethan had bought for me from the Pack leader himself. She was sweet and perfectly restored, and I called her Moneypenny. She was also still registered in Gabriel's name, which seemed a better transportation option than taking Ethan's car. But since he had decades' more driving experience than me—and we were in a hurry—I held out the keys.
"Shall we?"
Ethan's eyes widened with delight. He'd been attempting to buy Moneypenny for years and had probably wanted to slide behind the wheel for even longer.
"If we're going to run," he said, taking the keys from me, a spark jumping across our fingertips as they brushed, "we might as well escape in style."
Sometimes that was the best a vampire could do.
Chapter Two