start button so you can say I helped you take the car.”
The engine purred to life, and I swallowed nervously.
“Despite its speed capabilities, it’s quite safe,” Maverik said casually. “If we turn on the lane-keeping assist and a traffic sign recognition, it can practically drive itself.”
“Maybe just a short drive,” I murmured.
I knew I was being stupid, and I should get out of the car right now, but I couldn’t hold back the excitement that was bubbling up inside of me. Being able to drive would give me the freedom that was taken away from me when I moved to Bedford. I hated being trapped in the house with no way out, and this was my chance to fly free.
I looked over at Maverik. If he wanted to give me a free driving lesson, I’d take it. I’d let him show me the basics, then pretend to go back to my ballet studio. Once I was sure the guys were busy elsewhere, I’d sneak off again.
Maverik was the whole reason I was here right now. He poisoned Ryan against me, so it was only fair that I use him to fix things.
Is it really his fault, though? A tiny voice said deep down inside of me.
I immediately pushed it away. Of course, it was his fault; Ryan wouldn’t just wake up one morning and decide to change his entire life for no reason. Ryan was hurting, and I needed to be there to help him through this crisis.
Maverik was shockingly patient with me as I awkwardly put the car in drive. I pressed down on the accelerator, and the car shot forward. I panicked and slammed my foot down on the brake, making us screech to a halt.
Kingston wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, so he slammed into the back of my seat and laughed. “You don’t even have a fucking license, do you?”
I ignored him, and this time, I stepped lightly on the gas. We crept out of the garage at a much slower pace, but my heart was still pounding.
I was too nervous to look away from the driveway in front of me as we approached the gate. I slowed to a crawl before making sure no one was on the road in front of me and then pulled out onto the road. I swung too wide at first, then overcorrected and swung into the wrong lane.
“Shit,” I cursed. “This is harder than it looks.”
“Our sister, the rebel!” Kingston hooted with joy. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”
“Shut up,” Maverik said with a chuckle. “Let her concentrate, or we’ll have to explain to dad how his brand new three-hundred-thousand-dollar investment ended up trashed on the side of the road.”
“What?” I squeaked and reflexively slammed on the brakes. A car should not cost that much money. “Is then engine made of gold or something?”
Kingston laughed and buckled his seatbelt this time. “Where to, sis? Going to meet Abby? Or do you have a secret fuck buddy we should know about?”
“I just wanted to get out,” I lied.
Kingston scoffed, so I offered him something more believable.
“I wanted to check out some ballet schools around here, but your dad wants me to focus on academics instead. Abby said she’d come with me.”
“That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard for sneaking out,” Kingston said, shaking his head in disappointment.
Maverik looked at me knowingly. “No, you looked like you were on a mission.” A smile spread across his face. “Trying to get to the airport so you can confront your friend about his betrayal?”
I seethed at Maverik’s antagonization. We approached a stop sign, and I didn’t want to risk taking my eyes off the road to fight with him. He was right, but I didn’t want to admit that to him. Still, he didn’t need to remind me that he was the reason Ryan wasn’t talking to me, that was just pouring salt into the wound.
“You won’t make it to the airport without our help,” Kingston added cheerfully when I didn’t respond to Maverik’s barb.
Maverik was quiet beside me, and I let the car roll to a stop at the stop sign. This time I got the braking thing down a little better, and my seatbelt didn’t have to lock up to prevent my head from smacking into the steering wheel.
Once I was stopped completely, I turned to look at Maverik. “What’s wrong with you that you take joy in other people’s pain?”
There was a flash of something undefinable in his eyes before