Of course, I hadn’t put in a quarter of the effort I was expending now. Still, I had an inkling I never would have gotten admitted to Harbor U if not for Vincent’s influence. The thought didn’t sit well with me—that I may have taken the spot from a more deserving student. Maybe that was why I was so determined to succeed now. To prove I deserved to be here.
My mind was still wandering on the subject when Leo pulled into the driveway a few minutes later. Which was why it took me longer than it should have to process what was waiting for us there.
Leo whistled under his breath. “If I didn’t already know my father was such a ruthless bastard, this might surprise me.”
I was fully aware of Vincent’s ruthlessness. But I still couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
Because in the middle of the circle drive sat what had to be a brand-new Audi coupe, painted in the classic Sharpe black with metallic flecks. Except, that wasn’t all. Shimmery, dark pink pin stripes had been added to sides, hood, and wheel openings.
If there was any doubt the car was a gift for me, it was extinguished by the massive hot pink bow strapped to the top.
Stunned silent, I followed Leo out of his SUV and to the strikingly beautiful car. An envelope with my name on it had been positioned behind one of the windshield wipers. With shaky hands, I lifted it and removed the card. There were only two sentences and no signature.
Don’t think of it as a gift.
You earned it.
White hot rage flowed through me at the words. He’d had the gall to blackmail me into doing his bidding, and when I’d succeeded—at least, in his eyes—he rewarded me with a fucking car. And, considering the custom paint job, he’d been planning this for a while.
Handing the card to Leo, I gritted out, “What the hell am I supposed to do?”
He glanced at the card and then the car and then me. “You drive the hell out of this car and look good doing it.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. I can’t accept his...his blood gift.”
Leo laughed and kissed the top of my head. “No need to be quite so dramatic. There was no blood spilled in getting Tristin home.”
“Still...”
He cupped my jaw in his hands. “Listen, Thea. I get where you’re coming from. But accepting the gift isn’t about pride this time. It’s about playing his game to keep him from getting suspicious. And when we’ve discovered the truth about what happened to your mom, we can walk away from all of it. From this house and the cars and the money.”
“I would never ask you to walk away from your family.” Not even Vincent.
“To protect you from my father, I would do it.”
Standing on tiptoes, I brushed my lips over his in silent thanks. I wouldn’t encourage the idea, but I wanted him to know how much it meant to me. How much he meant to me.
Even if his father was showing his true colors more and more every day.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Thea
“So, what do you think?” Leo asked as I carefully parked in the spot in the garage that had obviously been cleared for my new car. As much as I’d wanted to pretend like the “reward” from Vincent didn’t exist, Leo had insisted that I take it for a spin.
“It’s horrid,” I lied.
Of course, the car was amazing, from its purring engine to its sporty handling and luxurious interior. If I had more money than I knew what to do with, I’d probably even buy something like it for myself.
He laughed. “Sure, it is.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know. You could try the truth.” He extricated my hand that was clenched on the leather-wrapped steering wheel and held it in his. “It’s okay to appreciate nice things.”
Was it really that simple?
The car was mine, whether I’d asked for it or not. I could either drive it and be grateful I didn’t have to beg rides from other people anymore. Or I could let it sit in the garage, collecting dust out of spite...which would accomplish exactly nothing.
“You’re right,” I conceded. “It’s nice, and I liked driving it.” I could be honest without praising the Audi to the level it deserved.
“Better.” He squeezed my hand, then opened his door. “Now, what do you think about letting me take you out to dinner tonight?”