“Someone started a fight with them?”
It soothed something inside her that he immediately assumed someone else had started the fight. He didn’t know her brothers, but it felt good that he gave them the benefit of doubt.
“The principal said they started it,” she admitted.
He tilted his head to the side. “But you don’t believe it.”
“Keir and Ace wouldn’t start a fight. But they would stick up for themselves or their friends. I have to go. I don’t have time for this. I’ll get my stuff later.”
“No, you won’t.”
“Sorry?”
“Wait here. I’ll get my keys.”
She blinked. She couldn’t keep up with him. “Keys?”
“Your car broke down, right? How were you planning to get to the school?” he asked impatiently.
“Um, I was going to take an Uber.” A bus would be cheaper, but she didn’t have the time to waste.
His jaw hardened. “Ubers aren’t safe. You won’t be taking one of those.”
“Jeez, I never knew people were so biased against Ubers,” she muttered.
“What?” he asked as he turned away.
“Nothing. Why would you take me? You just fired me.”
“You’re not fired.”
“I’m not?” She rubbed at her forehead. He was making her head spin with his back and forth.
“No. Wait there.”
He didn’t waste time, returning with his keys. “Come.”
She wanted to protest, but she really needed to get to the school. And having him drive her would be quicker than waiting around for an Uber. She followed him to the elevator and got in. He pressed the basement button.
“Are you really not going to tell me why you went from firing me one minute to giving me a ride the next? And what about your appointment with Mr. James at two?”
Withdrawing his phone, he tapped on it as the elevator opened at the basement level. This building was only a year old and no expense had been spared. The basement was clean and well lit.
She followed him as he started striding through the basement. He pressed a button on the fob in his hand and the headlamps on a car up ahead lit up. Thea gaped at the car she saw.
A Lamborghini? Was he serious?
Okay, so she knew he had money. But that was crazy. She’d never ridden in a new car before, let alone something like that. To her shock, he moved around to the passenger door and opened it for her.
“Are you getting in or have you changed your mind?” he asked.
Moving forward carefully, she slipped into the seat. Her hands moved over the buttery soft leather. He climbed into the driver’s seat and turned to her.
“Belt,” he reminded her.
She reached over and slipped her seatbelt on. “This car is gorgeous.”
Jardin just grunted and started it up. Thea closed her eyes. She swore she just came a little.
“You okay?”
She opened her eyes as he backed out of the parking spot quickly.
Holy. Shit.
“Yep,” she said in a strangled voice. “I’m good.”
“Hmm. Where’s the school?”
She gave him the address, waiting for him to say something asking how she could afford to send her brothers to that school, but he didn’t say a word. As they exited the garage, he hit the call button on his phone. She half-listened as he moved his meeting with Mr. James, who was obviously a friend as well as a client.
When he ended the call, she turned toward him, taking in his strong profile. Dark hair that was neatly trimmed. He was clean-shaven and impeccably put together. Yet there was a darkness swirling beneath the civilized veneer, and it called to her.
Why couldn’t she be attracted to some nice guy? Someone with a steady job, cute smile. Someone who would come home each night, complain about his co-workers, eat a simple dinner, and get up and do it all over again.
Why did she have to be attracted to the unattainable?
Argh.
“So, you didn’t say why you changed your mind about firing me?”
He glanced over at her quickly then moved his gaze back to the road. “You want to tell me why you need to go to the school and not your father?”
No. She did not. And she got his message loud and clear.
“Fine,” she said. “Guess we just won’t talk. Probably better for everyone.”
He cleared his throat. “You didn’t fight for your job like you did yesterday. Why? Why did you just give in?”
“Have you ever thought that maybe you shouldn’t have “fired” me over such small things?”
“Being late and having to leave during the day are not little things.”
“Every other morning, I’ve been early. I’ve probably put in so much overtime, I could have a week off and still be in the positive. I’m good at my job. I’m good with the clients. Yet you couldn’t say yes when I ask to leave to go to my brothers’ school because they’re in trouble.”
“You didn’t ask.”
“Pardon?”
“You didn’t ask.”
Huh. She hadn’t thought of it that way.
“So, you’d have let me go if I’d asked?”
He seemed to think about that. “Likely not. But you also didn’t give me the full story.”
“So, let me get this straight. If I’d walked in and asked if I could have time off to go get my brothers because they were in trouble at school for fighting, you’d have let me go?”
“I’d probably still have told you to let your parents do their job.”
“Like I said, my mom’s dead.” It was a wound that never healed. It hadn’t even scabbed over yet. How could it when it was continually scratched at?
“And your father?”
“He doesn’t factor in.”
He grunted.
“Are you driving me there to make sure I’m telling the truth?” It was the only thing she could think of.
A look of surprise filled his face. “No. It didn’t actually occur to me you might be lying.”
“Then why?”
He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. “You were prepared to walk away.”
“Yes, well, you fired me.”
“That’s how I knew this was important to you.”
She puzzled that through. Had he thought she was playing him? That if he’d pushed back, she’d have rolled over? Well, in a way she usually did. Although she preferred not to think of it like that.
“My brothers are more important to me than anything.”
“Hmm.” He pulled up outside the school. It was close to two in the afternoon. She rubbed her forehead tiredly, reaching for her belt as he climbed out and opened her door. He held out his hand. Surprised, she reached out to take it, forgetting it was her injured hand.
He grasped hold of her wrist and she flinched with a small cry.
“What the hell? Why does it look so swollen today? Why does it hurt when I touch your wrist? It wasn’t burned.”
“It’s nothing,” she said quickly, snatching her hand back and managing to climb out of the low-slung car without his help.
“We’re taking you to urgent care after this.”
“I’m fine,” she told him, walking past him and moving quickly toward the office. The last thing she needed was to end up having to explain the bruising on her wrist that was very clearly finger marks.