"It wasn't close. I had plenty of room." He shifts gears smoothly.
"Not really."
We're flying down the street now, the city lights blurring past. The engine responds with a growl.
"Santino." My voice is tighter now. "You're going too fast."
"I know how to drive." He doesn't slow down.
"I'm not saying you don't, I'm just saying maybe you could slow down a little—"
He takes a turn too sharp. Too fast. I grab the door with both hands as we swing wide, the tires squealing slightly.
"Oh my God. Santino! Slow down!"
"What? This car can handle the curves. It’s fine." He sounds almost amused.
"That was not fine! You almost hit that car!"
"I was nowhere near that car." He glances at me briefly, then back to the road.
"You were right next to it!"
"Liana, I've been driving this car for three years. I know what I'm doing."
But he doesn't slow down. If anything, he speeds up. Like he's trying to prove a point. Or scare the hell out of me. We're on a main street now, traffic lighter, and he's really opening it up. The speedometer climbs.
"Santino!" My voice is sharp now. "Please slow down!"
"Calm down, I'm in control." His knuckles are tight on the steering wheel.
"I don't care if you're in control, you're going way over the speed limit!"
"Who cares? No cops around." He weaves around another car.
"That's not the point!"
Smooth, confident, terrifying. My heart is pounding now. Actually pounding. I'm getting scared for real now.
"Please slow down," I say, my voice shaking.
"You're overreacting."
"I'm not. You're driving like a maniac!"
We hit a red light. He doesn't stop until the last possible second, braking hard. I lurch forward against my seatbelt.
"Jesus Christ! Cut it out!" I brace myself against the dashboard.
"What? I stopped." He shrugs like it's nothing.
"You almost ran the light!"
"But I didn't." The light turns green and he accelerates hard. The force pushes me back against the seat.
"Stop it!" My voice is getting higher. Panicked. "Stop driving like this! You’re being an asshole!"
"I'm not doing anything wrong." He changes lanes aggressively.
