“You’re going to be paying for that car a second time. The better he looks, the more he’ll cost.” Lai leaned back, arms folded. “Hell, maybe you should take some parts off. Make him look like an expensive project instead of a finished one.”
I stiffened. “Fox isn’t going to like that idea at all.”
“Well,” Lai shrugged. “Sell him on it. I’m not paying more just because he wants a shiny bumper; I’m already trying to come to terms with buying a car that doesn’t even have tires yet, and I can tell he’s gonna be pricey. My budget is twenty grand. Make sure Fox doesn’t take up more than half of that.”
I blinked in confusion. “What’s the other ten for? The Dodge?”
“Yeah. What else?”
I pressed my lips together, forcing myself not to laugh. Not even a smile. I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek.
Lai thought he could buy a 1970s Challenger for ten grand. God, he had absolutely no idea what that car was worth, and I wasn’t about to tell him. If he knew that the Challenger, in its current condition, was going to set him back a cool hundred thousand dollars, he’d talk himself into walking away, and I wasn’t going to let that happen. I’d seen the spark between Lai and that car, and Lai needed it, even if he wasn’t ready to accept that just yet.
“Yeeeah.” I stretched the word out, trying to sound casual. “You’re probably right; I’ll sweet-talk Fox, see if he’ll let me loosen off his bumper or something. I don’t really have 10K to spare.”
Lai’s eyes narrowed slightly, studying me. He knew me too well. I shifted the conversation before he could push.
“I’ll just do the seats tonight,” I offered quickly. “Make himfeel better. Save the full pampering for when he’s released.”
Lai rolled his eyes, but relaxed, distracted from my guilt by my insistence on spoiling Fox.
***
The yard’s gates were open with two hours still before closing, and the owner sat inside the small booth near the entrance, flipping through paperwork, bored but alert.
I glanced at Lai as I parked on the dirt path leading in. “You sure you know what you’re doing?”
Lai nodded, determination settling into his features. “Again. Not an amateur.” He smirked. “I’ll keep him busy, and if I can’t keep him busy,” He winked. “I’ll keep him well rested.”
I snorted quietly as Lai stepped out of the car and strutted toward the booth with casual confidence. Lai was naturally charming and slipped into roles like that effortlessly; it was why he’d survived long enough to become an ex-assassin. Not many in his line of work were so lucky.
I gave him a minute before following. As I slipped past the booth, I glanced inside; Lai was already seated at the desk opposite the owner, leaning forward, laughing at something the man had said. It looked natural. Easy.
Good. Whatever Lai was doing, it was working.
I moved deeper into the yard, boots crunching softly against gravel.
Fox sat where I’d last seen him, tucked neatly behind a Ford Ranger. The Ranger blocked him from being seen from the roadside; my Mustang was hidden, protected.
My chest tightened, and I paused next to the Ranger, gently stroking its grill and murmuring a ‘thank you’ before squeezing past it, grinning as I spotted Fox at last. But, to my surprise, Fox didn’t greet me back. The car sat silent. Locked. No flicker of lights. No subtle vibration. No presence reaching out to me.
He wasn’t expecting me; the realization warmed me. It feltoddly domestic, like coming home late and finding your partner asleep in bed.
And of course, when that happened, you messed with them; a sneaky grope, a soft kiss—a whispered hello.
I looked Fox over, trying to decide where to poke at him. He’d always responded strongly to me touching his interior; I suspected he’d react to a slap on the butt just like Candy did when I’d greet her with one after a long day at work.
I slipped my fingers under Fox’s trunk handle, testing, then pulled back and firmly slapped his reverse light, right across his ass.
The car honked, loud and startled. I clapped a hand over my mouth, barely holding back laughter.
“Shhh, Fox! It’s me!” I hissed, grinning as the shadow appeared, sitting on the lid of the trunk, his golden eyes wide and his chest heaving as he hastily formed himself. “Are you okay?” I asked, still grinning.
“Yeah– yeah.” He ran a hand over his face. “Just–I had a nightmare. I dreamed I was rear-ended, but it was–”
He stopped, then slowly looked at me.
“It was you.” His smile spread, and he lunged forward, wrapping his arms around my neck. In the warmth of his embrace, I almost didn’t register what he’d said. Almost. My mind caught up a second later.
