Chapter 7

Astrid's whole body went rigid, and her mind went blank for a second.

Sidney lounged lazily in the leather seat, one hand resting on his crossed leg. His gaze was fixed on her face with a hint of a smirk. A cool, clean scent tinged with cedar surrounded her.

She snapped to her senses and forced a smile. "Mr. Ziegler, would you believe me if I said I got in the wrong car?"

"Oh?" Sidney arched a brow, drawing out the word on purpose. "I thought you got into my car on purpose to talk business."

Astrid frowned slightly, her probing gaze lingering on his face. Hadn't he turned down her request to work with him? Why was he bringing it up again? Had he changed his mind?

She forced down her emotions and asked with a tight smile, "So, do you want to discuss the partnership now?"

His lips curved as he let out a low chuckle. The sound was deep and pleasant, but the amusement didn't reach his eyes.

Astrid couldn't figure him out. Before she could say anything else, he suddenly leaned in. His striking face came close, filling her vision. His warm breath fanned over her skin, searing her cheeks.

His thin lips parted, and his husky voice was laced with teasing. "Do you still remember what I told you, Ms. Jenner?"

Of course she remembered. Sidney had said that he didn't accept any kind of bribe, aside from beauty. The thing was, Astrid had no intention of selling her body.

The rejection was on the tip of her tongue when Sidney spoke again, his voice low and unhurried. "There's a Maybach that's been tailing us this whole time. No idea whose car that might be."

A Maybach?

Astrid's heart jolted. She immediately turned to look. The black Maybach was one that she knew all too well—it was Reuben's.

It trailed them closely, the horn blaring now and then. The headlights were blinding, and the speed rose to something downright reckless.

Only then did Astrid realize the car she was in was going just as fast. The two cars were basically drag racing!

Sidney had clearly overheard the argument from earlier. He'd only mentioned the car behind them to get a rise out of her, yet he had his driver keep their own speed so high that it was obvious he had no intention of letting Reuben catch up.

What exactly was Sidney after?

Just as Astrid was pondering that, the car abruptly slowed. A harsh blast of a horn shattered the air.

Her expression changed as she shot a nervous look at Sidney.

He smirked wickedly. "Ms. Jenner, it's time for you to make a choice. Are you going to pay with your charms, or are you getting into that car back there?"

Her chest tightened. As far as she was concerned, there was no real choice at all. She wouldn't go back to what had broken her.

She would never forgive Reuben for his betrayal. The mere thought of being stuck in the same space with him made her stomach churn.

Astrid locked her gaze on Sidney's handsome face, hesitating for only a heartbeat. Then, she looped an arm around his neck and kissed him without another second's doubt.

His light, cool scent hit her first. His whole body went still. His eyes suddenly darkened, and the playful glint in them was replaced by pure shock. The sharp reek of alcohol filled his nose.

Astrid's kiss was quick and decisive with no lingering tenderness. It only had the fierce resolve of someone going all in.

Her eyes were squeezed shut, as if she were scared. At the same time, her lashes fluttered, as if she were shy. She didn't dare look at him.

When the kiss broke, she ordered coldly, "Lose that car."

She started to pull away, but a hand suddenly clamped around her wrist. She froze and looked up at Sidney. Before she could react, a sharp tug yanked her forward. She leaned into Sidney, and he sealed her lips with his icy ones.

Compared to her brief, sharp kiss, Sidney's was slow and lingering. His cedar scent wrapped around her, turning the moment thick with a hazy, charged heat.

The air in the car felt suffocatingly warm. Astrid's cheeks flushed pink, and disbelief filled her face. The kiss dragged on and on, stretching out so long that it felt like forever.

When Sidney finally let her go, he was reluctant. His eyes fixed on her now-rosy lips, the curve of his mouth faint and unreadable. He drawled, "You're full of surprises, Ms. Jenner."

What kind of conclusion was that supposed to be?

Heat shot up Astrid's neck. She caught sight of the rearview mirror and saw that the Maybach was gaining on them fast. "Quit talking and lose him, now!"

Sidney's lips quirked when he saw how anxious she was. He lifted a hand and gestured toward the driver. The car shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, tearing down the road.

The speed was so intense that Astrid's heart nearly stopped. They flew past car after car, weaving between lanes like the rest of the traffic was standing still. In just moments, the Maybach was left far behind.

Astrid glanced back. The relentless car that had been glued to them was nowhere in sight. She let out a long breath of relief.

Sidney caught her reaction and chuckled. "Looks like someone's chasing you down for a debt, Ms. Jenner."

She couldn't be bothered to respond to his teasing. Too tired to spar, she turned away and sank into the leather seat, staring blankly at the scenery racing backward outside the window.

"You've used me, and now you're discarding me. You're quite the prodigy in business, Ms. Jenner," he said lazily.

"You're the prodigy here, Mr. Ziegler. With a mouth like that, it's a tragedy you're not doing stand-up comedy."

It was always like this with him. If he wasn't mocking her, he was taking jabs at her. Nothing good ever came out of his mouth.

Still, the tension in Astrid's body eased with their back-and-forth. Maybe it was the alcohol dulling everything, or maybe she was just too exhausted. Either way, she shut her eyes and drifted off before long.

The sound of her even breathing made Sidney frown. He turned to look at her and saw that she was actually asleep.

"Falling asleep in a guy's car is not exactly a wise move, Ms. Jenner," he remarked dryly, reaching out to tug her arm.

Then, his gaze snagged on a small bloodstain on her jacket. His eyes followed the trail, and he realized there were stains dotted all over the sleeve. She looked like she was badly injured. His gaze moved to her pale face. She was as white as a sheet. Her face was completely drained of color.

She'd been this badly hurt and had still gone out drinking, pretending everything was fine. That small frame of hers was bearing that much pain, yet she hadn't made a sound.

His eyes darkened, and his gaze sharpened on her face. He ordered, "Head back to Crownview Residences."

The car sped toward Crownview Residences and soon arrived.

Sidney got out and scooped Astrid into his arms. She didn't stir at all, but it felt more like she was passed out rather than asleep. The strong, metallic scent of blood hit him full force. He quickened his pace and told someone along the way to call Ian Griffith.

By the time Sidney laid Astrid on the bed in the master bedroom, Ian finally sauntered upstairs and opened the door. "It's the middle of the night. Why did you drag me over—"

Before he could finish, Sidney grabbed him by the arm and yanked him into the room. "Check her. Now."

His usually cool voice held a thread of urgency.

Ian glanced over. The instant he saw Astrid's face, his expression shifted.

It was her? What was she doing here? Did she and Sidney know each other?

But he and Sidney had been friends for years. He'd never once heard him mention her.

Watching the tight frown on Sidney's face and the way his eyes never left Astrid, something akin to interest flickered in Ian's gaze. He stepped forward to examine her.

"Her arm's got a deep tear. It's bad. If we don't treat it right away, she could end up with permanent damage," he said after a moment. But as soon as he'd given his verdict, a bold thought crossed his mind. "You didn't do this to her, did you?"