Chapter 162: Hop In

Reese Penelope’s car was already gone by the time I walked out to the parking lot, her taillights vanishing into the drizzle. But that didn’t matter. I knew exactly where she lived—and better yet, exactly which route she’d take home. Everything was almost too easy. By the time the night ended, I knew she’d be under me, trembling and breathless, and I’d be right where I wanted to be. I slipped into my car and started the engine, the rhythmic thump of rain against the windshield syncing with my pulse. I didn’t rush. Timing was everything with Penny. If I showed up too soon, she’d suspect something. She wasn’t stupid—she just believed in coincidences a little too much. So I took my time. I let the rain stretch the silence, drumming my fingers on the wheel while the city thinned into long, empty, wet streets. And then—there she was. A flash of headlights reflecting off her car, hazard lights blinking weakly in the rain. She was standing by the roadside, waving both hands. Her hair was damp