Only after I promised Sideswipe I'd call him could I peel into the night. He hadn't been thrilled, and no one had, and I was questioning my sanity at the moment.  I sat there for a minute, the engine ticking down, hands gripping the wheel as if I could strangle the thoughts running through my head. Why the hell did I agree to meet Trent? Maybe it was because of what Judy said, that little nudge that poked at my pride, the same one Sideswipe saw right through, damn him.

I killed the engine, slid out of the car, and stared at the neon lights and listened to the loud music blaring through the front door every time it opened. "This is ridiclious," I muttered to myself. I could see Trent inside, sitting at a window table, one of those booths that always have a cracked vinyl seat and the lingering smell of burnt coffee. He was already looking out, waiting for me, and I felt a twist in my gut. It wasn't too late. I could pretend I hadn't seen him, get in the car, go home, and settle down with a book and tea. Yeah, that sounded tempting.

I shoved the thoughts aside and pushed open the diner door. The bell overhead jangled. I walked to the table, gathering all my courage.

Trent leaped off the chair. "Thank you for coming." His hand wrapped around the back of my neck, his thumb softly sliding up and down. I forced a smile on my face. "Of course." The touch was possessive like he owned me, and I didn't like it.

Trent pulled his hand back, and I slid in the chair before taking off my leather jacket. "You had a friend over?" He asked nonchalantly.  "Yes, we met when I bought my car at the dealership. He was interested in Sam's project." Trent picked up his beer. I kept my wits about myself and fiddled with the silver bracelet around my left wrist.

"Right. The same project he used as an auction?" I slumped back in the chair. "Yes, that one." Trent stared at me for a long time. "Am I here to talk about Sam and my friend because if it is, I'm out of here—" he cut me off. "Of course not. I'm only interested, that's all." He played it off cool, waving an idle hand. "Come to my house tonight," he said after a few seconds of silence. "Trent..."

"Come on. I'm not drunk, there's no party..." he shrugged. "Why not?" Sideswipe's words lingered in my head and I sensed exactly what his intentions were. Sideswipe had been fun. He was a flirt and a tease, and his company seemed... lighter. He didn't care for a reputation he needed to keep. I started to regret my decision to meet Trent here.

"Not tonight." Trent frowned. "Why not?" I shifted a little. "I have other plans." He swept an heated gaze over me, — or what was visible. "Tomorrow?" I no longer felt bold enough to go through with this and it was my own stubbornness and stupidity that led me here. "I'll let you know," I said at last, and I would. I didn't know what he'd do if I disagreed a second time.

Trent sipped from his beer. "Isn't a little bit too early for that?" The waitress walked up to me. He snorted. "Is your friend coming over tonight? Is that why you can't meet me?" I smiled tightly at the lady standing now beside me, waiting to take my order. "Cola, please." She gave a nod and weaved through the tables, back towards the tab.

"Did you fuck him?" My eyes grew wide. "What?!" There was no amusement in his eyes. "You heard me." A nearby couple glanced into our direction. "No!" I hissed, glaring. "Just askin', no need to get pissed." I sucked in a breath. "Then don't ask me these sort of questions." His eyes hardened.

"I hope you realize we are not a thing?"

His smile was down right diabolical. "Yet," he stated. I looked down at the table, regretting every decision that led me to this situation. I straightened. "I think I'm gonna go." I rose to my feet and so did he. "Come on. Sit. We were just getting started." I snatched my jacket off the chair and shrugged it on. "No. I'm gonna go. Goodnight." I tried to pass him, but snagged my arm. Tightly.

"Trent," I warned, but his grip only tightened. "Stop," I hissed. "Sit down." It was a fucking order. I took a step back and yanked my arm from his grip. "I'm leaving," I repeated, walking around some tables and quickly made it to the door. Trent chased after me.

Before I reached my car, he grabbed me. I let out a scream and I found myself being slammed into my own car before my legs gave out.

My corvette started honking its horn, headlights flashing. Trent startled and moved away. I fumbled for the car key I dropped, but I heard the soft click of the door already opening. "Asshole!" I shouted, trying to hoist myself back up on my feet.

"Get away from me," I seethed. Trent huffed then marched off. The honking stopped when I slid in the car. My hands still trembling as I twisted the key and gripped the steering wheel. I wasn't really thinking or paying attention as I drove back home. It felt as if the car was driving itself.

* * *

I stared at myself in the mirror. At the deep purple, blue that smudged on my cheekbone. I winced at the pain. The cooling had done little for the swelling, but it could've been worse. I dropped the bloody towel in the basket and slipped into my room. I barely slept last night after I snuck back in and had refused to come out and explain. I'd get a plenty of 'told you so' by Sam and Sideswipe.

Sideswipe was the last person I wanted to see right now, even though I craved his cheerfulness. I could use a proper distraction.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway and I frowned. They were too heavy to be Sam's or Ron's. Shit. I frantically looked around, searching for anything I could use to cover up the bruises.

There was a knock on my door before Sideswipe slipped into my room. He took a look at my face, and shut the door — discarding the plastic bag on my desk. "What happened to your face?" His voice was icy and cold. I sighed and straightened. I'd never heard him his angry before. "The aftermath of my mistake," I replied.

Sideswipe wrapped an arm around my waist. My breathing hitched. "That asshole..." he growled. I didn't know what to do with my hands, where to put them. I ended up laying my palms flat on his chest, on the muscles tensing beneath me.

"He's gonna die for that." I didn't respond. Instead, I took the opportunity to study his face from up close a little better and his strange eyes that seemed to glow with all sorts of blues and... silver. A bright silver circle wrapped around his pupil. Strange but beautiful.

"I will deal with it personally." Sideswipe loosened his grip on me. "I brought you something," he said, stepping back. He pulled out two soda bottles and chocolate. "How did you know that's my favorite?"

He smirked and shrugged. He handed me one of each. "Thank you." I carefully sat down on my bed. "You were right." He crossed his arms and cocked a brow. "Obviously. When am I not?" I snorted and leaned back a little.

"Have you spoken to Sam yet?" I shook my head. "I expected him to be back by now. I'll call him." I reached for my phone. "We are not in a rush." I unwrapped my chocolate and took a bite. "Where does he live?" I cocked a brow. "Trent, where does he live?"
"Do I want to know why?"
"For my brother." I snorted.
"Sunny is creative."
"I bet."
I took a bite and ignored the feral glint in his eyes. "I mean it. Where does he live?" I lowered my hands. "Look, I made a stupid mistake. I should've have gotten involved with him in the first place. I ignored everyone's warnings."

"He hurt you. He laid his hands on you," he snapped in clipped words. "I don't want you to beat him up." He laughed coldly. "Beat him up? We'll fucking kill him." My brows rose and for a good minute I was taken aback. Kill him? Sideswipe and I just met, but it was something else that snagged my attention. He said 'we'll' and he undoubtedly meant his twin brother.

"Right. Well, I appreciate but I can handle it."

He didn't look convinced if anything, he looked inclined to argue or scout the entire city for the prick himself. Sideswipe caught my eyes. "What?" I shook my head. "I mean it, drop it." He muttered something under his breath and sipped from his soda.

Sideswipe kept me company at the point he had settled beside me in bed, watching a movie we both enjoyed. "You never really told me where you're from." Sideswipe turned his head. "I did."
"That you're far from home, yes, but where is it?"
"What do you guess?"
"I don't know... overseas?"
"I am."
"You're lying."
He blinked. "How can you tell?" I shrugged casually. "I just do." Sideswipe shifted in a sitting position. "You can detect lies?" His eyes lit up with genuine curiosity. "What else?" I sighed softly. "I can't lie either. It's either the truth or nothing at all." He smirked. "And I prefer nothing at all." I jabbed his ribs before sliding out of bed. "Interesting."

His eyes racked over my body, as if he could see all the secrets. Maybe he did. He had already uncovered so much and laying myself bare for someone... I rolled my shoulders. "I'm going to see if Sam has returned." Sideswipe chuckled and the sound of that slithered down my spine. "You really are remarkable little creature. You deserve better than Trent." He gave me a pointed look and slowly nodded. "I know... I know."

I hurried out of the room and practically ran down the stairs. "Happened to your face!" I leaped. Judy's eyes went wide. "It's fine now. Don't worry." She didn't believe me and how could I blame her? "Did Trent do this to you!?" She snapped. "I'm going to the police—"
"She fell."
Sideswipe came up behind me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. Judy's eyes narrowed. "Did she?" I gave a tight smile. "I did and you know I can't lie..." she gritted her teeth, then stomped off. I loosened a jagged sigh. "Thank you." Sideswipe winked. "Where the fuck is Sam?" I scolded, turning as the front door burst open and a pissed of Ron came through.

"Judy!"
Sideswipe wrapped an casual arm around my shoulders. "Judy!" He bellowed again. She appeared a second later, snarling for the sudden intrusion. "He's at the station. I just got a call." Sideswipe and I exchanged looks. "What do you mean he's at the station?" She hissed. "He got caught on private property last night."

"He's arrested? Your... awkward foster brother?" I cocked a brow. "I've seen him, okay? So don't look at me like that. He's awkward." I couldn't completely disagree with that. "And he could've gotten a Corvette but choose the Camero instead. It's insulting." I laughed quietly. "You love Corvette, I take it?"
"It's a sleek design, especially the newer ones, but I can't really complain about the driver of the Corvette." He winked.

"Prick."
"You're still here?"
Sideswipe smiled. "I'm a friend of your daughter." Ron grumbled something and aimed for the kitchen. "Such a warm personality." I shrugged. "It's nothing unusual." Sideswipe snorted. "Come on." He grasped my hand. It felt so... intimate for some reason.

He dragged me to the door. I quickly grabbed my shoes and jacket. "I need my—" he dangled my keys between his fingers. "Keys..." he opened the door. "Let's go." I shut the door behind and followed. Sideswipe slipped in the drivers side. "Sure, you can drive."

I walked around the hood. "Why are we in such a rush anyway? Do you know how many times I've had to save Sam?" He drove off before I had even closed the door. "Because I don't trust a damn person in this fucking world and my friend has been doing a terrible job—" he gritted his teeth. "What do you mean?" He shook his head and I had the strangest urge to tighten the seatbelt.

Sideswipe side glanced me with a cocked brow. "Really? You think I want to crash into something?" I gave a tight, but innocent smile. "You're... in an urgency apparently and I would really like it if you keep your eyes on the road instead of me." He huffed a laugh but luckily obeyed my request. "But I love looking at you," he crooned. A blush crept up on my face. "You're a shameless flirt, Sides." He chuckled again and I decided that I liked the sound of it.

Sideswipe down the street and slid out of the car. "So, why do you want to see Sam so badly? Is this still about that project he did?" I closed the door and sprinted to catch up with him. "I will explain everything later. You gotta trust me, alright?" He looked around the street, as if he expected being followed. "You creep me out." I stopped. "Look, I don't want to be part of anything... I don't— I can't—"

His eyes glinted in the sunlight like shimmering ocean waves. "I know, but I won't let anything bad happen to you, I promise. Things just got a lot more complicated." I frowned. "Because of me? They're here for me? They found me?" My eyes slid across the street. "No, no... relax, you're fine. I just— we need to do this first and I'll explain everything later, okay? Please."

My stupid heart was beating madly. How did he expect me stay calm? Sideswipe stepped closer and pulled me in a hug. "Don't worry, you're fine." The hug was oddly comforting. Too comforting for my liking. He stepped back and grasped my hand again, leading me towards the towering building. "I can't lie," I reminded him. "I'll gladly lie for you, darling."