Chapter 18 The preposition

Chapter 18 The preposition
Kendrix

What was I doing here?

Right. My father had called me after I left practice and asked me to pick Stephanie up. Apparently, he needed to pick something urgent up and had sent Harry to pick it. He sent me the address almost immediately without giving me the chance to refuse.

I wanted to comment on his obvious attempts to make Stephanie and I get along, but I had been too exhausted after the conversation with Coach. My father must have sensed the tension between us that morning, hence the reason for this unusual request.

But any reservation I'd had about this errand vanished when I saw the pissed look on Stephanie's face. It was absolutely worth giving up my post training hangout at Benny's for.

“Are you stalking me?” her eyes narrowed.

“Hate to break it to you, Princess, but you're not that special. Dad sent me to get you.”

“Harry was supposed to pick me up.” she crossed her arms, her brows arched.

“Well, he had an emergency.”

She sighed, probably realizing our parents ploy as well. “No problem. I'll take a cab.”

“Why?”

She inclined her head and stared at him for long seconds. “You really want me to get into another car ride with you? Do you need a debrief of our previous car rides?”

Every single time we had carpooled together, it always ended in a fight, which was why I had refused this morning when my father suggested it. I hadn't intended to pick up Sophie before, but I had agreed just to get out of going to school with Stephanie.

Plus, Sophie had sent me a video of her huge tits to make up for her cheating on me last year.

Although, I'd hardly call it cheating when we weren't in a relationship. But it had been a good enough reason to dump her. She was getting clingy.

I hated it when they got clingy.

“Okay, I know our car rides in the past haven't been…good, but maybe this one will be different. Start of an era and all that.” I shrugged.

“Yeah, I'm not getting in that car with you. I'm calling a cab.” She began walking away.

Not gonna lie, my ego was a little bruised. She didn't think we could survive twenty minutes together in a car without fighting. I pride myself on having the best self control ever.

Besides, who in their right senses takes a fucking cab over a Ferrari? The blasphemy.

“I have a proposition for you.” I said. She stopped walking and threw me a glance over her shoulder.

“I guarantee we can spend twenty minutes together without having a fight. We did sit together at assembly this morning and during classes too.”

“That was different.” She shook her head. “There were people around. It's just the two of us now.”

“Oh, so what I'm hearing is that your self control is so weak that you can't go twenty minutes without fighting me.” I smirked.

She turned to me fully, her back straightening at the challenge in my tone. I knew I had gotten to her then.

Like me, she couldn't pass on a challenge. I had known it since the day I walked in on her insulting me two weeks ago, we had glared at each other and she had refused to look away first.

Her competitiveness was also the reason she chose Sebastian at the Vault.

“I'm just trying to save you from embarrassing yourself. I don't lose.” she said in a firm tone.

“Neither do I, Princess.” I opened the car door to the passenger seat and gestured inside. “Shall we?”

She stared at me in contemplation. Logically, it would have been better if I let her go, but I'd wasted my time and gas to get to this side of town, damnit!

Another reason—my favorite reason—was that it was fun to challenge her. After the gruesome practice and the conversation with Coach, I needed something to take my mind off my shitty day.

Stephanie's eyes flared as she stormed towards me, her hair blown back by the wind. It was nothing like that day at the Vault when she had performed the most impossible stunt I've ever seen, and I've seen plenty of crazy stunts.

“Let's say I agree to your preposition, what do I get when I make you eat your words?” She had gotten close enough now but she didn't step into the car.

I hadn't thought about that when I made the suggestion. The little smirk on her face revealed she knew I didn't think about the reward.

“One thousand dollars and a favor.” I said.

She shook her head. “Not enough.”

I blinked. “Two thousand dollars?”

“I don't want your money or your favor.”

My lips parted in shock. Another blasphemy. “Most people would be thrilled that I owe them a favor.” I muttered.

I was Kendrix Sinclair for fuck's sake. Who wouldn't want a favor from me?

Apparently, my new stepsister—with the worst taste I've ever seen—doesn’t.

“Then what do you want?”

She appeared to think about it for a while. “Bragging rights for two weeks and a favor to be called in whenever I wish.”

My brows furrowed. “I thought you didn't want a favor.”

She simply shrugged. “Changed my mind. This is going to be so much fun.” Her lips stretched into a grin as she entered the car.

I was left wondering if taunting her had been a good idea from the start. But it was too late to change my mind now. If I backed out, I was certain she wouldn't let me live it down.

I got into the car and slammed the door with a little more force than necessary. I had brought the idea with the intention of baiting her into coming with me, but somehow, I had been the one who got trapped.

Stephanie seem satisfied with herself as I drove away from the clinic.

“So how was therapy?” I asked and immediately blamed myself for it. That sounds like something a parent would ask.

“Fine.” she said stiffly, the dismissal in her tone was clear.

Point taken.

I kept my focus on the road and tried not to think of the girl beside me. I pictured the most uneventful part of my day, the brutal practice. I imagined the aches I had felt all over my body, the sour mood I'd been in after Coach's conversation, but nothing was enough to take my mind off the tension in the car.

I definitely should have just let her call a cab.

There was no use regretting my decision now. We were just minutes away from home. I could handle that.

But if I could just get her to lose the bet before we get home, that would be great. Somehow, the thought of owing her a favor seems…unsettling.

I just needed to rile her up and make her lose her temper.

“So there's this party tonight. Everyone is going.” I said.

“Cool.” she answered.

“You should come.”

“Pass.”

I ground my teeth together. “Everyone is going, the entire class, the football team, it's going to be fun.”

“Good for them.”

“Even Brooklyn.”

“Okay.”

I was trying to piss her off but I was the one getting pissed off in the process. Why was it hard to annoy her when she got pissed off at literally everything?

“Stop doing that.” I groaned.

She turned to me, staring at me with innocent eyes. “Stop doing what?”

“You know what.” I snapped.

“I don't, actually. You invited me to a party and I turned it down politely. Because I'd rather carve my eyes out with a rusted knife than go to a party with you.” She flashed me a sweet smile.

Well, ouch!

“You could have just said no.” I muttered. The girl was creative with her insults.

“Where is the fun in that?” she said in an upbeat voice. Triumph shone in those sparkly green eyes.

I decided to stop trying to antagonize her after that. Coach always said a good leader knew when to back down from a fight. I certainly wasn't winning this one.

Fortunately, I didn't have to endure the torture for too long as the mansion gates came into view. I drove in and parked in the driveway.

“Well, you are such a delight to be around, stepbrother. I hope you know what this means.” she smiled at me.

When I didn't reply, she rolled her eyes. “Okay, I'm kind enough to remind you what it means. I now have bragging rights over you and a favor to call in whenever I want.”

“What do you want?” I asked.

“Not right now. I'll have to think about it first. I'll make sure to get back to you soon.” She stepped out of the car, but held the door open.

“Next time you try to compete with me, remember that I don't lose. Ever. See ya!” Then she slammed the door and began walking into the house.

I stared at her retreating figure in stunned silence. It was only when she had disappeared into the house that I snapped out of my trance.

Nope, there was no way I was going into that house. First, I needed a strong drink.