A/N: And here is the next chapter. Further notes below. Enjoy :)
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Disclaimer : I own nothing.
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Warnings : M rated story that may occasionally include dark themes.
Many thanks to the amazing Anastasia Dreams for her beta work and for always being here for me. This story wouldn't be the same without her.
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Songs used as inspiration for this chapter :
Dark Side by Bishop Briggs
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Chapter 11: Enjoy the Ride
Welcome to my darkness, I been here a while
Clouding up the sunlight, hurting for a smile
Oh, I drain your life...'Til there's nothing left but your blood shot eyes
Oh, I take my time ...'Til I show you how I feel inside
...Welcome to my dark side…It's gonna be a long night
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Her body was wound tight. Her breathing hollow.
Caroline was feverish but alive and with each breath she took she felt as if she was reliving the sound of the gunshots. Days after Jessie's funeral and her heart was still stopping at the memory of that echo. Of that deafening resonating sound. The moment the shooting had begun. When she didn't know what was going on. When they were killing her friend. Over and over again she heard that noise. It was a piercing crack drilling inside her ears.
She wanted to close her eyes and sleep but she couldn't when what happened in the gardens kept coming alive in her mind every time she dared to even let her eyes even flutter. Life went on, no one seemed to care but every time she blinked she saw Jessie's eyes, wide open, lifeless, looking at the void. She saw the gaping hole in his chest and that fountain of blood she couldn't stop from bursting out from his torn body.
His blood still felt warm in her hands. It burned and it tingled at the edge of her fingertips.
Each second passing by was turning the hands of the clock slower than the second before it. Caroline felt as if her own heart was slowing down. Each heartbeat was heavy. Slow. Agonizing. The bullet that hit Jessie had found its target but she knew that it had been her it was aimed for.
She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. She had spent many sleepless nights in this room, frightful nights filled with uncertainty, but never before such an agonizing endless one.
The room was warm but she felt so cold. She couldn't stop the shivers that rocketed through her body. She could hear the soft breeze swirling outside the French doors and windows.
The curtains were pulled to the side and soft moonlight was spilling in the room through the glass balcony doors but it was not enough to illuminate the shadows the nightfall had brought in.
The room had surrendered into darkness and her eyes remained locked to an imaginary spot on the ceiling.
She had known him. That was the worst part. She had grown up with Jessie. She had looked after him. And he had come here to look after her. He shouldn't have been here. It was all her fault and now she couldn't even mourn him properly.
Klaus was right, she was to blame just as much. And she hated now more than ever that she still had to share the same space with him. They barely interacted the days which followed Jessie's death. She couldn't stand even looking at him.
Tonight Klaus had entered their bedroom some hours ago, with his unfathomable gaze showing signs of something akin to pity as he faced once more her silent treatment. Him feeling sorry for her, or even pretending as if he did, had been like pouring salt into her wounds. She preferred his family's snide remarks and scornful gazes in comparison.
As always she had kept her mouth shut and thankfully so had he. She couldn't deal with another confrontation with him and she didn't know how she would handle his fake sympathy when she knew that Jessie was a casualty just because Klaus wanted to teach her a lesson and to highlight to everyone her shortcomings. And she had so easily given him what he wanted. She had fallen in hysterics in front of everyone. She showed her grief and her shock and proved to everyone that she was just a silly girl trying to playing the games of adults.
Klaus had won this round and in doing so he had sacrificed her friend. He had no remorse but what was worse was that she had provoked him and armed his hand. She should have expected this. She should have taken precautions and even if she couldn't have, she should have prepared herself for what was to come. She had been so oblivious and naïve and…the one to blame.
Truth was that she was using everyone as collateral damage too. She had used people as pawns so to ensure her survival and protection and not even her imminent one. She had done everything for her future, to make her dreams real, not caring who she would have to throw under the bus. She had thought she could do this without facing all the bloodshed directly. At least not like this. She had never had to face these practicalities before. Not in this way anyway. Not in the way her brothers and Klaus did. But her dearest husband turned the tables on her and forced her to face things and she hated him for that now more than ever.
Klaus, as usual, was calmly resting on the couch at the other side of the room and all Caroline could think was that he had been right. This was her fault. This was her responsibility. She had failed and her mistakes now cost lives.
She couldn't do this. She tried to stop the images that kept coming in her mind. The eyes that watched. All the men in the gardens that looked at her. Kol's satisfaction, Klaus' knowing arrogance, Mikael's cruel indifference when she informed him later. The phone calls with Giovanni Montavaro, Damon and Jessie's mother. Rebekah's words and laughter afterward. Esther's scathing gaze that she felt on her without knowing from where it was coming from. She was on her own and she had failed.
She tried to swallow the sob that was rising. It was rising and rising. From deep in her body straight right into her throat. She couldn't keep it down. Her hands fisted the sheets underneath her. Her nails almost tore on the fabric and hot tears gathered in her eyes until the darkness blurred.
She pushed her head to the side, her cheek sinking in the fluffy pillow. She refused to let the tears fall. She couldn't be weak.
Her body started shaking. She felt as if she had run miles and miles.
She didn't know how but she knew that from where Klaus was lying he was looking at her. His eyes saw her. Right now, in the darkness. Those eyes followed her. It was as if he was waiting for her to break down and it was setting her off.
Like that gunshot. That bullet that was fired. It ricocheted in the walls of her mind.
That sound. All the blood.
She heaved. It kept building up. Everything she had done. Everything she felt. Like a domino. The tiles kept falling and she couldn't stop them.
The walls were closing in. The bed she was in felt like it was on fire. Like a coffin that was ready to close her in.
Jessie was dead.
Dead.
He was dead and it was her fault.
She couldn't breathe.
Her hands flew on her neck. She couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't be strong.
She jumped from the bed. She couldn't take this any longer. Something was pushing against her chest and she couldn't breathe. The tightness that spread all over her body was breaking her.
She knew what it was. It was guilt.
She needed air. She needed oxygen. She needed…she didn't know what.
She needed… something.
One moment she was in the room and in the next she had torn the doors open and she was in open air.
The gust of wind tangled her hair. Unconfined. She was out only she couldn't get out. Her gasps were coming in quick succession.
She wrapped her hands around the railing and tried to hold on to something. She tried to focus on what her eyes were seeing but the beautiful view of the balcony was gone. Gone were the lake and the stone path and the beautiful gardens that used to bring calm to her. Now all she saw was Jessie lying dead in those gardens. In the midst of Esther's roses. Red roses dripping blood.
She wanted to scream but she let the agonizing cry burn inside her and turn to rust and rot. It was eating her alive.
She closed her eyes and gripped the railing harder. What happened kept replaying in her mind like a movie.
Her chest fell up and down.
She didn't hear his steps but she knew he had followed her.
Klaus was standing close. So close. The fragrance of his after-shave that enveloped her overwhelmed her.
They had been here before. On this balcony.
Both of them together.
Only back then she was wearing a wedding dress and she was panicking for different reasons.
She remembered that night, that moment all too well. Klaus had approached her like he would a frightened animal that was ready to bolt. At their wedding night he had dropped his jacket over her shoulders. To protect her from the cold.
What an absurd idea. Klaus wanting to protect her when it was him that was spreading the cold in her.
He was killing her.
Like tonight, like every night. His presence ignited heat but what he did encased her in ice. She was burning and freezing all at once.
There was pain and rage inside her. She felt betrayed and alone. She hated herself for her stupidity. For all the things she didn't see coming. All the things she had done and all the things she had failed to do. She had to brace herself for all the things that would come and all the things she would have to do next. It was too much. It was hate and despair and pain and every emotion was erupting inside her at once.
She knew deep in her heart that this was how Klaus felt when she had turned against him. He was paying her back in her own coin and it hurt.
She shook her head. The iron carvings of the railing dug into her palms. The soft breeze did nothing to help her.
"Breathe, Caroline."
Klaus' voice was soft. Almost hypnotic as he called her name. She couldn't believe she had once asked to call her by her name instead of the colorful monikers he kept using. She hated her name on his lips. It felt like an incantation. Unholy. Temptation.
Like a bullet shot in the dark.
She clenched her eyes shut. Tighter. The gunshots. All those bullets. Jessie dying.
A whimper escaped her lips before she could keep it down.
She jumped up when Klaus started rubbing her arms up and down. She shivered and tried to pull away only it was a weak protest.
"Breathe, sweetheart," Klaus encouraged her again.
Only it was more than just encouragement. It was a command. One she couldn't ignore.
She started following the rhythm of his hands, up and down over her arms from shoulders to elbows, one breath in one out. Again, and again, until she felt as if she was pudding in his hands. Until her heartbeat started slowing down and the tightness started dissolving. The sound of the gunshots became an echo and she leaned back in Klaus' hold cursing herself for her weakness.
She was breathing.
All her broken pieces were starting to stitch back together. Each one to a different place than before, like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces that no longer fit and were pushed violently to the wrong slots.
It felt wrong and it felt somehow right and it hurt but the pain was becoming dull. And she breathed.
She felt Klaus' breath so close to her face. His lips close to her ear. Whispering his command, in soothing tones prompting her to keep breathing.
His chest was like a solid pillar of strength behind her, caging her in between his body and the railing. Only weirdly enough she didn't feel caged. He was the support she needed.
"I am suffocating," she whispered, her voice barely a sound, resembling more of a weak moan rather than coherent speech, "everything is spinning out of control."
"I know, sweetheart. Breathe," he insisted and she felt her knees trembling. She was shivering in his arms. The only source of heat was the constant motion of his hands over her arms. She was becoming lightheaded.
"I can't."
Her complaint was uttered in a voice she didn't recognize. It had a raspy lilt. It didn't belong to her. She couldn't admit defeat so easily to him and yet she was falling in his hands, straight into her demise but she felt…safe.
"You can."
How could Klaus be both her executioner and the one that made her feel safe in all the chaos? The chaos they both kept causing and feeding.
His hands covered her palms over the railing until she slowly eased her grip. Each breath now hurt less and less.
He let her hands go and slowly pulled her hair out of her face. The pulse in her neck throbbed and she waited. She waited for the world to stop moving. For her body to find its strength again.
Klaus slowly pulled her back from the railing.
She opened her eyes and looked straight into his concerned gaze. His fingers gently held her chin and he tilted her head back. It was just a fraction of movement but his eyes searched her face in silent apprehension and he only let her go when he seemed certain she had regained her control; and so she had.
She held his gaze. Her own scrutiny matched his intensity.
She knew. Even if she hadn't suspected before she would know now. She had seen his gaze that day in the gardens. She was seeing it in his eyes now. He had orchestrated everything and despite his fleeting compassion, he didn't regret it. He would do it again in a heartbeat. That realization became a sinking feeling inside her. It coiled and settled like a stone. It dragged her down and the pain became sharp again.
She didn't know why but there was a part of her that wanted to lean on Klaus and she knew that she couldn't. She should have never allowed herself to fall for his tricks. Any help coming from him was as toxic as was the hurt he inflicted.
"You were behind this, weren't you?"
Caroline breathed out her accusation and the strain in her voice left Klaus staring at her eyes in the dark.
He remained stoic and it was only his endless years of training to survive Mikael that helped him keep his impassive mask in place.
Caroline had locked her gaze with his and even though she expected him to answer he waited. He could see that she didn't need him to confirm what she already knew because…she just knew.
"Would it make a difference if I denied it?"
He didn't even try to pretend as if he didn't understand what she was saying. Anyone else and he would continue playing the game of charades he knew how to play to mess with minds and hearts but not with her, not now, not here.
Caroline remained unmoving. The only sign of life in her was the throbbing vein in her neck and the way the green of her eyes shone in the night in a harsher shade that drew him in. Any lethargic remnant of pain that had lingered in her eyes vanished. There was a blend of desperate bitterness and ferocity in her expression now and Klaus admired every emotion that appeared in her beautiful features.
There was something in her that moved him. It was her courage. Her bravery. Even her pain.
She was past innocence now.
She was young and beautiful and yet, right now bathed in the glimmer of the moonlight, she looked as if she had aged a thousand years only in few hours. In the aftermath of the destruction he had caused the black cloud that had wrapped around her didn't suit her and yet she carried it like a crown and that was what truly enchanted him.
She was stronger than what people gave her credit for. Stronger than what she believed herself to be.
Stronger and now…darker.
Caroline was a creature of light and life and he was dragging her down with him in his world of darkness and yet there were parts of her that were drawn to the allure of the darkness and others that disintegrated in it.
He knew that suffering all too well. A long time ago he had faced that schism too and had given in to the darkness. And once you give into it there's no going back from it. The only thing that was left to do was to wait and see where this conflict would take Caroline.
Something told him it would lead her straight into his waiting embrace. And he would be there to show her, should she let him, that the darkness wasn't as dreadful as she feared.
Caroline turned her back on him and he watched her as she went back to the railing again. She supported herself against the black iron, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the rail.
Others would be weak enough to drive themselves off the railing and plunge straight into their death. Many women in marriages like their own did. Women that faced far less than Caroline. Women in his family.
That reminder filled him with an overwhelming fear. No. This would never happen to her. Caroline was not like Tatia. Caroline was a force of nature. Strong and fierce. A survivor. She had to be.
He observed her carefully. She had been so close to having a panic attack before but she seemed composed now despite how frail she had looked only moments before. Despite how sad she looked now. Her shoulders had slumped down and her hair was falling in waves around her.
From where he stood he could not see her face. Not with her back turned on him but he saw the steady movement of her body as she breathed easily.
"I used to believe that terrible people did terrible things," she exhaled tersely and Klaus flinched at the resignation he heard in her voice, "you were right. I did this."
Klaus' hands turned to fists at his side.
He watched her as she accepted her share of responsibility and battled between honesty and guilt. He wanted to go to her, to give her something, anything to ease her pain only…he couldn't. He wouldn't. This was what he had wanted. To pay her back. To make her face her hypocrisy; to show her that she wasn't that different from him and that she had no moral high ground as she liked to pretend. To push her over the edge.
The ball was in her court now. Only it wasn't a ball, it was a grenade. He had thrown it at her feet and waited for the shrapnel to do its damage.
Admirably enough, Caroline chose not to wear any blinders. That was where her weakness and strength came from. And he knew that he had to manipulate her weakness. That was the plan.
He braced himself and forced his body to relax and his expression to turn expressionless once more.
"You did."
He immediately noticed the way her body tensed, and he gritted his teeth to stop himself from cursing outloud.
Caroline slowly straightened up and turned around to face him. She said nothing. That brilliant color of her eyes had faded.
She looked as if she couldn't even stand being in his presence and that felt like punishment somehow. He hated it. He would have rather faced her anger than this. That deep-set resentment she threw at him and…at herself.
He didn't know what he expected but she only walked past him and went straight back into their room.
He closed his eyes before he followed her in and when she went back and lay back on the bed he felt as if someone had punched him, knocking the wind out of him. She looked like a mechanical toy that had run out of batteries.
It wasn't hard for his eyes to adjust to the utter darkness of the room.
Caroline turned on her side, pulling her knees up until her fragile form had turned into a small ball and she covered herself with the sheets.
His lips compressed into a thin line.
He should go back to the couch. He should let the night pass. Sleepless as it may end up being for them both. This was what he wanted. He was winning. He should let things be.
This was what he should do.
Instead, his body had a will of each own.
He went straight to the bed and with a swift movement he pushed the covers away from her body and turned on the lamp on the nightstand.
Caroline whirled around, her eyes narrowing as the soft light seemed to be too bright for her.
He almost sighed. He couldn't believe he was doing this.
"Get up," he ordered and Caroline's eyes narrowed more.
"What are you doing?"
"Get up and go get dressed," he said.
"Excuse me?"
Despite the internal struggle that raged inside him he couldn't help but smirk at her startled incredulous expression.
"You heard me, love."
Caroline squinted her eyes at him and before she could dismiss him and reach for the covers again his fingers had wrapped around her elbow and he pulled her up.
She seemed too surprised to even protest. He noticed pleased that she didn't seem afraid of him. She never had been despite her feeble attempts to convince herself and him she was.
A rush of adrenaline and relief filled him. He didn't pretend that she did not fear him simply because she had become accustomed to him and believed he wouldn't physically hurt her. She didn't fear him because she was stubborn. Because she faced danger head on even when she was numb.
That was why Caroline was different. She was not the kind of person that would jump from a balcony. She was the one that would push someone off it if she had to. She was fearless, even with him.
However this was the first time he was being so assertive with her and she seemed dazed by it. It was only when her feet touched the floor and she stumbled forward, her body colliding with his she seemed to understand what was actually happening.
She yanked her arm away from his grip.
"Have you gone mad? Let go," she hissed.
And there she was. His little spitfire. She had him worried for a while there.
"Do you really want to spend all night tossing and turning?"
Caroline watched him baffled but before she could say anything he took a step back making sure that she wouldn't feel threatened by him.
"You said you were suffocating."
Caroline crossed her hands in front of her chest. Her face heating up. He could tell she definitely regretted showing him weakness.
"So?"
"Let's go out," he offered and she crinkled her nose.
"It's past midnight!"
Her exasperated reaction was cute. All his previous vexation vanished and he shrugged at her comical rebuttal.
"So?"
"Seriously?" she huffed and when she glared at him he grinned but internally he only felt relief.
Finally, some color returned to her face and Klaus's eyes fell on her soft pink lips and traveled up and down her body. Now that edge of worry left him he could appreciate the sight she offered him in the dim glow the lamp was casting over her. She was wrapped in silk pajamas that hugged her body in ways that shouldn't turn him on but somehow he only wanted to reveal what was hidden underneath. Her messy curls looked wild and he wanted nothing more than to sink his fingers into them and throw his beautiful wife over that bed and-
No.
He couldn't think like that because should he do he would rather stay right here instead of getting her out.
He went closer and Caroline watched him with a guarded expression.
She looked as if she was ready to bolt only her feet were glued to the floor and her breathing was starting to pick up.
It wasn't fear or anger or worry he saw in her. Her eyes flew to his lips before she quickly raised her gaze back to his eyes.
He could tell when a woman wanted him and Caroline wanted him. Only he didn't want to steal a moment from her born only from her confusion and despair. He didn't want her to pretend as if he had taken advantage of her fear and misery and he surely didn't want to have to face her regret and rejection afterward.
No. He wanted everything. And when Caroline gave into him it would not be because she needed comfort and consolation. It wouldn't be because she felt miserable and lost. It would be because she wanted him. Because she couldn't have any other thought but him. She would beg for him. And that was worth waiting for. More so when he knew it was inevitable.
Klaus invaded her personal space, leaning forward, teasing her with the promise of a kiss that wouldn't come.
"Maybe you need someone less terrible to console you," he whispered, his lips almost teasing the soft skin of her earlobe and he smiled when he felt the goosebumps that blanketed her body,"but sometimes you can find comfort even in the most unusual places," he promised her and from the corner of his eyes he saw how her eyelids dropped slowly, her beautiful long eyelashes a taunting whisper against her cheeks.
He stepped back and grazed her cheek with his finger.
"Even with those, you consider enemies, love."
Caroline's eyes shot open and his smile grew bigger when she pulled her head back as if his touch had electrocuted her.
She was a mix of vulnerability and frustration. She was dangling between her desire and her uncertainty. He could see the hope and curiosity in her eyes. She wanted to take him up on his offer only she didn't trust him. There were so many more things she wanted, and she didn't even know she wanted.
He knew that in a way he was taking advantage of her. Maybe she indeed needed someone less terrible to give her comfort but he was the only one she would ever get. He would make sure of that.
She had a good reason not to trust him. He was giving with one hand and taking with the other. But he couldn't help it.
The difference with Caroline was that while he was used to only taking from others, with her he also wanted to give.
He wanted to give because what he took from her felt wrong even though it was the right thing to do. She had to learn and he had to gain the upper hand. There was no other way. It felt wrong but he had to be cruel in order to be kind.
Still. He realized that he didn't want her broken. He only wanted her to face reality. And for him to show her and most of all to see for himself her limits.
And he had.
Caroline didn't back down. She didn't choose retreat. She didn't cower in the face of death. She held death in her hands and she chose to be the dealer of life and death in the ranks of her men. Very interesting indeed but it was already causing havoc in her heart and chipping away pieces of her light. He had seen her pain and her humanity tonight. That was what truly made her strong. The fact that she was still standing like that in front of him. The fact that it hurt but she still stood her ground. And that was enough for him to want to give her more than what he wanted to take.
"Come with me."
He was not used to asking. To plead. But with her he did. It was the only way for her to give in to him and so he felt no shame as he waited patiently. His proposal hid no ulterior motives. Not as he saw her apprehension. She looked at him and then at the closed door of their bedroom that kept her trapped in here. She wanted to leave this place. Even with him. Even for a little while.
She wasn't sure, he could see that, but she craved freedom. And he realized that what he craved was to give her what she wanted. He should be careful for her not to see that because she would definitely take advantage of this newly found weakness of his.
Weakness or not he couldn't help it. He was drawn to her.
"Come on, Caroline, go out with me!" he insisted and she gave him a pointed stare.
"I promise you, love. I won't bite," he teased and he chuckled when she rolled her eyes.
"Where will you take me?" she questioned suspiciously trying to hide how her interest was piqued but as she did, he knew that he had her. She wanted to get out of here as much as he wanted to take her out. Maybe even more. Enough to weigh her options and realize that it was worth the risk.
"You'll have to trust me," he suggested and when she scoffed at that he became serious.
"No tricks. No games. You have my word."
Caroline bit her lip, her eyes searching to find even the barest hint of dishonesty in him but she couldn't find any because he didn't have any.
He waited and despite her uncertainty, Caroline gave him a cautious nod and went straight into the closet room to change.
His lips stretched to a smile that kept growing.
She had decided to follow him and he didn't know why but it felt like she had given him a gift. A chance.
A chance she had been refusing him for weeks.
Maybe she didn't realize it yet but she had just… trusted him.
Caroline was starting to regret her decision but it was too late to turn back now. She followed Klaus through the shadows of his house. She was still not that accustomed to this mausoleum the Mikaelsons called home but Klaus knew exactly where to go and how to blend into the shadows and make no sound. He moved like a ghost in the dark, avoiding the guards and the camera systems,and soon enough Caroline found herself standing in front of a set of shiny black elevator doors encased in a dark grey marble frame.
She said nothing as Klaus punched a code in the security system and then pushed a card into a doors slid open and Klaus gestured for her to get in.
Nerves twisted in her stomach but she kept a façade of calm and got in the luxurious confinement observing the mirrors, the dim light the crystals of the small chandelier cast, the plush carpet, and the gold veined black marble.
Her eyes darted to the electronic panel. They were on a slow descent. Klaus was leaning on the mirror wall opposite to her, arms crossed in front of his chest as he studied her with calm eyes.
Caroline realized there was more to this house that met the eye. There was a whole underworld structure beneath the mansion and she tried to distract herself by memorizing every detail she could.
Eventually, there was a soft beeping sound and the motion of the elevator came to a stop.
The doors glided open and Klaus gestured for Caroline to step out first.
She cautiously stepped out and found herself in what she assumed was an underground garage. Only calling it a garage was an understatement. Klaus turned on the lights and Caroline couldn't help the wanderlust that filled her once the blue-lit area became brighter to the eye.
Her eyes roamed all over the shiny sleek black floors and the vast expanse of space that hosted endless cars and bikes and she couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her lips. One that brought a smile in Klaus' lips that seemed to scan her every reaction. She knew she shouldn't be giving him ammunition when it came to her likes and dislikes but it was impossible to hide her amazement because the sight was dazzling.
This collection was far grander than what her brothers owned. So many cars and motorcycles perfectly preserved and ready to be used at a moment's notice. Rows of cars, bikes, and equipment. Everything was perfectly set. Accurate electronic thermometers were measuring the temperature and humidity. Everything, from the space right down to every vehicle, was immaculately clean and spotless. Every entrance sealed. Not to mention the high tech security system.
Klaus slanted his head for her to follow him and Caroline started walking by his side and noticed how Klaus was disarming the security laser beams from his phone.
Caroline kept snatching glances at the cars. She even saw pieces that should belong to a museum. Everything here cost a fortune.
And then there were the modern cars and she felt her heart speeding up. Finally, the tour ended and she found herself in front of one of the most beautiful cars she had seen and for some reason, she knew beyond any doubt that this was definitelyKlaus' car. And not just one of his cars.
A black Bugatti Veyron. Only this model was nothing like those she had seen in Stefan's sports cars magazines. Both the exterior and the interior of the convertible, from what she could see anyway, seemed to be unique. This carhad to be one of a kind. Most possibly one of the limited special editions that existed in the world if not custom made for Klaus himself.
She didn't know if this was bought or stolen but it was one of the sportscars that she knew for a fact that both her brothers would kill to get it in their collection if not to simply drive it once.
Caroline loved cars herself so she couldn't take her eyes away from the black painted exterior with the gold details. The whole car had gold-paint accents throughout. It was elegant, powerful, dangerous and she could already tell that it had to be illegally fast.
There was an electronic panel close to the car that was disarmed with a code and allowed the security measures around the car to stall.
Klaus unlocked the car with the small remote device that was attached to the keys and the roof of the car slid back revealing through the open top, the inside gold inlays, the red stitching,and the finest leather seats.
Caroline felt an itch at the end of her fingertips. She wanted to get closer. To touch the unblemished surface of the car, to get inside and wrap her hands around the steering wheel and feel the power of the engine on the pedals underneath her feet but she knew better. Damon and Stefan never allowed her anywhere near their cars. She was not allowed to drive or touch any of their precious toys and whenever she had to go somewhere she was meant to use the house's limo and sit in the backseat as one of her guards assumed the role of driver.
"Shall we?" Klaus's voice took her out of her astonished stupor pushing back the longing and the anger that had been building up inside her and Caroline bit her lip unable for a moment to take her eyes away from the Bugatti before she steadied herself and looked at Klaus uneasily.
Why had it been so easy for him to lure her here? After what had happened between them. Why was she doing this? Most importantly why was he doing this?
"Where are we going?"
"You will see."
Caroline's eyes focused on Klaus' smirk and the unsettling feeling returned with a vengeance turning her stomach into a huge knot. What had she gotten herself into?
She appraised him and his words from earlier became an echo in her mind.
"No tricks. No games. You have my word."
She found herself drawn to his promise. To his word.
She shouldn't be. She knew she shouldn't. And yet-
"Are they going to find my body in a ditch or something?" she suspiciously accused him meaning for this to come out as hostile sarcasm only it sounded conflicted even to her ears.
Klaus' eyebrows lifted and he actually had the audacity to mock her by playing the role of the offended one.
"Do you really think so low of me?"
"Yes," she bluntly snapped back without any hesitation gaining an earnest chuckle from Klaus.
Underneath that carefree laughter however, there was a tone of provocation, of darkness, one that no one and least of all she could miss.
"Come on," Klaus challenged her, and Caroline rolled her eyes and started walking towards the passenger door of the car when a flash of silver rattled in the air forcing her to an abrupt halt.
Klaus had thrown his keys at her; instincthad taken over and she caught the set of keys midairgiving him an incredulous look.
Klaus' message was clear and disbelief and excitement started battling inside her.
"You are in control, sweetheart."
And just like that Klaus left her speechless as he got into the passenger seat himself waiting for her to get into the car and drive.
"Oh, bugger off!" Rebekah Mikaelson slurred at her brother as she stumbled out of the low seat of his Aston Martin. Kol Mikaelson continued laughing despite his sister's ridiculous attempts to kick him. He had sent their guards away so no one was a witness to this mess. Kol helped Rebekah get out of his car, smirking at Bekah's foul language and at the way she tried to stand on her high heels given how drunk and high she was. Well, both of them were but at least he could hold his liquor better.
The night would have ended far better if he hadn't forceed Rebekah out of the club before she hooked with one of the guys she danced with or more accurately tongued on the dance floor.
Given her impending engagement with Damon Salvatore, he had to keep an eye on Rebekah who wanted nothing more than to provoke both of their families into canceling both the engagement and the wedding. At any other given time, he would not have minded. He would have applauded and helped her and if he could ridicule Damon Salvatore in doing so even better; but he had a feeling that if he helped Rebekah on this Nik would have his scalp on a spike by morning; especially now that his dear wife had managed to get Damon's and Giuseppe's Consigliere's men under their roof.
They were all balancing on a razor's edge and even he could see it.
He had to hand it to the Salvatore girl. She was proving to be quite the complication.
Rebekah, on the other hand, had been overly cheery after what their brother plotted against his wife a few days ago and she had all but ordered him to get her out to celebrate every night ever since.
Although Kol had to admit that just maybe it wasn't perverse joy that motivated his sister. Her impending engagement and eventual wedding with Damon Salvatore had Rebekah acting more recklessly than usual. She partied every night as if it was her last night on earth.
Tonight had been a wild night out and he had to admit that his strumpet of a sister could actually be quite fun after both of them got sloshed.
"That tall guy was cute!" Rebekah chuckled and rested her weight against his car.
"His girlfriend was cuter," Kol shrugged and Rebekah beamed at him, making him shake his head.
"I know," she dreamily moaned and Kol chuckled. If mother got a whiff of Rebekah's preferences she would lock her up in nunnery and then Rebekah would corrupt the nuns.
"Come on, Bekah," Kol pulled Rebekah closer just as the gates of Klaus' private garage opened and Nik's Bugatti, with its top pulled down, sped away on their driveway heading for the exit of the mansion.
Kol froze on spot.
No way. Nik would never-
Rebekah's shriek made him curse because obviously, his sister was drunk but not that drunk. She jumped straight up, eyes wild, sobering up, as she pointed at the distancing blur of the car.
And then she exploded.
"Did he just let her drive his favorite car?" Rebekah screeched, coming down from her high, and Kol winced.
"Oh.. bloody hell," Kol mumbled and ran his hand through his hair looking at where his sister was furiously gesturing. Despite Rebekah's fury, everything came to a sharp focus.
Damn it. Nik was in deep.
His brother was truly developing a thing for the little Salvatore who already had him wrapped around her little finger. And wasn't that the highway straight to hell?
Blondie would take them all out singlehandedly if she managed to get any deeper under Nik's skin. If she wasn't already in too deep.
Fuck!
"He never lets anyone go anywhere even near his car!" his sister sneered, the alcohol in her bloodstream making him bolder and far more spoiled than what he could handle, "certainly not me!" Rebekah yelled indignantly and Kol let out a long exhale.
"Here we go."
"Why her?" Rebekah nagged with an angry pout. She stomped her feet down and her eyes glittered murderously.
"Don't start Bekah!"
And to think he could have been shagging the twin waitresses from the club now instead.
Kol started walking towards the mansion as Rebekah followed him with an angry stride on swaying heels. She kept snarling curses and even smashed a fountain vase. His little sister was always a vengeful little thing that happened to be quite territorial especially with their brother who she both loved and hated in equal measure and now that Nik had spoiled another and not her it would seem that all hell was about to break loose.
"No really!" Rebekah growled," he never let us anywhere near his car! And I begged him for years!"
"I am gonna need a lot more booze for that," Kol grumbled under his teeth.
This was going to be a long fucking night.
The breeze hitting Caroline's face had been soft at first and then she sped up and the more she did the more the air whipped her face, twisting her curls around her face but she didn't care.
The sensation was freeing despite how the cool wintery chill wheezed around her.
The street lights bounced on the windshield. Colors swirled and blurred and the lit asphalt road ahead shone, making the night almost glimmer in the distance.
Caroline had settled behind the red steering wheel and she almost felt the need to caress it but held herself back since she wasn't alone inside the car. Klaus was right next to her, stretching out in the passenger seat as if he had no care in the world.
In that single moment somehow though, she felt as if she could relate because she felt as if she had no care in the world either.
The earlier panic she had felt was gone. Everything holding her back was gone.
Now it was her on an open road and she felt calm.
There was also excitement and a sense of completion. It was surprising how such a simple thing as driving a car could give her such joy.
Only there was nothing simple when it came to driving this car because Klaus' car was a marvel. Truly phenomenal. Just a feather hint of pressure on the gas and Klaus' Bugatti came alive. And with it so did she.
At first, she hadn't believed that Klaus was serious despite him giving her his car keys and letting her sit in the driver's seat but the mischief and encouragement in his eyes were enough to prove to her that he actually meant it. She had half expected Klaus to give her pointers on how to drive his car or how not to but he didn't make any comment. Instead, he gave her free rein.
She immediately felt how powerful the engine was. Once she started the car the hum of the engine was so soft and then as she drove the car into a smooth motion the hum became a purr. It made her heart speed up more than any other car every could and when she drove past the gates of the Mikaelson mansion leaving the estate behind she finally felt as if the dark cloud that had settled over her dissolved.
She had no destination but leaving Klaus' house behind was enough. It was everything. The more distance she put between her and the ground where Jessie had died in the more she felt as if she could breathe again.
She knew it was a fleeting moment, she knew she would have to return, she knew Klaus was by her side and yet at this moment, she felt as if she could drive away. Far away. Far from all the horror and the blood and everything that hurt. Far from the deadly silence of the Mikaelson mansion and far away from who she was in that place.
She wanted to keep on driving. She was almost tempted to keep on speeding up, to let the powerful roar of the engine take her away from Chicago, to never look back and the fact that Klaus was right there next to her didn't seem like a restriction to that. Somehow she almost believed that if she asked him he would let her. He would let her leave this place behind as long as he was there to take her away.
It would be a beautiful dream. Only it was a dream and right now she was caught in the moment and for that she was grateful because this feeling of freedom made her feel alive. It gave her the kind of energy she had been missing.
She had been tentative at first. Getting acquainted with the car and making it an extension of herself. She was an excellent driver. She knew it. But it had been such a long time since she had been able to sit behind the wheel. And this car was not easy. It was a weapon in her hands and it tempted her to be reckless.
She wanted to test the car's limits and in a way, she also wanted to test Klaus' limits. To see if he would put an end to how much freedom he allowed her to have right now.
To see if she could put fear in him.
Empowering. That was how it felt.
Galvanic. That was her skin's response.
Electricity surged through Caroline's bloodstream as her peripheral vision begun to blur even more.
Caroline floored the pedal and she felt as if she could practically be flying instead of driving. The wind was blowing, the music from the radio was blasting and she felt it all. The adrenaline rush. The tingling in her limbs. Her temperature rose, she could feel the heat. Her heart raced and so did the car.
She was driving illegally fast, the road became a burning glide. She was on the verge between pure elation and the kind of feeling you get when you are about to go in a free fall. Almost terrified but not enough. Excited as your stomach makes the first flip flop and then you are set free in the roller coaster ride.
A roller coaster ride that was what this was and she could fade away. She was truly free and she was breaking the speed limit.
Being who she was, entitled as her Salvatore and now Mikaelson name made her she wasn't afraid of being pulled over or having to deal with the authorities. Her family, her brothers, and now her husband owned Chicago.
That kind of power could be addictive and tonight it was.
She was off the hook. She knew it. And she was being stupid about it. Tempting fate. Becoming almost suicidal if not homicidal behind the wheel.
Then again, that was why Stefan had never allowed her to drive his Porsche. She loved speed and it was funny to see her brother, a Made Man, one of the worst mafia killers around to lecture her about being legal when it came to cars and how it was not sensible to get into a deadly ride.
Funny it would be Klaus that would let her break loose like this. With his car. Like this. One look at him and she could tell that he was daring her to go faster. To have at it.
There were times she believed she had him pegged and then there were moments when Klaus Mikaelson was taking her completely by surprise.
Not even Stefan was ever letting her drive his car. Damon's was of course out of the question. And even though Stefan had taught her how to drive she always had a driver and guards to get her where she had to go. Always supervised and on a tight leash.
Only the leash now had snapped.
Something that not even Stefan, who used to be not just her brother but also her friend, would understand.
But then again Stefan was never denied anything. Not when it came to this and to things he took for granted. He was born a male and she was born a girl. So even something as simple as driving was not allowed to her so Stefan would never understand why she craved to break the limits and the boundaries everyone forced on her even if it was in something as stupid as driving fast. Really fast.
Really fast to try to run away from your fate. To forget the bullets that were fired. The death that followed. How one bullet was enough to take away those you loved. One bullet to turn your loved ones into killers. One bullet for Klaus Mikaelson to rule over the world. One bullet only for Jessie to die.
Pushing on the gas was enough to at least wash away the sound of the bullets. To push away Jessie's image from her mind.
She drove faster.
She gave a quick glance at Klaus.
She gripped the wheel tighter. It would be so easy to focus on all the bad he had caused. All the terrible things they were both capable of. If she let her mind wander then despite this sense of freedom all she would be able to feel would be Jessie's blood on her hands. His last breath. Klaus' hand in it.
It would not take long for her to dangerously lose control and drive this car, her and Klaus to ruin. She could kill them both. One wrong turn, one deliberate attempt to throw the car off and everything would be over but Klaus was at complete ease. Either she slowed down or ended the night to bloodshed. It was as if he was accepting either outcome.
Klaus wasn't Jessie. He wasn't collateral.
Klaus wasn't Stefan. He wouldn't mind if she drove them straight to their demise.
Klaus wasn't Damon. He didn't fear she'd challenge his control.
Klaus didn't seem to mind how she drove his car like the same way he fired his gun. With seemingly complete abandon while being in absolute control. It was a gamble, a challenge, a dare, and Klaus Mikaelson didn't seem to mind or care. The more she provoked danger by full-out flooring it, the more he seemed to relax.
He wasn't the one driving but he wasas much in control as she was.
Caroline was letting off steam but it would seem so was Klaus. He had told her she was in control and it was shocking to see that he had meant it. At least when it came to this.
She wanted to taunt him, to put fear in him, to make him feel uneasy. Instead, she was giving him the ride of his life.
Klaus Mikaelson didn't feel a sense or inkling of fear. And neither did she. There was a buzz at the moment that seemed to become a vibrant connection between them. They didn't speak but there was a hint of a smile on Klaus' lips. It was approval. Pride. He had expected her to do this. He had wanted her to do he had wanted her to see and know that he did.
And for now that she had the chance to actually do this she wouldn't complain or overthink it. She wouldn't let her mind go into overdrive of why Klaus was letting her do this, of how he prompted this, of how he knew this was exactly what she needed. Something she hadn't even known she needed. And yet he knew. Somehow he knew.
And he set her free.
She shifted gears. The seat belts locked up. The wind became harsh and her breathing became shallow by the impact of the cold against her chest. It felt like a hammer pounded against her ribcage but it felt…just right.
Her head was pushed backward and the comfortable leather headrest felt solid.
And Klaus was next to her. So close. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the wheel and she didn't know which sensation spiked her adrenaline more. The speeding car or Klaus' smile.
"Your men are following us."
Caroline noticed that Klaus didn't even glance at the rearview as she did.
"So are yours," he casually acknowledged, "if only you could lose them."
The mischief in his voice made her roll her eyes and just as she passed by the other speeding cars, the highway opened ahead leading to a multi-leg intersection.
She frowned for a moment deciding on what to do.
It was not the first time in her life she had tried to get rid of her security detail but never like this. Usually, she was being smart about it. Secretive. Knowing there would be consequences if she didn't. This was different.
Her foot pressed on the gas. She checked the flat mirror again and…challenge accepted.
Klaus turned his head in her direction and stared at her with eyes that gleamed with delight.
She could feel his gaze, she could peek at his face that was hidden half in light half in shadow and could tell this had been a test. One that for some reason she felt that she had just passed in flying colors.
Caroline kept her eyes on the road in determination only darting her gaze to her side mirror and the rearview to keep an eye on those who tracked them down.
She weaved through traffic and smiled when she managed to use the other vehicles ahead to mess with those that followed them and lose them on a spiral curve using one of the exits to cross the intersection.
She bought herself time, distance, and a few less guards on their tail.
Klaus threw his head back and chuckled.
"It is not the first time you've played your guards is it, love?" he pointed out and Caroline gave him a side-glance. There were joy and pride in his face. He was truly enjoying this.
She bit her lip and made herself more comfortable in her seat as she handled the car with ease, twisting their way in a new direction.
"I have no idea what you mean," she played along, keeping her tone aloof and innocent and Klaus' laugh became richer.
Her hair swept away in the wind while she adjusted the rear view mirror with her hand, her eyes locked on the cars that still chased them.
"They are persistent though," Caroline mumbled annoyed seeing how not all of their pursuers had disengaged, "I'll give them that."
That was their job after all. Much to her dismay.
Klaus hummed and then pressed against his belt, turning his body to the side and looking over his shoulder.
"I have disarmed the trackers in the car, love. It is up to you to lose them," he told her and then leaned towards her, closer until she could inhale him and she stiffened forcing herself to pay attention to the road and not to Klaus' proximity. His closeness affected her and she did not want to lose control while driving.
Klaus rested his elbow on his knee and placed his chin on his palm, his eyes intently locked on her.
"I can teach you how to shake a tail if you want," he proposed and she could not just hear but also feel the eagerness in his voice.
"You could just call them off," she refuted, her hand going for the stick.
Klaus' fingertips glided over her knuckles as she shifted into a different gear.
The car lurched momentarily.
For the first time in her life since she learned how to drive a car, she felt her legs trembling. She let out an audible gasp when Klaus moved closer, his lips breathing warmth into her ear as the cold wind lashed out against their faces.
"Where would be the fun in that?" Klaus whispered and his hand covered hers over the shifter.
Caroline gripped the stick harder and she tempted fate looking at him instead of the road. Their eyes locked, their lips came close, her foot pressed on the accelerator harder as Klaus guided her hand on the gears, both of them moving the metal lever.
It clicked in place.
There.
In that moment.
Something shifted between them.
Somehow she felt it.
And it changed everything.
She didn't know why but she knew there was no choice to make. She knew it and so did Klaus.
The moment felt like a dark dream. She was over the edge.
Demons were coming after her and it wasn't just in the shape of the cars that chased her down the road.
Her demons made her hungry. They had all her life. She had tried to lock them away in a box, to ignore them and deny their existence that cherished the life she was born into.
It was a losing battle. Her demons stirred, came to life and roared when she had the devil by her side. Klaus gave her wings and she didn't mind the price she would have to pay for them as long as she would get to fly.
Tonight Klaus Mikaelson was both the angel and the devil on her shoulder. He dragged her down to hell and it felt like heaven. She didn't mind. She fell into the abyss willingly. It felt like the escape she had been craving for.
An infinitesimal nod of her head and she looked straight into the road as Klaus brushed some of her hair back in a gesture intimate and gentle.
She let him.
"Keep on driving sweetheart," Klaus drawled and they both straightened back into their seats.
Caroline drove straight ahead realizing this was now a chase and that in some weird twisted way she and Klaus had turned into an unlikely team.
"Let's take them on a joy ride," Klaus drawled and turned off his phone. No interruptions allowed. No giving explanations to any of their guards as to why they were doing this. Instead, he made himself comfortable and pointed her where to go. Where to go and what to do.
Klaus gave her the direction and did what he promised. He was teaching how to actually shake a tail in a car chase in the middle of the night while he let her drive his Bugatti. It was thrilling and fun and it would probably cause more problems tomorrow but she found herself enjoying this. She was heading for a dangerous collision in a chase of life and death but Klaus next to her was calm and was enjoying the ride while giving her pointers, making her realize how effortlessly he could do this himself too and how in-sync they could be.
And she had to admit that he was in his element. He was good. Really good.
That, and that she was having fun. More fun than she had since…ever.
When they were down to two cars following them, which prompted Klaus to joke that at least now he knew which members of their security team he needed to fire for being useless and which not, Caroline saw the signs straight ahead illuminated by the city's lights.
His territory she realized. Far away from her family's reach, from where she had ever dared venture ever before.
"Straight ahead, be prepared," Klaus advised her and she gave him a cautious glance as she found herself driving them into a darker part of the road that led into narrow turns.
She did not jerk the wheel, not even once. Instead, she caressed the leather slightly letting it smoothly turn effortlessly every single time and smirked when Klaus himself arched his brow acknowledging her driving experience. He was expecting her to accelerate and jar the car into abrupt action but instead, she was in complete control.
He grinned at her impressed and she pressed her lips to stop a satisfied smile from coming out but the edge of her lips curled and she knew Klaus' saw it.
She then frowned when she realized where the road was leading.
Seriously?
"When I give you the go, and only then, take that turn love," he winked at her and then added challengingly, "unless you can't."
Caroline scoffed at that but checked the rearview mirror. Two cars back in the distance, one closing in. She saw the turn ahead and the dead-end if she missed it.
"Don't slow down on me now sweetheart," Klaus purred playfully, all laid back in the passenger seat, his head turned towards her, his expression amused and her brow creased.
She knew what he wanted her to do. It was risky. They could flip over or worse. But as dangerous as it was for them it was even more for those that followed them.
Klaus wanted the last two cars that followed them not just to lose them but to also collide against each other.
She didn't even put in words the fact that she saw right through his plan. She didn't have to. She knew that he knew she had understood his intentions.
"Two cars left. One belongs to you," she noted, keeping her tone detached, eyes still on the distancing cars behind them.
Klaus' lips curled into a predatory grin.
"It does. The other is yours."
"Aren't your men loyal to you?"
"They are. Under oath."
She didn't need him to tell her this. She knew the oaths of the Made Men all too well. She knew their traditions.
"Are those sworn to you disposable?"
"Those of worth aren't. Those that can't keep up, however…"
Klaus trailed off but didn't finish his sentence. The message was clear. He didn't tolerate incompetence.
And truth is that if their men were so easily tricked and could lose her like this then they were truly incompetent.
Incompetent enough to not follow her orders either. She had told Montavaro's men to stay put. Instead, they fell into Klaus' and Kol's trap, and Jessie died.
His death was on her. On her weakness to command. Because she was a woman and they would never follow her. Even if she proved herself a thousand times over they would never be loyal to her. Not truly. Not where it mattered.
She risked a glance at Klaus and she knew that when it came down to it he did appreciate loyalty. He craved it. Somehow he was starved for it even more so than she was.
And if these had been truly Klaus' men they'd be no easy pickings. These men in the road, however,were not sworn to him. Not really. Not yet. They were sworn to Mikael.
To Mikael, who she had allied herself with against Klaus. Along with Montavaro's men whowere in the other car.
Klaus' eyes were scrutinizing her now expectantly. It was a matter of seconds.
He expected her to put a stop to this. To slow down. To be rational and have logic prevail. To side against him.
It was a challenge and a test also meant for her, Caroline could tell, but at the same time, despite his mind games,Klaus had her back. If she did this she'd have him by her side on this. He supported her and in his twisted way he was ride and die with her tonight and for some reason so was she.
"What about your men, love?"
"No one is sworn…to me," she simply said and revved up the engine.
The car accelerated. From the corner of her eye, she saw Klaus bite his lower lip with his teeth, his reaction at her decision, and determination turning feral and aroused.
Her adrenaline spiked. Higher and higher. Every instinct of hers focused on the task ahead.
So close. She waited for his signal. She shifted gears. She pressed her foot on the pedal.
Klaus' lips turned to a shark like smile.
She could hear the blood rushing into her ears but she felt calm.
Ready.
"Now, Caroline."
At the very last second, a hair's inch away from missing it, she drove into the turn at a crazy fast speed, pulled the handbrake, and pushed down the clutch while still pulling on the handbrake.
She took her foot completely off the gas. Her body knowing what to do. Klaus knew exactly when to tell her to turn but it was a close call.
Caroline's heartbeat felt like a drum in her ears but she loved the feeling as she turned the wheel into the turn. She felt the resistance of the steering wheel but Klaus' car was meant to be driven exactly like this and it didn't jerk at all. The back wheels didn't skid out at all.
She felt the friction but it was smooth. Effortless.
She pushed the handbrake down and let the wheel spin in the other direction, hitting the clutch just as she dropped the handbrake.
She counter steered as the wheels started skidding and she regained full control over the car.
She straightened the steering wheel guiding the car into a straight line.
Perfect.
Klaus hadn't taken his eyes off her even for a second. His smile was brilliant and she realized that through those few seconds so was hers.
They stared at each other, smiles widening in unison, and then both laughed at the same time.
Then she heard it.
The screeching sounds of the smoking tires from the cars that followed them. The horns blasting and then the sound of the cars colliding against each other getting off course.
Through the car mirror, she saw the mess she had left behind just as she lost sight of the turn while she followed another path that took her away from the destruction she had caused.
They were on the clear, no one followed them now.
She should feel bad, worried, or at least guilty for what she had just done but instead, her smile grew bigger and the thrilling sensation persisted.
Maybe she was in all over her head. Maybe she was losing her sanity but all she felt was that she was finally breaking free.
Alive.
She had never felt more alive.
It was terrifying how good this felt. How addictive.
The feeling was sinking in deeper. She thrived in it. It set her free.
She breathed in and the excitement she felt rose even higher.
She let out a loud exhale of delight and Klaus looked at her pleased.
He gave her a fond smirk but most of all he seemed proud and when they looked at each other Caroline was startled by the fact that this had felt right. It still felt right.
Klaus belonged in that moment and she didn't mind him by her side. In fact, somehow she knew it wouldn't feel right in any other way.
Caroline pushed her head back to the headrest.
Open road ahead.
Why not just enjoy the ride?
I can be your reckless, you can be my stake
I can be your heartache, you can be my shame
When you're feeling reckless,when you're feeling chained
...Welcome to my dark side
We're gonna have a good time
A/N: I hope you liked what you read. Can't wait to see your thoughts about the chapter!
That been said remember this is just fanfiction, not meant to be taken realistically so...drive safely y'all! LOL