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“So what are you thinking? Five hundred? Thousand?” He doesn’t mince words; straight to the money. That’s good because I need to make a serious profit here tonight. I need seed money to get a basic truck if I plan on moving into truck racing for the circuit.
I swallow and hope he doesn’t see it. I’m glad Tommy isn’t here for this. He’d kill me for what I’m about to say.
“I was thinking more like two.” I cock my head to the side and squint, acting nonchalant about an amount of money that makes me both tingle and want to pass out in my own vomit.
“Ha, two hu
He’s wrong. I correct him.
“K. I mean two large.” I open my eyes a little more to meet his serious glare. He’s sizing up my pupils, making sure I’m serious and that I plan to back up the bet we’re about to shake on.
“Two grand. You got that?” His brow arches.
“I got that.” I thumb the key fob over my shoulder and flash the lights on my dusty blue Supra.
I can tell by the smirk that crawls up his lip and into his cheek that he’s sold. He’d love to race my car as his own. My ride is the envy of a lot of guys out here. His hand stretches out for me to take again a second later, and Tommy walks up as we’re shaking.
“Oh fuck, what did you do?” My friend already has a beer in his hand and he spits out his recent sip.
“You remember Alex,” I say, completely ignoring Tommy’s question.
“Yeah. Hey, man.” Tommy nods. He’s not a big fan of the Vegas crew.
“So, am I racing you or . . .” I lean to my right to take in the guys hanging out around the front of the Tahoe. Alex turns to look over his group of friends and I catch him gnawing at his lip. I’ve upped the stakes, and he’s not sure any of these guys are good enough.
“Yeah, you know what? I think I’d like to try out this stretch you’ve been bragging about. But what if we make it interesting?” His grin is etched into his lips again as he turns back to face me. It feels like a sack of rocks just sank my gut.
Tommy grabs the sleeve of my shirt and urges me a few steps to the side. I hold up a finger, my face burning with heat that my friend is making me look weak.
“Dude, what the fuck are you doing?” Tommy’s beer breath floats across my face, and the hairs on my neck stand. I roll my shoulders and shirk his hand off my shirt.
“I’m paying for my future the only way I can. If you wa
“What, and let you burn out without me here to fix shit?” He takes another swig of his beer, which he knows a
I step back to Alex and shake his hand with a firm grip.
“I’m in.” I tilt my head back enough to hold my jaw set and dim my eyes while I anticipate whatever “interesting” addition he’s pla
“We both have passengers. You pick mine, I pick yours,” he says, and I sniff a laugh. I don’t give a shit who’s in my passenger seat. I drive how I drive.
“Yeah, okay.” I glance over his shoulder looking for the right fit, and when I don’t see his brother, I turn to the crowd around us, looking for the most a
“Hey, Lawrence! Come here!” The six-foot-five, three-hundred pound lineman and only talent on our high school football team drops his empty beer can on the ground just after crushing it against his hip.
“Aw, hell,” Alex laughs out, moving his feet nervously. He knows I’ve got him trapped with this one. Not only does Lawrence add some seriously dense muscle weight to his car, but the dude is wide as a Cadillac all on his own. Won’t be easy to shift with his left arm encroaching on Alex’s space.
“What’s up?” Lawrence and I tap fists. I point my thumb to my side and Lawrence scans Alex with suspicion.
“Up for riding shotgun tonight with this guy?” I know he is. Lawrence loves speed and danger. I honestly think he’d prefer to chase down quarterbacks without pads and a helmet if the league would let him.
“Oh, hell yeah. In that thing? Sweet!” Lawrence makes his way over to the car, dwarfing it from a dozen feet away.
I cross my arms over my chest and return my gaze to Alex, knowing I’ve got him. I can practically feel the cash in my pocket. All it takes is the delicate brush of a few fingers on the back of my neck to snap me right out of my imaginary victory lap.
“Hey, you forgot these. I know it’s a thing for you,” Ha
“Looks like I found your passenger. Oh, and my cousin Teddy is pla
“Nah, this isn’t happening.” Tommy steps in. I grab my friend’s wrist and jerk him back from starting a war we don’t need.
“It’s fine,” I say, meeting my friend’s fiery glare.
“It’s my sister,” he seethes back.
And he’s right. Ha “I don’t understand,” Ha “No, you don’t.” Tommy’s hostility makes Ha “She’ll be fine. If it comes down to it, I’ll lose,” I say, not certain I really can do that. It’s what Tommy needs to hear, though. He holds my gaze for several seconds, his back teeth gnashing as his jaw works. His mind is playing out all of the scenarios—especially the gory ones where I don’t see the black SUV in the dark in time and swerve the wrong way. His nostrils flare with a few sharp breaths and he steps in close enough to whisper at my ear. “If you lose, you’ll lose.” He steps back and flattens his palm against the center of my chest with a thud that knocks some of the air from my lungs. “So I won’t lose. It won’t even be close.” I steel myself. Any other scenario and there wouldn’t be a single ounce of doubt in that statement. But Ha “I’ll fucking kill you,” Tommy grits out. His voice is loud enough that I’m sure Ha Tommy staggers back a few steps and spits to the side, his beer still dangling from his left hand. He takes one more swig then tosses the bottle into the open brush. He’s making a show of it to spite me. I don’t drink. Don’t smoke shit, either. Figure you can grow up one of two ways when you come from a house like mine—just like the parents who made you, or as opposite from them as humanly possible. “What’s going on?” Ha “Nothing. You’re getting your ride, is all,” I say. I only glance at her before walking away with nothing but the feel of her hand skimming down my arm as I leave.