Heather’s laugh comes out more like a snort. “You didn’t need to. And I was being nice because Atlas hated catty girls. That’s why he didn’t like Angela and a lot of the girls on my cheer squad.”
So she faked being my friend. I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised since I saw her acting nicely to people’s faces and then saying horrible things about them behind their backs. That was one of the reasons why I decided not to rush Zeta Theta Beta. It seemed to bring the worst out in Heather.
“So you were jealous of who my dad is. But I still don’t understand why you said that you wanted to show Atlas that you were more badass than me. You didn’t know that I was JJ Smith. No one knew in Bridgeport except my friend DJ.”
“Oh, I knew.” Heather smirks.
It’s impossible. I was careful. “How?”
“Remember how you didn’t have anything to wear at the Blue Lightning party at the hotel and I let you borrow some of my clothes? I looked into your duffel bag while you were in the shower, and I saw your riding gear. JJ Smith’s racing number was still pinned on the back of your leather jacket.”
I shrug. “I still don’t understand.”
She rolls her eyes. “Do you know who Atlas had been raving about before we bumped into you and he found out your father was motorcycle racing royalty? He was so impressed with this new guy, JJ Smith. He was planning to approach him after the race to offer him a spot on his team.”
“So what? You decided you wanted to hurt me?”
Heather’s tone is casual, almost nonchalant. “Not at first. My original plan was to come onto the racetrack and do a faster lap than you.”
Chance has been looking at her as if he were seeing her for the first time. “How did you even get into the paddock without me and Dad noticing? We were sitting together in the VIP section to watch the race.”
“It was easy. I couldn’t have done it without Zara. She excused herself to go to the bathroom before the race started, and I went with her, remember?”
He nods, his dark blue eyes blazing with conflicting emotions. “That’s right. I noticed that you two were gone a while, and I was coming to look for you. But then the race started, and I didn’t want to miss it. I assumed there was a line, and you’d be back soon. Then everything happened and…” His voice breaks.
I still can’t believe she managed to sneak into the paddocks completely undetected. “So you followed me? I remember leaving you in the bathroom.”
The explanation is pretty simple. “I waited a few minutes and then got into the paddocks area.”
Lev isn’t convinced. “How? Did you ask someone to let you in? You needed a digital pass to open the paddocks’ gate.”
“The police interrogated all the staff and everyone who had access to that area. No one mentioned letting you in.” Ares looks like he’s seconds away from being sick. “I would have thought someone would have remembered it, since it would have been unusual. Unless they lied because they didn’t want to get in trouble.”
“No, I didn’t ask anyone. It was even easier. Chance had raced the day before during the qualifying round. He had a pass. I took it from his pocket when he took his jacket off. I used that to open the gates. Since the race had already started, the only security guard there was distracted watching the streaming on his phone, and when he saw I had a pass, he didn’t look at me twice. The rest was easy. Calvin’s team paddock was deserted. The team was watching the race closer to the track since Cal had decided that he wouldn’t change tires if the weather shifted. I had changed into my own riding gear, the one that Atlas had bought for my birthday with the bike, but never got to use. I had it with me because Atlas and I were planning to ride back from Bridgeport to Star Cove on his cruiser.”
A clear picture of that day’s events is starting to take shape in my mind.
“You say you wanted to do a faster lap than me? Not hurt me?”
Heather nods. “Yeah, at first. But I realized pretty quickly that I wouldn’t be able to do it. Atlas had taught me how to ride his own dirt bike and even his cruiser, but I wasn’t prepared forthe power of a racing motorcycle. It was so much faster and more responsive and harder to control. I was furious that I wouldn’t get to look better and hotter than you; I’d look like an idiot. I thought that if I couldn’t beat you, I could take you out of the race and that would take you down a few notches. Maybe Atlas would rethink offering you a spot to race for him.”
My next words sound as bitter as the taste in my mouth. “All of that was because you were jealous.”
The tears that had momentarily stopped, begin falling again when Heather confirms her motives. “Yes. I was jealous. If you joined Star Arrows, you would always be around. You’d get to spend more time with Atlas than I did. He was already so fascinated with you. It would have been just a matter of time before he cheated on me. Again. So you understand, I couldn’t let that happen. I had to do something.”
Ares’s next words are spoken in a low, gravelly tone. It’s his angry tone, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard him and seen him so furious before.
“That’s why my brother died. Because you were jealous. You said you loved him, Heather. But you did this. You killed him.”
She clenches her fists at her sides, crying harder. “I know. But it was an accident; you have to believe me. I would have never hurt Atlas. And it’s all her fault.” She points her finger at me.
“My fault?”
“Yes. I was aiming for you, and if you hadn’t dodged me, I would have hit you. But you avoided the impact, and the tarmac was wet and too slippery. I tried to stop, I swear. But I slipped, and I overcorrected and ended up hitting Atlas.”
A shudder works its way down my spine.
I should hate Heather, and I do right now. But my heart also hurts for her. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to live with this horrible secret, with this guilt for over two years.
