Renny pulls out a pocket knife that’s jammed in the Mustang’s rear tyre. ‘That other asshole had this against my neck. I think he was about to press down before you saved me, little G. Can’t say the same for the tyre though.’
The tyre loses air rapidly, slumping into the ground.
X rubs the back of his neck. ‘I hate to make it worse, but you’ve still got to race in the next one, Jace. Or you forfeit.’
‘Give me a sec to change the tyre.’
X shakes his head. ‘The other racers are lined up now. We can’t wait.’
Jace’s jaw drops. ‘Are you fucking with me? We just got jumped!’
Ryker grabs his keys from his back pocket, tossing them to Jace. ‘Take my bike. You wanted to give the R1 its first win.’
Jace catches the keys and stares at them for what feels like eternity, then he lets out a string of curses before his eyes land on Ryker. ‘What kind of fucking friend are you, huh?’ He charges toward Ryker and shoves him hard in his chest. ‘Your bike? Take your bike?! Where the fuck were you when we needed you?’
Ryker straightens, his chest heaving as he wipes blood from his bottom lip with the back of his hand. He glances at me and Jace’s fiery eyes follow his gaze.
I see Jace snap, a flare in his eyes before he turns back to his best friend. ‘I told you not to bring her here! I told you I didn’t want her to see any of this shit, that I didn’t want her involved.’
My face drops as Jace charges. I race forward and place my hands on his trembling chest. ‘No, Jace. Please!’
He pushes me away, sending me careening off to the side. I watch helplessly as he lands a blow across Ryker’s face.Ryker doesn’t fight back, taking hit after hit while the gruesome sounds of squelching tissue fill the air.
‘Jace, please!’ I cry, reaching for his arm. ‘Stop!’
He pushes me aside again before landing another punch that connects with Ryker’s nose. Blood spurts across his face. He groans, barely straightened up before Jace throws another right hook across his face, then to his ribs. Ryker stumbles back, falling to the ground. Jace is on top of him, gripping Ryker’s shirt and raising his other fist to slam it down. Tyler and Renny are both watching with shock across their own bruised faces.
‘Tyler, help!’ I beg.
He springs into action and pulls Jace away. Ryker’s beautiful face is bloodied, bruised and already swelling. Renny stands between the two while Tyler gets a grip on Jace’s arms.
Jace’s face is bright red, radiating the heat of his anger as he thrashes in Tyler’s hold.
‘That’s enough, mano,’ Renny shouts.
‘You fucking piece of shit!’ Jace points at Ryker, ignoring Renny as he fights against Tyler’s grip.
Ryker turns, spitting out blood behind him. ‘I’m not going to hurt her.’
‘She’s my fucking sister!’ Jace screams, ripping himself free from Tyler’s hold.
Clenching his fists, he stalks back toward Ryker. Renny stretches his arms out, separating them both.
‘She’s my baby sister!’ Jace booms. ‘I promised Pa I’d look out for her.’
‘I look out for her too! We all do!’ Ryker argues, earning a flash of understanding from Jace, but it quickly disappears.
‘She shouldn’t be here!’
My heart hurts as I take in Jace, radiating so much fury, but it aches even more when I look at Ryker. His shoulders slump, bloodied hands clenching and releasing at his side. He locks eyes with me, and the longer the moment stretches on, the more I wish things could be different. He breaks the eye contact, looking down at his feet, completely defeated.
Beside him, X glances down to the waiting racers before looking at Jace. ‘Sorry, man, I get you’ve had a shit night, but you’re either in or out of this one. What’s it gonna be?’
Without breaking his gaze from Ryker, Jace says, ‘I’m in.’ Then he turns to me. ‘Go home before I get back.’
My vision blurs and tears spill over, rolling down my face as I watch my brother head down the hill with X. They barely make it to the track side before the crowd ambushes them, wanting to give X money and wanting selfies with Jace.
Tyler nudges Monique. ‘You and Gianna really should head home.’
