For a second I think about finding the Mustang and going home, then groan, remembering it’s at the garage. I’m a sitting duck. I’m just contemplating that stuffing my face with cotton candy isn’t a bad way to spend the night when the sight of a red Civic, parked to the left of the closed-off speedway track, catches my attention.
Landon’s Civic.
This asshole shouldn’t even be parked here. Even the stallholders parked on the neighbouring streets. But then I smile.Time for some payback.
Usually I curse being petite, like when I have to climb on top of the kitchen counter to reach the medication basket I store on top of the fridge. Right now, though, I have no complaints. I easily slip through the conjoined hands of couples and agitated attendees, making my way to Landon’s car.
I don’t see his bleached-blond head anywhere. There are a few girls nearby, but they’re too busy fawning over some wannabe pimp in a faux fur coat to even notice me.
When I reach the rear of the Civic, I check the coast is clear again before dropping to one knee. I work fast, twisting the air cap free from the rim. The tyre won’t instantly deflate, but maybe one morning he’ll be running late, and that will be the morning his tyres are flatter than Ma’s pancakes.
Yes, it’s childish, but this is the least of what he deserves after he hustled me. I drop the cap on the ground and make my way to the next tyre, then the last two. As I’m removing the final air cap, a massive hand wraps around my arm.
Chapter 24
Gianna
PRESENT
‘I see you haven’t worked on looking less suspicious.’
I jerk my wrist from Ryker’s grasp and narrow my eyes. His imposing figure towers over me with hisstupidblack hair andstupidblue eyes. Even with the mask on, he’s heart-achingly handsome and it gets on my nerves. He leans against Landon’s car. A shot of heat spears right through my middle, as if it’s cutting me in half, and I fucking hate myself for it.
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ I seethe, folding my arms across my chest.
‘You sure?’ He opens his palm to show me the removed air caps. I reach to snatch them from him, but he closes his fist and raises his arm.
‘What’s the magic word?’ he teases.
‘Now.’
He lowers to my level, turquoise eyes soldered to mine through the frame of his mask. Despite the amplified music, chattering crowd and clatter of games and rides, I still hear his whisper of, ‘I’ll give you one more chance.’
The tension between us is palpable, but I can’t decide if it’s from hate or desire. Whichever it is, the atmosphere begins to sizzle, so I cave.
‘Please,’ I grind the word out, eyes flaring.
He raises the mask off his face as he gives a lopsided grin. ‘Well.’ He clicks his tongue. ‘Since you asked so nicely.’
When he opens his palm, I take the air caps quickly before someone sees.
He tuts. ‘Still such a Little Suspect.’
I glower. He’s probably not wrong, but I don’t want to admit he’s right either. Besides, it feels good to be mad at him.
He glances at Landon’s vehicle. ‘As fun as it is to rile you up, I have to get you out of here.’
‘Gia!’ X comes running over, breaking our stalemate, with a frazzled look on his face.
‘What’s going on? Why aren’t you at the ticket booth?’
He shakes his head. ‘They just barged through the gates.’ The words come out in staccato breaths. ‘I couldn’t stop them. I—’
His words are cut short by the fierce growls of octane being released into the world. It’s a flare shot across the earth. The vibration hits me, ricocheting through the night like ripples of water, followed by the sound of tyres grinding into the dirt.
‘What the fuck?’ Begging for my ears to be wrong, I push past Ryker and follow the noise. A crowd is forming lines down either side of the speedway track. The track that’s supposed to be off-limits. The track I promised no one would be racing on tonight.
A black WRX fishtails down the straight, followed by a second. A third. And a final fourth. Headlights flash like strobe lights as squealing wheels swerve and circle; there’s an art to doing donuts, and Booker Bay knows it.
