The crowd cheers as the dust settles, and the cars take formation at the start of the track, ready to race. Their revs are foreplay for the climax to come.
No.
Ryker joins me and I look up at him, instantly thrust back into the past. An easier time. ‘Ryker, you have to help me get these racers out of here.’
‘I got it, Gianna.’ His voice sounds sure, with a fierceness that rings true. ‘But we need to get you out of here first.’
‘Get me out of here? Why?’
‘Those cars are Landon’s. They were in his garage. If he’s here, it’s not safe.’
I let my frustration out in a snort. ‘I don’t care who the cars belong to! Just help me get these guys off the track without hurting anyone.’
‘Gianna.’ Ryker whips me around. ‘I’ll get rid of them. But I need you to be safe first.’
What is he trying to keep me safe from? The engines get louder, metronomic screams drowned by my own heartbeat pulverising my ears as I stare into Ryker’s unyielding gaze.
‘What’s up, skirt?’
Ugh. Can tonight get any worse?
Just the sound of Landon’s voice sends irritation crawling through my skin, but it’s Ryker’s reaction that catches me off guard. It happens so fast that I don’t know what comes first, the sound of the crack as Ryker’s fist connects with his nose, the blood that spurts across Landon’s face, or the way Landon lands hard on his ass, stunned.
‘What the fuck, Ryker?’ I grab hold of Ryker’s arm. I can feel the heat vibrating from his body. His fists stay balled at his sides and his eyes have turned completely black as they stay focused on Landon, who wipes the blood from his face.
‘You won’t fuck with her again,’ Ryker rasps.
Again? Is this because of the drift race?
‘Ah, Ryker, old pal.’ Landon smiles nastily. ‘I was wondering how long it’d take you to figure out I was back. I was so worried you weren’t getting my texts.’
‘Then why do you keep hiding?’
‘Hope you don’t mind, I invited some friends.’ Landon lets loose a cocky, crimson-painted smile as he stands and points to the vehicles running donuts on the track. ‘What good is a racetrack if it’s not being used?’
Ryker charges toward him with his right fist balled and ready to land another hit. I wrap my hands around his arm, pulling him back.
‘Ryker, whatever this is, stop.’ I don’t have time to deal with Landon right now. I need to get the racers out of the circuit. ‘I need your help.’
He shrugs out of my grasp, ignoring my plea.
Fed up, I start to turn away. If they want to beat each other senseless for whatever stupid testosterone-filled reason they have, then they can have at it. But then the glint of silver around Landon’s neck stops me in a double-take.
Did I just see …?
Without a second thought, I push past Ryker and reach for Landon’s shirt, pulling at the neckline of his preppy mint polo.
My breath catches.
My heart stops.
I take a forceful blink, refusing to believe what I see: a silver bar with a word engraved along the front.
I peel my eyes from the necklace, feeling walls cave in around me. My stomach heaves into my throat. My pulsethreatens to explode from my skin. My body feels like it’s on fucking fire.
I bare my teeth. ‘Where did you get this?’
My fingers wrap around the silver bar, thumb tracing over the grooves of the word.Bullitt.I squeeze the metal tightly.
