Page 310 of Vicious Temptation

Before he can answer, Remi blips the throttle, and the engine growls through the grandstands.

Matteo turns toward the track. “She’s up.”

The announcer’s voice carries across the speedway as the two finalists roll toward the starting line. Remi eases into the left lane as the Mustang pulls alongside her.

“Come on, baby girl. You got this,” Kai says beside me.

I’ve watched her race enough to know exactly what she’s capable of. She’s patient behind the wheel and trusts herself as much as she trusts the car beneath her.

The engines climb through the RPMs until the bleachers vibrate beneath us.

Matteo elbows me. “Breathe.”

I laugh. “I’m trying.”

The amber lights count down before the green flashes, and both cars launch. The Mustang stays with her for only a heartbeat before the GT-R hooks exactly as Kai predicted.

“There it is,” Kai says, pride filling his voice.

Remi edges ahead before the sixty-foot mark and never looks back. The Mustang hangs on through first, but by the top of second, she’s already pulling away, widening the gap with every clean shift.

“He’s done,” Matteo says.

“He never had a chance,” Kai replies.

I’m smiling as she crosses the finish line, and a beat later, the scoreboard lights up.

LANE 1

WINNER

The grandstands erupt in cheers, but I’m already watching the return road because I know exactly where she’ll look.

I make my way down the bleachers, taking the steps two at a time until I reach the chain-link fence at the edge of the track. She accepts the trophy with a smile, but the moment she turns and spots me, it shifts into the one I’ll never get enough of because that smile is mine.

She breaks into a run, and I don’t wait for her to reach me. I meet her halfway. She laughs as she throws herself into my arms, and I catch her effortlessly, one hand cradling the back of her thigh and the other beneath her ass as I lift her off the ground.

Her legs wrap around my waist, and she buries her face against my neck before pulling back.

“My prize,” she murmurs, brushing a soft kiss across my lips.

I grin. “You were amazing out there.”

“I know.” Remi smiles against my mouth as I kiss her again, lingering until I finally pull back and rest my forehead against hers.

“I need you, baby.”

Seventy-Six

thiago

Amischievous smile curves her lips.

“I’m right here.” She steals another quick kiss. “What’s stopping you?”

“I have an ice cream date.”

She blinks before throwing her head back in laughter.