Page 27 of Fueled Fury

16

Lainey

Rubbing my fingers across the smooth leather of my steering wheel, I pat it gently. “We can do this.”

I should feel silly talking to my car, but sometimes I feel like Lucy is the only one who listens to what I want. Now I just have to get on the same page with her and cross the finish line first. She can do it. I need to do my part.

Shoving the door open, I glance around and come up empty in my search for Austin. He’s been eerily absent the past few days. It should make me calmer, but it has the opposite effect. Instead, my mind spins with scenarios of what he’s up to. Because there’s something. Austin doesn’t back down. But neither will I.

Once I spot Ben in the crowd, I have him sign me up for the preliminary races.

“What happened last week?”

“A last-minute complication. I’m ready now.” Ready for the race? Yes. Ready for the complication to reappear? No. And he does—I spot him standing near the cement barrier just off the right side of the runaway. I pause, thinking he’ll come over to where I’m at, but he stays in place. Why is that more unnerving?

Shaking my head, I drop my eyes to the ground and attempt to shrug off my nervousness. I’ve been on edge since the other night when both Hale brothers decided to board the crazy train. They’ve both simmered down since, and I need to do the same. I have to focus. Get my mind in the race and off of the passengers of said train.

Scanning the crowd, I spot a smiling Hannah, noting a beaming Eli behind her, his arm snaked around her waist. Both look excited and happy to be here which puts me at ease. The night has to go as planned. And that involves everyone having a good time and me having fabulous practice runs.

Hannah gives me a warm hug then Eli puts his hand on my shoulder and says, “There’s no chance you’re losing tonight.”

“Why’s that?” I ask with confusion.

“Because it’s a weeknight and Hannah is here. We’re breaking all the traditions. You have to win now or it’d be for nothing.” Hannah jabs his side as he laughs, quickly pulling her into a playful embrace.

“No pressure,” I laugh, finally relaxing. Everything feels almost back to normal in that moment. Almost because a set of dark-brown eyes are still watching me every time I glance his way. When he disappears into the crowd, my unease returns in full force.

“I’m gonna go wait in my car until it’s my turn,” I shout over the blaring music and revving engines once the first race is called.

“Hey,” Eli calls out, lightly grabbing my arm as we step to the side of the crowd. “Are we okay?” he asks, giving me an uncertain look.

“Yeah. Of course we’re okay.” Why wouldn’t we be? is what I want to ask, but I don’t want to make things even more awkward. “I’ll find you after the race.”

“Bet.” He waves, returning to Hannah.

Unable to tear my eyes away, I watch as he walks up to her, placing a playful kiss on her cheek before whispering something in her ear. She responds by turning her head, giving him an affectionate kiss on the mouth. Why is kissing so natural for everyone else, and why can’t it be for me? It probably wouldn’t feel like such a major deal if Austin hadn’t made a big deal out of it.

Speaking of, I spot him again in the same spot he’d just vanished from moments before. The dickhead is trying to play games with my mind.

Dropping my eyes to the broken pavement, I walk towards the field where I parked Lucy. I just need to get in my car and not let him interfere. Looking over my shoulder, I see him in the same spot. Good. Maybe he will finally leave me be. As I continue walking, I look around the field. The crowd has dismantled and moved closer to the track, so it’s mainly parked vehicles in the area. Only, my car isn’t one of them. Looking around, I spot several cars parked in the patchy field, but Lucy isn’t there. I know I parked right— Looking over my shoulder, I spot Austin. A full, devious grin covers his face.

Stomping through the dirt, I march over to him. “Where the fuck is she?”

“Who?” he smirks, looking over my shoulder where I left her.

Thrusting my hands against his chest, he goes a little off balance before quickly recovering. “My car. Where the fuck is my car?”

“Probably wherever you left her, or does Lucy drive around on her own?”

Raising my hands to his chest, I grip his shirt in my fingers. “I swear if you did anything to my car, I will murder you.”

“You couldn’t be a monster even if someone pushed you. You’re better than that.”

“Shut up. I don’t give a fuck about your analogies. I want my car. Now.”

His smirk quickly fades as Eli speaks from behind him. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing that concerns you,” Austin replies without looking back.

Eli moves to my right, looking between the two of us. “Lainey, what did he do?”

I feel Austin’s muscles tense as he looks to his brother. Releasing my grip on Austin’s shirt, I know this isn’t going to end well. “Just tell me where it’s at.”

“Where what’s at?” Hannah asks from behind Eli.

“My car.”

Austin remains silent, and I know it doesn’t matter where it is. He isn’t going to tell me. “I swear to you, if you did anything to my car, you will regret it.”

“What did you do to her car, asshole?” Eli steps forward towards Austin but I edge between them.

“Let’s just go.” I shove Eli back. Nothing good is going to come out of staying here. I’ll come back later, after the races wind down, when it’s easier to spot Lucy. And when Eli and Austin aren’t in the same vicinity. Eli isn’t budging so I plead with Hannah. “Please. Let’s just go.”

She grabs Eli’s elbow, pulling him back. “Come on. It’s time to get outta here.”

Reluctantly, Eli takes a few steps back as I let out a frustrated breath, looking back to Austin. “There’s nothing good inside you. There never was and never will be.”

I know it’s a low blow. It’s evident by the crushed look on his face. But I don’t care. He constantly hurts me, goes out of his way to be horrible, then wants to tell me he cares about me. That’s an accurate description of a monster if I ever heard one.