Page 9

No one would have suspected it either because there were stories floating around about the shit he’d been up to with girls, but all of them were lies. I’d only found out because he’d had a bad experience with a guy one night and had called me to go and save him.

That was why I always drove myself to places when getting laid.

He let out a huff, giving me the side eye as I innocently peered up at him. “You’re lucky I like you. You’re a bitch, you know?”

“Noted.” I chuckled. “So, are you racing?”

“Yeah, fuck it. Are you going to race me?”

“I can if you want to get your ass kicked,” I taunted, hip checking him as I walked ahead in search of Rick, the guy who had the clipboard. He was good at running the track's paperwork, so we let him do it. He wasn’t one of us, but he took it seriously which was all we gave a fuck about.

Once we’d put our names down, we trekked back to our cars, Landon going one way and I went the other. I tossed my vodka at Beckett as I approached, unlocking my car. “Don’t drink it all. I’m racing Landon.”

I almost stumbled as she jerked my door out of my grip to glare at me, her fiery, green eyes burning into me with violence. “You’re not racing. You’ve been drinking.”

“I’ve hardly had any. You’ve drank more than that and raced before,” I hissed, snatching the door from her grip. “Back off, Beck.”

“Whatever. I’m not going to sit here and watch you fucking die too,” she spat, guilt nipping at my insides as she stormed off. Maddox groaned, jogging after her to make sure she didn’t stab anyone who got in her way while Zane glared at me.

“The fuck’s wrong with you?”

“Me? She can throw a hissy fit if she wants, but she’s not my keeper,” I bit out, his lips lifting in a sneer.

“Too bad, because you fucking need one. If you crash, you’d better pray it kills you or I will.”

“Aw, is that how you ask all the girls out?” I deadpanned. “No wonder you don’t get laid.”

“Don’t push me. I have no problem breaking your nose,” he threatened flatly as he leaned back against his car to act casual, but his fingers and biceps flexed by his sides as if he were about to lay me out right here on the grass. I really wished he’d try, because I was ready to swing my bat at someone.

Mine and Landon’s race was announced, so I had no choice but to back down from Zane and slide into my Corvette, putting the window down as I started the engine and placed my bat on the floor of the passenger seat. Zane continued to glare at me as I drove off, and I heard him tell Jett I was an idiot. He couldn’t talk, he’d driven while completely wasted before, he just hated that I’d upset Beckett. He didn’t actually give a fuck if I died.

I pulled up beside Landon’s 2015 deep blue Corvette Stingray, his eyebrows dipping with worry as he leaned his elbow on his open window. “You good?”

“Yeah. Just shit with Beckett,” I replied, waving him off. He knew if I wanted to talk about it I’d just come out and say it, so he gave me a nod when I didn’t continue, turning his attention out the windshield.

Landon, Luna, and I had all been obsessed with Corvette’s from a young age, and it was no surprise that we all ended up with one. I’d upgraded mine the previous year and given my white 2019 model to Luna, much to her father’s dismay.

He didn’t like her having a car with that much power, not that she’d ever risk driving dangerously. We were very different people.

I also had a blue 2020 MK4 Supra, but I mainly used that on the streets.

“Sick Like That”by Will Sparks & Luciana thumped from my speakers, and I turned it up to get me in the zone. Both Beckett and I raced better with music, and I treated it like a superstition. Every time I raced without it, I lost.

I glanced at the crowd by the fence, feeling bad when I noticed Beckett gripping the railing tightly in her hands, Maddox and Jett beside her. I knew she wouldn’t leave, wanting to make sure I was safe, but it would be torture for her until I crossed the finish line.

We held the same trauma, but had two very different coping mechanisms.

Beckett was terrified of accidents and dirty tactics, and she always won her races with pure skill, where I enjoyed the adrenaline rush that fear brought me. I loved the danger, and there were multiple times I probably should’ve died behind the wheel, all of them while racing in the illegal street races.

I didn’t understand how Beckett could drive so damn fast if she was scared of crashes, but to each their own. I wasn’t going to question it.

I noticed Reid and his friends leaning on the fence close by, his eyes on me. Him and Logan enjoyed street racing too, and we’d stumbled across each other plenty of times since we were part of the same racing circuit. I had no idea why they’d kept my secret from Beckett, but I was glad they did. I didn’t know how long it would last though since they were becoming pretty loyal to her. Zavier and Raven had no clue about the races though, which was a good thing, and probably the only reason the guys hadn’t mentioned anything to Beckett. I knew Zavier would definitely rat me out for my participation in it since he was so far up my sister’s ass.

I gave Reid a mock salute, his lips lifting into a sly smirk as his dark blond hair fell over his eyes. The last time we’d raced it had been in Hawthorne Heights, and he’d beaten me by a fraction of a second. He was really good behind the wheel, and like me, he preferred racing on the street than the track. He wasn’t a fan of rules.

Landon revved his engine, getting antsy as he waited for the flag to drop, and the moment it did, I slammed my car into gear and floored it, my wheels burning rubber as I shot off.

Landon kept pace, not having an issue getting too close. He knew I wasn’t worried about crashing and I enjoyed the danger. Beckett would beat his ass if he didn’t back off though.