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AJ

The first few weeks here, I had spent most of my time split between the gym and the warehouse.

It was pretty damn busy, considering the boss was an absolute ass to deal with.

More times than I could count, I wanted to rip that stupid beard off his face, but I knew what I had agreed to, and if I made things go south working here, I didn’t know enough about Japan to find a new place to live.

Most of my work was doing a once-over on cars Kayden himself was buying, making sure they matched the description on the paperwork that I had Minato translate for me. So far, it had been going okay.

But I was never much for a nine-to-five. I’d started to get bored of the everyday grind, especially working on cars. So, after I hit the gym, I made it a point to go down new streets on my way back to the warehouse in order to explore this area better.

I discovered I really enjoyed going to these places called pachinko parlors.

The gambling that took place—from the machines in the front to the less monitored games in the back, ensured there was always a mixed crowd of people in them.

It became my after-gym hangout spot since I had nothing better to do.

I won some, but mostly lost, and soon, my money dwindled.

Before I knew it, a few months had passed, and I had blown through most of the money Kayden had given me.

So, I worked out new ways to spend less on my current after-work hobby.

A lot of people could be easily distracted by someone like me.

I attracted their attention, and a fast sleight of hand allowed me to grab a fistful of pachinko balls from their boxes and drop them into mine.

Everyone in this area seemed to go a lot off the honor system, but when you realized you didn’t have to honor the system, it was funny how much you could do.

But I knew I needed to change something. Working this blue-collar life just wasn’t for me. I had been born to boost cars, not fix them and move them across the sea. What I was missing from my day-to-day life was doing what I was good at and the adrenaline rush that came with it.

I strolled over to the folder that had the cars Kayden was looking for this month. Thankfully, it was in English, so I looked around the lot the company’s cars were in. I crossed each one off the list as I found it, but there were two cars we didn’t have.

Shit .

This forced Takumi to search auction sites for a cheap one, hoping it would match its listing. More often than not, there were a lot of small things not noted that needed to be fixed when they arrived.

That was when it hit me. I could just go out and get a mint-condition one. I’d seen these guys forge a few things in a shipping document before. How hard would it be for them to change some guy’s scribbles?

I walked back inside the shop and found Ken.

“Ken, if I bring in a car on the list, you can make that VIN match what it says it should be in the system, right?” I said as I came to a stop by the car he was working under.

He rolled out from under it and sat upright. “AJ, are you asking me to do something devious?”

He had that curious look in his eyes. As much as he pretended he was on the straight and narrow, I knew he was forging legal docs to help pay for his grandparents’ property out in the boonies. He knew his way around a computer enough to be a good partner in this.

“All I’m asking is, if I bring in some cars that match the make and model, can you make sure the VINs come out clean? And don’t ask questions about where I got the cars from,” I said as I tucked my hands into my hoodie pocket.

Ken glanced around to see where the others were before replying, “Only because I like you, but don’t ask me to do it all the time. Easier to be caught that way.”

I nodded. “Twice a month?”

“Shouldn’t be a problem, crazy American,” Ken said as he lay back down on the garage creeper and pulled himself under the car.

I made my way up the stairs to my loft, locking the door behind me before going to the closet. I opened up my stash compartment and grabbed my brass from it and a few bucks. Needed to buy a few things before I could do this right. I put everything back and went downstairs.

“Minato! Tell the old man I’m going out and I’ll be back later,” I hollered across the shop in his direction.

He gave me a nod in reply as I left.

It was a cloudy day, but not cold, so having my hood up wasn’t something that made people question if I was up to something sketchy.

I made my way to a shop that I knew sold car stuff, and lucky enough, I found myself a slim jim to buy.

Paid for it and a small screwdriver before leaving the shop.

I needed one more element before I could start looking for a car to boost. Thankfully, masks were a common thing here, and while I would not find something like I used to wear, a plain black face mask would do.

I put it on and walked out of the store, and it turned out, people gave you a lot more space if you were wearing a mask. This just made my job a lot easier.

I walked around the city until I found a busy area where the streets were bustling with cars and trucks. That was when I saw a public parking garage with stairwell access.

Perfect. No gate guard either.

Taking the stairs two at a time at a jog, I went up a few floors until I saw a skybridge. I walked out and chilled on the walkway that went between the parking garage and a tall skyscraper. I figured a lot of wealthy people worked there. Now all I had to do was wait.

I spent the next hour watching the cars pass by below when I saw it, and my body tensed.

There is no way it’s her.

I watched an eerily familiar-looking blue Nissan Skyline GT-R roll up to the parking garage entrance. I couldn’t take my eyes off it as it drove up the levels, and when it finally came to a stop, I gripped the railing as I waited for the driver to exit.

Of course, when a man got out of the car and strode toward the skybridge I was on, my body relaxed again.

Knew it. Why the fuck would she be in Japan?

I told myself that, but seeing a car that looked like hers was all it took to have me dragging out my phone and scrolling down to the messages from Rosalie.

Hadn’t opened them since I’d left, but I couldn’t make myself delete them.

I had blocked her number the night I said goodbye, but that was it.

No sense in giving her false hope I’d be coming back just because she tried calling and texting me.

That was over for good. But, damn, it’d been great while it lasted.

I paused on some of the silly selfies she had sent me one day when it was slow at her job.

She had tested out some new colors on some sample models, and the airbrush had a jam, and the paint backfired all over her face and shirt.

Remembering her excitement when she had gotten home and her going on and on about how she’d continued working after the mess and created two new colors made me chuckle to myself.

Did you ever get to use those colors on an actual car, baby girl?

“Shit.”

I was sucked right back into the feelings I’d had about her.

Seeing that Skyline in almost the same color as her car might be a sign—even though I didn’t really believe in stuff like that.

But what was the harm in checking in, making sure she was doing fine?

But I wasn’t about to message her directly.

Nah, I had a better idea. One that wouldn’t have me giving her hope that I was still thinking about her and wanted her.

I clicked out of her texts and scrolled through my other messages until I found my old plug’s info. I knew he lived in the area close to her dad’s custom car shop, where she worked.

AJ

Hey, need you to do me a favor.

Billy Crystal

What’s that? Wait, ain’t you living over with the Karate Kid or something now? What do you need from good ol’ Billy Crystal?

AJ

I need you to swing by Kayden’s Customs, check in on the woman who works there.

Billy Crystal

You need me to check in on some chick? What’s in it for me?

AJ

You can’t drive by on your way to do some business?

Billy Crystal

I’m just fucking with you. Chill, man. Lucky for you, I gotta drop off some shit near there in about fifteen, so I’ll make a quick detour and look in. What’s this chick look like?

AJ

Brown hair and blue eyes.

Billy Crystal

All right, I’ll let you know.

AJ

And one more thing. Don’t mention my name if you stop and talk to anyone.

Billy Crystal

Don’t worry about it, man. I got you.

I locked my phone and slipped it into my pocket. I didn’t always like how Billy acted like he was chill one moment, then king of the block the next, but I respected him enough to know if he said he was going to do it, he would.

In the meantime, it was showtime. I watched as a Nissan Silvia rolled into the parking garage—one of the two cars we were missing for Kayden. I had to make sure the model matched, but if it did, I was about to come out of retirement.

I went up the stairwell a couple of more floors until I saw the Silvia pull in, waiting one floor above the level it was idling on.

I’d go down the actual driving ramp, giving the driver time to leave without the chance of passing them.

When I reached the row, I saw the car parked, and no one was there.

I strolled over to it and did a fast once-over.

It was in perfect condition, body-wise, and I was in luck—the model matched.

I stood next to the driver’s side and slipped the slim jim out of my pocket. Wedging it around the window seal, I slid it down and popped the lock. I quickly pulled it out, opened the door, and sat down. I pushed the seat back and felt around for the wires to jump-start it.

After a few sparks, the engine roared to life.

I gripped the shifter and put the car into reverse.

I backed out of the space before shifting into first and driving down through the parking garage to the entrance.

I drove onto the streets of Japan, and carefully made my way toward the docks.

Driving on the left side of the road wasn’t something I was used to, but it was easy enough to adjust for.

This is going smoother than I expected it would go.

I thought I was gonna be free and clear with my first Japan boost until I had to stop at a stoplight.

In the corner of my eye, I caught a cop standing next to his car, chatting with a pedestrian.

He looked over at me, and his smile turned into a frown.

He approached my window and motioned for me to roll it down.

Fuck, do I run? I don’t know the streets around here that good yet. Chances are, I’d go down some dead-end alleyway and have to ditch the car. Better to play it cool.

I rolled down the window and nodded.

“Seat belt,” the officer said, pointing at my chest.

I glanced at it and then back at him. “My bad. Thanks.”

He nodded as I buckled it. Then he went back to his vehicle and resumed his conversation.

The light turned green, and I didn’t wait around for him to ask any more questions.

I took off through the city, picking up speed as traffic cleared.

The scenery changed as the skyscrapers and multiple stories faded into the background and the ocean got closer.

The salty air flowed around the car as I placed my elbow on the doorframe.

I’d turn on the radio, but it was just going to be a bunch of bullshit in Japanese, so why bother?

Finally, I was cruising down into the shipping docks.

I drove the Silvia into the lot, parking it toward the back behind a truck so it wouldn’t be in direct sight when I told Ken about it.

Thank fuck it was a stock color and nothing like what the street racers back home did to their paint jobs.

No one would ever suspect it from an initial glance.

Still, I didn’t need to take any chances.

I walked into the warehouse, finding Ken eating something in the break room. I tossed him the registration paperwork I had found in the glove box.

“Here. It’s in the back of the lot. Need to fix the starter and get the paperwork changed,” I said as I kept walking toward the stairs.

“Where did you go?” Takumi’s voice called out from behind me.

I stopped. “I heard about a car that fit the listing, so I went and brought it here. Ken’s taking care of it. Now I’m gonna get ready to hit the gym.”

I could hear him grunt in exasperation, but I didn’t give a fuck. I knew the old man wouldn’t get on my case any more than that. The less we dealt with each other, the better.

As I changed into my workout clothes, my phone went off on the counter. I reached over and grabbed it as I finished straightening my fresh hoodie.

Billy Crystal

Passed by and saw the chick. She seemed fine to me. Helped me with some directions to get to the freeway.

AJ

Thanks.

She’s fine. I was paranoid for nothing.

I could almost picture her pretty face as she leaned down to “help” Billy Crystal with his directions.

The smell of her strawberry perfume filled my nostrils at the thought of it.

Fuck, stealing a car had me horny as hell, and I missed my girl’s perfect pussy wrapping around my cock as I thrust deep inside her.

I could almost hear her moan in my ear and taste her lips solely from memory.

I should jerk one off before I hit the gym.

I scrolled some porn sites until I found a cute, petite brunette getting railed from behind and used that to find some release.

Once I was done, I tossed my phone back onto the counter and headed to the gym.

I worked out harder that night than I’d pushed myself in a long time.

I reminded myself that Rosalie was better off without me—exactly like I had known she would be.