Page 6 of Love Collided

“Admit you lost and we won’t have any problems,” I said, pulling my shoulders back and mustering up more of my own confidence as I looked up at him.

“Problems? Now you’re threatening me?” he asked, his lips twitched with a smile again as he stepped closer, his body towering over mine. It was a little intimidating, but I knew the guys were coming over. “What are you going to do? Beat me up?” His eyes burned into me as he took me in. “I’m shaking in my shiny shoes.”

The crew finally made their way to us, Fox looking the guy over. “What’s up, Scout?” he asked. “Everything okay?”

“Scout? You’re here giving me shit, calling me rich boy, and your name isScout?”

“You dick,” I said. “You’re just mad you were beaten by a girl.”

“I don’t give a fuck who you are. I’m mad you’re calling me a cheater.” Now I could hear the slightest amount of anger, but his tone was still calm, every bit of him still under a tight control.

Somehow that made me more angry.

Fox moved to my side as Kye and Ransom moved around the guy’s car. Jax stood with Carly, Quinn, and Ash, all of them curious, but probably hoping this wasn’t going to escalate.

“What’s going on? You two raced, he won. What happened?”

“See, even he agrees I won,” the guy said.

“He agrees because he didn’t see you jumped the light,” I said.

“Well, if you jumped, you know that disqualifies you for this one,” Fox said.

Ash stepped forward, peering around Fox to look at the guy, her eyebrows furrowed.

“Chase?” she asked, stepping closer towards him. His head whipped to her, taking her in before a genuine smile grew.

“Ashton?”

Her smile matched his as she ran over and threw her arms around him. “What are you doing here?”

I rolled my eyes, of course they knew each other. I loved Ash, but knew this was the type of rich jerk she grew up around.

“Iwastrying to race, but your ankle-biter here is pissed at me.”

I charged forward, moving past Ash and Fox. My hands went up, intending to hit his chest, but he was so tall I ended up against a firm stomach, pushing him back hard.

“Ankle-biter? What the hell is your problem?”

He stumbled back and Fox’s arms wrapped around me.

“Calm down,” Fox said, spinning me and blocking the guy, Chase, from my view. “What are you doing? Why are you so pissed off? We deal with this all the time.”

“Because the rich boy wants to cheat and take my money. What? Like he needs it? He’s being a jerk.”

“Well, now you are, too. Calm down,” Fox said, apparently surprised at my sudden attitude. I wanted nothing more than to hug him and tell him why I couldn’t calm down, but this definitely wasn’t the time or place for that. I don’t think there would ever be a time or place to tell him I needed money, and why I needed it. I’m on my own in this. On my own for the first time in a long time, and I needed to handle that better.

Maybe, I was already a little pissed off about the money thing. Or the Jesse thing. Ormaybe, I just didn’t like this guy.

“Fine. But I’m not paying him.”

Fox shook his head, turning back to where Ash was talking with Chase. The crew stood around, listening but not joining in.

“Alright,” Fox said, interrupting them. “She thinks you jumped, you think you didn’t. Would you rather call it even and no one pay or go back and work it out with another race?”

Chase’s arrogant smile wasn’t lost on me. “I’m good. I don’t need money or a fight tonight.” He looked around Fox to me. “At least not a fight with her. I’m pretty sure I know the outcome already.”

“Don’t be too sure of yourself with her,” Jax said. “She could probably kick your ass.”

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