Page 42 of Tainted

There were two types of men Mom told me never to have sex with- the ones with a curve and bow-legged men. She said they’d ruin my life before it even began. At the time, I just wanted to get the birds and the bees over with, so I agreed, but looking at Kenyon stroll over to Otto, she might’ve been right.

“Come on! I’ll introduce you before the race.”

Jewel tugged on my arm until I followed her across the street to meet Romello. She was desperately trying to keep the peace,but keeping the peace was an illusion that people clung to so they could avoid tough decisions.

“Romello!” Jewel yelled. His head rose, and I nodded to myself. Romello was handsome.

“Wassup Jewel?” He asked after jogging over to us.

“I want you to meet someone,” She smiled, turning his shoulders toward me. “This is Brandy’s cousin Nova. Nova, this is Romello.”

“Wassup Beautiful?”

“Hi,” I waved nervously because just by looking at Romello, I saw that he was much different from Calvin and all the men in Autumn Grove.

“Nova’s new here. Maybe you can show her around and help her get acquainted with the city,” Jewel suggested.

“I’m down with that if you are shorty.”

“Sure.”

“Is this your first face?”

The feeling of being watched delayed my response. Glancing over my shoulder, I caught Kenyon’s intense gaze fixed on us.

“This is my first.”

“We might as well start your orientation to the city now.” He offered his hand, and before I could accept, Jewel nudged me forward, deciding for me.

I nervously followed Romello back to the same car Keyes was leaning against, ignoring the woman in his face.

"First things first. You have to know the route like the back of your hand," Romello replied, patting the hood affectionately, “Tonight, we're hitting the back roads. Less traffic, more room to stretch your legs.”

I glanced around, taking in the dimly lit streets. “Sounds intense.”

Almost as intense as Kenyon’s gaze. It was as if he could see right through me, peeling back the layers of my composure, leaving me exposed and vulnerable.

“It can be,” Romello admitted, pulling my thoughts back on his dark, rich skin, “but it's a rush like nothin' else.” He gestured to the car's interior. “Hop in. I'll walk you through the controls.”

Kenyon's eyes tinged with a subtle warning as he leaned inside the window, watching Romello open the door for me to slide in. He began explaining the intricacies of the car's dashboard, pointing out the various gauges and switches.

“Do you drive?” I asked.

“Not yet. Driving at 150 mph is a skill I’m still working on,” I nodded, trying to absorb all the information. “So I will need your number to invite you when I do.” Romello’s smile grew wider, exposing his dimples, which made me laugh.

“So I have to wait until your race to see you again?”

“Never that shorty. I’m yours whenever.”

Instead of taking Romello’s number and bearing the weight of what to say in that initial text, I gave him mine.

“I’m going to hit you up for sure,” Romello replied as I returned his phone.

Engines roared to life, and the stage was set with four cars lined up. I wasn’t a stranger to fast cars and wild nights, but this was different. There was something primal about the energy here, something raw and dangerous that made my pulse quicken. A woman in tight leather shorts and a crop top stepped forward, raising a flag high above her head.

The flag dropped, and I could barely keep up with the blur of colors as the cars sped past, shaking the ground beneath my feet. My eyes gravitated towards Kenyon, but for once, his attention wasn't fixed on me. It was riveted on the speeding cars as they tore down the street. The crowd surged forward, screaming andshouting, but I was frozen, my heart racing almost as fast as the cars’.

Brandy’s scream stole my attention. “I told y’all! My man does this!”

---