Page 174 of Heartless Legacy

She turns, spots me, and continues walking. I catch up with her, pulling her away from the crowd. “You heard me calling you.”

“And you saw me ignoring you.”

“What did I say at the last race?”

“That I was a little girl who didn’t know shit about driving.”

Fair. I told her that. “I also said you shouldn’t be on this side of the barricade.”

She waves at her crop-top. “I’m dressed the part today. You like?”

Do I like that it’s a deep V cut and her cleavage and belly button are out? If it were just for me, then hell yeah, I like. The fact that someone else can see? Fuck no. “Those guys don’t care about the advice you gave them. They were humoring you because you’re hot. The only thing they said that was true is they want to party with you in the winner’s circle afterwards.”

“So?”

“The party they’re talking about is basically an orgy.”

“So?”

What the fuck does she mean,so? “You’re not hanging out with them.”

“If you heard them invite me to party, then that means you also heard me tell them I’d be happy to hang out with whoever wins.”

She starts walking again. I bend down, fling her over my shoulder and carry her to the barricade, depositing her on the other side. I tell the security guy. “Don’t let her on this side. I caught her trying to sabotage the cars.”

I wink at her and head back to the pit. That’ll keep her away from the winner’s circle.

Chapter 99

Pax

I’m in fifth place with four laps to go. I’ve been fighting to hold this position, but the sixth-place car is right on my tail. This S-curve will be the difference between maintaining my spot and losing it. My instincts say to slow down so I don’t hit the wall and speed up when I hit the straightaway, but just that small drop of speed will cost me time, so I do something stupid. Probably the stupidest thing I’ve ever done since learning to drive. I turn my wheel left, release my foot from the gas, then quickly accelerate again.

My car slides left, the back end starts to over-steer. I tighten my grip on the steering wheel, trying to keep the front wheels facing the direction I’m traveling so I don’t spin out. Just before I reach the end of the first bend of the curve, I repeat the process steering to the right. Alternating the amount of gas, I give it as I drift left and right. My steering wheel bounces and I almost lose control.

The straightaway is right in front of me. I level the wheel and floor it, zooming past the cars that are hugging the outside and inside of the turn. Three laps to go. I take the curve the same way I did before. This time it’s a little easier. By the time I’m down to my last lap, I go all out, pushing my car as fast as it can go. I’mright behind the first place car. As I come along his right side, he tries to crash me into the wall. I slam on my brakes and try to maneuver around him. He does the same on the left, forcing me to brake.

Coming into the first bend of the curve, I speed up. He bumps my back tire. Instead of slowing, I go with the turn, yanking my wheel, and pump the gas. My car careens around the center of the curve. When I turn the wheel right, he takes the inside lane to avoid me. I yank my wheel again, dropping the throttle at the very last second. I shoot out of the last part of the turn, switch gears and barrel down the straightaway to the finish line.

I pull past the checkered flag, slowing down as I near the edge of the track, skidding my car to a stop next to Thea. I shove the door open, unfolding myself from the seat, and stalk over to where she’s standing. She stares up at me, looking smug as shit. The problem is, I can’t tell if it’s because her input helped me win the race or because I told her ass to stay away from these clowns, and she didn’t listen.

It’s Thea, so it’s probably the part where she defied me. “I’m pretty sure I left you on the other side of the track.”

“You did. Good thing my feet work or I’d have been stuck over there.”

Somebody pushes closer and says, “I can’t believe this shit.”

I scowl at him, prepared to push him back when he lifts a hand towards her. She holds out her hand palm up, and I watch as he drops a stack of cash in it. He holds back the last stack. “You sure you don’t wanna double down on next week’s race?”

“Nah. I’m good.” She plucks the money from his hand and slaps it into mine. “You’ll have to wait until the next time he races to win this cash back.”

I grab her arm before she gets lost in the crowd, dragging her to my car and shoving her into the passenger seat. I dodge herkick, closing her inside. “Look here, asshole!” She screams when I get behind the wheel.

“Not a word, Nem. Not one. Fucking. Word.” I warn, throwing my car in drive.

Did I say taking her advice was the stupidest thing I’ve done? I was wrong.Thisis. Eloise is here, and I think I saw one of the guys who was on assignment with The League. He’s usually drunk as shit and sprawled across the ground at our parties, but I guess that was all an act. A very convincing one, since none of us ever suspected he wasn’t just a drunk frat boy. Is he even a student at CaFa U? None of that matters right now. All that matters is her.

“What the hell is your problem?” She yells as I take a curve too fast. I pull over when we’re far enough away from the crowd that no one will see us. She shoves her door open, her little fists flying at me as I get close.

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