Page 4 of Wolf

“What’s going on?” I shout over the noise.

She glances at me and her lips curve in a smile. “They’ll race around the track four times. Winner gets the pot.”

“Oh,” I say, turning back to the track. A man with long dark hair stands before them, holding up his hand and before I have time to process what’s about to happen, he fires a gun, and I flinch.

Miriam laughs beside me, but I’m glued to the vehicles as they volley for the front position.

Around the curves they go, where a pretty, little car takes the lead before Miriam’s guy nudges him aside. It’s fast, loud, and dangerous and I’m spellbound, silently rooting for the tiny one because the car is so small next to the American-made beasts around him.

At the last second, a third car, a green monstrosity bumps into the smaller car, and it goes careening into the middle of the track while Miriam’s guy butts up against him.

I’m so caught up, that I don’t notice my surroundings until a deep, husky voice behind me says, “That Duke out there?”

The delicious sound sends a shiver down my spine, and I glance back, freezing when I spy none other than the object of my illicit fascination standing behind me with his arms crossed over his glorious chest.

“Yeah,” Miriam says while I look between them in shock.

Miriam knowshim. How?

He’s not paying attention to me, and I take the opportunity to gaze at his perfection up close. The tattoos that fascinated me from afar blaze across his skin and now that I’m close enough to touch, my fingers tingle.

The mishmash of words and pictures should be tacky but somehow it creates a story that I’m curious to learn.

With his dark brows furrowed, he gazes at the track, his lips tight. Despite the stern expression, a wave of dizziness assails me, and I lock my knees, biting my lip. I’ve been dreaming about this for a year but I’m powerless because I don’t even know what Icoulddo, much less what I should.

But it all fizzles when long red fingernails appear, trailing down his bare biceps and a woman peeks around his shoulder, meeting my stare with a wicked grin.

Her dark hair falls to her ass, perfectly mussed. With lush lashes surrounding jade green eyes and pouty lips. She’s beautiful. She knows it, too.

Cocking a brow, she grabs his package, and a flush consumes my cheeks. I want to grab her hand away and replace it with mine which leaves me reeling.

Who is this girl inside me clamoring to break free?

“Not now, Melanie,” Wolf grunts and I raise my eyes past his beautiful chest to his face.

He pushes her hand away, but I’m spared her reaction because his body blocks her from view.

Dumbfounded, I process this newest turn of events, still staring at him wide-eyed when his gaze moves from the track to me.

Cheers erupt around us, but the sound is muted to my ears as I stare into his beautiful eyes. They’re so pale, so gray, so everything.

He drops his chin, his eyes lighting with curiosity before he says, “Who’re you?”

I shouldn’t be able to hear him over the din, but I do, and goosebumps cross my skin at the husky tone. He cocks his head and I’m mute, caught out, heated through.

Thankfully, Miriam breaks me from my humiliating trance, grabbing my arm. “C’mon.”

Nodding dumbly, I follow her through the cars toward Duke, glancing back once to find him still staring at me with his bright eyes. But then, the woman comes around and stands before him, and he drops his gaze with a frown.

Sighing, I turn back to the fray, bemused when Miriam jumps into Duke’s arms, and they kiss in a frenzy.

Once again, my cheeks warm and I avert my gaze, scanning the crowd rather than my sister. This type of behavior is so anathema to me, I’m still uneasy when they break apart and I follow them past the makeshift stands toward a fire, crackling in the moonlight.

“Your brother’s here,” Miriam says.

Duke looks up and around. “Oh?”

She crosses her arms, and he chuckles. “C’mon, babe. You know what I want.”

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