Page 115 of Start Your Engines

“I can’t be held responsible for your awful driving, Dane.”

I punch him on the arm as he laughs loudly.

It’s worth trying something because, in less than three days, the woman I love will lose everything she’s worked for, and I’m terrified of what that will do to her.

“You?” Niki snaps as he opens the door to his hotel room. “I don’t want you here. I don’t want to see you again.” He tries to slam it, but I shove my foot in the way to stop him. “Move your foot, Dane. The only reason I’m not breaking it is because you need to race in two days.”

I stare him down. “Let me in. This is for Senna.”

He opens his mouth to start on me again, but I beat him to it, raising my voice. “I hate you, man. But I love you, too. If any part of you genuinely cares about your sister like I do, you’ll let me in.”

“I hate you and love you, too,” he mumbles as he opens the door. I don’t know if he wanted me to hear him. “Get on with it.”

I stride into his room, which is all soft furnishings and muted colours, but it’s impossible to tell how long Niki has been here. He hasn’t unpacked his bag, and it reeks of disinfectant. I turn on him. “I want to kick your arse like I did when we were younger?—”

He scowls at me. “When I let you because you were a weak little bastard.”

“In those days, I beat you for fun. If I did it now, I’m pretty sure one of us would damage the other one, so don’t be a dick, Niki. I should have told Senna about your request to protect her early into what we had, but you need to know I love her. I’ve loved her since I was seventeen, and I was too scared to tell her then because she was too good for me.”

He grunts in agreement.

I shove my fisted hands in my pockets. I grit my teeth and lock my eyes with him. “And because I was scared it would ruin our friendship.”

He rolls his eyes.

I squeeze my hands tighter. His square jaw is perfectly punchable. “But you and I haven’t had a friendship in some time. You didn’t come to me after you crashed except to sign a contract that trapped me. You left and only called when you wanted something. I was ready to be there for you, but you didn’t want that.”

He folds his arms like when he was a punk-ass teenager who’d lost a race. “Don’t tell me what I wanted?—”

I pin him with my stare. “Am I wrong?”

Niki raises his eyebrows. I prepare for a smackdown.

I shift to get a solid stance as I reply, “Hit me if you have to, but be prepared for me to hit you back, because I’ve got to do something with all this emotion I can’t deal with.”

He shakes his head. “I’m not going to hit you, although I should. We had a pact.”

“Fuck off with the pact. I only made it to shut you up. I’m not a player anymore, and we’re not teenagers. I love her more than anything.” His eyebrows knot together, and his lips tighten. “What was going on with you? Where have you been?”

He huffs. “It’s no one’s business?—”

I turn away. “This is a waste of time. Ralf was wrong. We don’t have a friendship anymore.”

“Wait,” Niki calls.

I turn.

His hand hangs in the space between us. “You’re my best friend in the world, and when I’m ready to share, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Promise?”

Maybe he senses that I want to pull him into a hug because he steps back but keeps his hand outstretched.

“Promise,” he replies as I take hold of his hand. His shoulders hunch. The action is a reminder of how much he’s changed. Old Niki was always up for a hug. “Does this plan involve Ralf.”

I nod.

“Fine. I’ll listen then. Let me get you a drink first.” As he fiddles with something that looks like hand sanitiser and grabs two Cokes from the mini bar, he says over his shoulder, “So you love Senna?”