Page 45 of Filthy Liar

“Nothing. We talked and danced a little, but that was it.”

“C’mon, Raven. I saw you two sneak upstairs.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Did that asshole hurt you?”

“Chelsea,” I bit out, calming myself a little before I could cause a scene, lowering my voice. “Leave it.”

The look of pity she gave me made me feel sick. I didn’t want her thinking I was some kind of victim, but talking about it would cause more questions.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve checked on you, but you looked like you were onboard,” she murmured.

“It’s not what you’re thinking. I just don’t want to talk about it. He gave me bad vibes, so I left,” I lied, resting my forearm on the fence. “Good timing, I guess. Ander came back, and we hit it off.”

“That’s Ander? I heard you hated him.”

“I did. He can be awfully convincing,” I grumbled, hearing a snicker beside me and making me glance over to find Vaughn.

“He’s prickly, but he’s loyal. You want a beer?” he offered, holding one out to me.

“I don’t drink,” I said and pulled back, not wanting to drink here with so many people.

“I have soda.”

“It’s fine,” I answered, but he turned to open his car door, rummaging for a second before pulling an unopened can of Coke out. He held it out to me, and I hesitated before taking it. “Thanks.”

“Smart girl not drinking around a bunch of strangers.”

“Even drinking around your friends can turn bad,” I muttered, cracking open the can and taking a sip.

“Not if they were real friends,” he shrugged, eyeing Chelsea behind me. I turned, finding her back to me a couple of meters away as she flirted up a storm with Asher and Levi.

I wasn’t drinking, and Chelsea wasn’t responsible for me, but it still proved my point as to why I had to keep my eyes open at all times. She’d already wandered off, so too bad if we’d been alone.

“So, you guys street race?” I enquired as I gave Vaughn my attention after taking a glance in Ander’s direction. They had another race before theirs it seemed, and he was happily chatting to Riley as he leaned against his car.

“Sometimes. We had to pull back on it for a while thanks to the cops, and we enjoy going to car meets and stuff now. Makes it difficult to get around if your car’s on a wanted poster,” Vaughn grinned, nodding in Ander’s direction. “You ever seen him street race?”

“We got chased once, but that’s it. I don’t like street racing. My boyfriend Reid almost died thanks to Ander’s races, and the girl Ander’s talking to right now almost did too.”

“Yeah, I heard about that prick. I’ve met Reid and Riley before, we’ve raced a time or two. I’m sorry, I thought you were Turbo’s girl?”

“I am.” I wasn’t going to elaborate.

He raised an eyebrow, curiosity in his tone. “It’s like that, is it?”

“Think what you want.”

“All the power to you, girl,” he chuckled, leaning on the fence beside me. “You won’t get any judgment from me.”

“I take it you don’t all play stick the willy in Zeke’snot-girlfriend?” I deadpanned, and he choked on laughter, smacking his hand on the fence.

“No, we don’t. Zeke would like you, you're funny.”

Vaughn told me about one of the times he’d beaten Ander in a race, but our attention turned to the track when Ander and Kai’s race was called. I was a little giddy, to be honest.

If Kai could race like Ander, that meant it would be a really close race.

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