Page 40 of Hyperspeed
Vaeri agreed, while Lyla remained on the fence. Kai didn’t care, though. “Don’t worry, guys. I’ll prove to you why I’m a three-time galactic champion.”
“I want Rev to win,” Korvi whispered. The lines on his face glittered with amber when all eyes turned to him. “Because he’s cool.”
“He may be cool, little K . . .” Kai puffed out his chest, unable to help himself. “But I’m the best of the best.”
I picked at a hangnail on my thumb, trying to appear disinterested. “Tone it down, Mercer.”
“You know I’m right, rookie.”
“I know nothing of the sort.”
Kai grinned. “I’d say you’re scared of losing to me, but you’re used to that by now.”
The kids released a collective “ooh,” like Kai had just delivered the final blow in an interstellar rap battle. I dared a glance, only to find him grinning at me like the cocky bastard he was.
I didn’t know how he had any energy left to function, when he seemed to burn so much of it keeping his ego inflated.
“I won’t lose to you, Mercer,” I drawled, checking my nails. Couldn’t let him think he was getting to me.
“I bet you say that before every race. Keep manifesting, boo. It might happen.”
The sarcastic endearment made me bristle, and I recalled what he’d said earlier. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Elyn preparing to start the race.
I turned to face Kai, mouth curled into a smirk of my own. “We could engage in a little friendly competition . . . just the two of us.”
He blinked, lips forming a perfect O as surprise hit. He quickly schooled his expression, nonchalantly bouncing the egg on his spoon.
Seemed I wasn’t the only one who masked my emotions.
“We’re on the same team, Revvak. Besides, we’re here for the children. It wouldn’t be appropriate.”
“We can still play a little game,” I continued, repeating his words back to him. “See who comes out on top.”
The egg stilled as I mimicked him, purring the last word. His eyes caught mine, pupils dilating just for a second. “Unless you’re scared.”
This time, the kids’ juvenile “ooh” filled me with satisfaction.
Now I was the one with the cocky smile. I knew Kai was loath to turn down a competition—a chance to best me, like I’d done to him a few weeks ago.
Except now we’d have an audience.
I’d tried to play the grown-up card earlier, but Kai was frustrating, so sure he was unbeatable. I was dying to remind him that when you’d made it to the top, the only way left to go was down.
I was sure I was losing my mind, but it was too late to back down without looking like a coward. And when Kai’s jaw popped, the muscle twitching under his skin, I knew I had him right where I wanted him.
“I’ll bite, rookie. Let’s make this a fun competition betweenfriends.”
The term was obviously used for the sake of the kids. I was under no illusion that Kai and I were anything other than rivals. We were competitors who couldn’t resist riling each other up, so why not do what we did best?
Compete.
“You’re on,friend.”
Elyn broke the tense bubble surrounding us. “Is everyone ready?”
None of the drivers said a word, because this is what we did for a living.
We were ready to race.
