Page 15 of Hyperspeed
“Next time, you can watch me up ahead, not just glance at me in your wing mirrors.”
Like hell I’d let that happen. Rev may be good behind the wheel, but there were still nine races to go, each one more difficult than the last. The ASL was about endurance—the long game—and I wasn’t sure how long Rev would last if he pulled stunts like that on the harder tracks.
My watch pinged, the holo-screen showing Jax at the front door of my apartment building. “Let me in, dickface.”
“What do you want?” I groaned. I wasn’t in the mood for company, but I could never say no to my best friend.
He held up a white paper bag. “I brought the dumplings you love.”
I sighed. The twat knew just how to win me over, so I buzzed him in without another word. He knocked on the door, and when I opened it, Jax presented the bag like a rare jewel. “For you, good sir.”
I chuckled. “You’re such a weirdo.”
Then I snatched the food before he could take it away. He followed me through the open-plan living room into the kitchen, and I grabbed two plates while he plucked beers from the fridge.
He nodded towards the TV across the island. “Why are you watching that?”
The screen was paused on a close-up of Rev in his vehicle. Although an iridescent blue visor hid his face, Rev’s raised fist showed his jubilation at having slipped through the rockslide.
I shrugged. “Nothing else was on.”
We crossed the room and took our usual seats on the black leather sectional in front of the TV.
“You’re partway through at least five films on SpaceFlix, yet you’re watching this?”
I paused with my chopsticks halfway to my mouth.
“Have you been using my account again?” He didn’t outright confirm it, just winked, and I nudged him hard in the thigh with my socked foot. “Get your own, you freeloader.”
“Why, when I can leech off you for the rest of my life?”
“So you’re the reason my watchlist is filled with romcoms and true-crime documentaries.”
He raised a single eyebrow. “Who else would it have been?”
“Dunno,” I mumbled through a mouthful of dumplings. “An ex, or something?”
“You need to stop giving out your password.”
“I didn’t give it to you!”
“No, you left it logged in the last time you passed out on my couch.”
With a growl, I lurched forward, chopsticks raised to steal a dumpling from his plate. “Hey!”
He tried to snatch it back, but I shoved the whole thing in my mouth. “Daz paymen fuh uzin’ my SpaceFix aggound.”
Jax glared at me but continued eating his food, clutching his plate against his chest. “So whyareyou watching a replay of the race?”
“I told you. Nothing else to watch.”
“You’ve found something that’s piqued your interest.” He eyed the shot of Rev. “Itwaspretty impressive.”
“It was dangerous.”
“Yeah, butracingis dangerous.” He tilted his head to the side. “It just helps if the danger is fun once in a while.”
“What are you on about?” I leaned forward, placing my empty plate on the wooden coffee table.
