Page 115 of Wanted
And if Liv won this thing, if he got that cash, Knox’s heart could be mended. It would change everything.
Chasing Blizzard’s rear lights, Liv sprinted past the two hangars, and while he couldn’t allow himself to seek his cheerleader in the crowd of onlookers, knowing that he wasthere with their friends fueled Liv’s determination, making him breathe slower as he entered the second of three rounds along the track.
One look in the rearview mirror told him that the distance between the cars had already lengthened. But that green Honda? It kept fighting Liv at every turn. Still, focusing on his opponent rather than on the road might leave him unprepared for what was to come, so he drove on with his mind full of the only reason that made this race worth the increased risk.
Knox.
His best friend.
His boyfriend.
The only person he would move heaven and earth for.
Neither of them had slept much last night, but having Knox close and watching his sweet face in the dark relieved some of the tension and worries plaguing Liv. Because Knox was worth everything. Each bruise and cut Liv had ended up with when getting him out of trouble. And everything Liv was giving up on to be with him.
He was even worth killing for.
Saving him was worth any risk.
Liv managed to catch up with Blizzard somewhat by the time he started the final lap around the circuit. The salt and sand that kept his wheels from sliding on ice covered his windshield in muddy freckles, but he could still see well enough, his attention sharp as a razor and his body just as ready to act.
He’d left most of the other racers well behind, but the green Honda remained a menace, at times coming uncomfortably close, as if its driver were attempting to push Liv to the edge. The fucker wanted Liv to slip to the ice lingering just off the asphalt.
But Liv did not play dirty and instead of trying to follow the bastard’s rulebook, sped through yet another bend. Death peered into his eyes when his wheels passed over a slippery stripof the track, but as gravity started pulling his vehicle into a spin, he changed gear and yanked the steering wheel in the opposite direction before adding more gas.
It had only taken seconds, but by the time he emerged victorious, his back was damp with sweat and his hands ached from the force they clutched the wheel with.
Thank fuck Knox couldn’t have seen this. He did not need any more anxiety in his current condition. And while participating in this race went against protecting him from stress, the ends would justify the means.
As Liv chased after Blizzard, the vehicle filled with the warm scent of Knox’s body. He could sense the soft tickle of his hair and arms settling around his waist while Knox lay behind him, offering Liv the true refuge he’d been seeking for so long.
Knox might be back at the clubhouse, nervously watching the competition, but his heart remained with Liv, reassuring him that he could achieve whatever he put his mind to.
Images from their shared past spun in Liv’s head.
The first time they played together, while their respective parents fucked behind a thin wall. Knox showing Liv how to knee someone in the gut. Eating cold turkey on Christmas and exchanging homemade gifts. Always at each other’s side. Always having one another’s back.
There wasn’t a life he could imagine without Knox.
This was what he was fighting for today.
When Liv entered the byroad, once more heading for the steep hill, Blizzard’s rear lights went on as he hit the brakes. And at that moment, Liv knewhewould not. He’d fuck safety rules and put all his cards on the table.
After all, hedid not crash.
Quickly gaining on Blizzard, Liv leaned forward and stopped breathing as he felt the sudden change in elevation that had allhis blood draining to his lower body. Complete focus filled every cell in his body, and he felt like he was about to take flight.
But then something hit his door. He glanced that way, wide-eyed, barely retaining control over the vehicle.
The Honda’s side mirror locked with his, wrestling as if to see which was made of stronger material, but one glimpse inside the cab told him this was not an accidental clash. The driver’s face was twisted in a vengeful grimace, and when he moved his wheel, attempting to hit Liv again, the only option was to hit the brakes.
Or risk it all.
With a low roar, Liv pressed his gas pedal all the way down. His mirror broke off, and once it hung on a piece of cable, like a boxing glove filled with rocks, he veered to the side and reached the top of the hill at full speed.
Every muscle in his body went rigid when his car left the surface, catapulted forward at a frightening speed. People often said that facing death was like experiencing one’s whole life on fast-forward, but Liv only saw the good moments, the ones he’d shared with Knox. It was for him that he could not die today.
A flash of green passed through his rearview mirror. The Honda’s driver attempted to slow down at the very last moment, but gravity sent him into a spin, and as the front of the car slipped off the asphalt, the entire vehicle tumbled behind it.
