Laina Benji looked over his shoulder at me. His jaw was tight, and although he didn’t speak, I knew what he was trying to tell me. Stay put. Don’t do anything stupid. Ginny shuffled up tight to my side. I thought for a moment I could feel her pulse in her grip when she took hold of my hand, but I realized it was my own quickening heartbeat I was feeling. It fluttered at my neck, my wrists, my fingertips. Benji tipped his chin in a get-the-hell-out-of-here sort of fashion. “Mason’s not around, Sid. You should get back to your car. The race is about to start.” Sid chuckled and his boys followed suit. Sheep, I thought bitterly. Sid took a few swaggering steps forward. “You know, Benjamin. Of all the fools who hung around with Mason, you were always my favorite. You’re good at keeping your hands clean. You know? You’re a problem solver. A practical man. It’s a shame you’ve aligned yourself with scum.” Benj

Mason “The point is, you’ve shown your hand, Sid. You’re a transparent, foolish jackass, and everyone knows it. Your time here is done.” Sid threw his head back in manic laughter. Laina was slipping under Benji’s arm and helping him to his feet. He staggered, and Rick went to her aid, sliding under his other arm. They walked him toward the Jeep and away from Sid and his band of not so merry men. I could hear Laina whispering to her brother that he would be all right, and I hoped Benji wasn’t too banged up. How long had the beating been going on before I got there? “Let me guess, Mason,” Sid said as he began pacing back and forth. He commanded the attention of everyone in the vicinity. “Are you going to be the one to get rid of me?” I smirked. “I’m here. Aren’t I?” The crowd rippled with laughter. Sid narrowed his eyes at me. He was losing his edge, and he knew it. The crowd favored me. He was scum. Sid lifted his

Laina A lot could happen out on the streets. My throat tightened as I thought about the crash last weekend. The squeal of tires. The smashing and grinding of metal as the car hit the barrier. All the blood. Mason, passed out and slumped sideways in the driver’s seat. I shook my head. Now was not the time to think of such things. I was only making it harder on myself. This was Mason’s decision. I respected that, and I respected what he was fighting for. He needed to reclaim his title and push out the men who had turned this sport into a seedy, dangerous, underground game. Sure, street racing had always been illegal, but it hadn’t been as risky as it was with Sid and Mark. They took their business off the streets. They’d come to find you in your home and fuck you up if they thought you were a threat. All to win a stupid race. I sighed and tucked a corner of the flag in the back pocket of my jeans before

Mason The crowd was moving like a wave, jumping in place as my car hurtled toward them. I indulged in one last look in the mirror. Sid and Paul were still trailing behind. They’d caught up but not by much. I still had at least a car length on both of them, and that was more than enough to guarantee me first place. My cheeks stretched in a grin that I was incapable of concealing. The screams of the crowd reached my ears. Harley was there, standing near the front, waving Laina’s red flag as I closed in. The spray-painted red line passed beneath my tires. I took my speed off as Sid and Mark crossed behind me. I came to a slow stop at the end of the road and waited for the rest of the cars to finish the race before I circled back, driving at a snail’s pace, and kept my eyes peeled for my people. I spotted Laina first. She exploded out of the crowd, her face alight with joy, and leaped over the barrier to r

Laina We stopped for booze at a store down the street from Mason’s house. While we were there, I picked up Tylenol in case Mason ran out soon along with some bandages. I’d noticed Mason’s split knuckles in the car and wanted to wrap them for him. I was sure Benji and Rick would have the same problem—among others. Benji most of all. Afterward, we got back into the car and finished the drive home. The lights were on, and the Jeep was in the driveway when we got back to Mason’s. We went inside and found the others in the living room. Benji was sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed. He had an ice pack over his swollen eye but cracked open his good one when he heard us come in. “What took you two so long?” he asked sharply. Rick stood up from his place on the opposite sofa beside Ginny and took one of the bags from Mason’s hand. He peered into it and pulled out a bottle of tequila while saying, “I bet they were, you know, celebrating.”