in my head constantly as I survey the party. Alicia walks with me as we talk in circles and I get nowhere with answers until commotion breaks out on the other side of the fire. We both strain to search for the reason around the volcanic flames. A second later, we hear the roll of engines.
“Shit, this should be interesting. Come on,” she grabs my arm and I allow her to drag me to the other side of the circle to see Dominic’s Camaro roar to life along with two other waiting cars. “One of them belongs to one of the Miami crew, the other is Tallahassee’s ride,” she continues on. Sean appears at Dominic’s side as they exchange words and Dom gets a clap on the back from Sean before he steps away and starts his own car.
“Where are they going?”
“To play tag.”
“Like a race? On these roads?” I turn to see Sean searching the party for me behind the wheel before his eyes land on the two of us. I hear the stutter of Alicia’s breath as he looks from me to her, and I know she’s got it bad. The smile he casts in our direction lights me up, and I know I do too. And I’m not sharing him.
Even if these weird-ass men belong to a strange club held in the backwoods of Bumfuck, Nowhere.
“So, what’s going to happen?”
“They’ll race.”
“And then?”
“One will come back the winner.”
Catcalls and whistles sound out as they collectively pull out, engines gunning as they make their way toward the road. The now-familiar rumble stirs something within me. It’s as if new code is being embedded into my genetic makeup. An image of Sean hovering over me the first night we were together flashes through my mind, along with the stolen minutes Dominic and I shared tonight.
“Anyone ever died?” I ask, the blood draining from my face.
“Twice. But that was years ago before the rules changed.”
Years. I wonder how long this has been going on. Unease slithers through me as I focus on at the fading taillights.
And then I hear it, the tell-tale signs, engines roaring in the distance. They’re racing. A part of me wishes I was inside that car with Dominic. But mostly, I’m terrified. Sean’s more careful, but Dominic is fearless with his driving, dangerously so.
“Don’t worry. They’ll be back,” Alicia speaks up from beside me.
“Let me have that joint,” I say, hoping it will calm my nerves. She laughs and passes it to me, and I inhale deep.
Ten minutes later, the sound of an engine has us all craning our heads. Dominic is the first to enter and the bodies around us roar with cheers.
“He won,” Alicia lifts her beer toward him in salute.
“Of course he did.”
He’s hell on wheels and tonight he represents his name well, a king amongst the masses crowding around his car. Pride fills me as I watch him, knowing tonight was the start of something between us. I move to go to him, but the second he’s parked, he’s out of the car, pushing those congratulating him out of the way to inspect the body, a string of curses erupting from him. Miami comes idling in next, and the second the driver is stopped, Dominic flies towards him, meeting him at his door. Emerging from the car, the Miami driver smiles in a way that makes my stomach roll. A moment later Dominic wipes it off his face with his fist.
“Oh, shit,” Alicia says next to me.
Sean speeds in sideways, barely stopped before he’s flying out of his car and stalking over to where Dominic is unleashing hell. Tallahassee trails in last, the side of the car caved in as it comes into view under the firelight, wheels wobbling, smoke billowing out of the hood. The driver gets out, a crocodile smile in place as he watches Dominic beat the ever-loving shit out of the Miami driver. Everyone at the party stands by, watching, including Sean, for several punches before he moves forward, barking at Dominic to stop. I can’t help myself. I move closer to hear the exchange as Miami finally steps up in defense.
“Ease up, Dom.” The guy Sean informally introduced as Andre says, moving in. His expression puts me on edge. These men are dangerous, and as I survey the faces of most of the onlookers, I see amusement. They’re clearly desensitized by what’s playing out in front of them, which instills some fear in me. I’ve never bore witness