foot on it,” Tazen encourages.
I take a deep breath. Then I press the gas pedal to the floor. The engine sparks to life and the car lunges forward. With a happy squeal, I press down further. The loud rumbling fills my ears as the car starts getting faster and faster.
“You know how to take a corner, Quinn,” Tazen yells over the sound. “Slight brake in, but always accelerate out.”
I do as he says, and take my first corner beautifully.
“Fuck yeah, baby!” he shouts.
My adrenaline builds and I pick up speed, taking the corners like a pro. Tazen is laughing beside me and my chest is full of excitement. I’m pumped up and happier than I’ve been in such a long time. When we reach the start, we go around again. This time I get faster. I’m concentrating hard now, trying to memorize the corners as best I can.
When we complete the second round, I pull up and turn to Tazen. “Oh my god!” I scream. “That was amazing.”
“It’s about to get better. The race is starting.”
Suddenly, I feel sick. Tazen must notice because he leans over and makes me look at him. “You’re a natural, baby, give it all you’ve got.”
Then he gets out of the car.
Wait, he’s not coming with me?
He walks around to my side and I lower the window. He’s about to lean in when we hear a familiar voice. “What the hell are they doing here?”
Tazen turns and I look past him to see Sheyenne storming over. Great. Just great. I push the car door open and get out. We don’t have long before the race starts. Sheyenne gives me a once-over, and then stops in front of Tazen with her hands firmly planted on her hips. “You’re going to let this,” she waves a hand at me, “amateur drive one of your cars, but you won’t give me a damned new one!”
Tazen steps up in her face. “That girl right there has more respect and talent in her pinkie finger than you do in your whole body, Sheyenne. I’d give her a thousand cars before I’d ever give you one again.”
Her eyes flare with anger. “You will be giving me one, Tazen. I’ll make sure of it.”
She has the nerve to threaten him. She has no scruples.
“We’ll see about that,” he growls.
She opens her mouth to say something else but the beginning of the race is announced. She glares at me and hisses, “I’ll have the time of my life smashing your little girlfriend here off the track.”
Anger bubbles inside me. I really don’t like this woman. “I’d love to see what you’ve got,” I say.
She laughs, flicking her hair back. “Oh, you’ll see what I’ve got. I have a new car, and it’s amazing. Nothing like that piece of shit you’re driving.”
She did not just insult Tazen’s car.
“Funny,” I say, my voice smooth. “It’s these pieces of shit that you’ve been begging for since Tazen flicked you off his shoe.”
Her chest puffs out. “You better watch yourself out there, bitch.”
I smirk at her and she turns, storming off. Tazen turns to me, his eyes suddenly worried. “I don’t trust her, Quinn.”
I take his hand, squeezing. “You have to let me do this now, Tazen.”
He sighs. “Fuck, yeah, I know I do.”
I lean forward, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “I’ve got this.”
God, I hope I’ve got this.
I get back into the car and he leans in. “You’re in the fourth row, best spot to be. You’re not on the ends, or dead center. Watch out because Sheyenne is always on the end and she’ll try to push you in. You get scared, you pull off. That simple. This is fun, okay?”
I nod, but we both know as soon as Sheyenne challenged me, it became about more than fun.
“Now, get over there and show me what you’re made of.”
He presses a kiss to my lips and then steps back. I wind up the window and pull the car to the starting spot. My palms are sweating and my stomach is twisting as I watch the girl walk out into the middle of the road. She’s got the flags in her hands. She looks around, smiles, and then holds them up in the air. I get the car ready, holding the steering wheel like it’s my lifeline.
When she lowers them, I put my foot down. The car roars forward and the sounds of the other cars zooming off makes it damned loud in here. I bound