....
" Hold on tight, little girl." He spoke and I felt the thrum of the bike beneath me,
Hold on to what? Cause I'm definitely not going to hold him...
With a burst of speed, he shot out of the gate causing me to fall forward, involuntarily hugging him, I felt his chest rumble in a soft chuckle.
Asshole.
The school grounds blurred together, a dark green smear that seemed to stretch on forever,
Just how big was this school?!
Xavier took the corners with ease, the bike leaning precariously to one side before he expertly righted it.
I smiled, feeling a rush of adrenaline as we finally sped out of school property and into the deserted streets, the only sounds were the roar of of the engine and the wind rushing past.
Maybe I should've been scared, it was past eight PM and we're in the middle of nowhere anything could happen, but I wasn't.
If anything, I was ecstatic, this was the most fun I've had since I started this school and for some weird reason, I knew I was safe with Xavier, he'd never hurt me.
.....
The bike's tires crunched over loose gravel as Xavier eased of the gas riding the bike through a narrow path, the headlights cut through the thick darkness illuminating gnarled trees that stretched towards the sky like skeletal fingers.
" Xavier, where are we?" I asked,
the sound of the engine and the helmet on my head muffled my voice but I'm sure he heard me.
" Relax, love. " He says and my stomach did a summersault,
He called me love..
The further he rode, the quieter it became, no street lights, no buildings, just the sound of night creatures and the steady hum of the bike's engine.
" Okay seriously, this is how horror movies start. " I say.
We reached a wooden building and he slowed down significantly.
" Is this the part where you kill me and hide the body where no one would ever find it? " I said.
A burly man with came out of the building.
He had a long scar that stretched from his right eye to his ear.
" Who's the girl? " He asked in a gruff voice.
" None of your business. " Xavier says.
The man looked at me with a menacing glare, for the first time this evening I'm glad I was wearing the helmet.
The man gave a low growl before opening the door for us.
Xavier drove in and parked his bike with a bunch of other bikes.
We got down and walked further, there was a little bar to the right with a few people, mostly men drinking and laughing loudly.
" Want a drink?" Xavier asked when he noticed me staring.
" Is this some kind of secret club." I asked
" Something like that, come on." He says, holding my hand in his and leading us towards a downward staircase.
My heart pounded in my chest out of anticipation, excitement and maybe a little bit of fear.
Where is he taking me?
" Scared?" He asked, smoothing my hand with his thumb as we walked down.
" No!" I answered and he smirks.
" Do you have someone in there you want to show me off to?" I asked, remembering this was just an act and we hated each other.
He didn't answer my question.
" When we go in there, stick close to me and don't talk to anyone no matter what they say to you." He says, a serious look on his face.
" Oh please, Xavier, you—"
" I'm serious, Colette." He cut in.
" Okay! Lead the way, Sir. " I said, he clenched his jaws before opening the little door at the end of the stairwell.
We walked in and the smell of gasoline and burning tires hit my nostrils, the sound of revving engines cutting through the air.
The place was crowded, the atmosphere, electric as Xavier led me through the dimly lit building.
We reached the front and I gasped, my eyes widening as I took in the sight before me.
It was,
" An underground racing circuit!" I said.
" Surprise." Xavier smirks.
The roar of engines vibrated through my chest, people screaming, engines vrooming. The whole place looked like a post apocalyptic video game.
I blinked.
"Surprise?" my voice went sharp.
"You kidnapped me out of school hours ago, refused to tell me where we were going, and now I find myself at what looks like a Fast & Furious fever dream hosted by the Mafia."
He shrugged. "I knew you'd like it."
I stared. "Like it? This is the most beautiful fucking thing I've ever seen."
" Can I race?" I asked.
He turned to me slowly, still smirking, but something dangerous flickered behind his eyes. "Not happening."
"Oh, come on—"
Before I could finish, someone clapped Xavier on the back.
"Cage," a voice drawled, thick with amusement. "You brought a girl? Hell must be snowboarding."
I turned.
The guy was tall, broad-shouldered, and absolutely oozing the kind of confidence that usually meant he was bad news. Shirt open, grin sharp, eyes golden. Unsettling golden. He looked like a guy who thought "boundaries" was a dirty word.
"Crusher," Xavier greeted tightly. "This is Colette. Colette, this is—"
"Crusher," the guy interrupted, sweeping a dramatic bow. "Pleasure's mine."
Before I could protest, he grabbed my hand and pressed a kiss to my knuckles.
I yanked it back. "Okay. Nope. We're not doing that."
He laughed, like I was the most amusing thing he'd seen all week. "Feisty. No wonder he's all wound up these days."
Xavier's jaw twitched. "Crusher's going to keep an eye on you while I race."
"Wait, what?" I turned on him. "You're not even gonna let me watch without supervision?"
"Trust me," Xavier said, his voice low and firm, "you don't want to wander around here alone."
"I can handle myself—"
He stepped closer, close enough that I felt the heat radiating off his skin. His eyes locked with mine, serious now.
"Humor me, Millers."
I swallowed my protest. Something in his tone didn't invite argument.
Crusher threw an arm lazily around my shoulders. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll protect you."
Xavier's gaze darkened.
"You touch her again, I'll break your goddamn wrist." he all but growled.
Crusher only grinned wider. "Relax, bro. I'm harmless." But he removed his arm anyway.
I followed when Crusher beckoned me toward a better view of the starting line but kept a safe step away from him, arms crossed.
"Is this your first race?" he asked, glancing at me sideways.
"I didn't exactly plan to be here."
"Lucky you, then. Cage never brings girls here. He must really like you."
I scowled. "We're fake dating. Emphasis on fake."
Crusher gave me a look that made my skin crawl. "If you say so."
As Xavier mounted his bike, the crowd buzzed with anticipation. Whistles and howls filled the air. I watched, pretending not to be nervous. I wasn't nervous. I don't care. He was infuriating and cold and arrogant—
And if he got hurt out there, I don't know what i'd do.
"Bet you're worried about him," Crusher said casually.
I snapped my head toward him. "I am not."
His smile turned knowing. "Sure. Keep telling yourself that."
I tried to focus on the race, on the engines revving and the smoke curling across the track. But all i could see was Xavier—back straight, eyes forward, in absolute control. He was magnetic. Like he belonged here. Like nothing could touch him.
"You really don't have a clue, do you?" I heard crusher murmur under his breath, almost to himself.
I frowned. "What did you say?"
He flashed another grin. "Nothing, sweetheart. Just enjoy the show."
---
A/N
Sorry for the late update y'all.
I've been.... very busy.
XOXO.