Prologue

There's nothing that can compare to the feeling of crossing that finish line. That barely-there line of spray paint that lets me finally relax in my seat. Nothing compares.

Except her. She...she is so much more than an adrenaline rush.

Racing is the only thing I've ever known. The only thing I've ever had a passion for. The only thing I ever cared about enough to try. But, I would give that shit up for her. I did give it up for her.

When I think about the past 10 years of my life, I get a knot in my throat that I can't swallow away. It pricks and burns and my hands start shaking a little.

When I think about her, I melt a little on the inside. The hard exterior gives away to something else, something bigger than me. Some emotion I can't control. And honestly, I have no desire to control it anymore.

I stopped fighting it a long time ago. I stopped second guessing myself and her and what we could be. I just let it take over. I let it grow inside me until I wasn't sure why I fought it all those years. I couldn't remember why I ever made us suffer the way I did. Why would anyone want to deny themselves this feeling?

...

"Edward!"

Someone's yelling my name but I don't know where it's coming.

"Edward!"

My head snaps to the left and I see Jasper jogging toward me. I look around for her but don't see her face in the crowd. My chest gets a little tight. It does it all on it's own, I can't stop it anymore. She's not in the immediate vicinity and my heart knows it.

There are people everywhere. All of the cars are surrounded, including my own now, it's chaos. Everyone is smiling though, even the guys I just beat. Every single face on this street is lit up right now.

"What's up, man?" I smile but it's not the big one. It's the halfy and my face feels a little tight.

"Dude, you fuckin' smoked 'em!" Jasper's smile it huge. It takes up his whole face and his eyes are glassy. I know he's probably wondering why I'm not freaking out.

I chuckle a little at his enthusiam. I wish I still got that excited over racing. It's just not the same anymore. I still race. I don't think I'll ever stop, but it's not like it used to be.

"Where's Bella?" I cut to the chase.

"Uhhmm, she's around her somewhere." His neck strains while he looks at the crowd. "She's probably making her way over here."

I strain my own neck looking over the crowd, I don't see her. My chest gets a little tighter, if that's possible. She should be here right now, right next to me. We should be celebrating and figuring out where we're going to go for drinks after this.

"Babe!" I hear her way before I see her.

That voice. Like something out of one of my dreams. Just angels and harps and all that other bullshit that comes with love.

I smile automatically when I see her. The big smile this time. I can't even control it anymore.

"Babe!" She sees me now and she wears the same smile that I am right now. It's big and touches the corners of her eyes and I know my cheeks will be hurting by the end of the night.

When she gets to me, her smile gets a little bigger, if that's even possible.

"That last turn was a little wide, babe." I laugh at her critique. It doesn't bother me one bit. Anyone else and I would be arguing right back. But not her. Because I know that when she says that shit, it's right from the heart. I know what I've put her through to get to this moment. So when she says shit about my driving, my racing, I know that she's trying to fit herself into my world just a little bit more than she already is. Trying to understand me and all the shit in my head and be a part of it.

"I know, baby. I know." My arm finds her shoulder and I lean in for a kiss.