CH.26
Half an hour later Bryan was going back to his caravan to join Mia. He'd taken Anastasia back to Hector's sister and now was his turn to get some sleep.
He was going to turn the handle of the caravan's door when he suddenly felt being grabbed by his shoulder, and before he could react, was turned around and punched in his face. He fell to the ground like a doll.
"What - ?" Bryan said shaking his head and frowning worried. He looked up. "Dom? Are you mad?" He was astonished.
"O'Connor, I already told you once that I won't accept another lie from you ever again!" he yelled at him.
"What the fuck are you taking about?" Bryan said angrily massaging his aching chin, still sitting on the floor.
"Told you to never lie to me!" Dom insisted bending down to punch him again.
"Wait! Wait! I never lied to you!" he shouted worried.
"Really? So tell me what's up between you and Annie? You fuck her?" Dom yelled furiously.
"No! No! Dom! Are you mad??? We're just friends!" Bryan protested astonished.
"Bullshit!" Dom shouted and punched him again.
"Ah! Argh . . . oh . . . ohhhh . . . " Bryan moaned, the blow sending
his world spinning, and felt his cheek split. He shook his head.
Dom watched him disgusted. "So, do you wanna talk or shall I go on?"
"I don't know what the fuck you are talking - " Bryan insisted but Dom hit him again, hard.
This time blood started to flow from Bryan's mouth. He felt it and passed the tip of his tongue over the cut, licking it.
Dom was staring at him furiously, his chest rising and lowering rhythmically. "So?" he roared.
"You are crazy man!" Bryan replied shocked and angry.
"Yes I am! And now tell me!" he yelled again.
"What do you want me to say? That I like her? That there's been something between us? Is that what you want to hear?" Bryan burst out.
"Yeah," Dom growled. His eyes surly, his fists ready.
"Ok! Yes! I like her. A lot even! She's . . . . stunning! She's sweet and brilliant, so innocent but also strong and funny and stubborn and . . . she's incredibly lovely. She's sexy and . . . . ." Bryan paused lowering his tone as if he was embarrassed to reveal his inner thoughts, "and . . . .I'm -very - attracted to her. She's sensible and generous and honest!"
Dom half closed his eyes. His anger was rising to dangerous levels.
"There could have been something between us, yes, I admit it! Heck! I would have wanted! When I held her in my arms I . . . ." Bryan paused and shook his head. He breathed deeply. "But -" his tone lowered more, "she loves someone else and I do love and respect Mia. So even if I wanted her . . . . I'm sorry for you but - there's been nothing between me and Annie," Bryan ended in one go. He'd done it. Finally he'd said what he'd had in his heart for months. He felt strange - someway relieved.
Dom watched him shaken. "So what's up between you and her?"
"We're just friends. Yes, . . . sometimes we've been too close friends, but - that's it!" Bryan said smirking.
Dom didn't wait and hit him again.
"Why did you hit me again?" Bryan asked surprised.
"Because - you double crossed!"
"No! NO! No way! You're on the wrong track, completely!" Bryan said animatedly. "You hear me? There's been nothing between me and Annie."
Dom fell silent and looked at him. "I'm talking about the night of the truck," he then explained.
Bryan now looked worried: "How do you - "
"Stand up" Dom ordered him offering his hand to help him. Bryan looked hesitantly at him and then obeyed. "Let's go for a little walk" Dom ordered. Bryan looked uncertain but followed him.
"Now, do you talk or do I still have to convince you?" Dom said after a while.
Bryan looked at him still undecided on what to do then started to tell him all about that night. Dom remained silent throughout the story. Bryan told him about Henry, the party, the night of the truck, about him, Mia and Annie. "And that's all" Bryan ended when he finished holding his breath for Dom's reaction.
"You're a fucking idiot! You risked your own life and put Annie's in danger! She had to stay out of this!" Dom burst out, his eyes darkened of anger.
"We had no choice! It was Henry's rule! We had to be together!" Bryan insisted.
"And Annie accepted all that?" Dom asked incredulous.
"At first, she didn't want it, then when he told us he would go to the police and report you, she accepted immediately," Bryan explained him.
Dom looked at him speechless for a moment. "Why?" he asked quietly.
Bryan shrugged then went on. "She was worried for you. Anything else didn't matter anymore." Bryan's words were very respectful. He was proud of her. She'd done it even when she was scared as hell and without any experience. She'd risked a lot just for him.
Dom frowned.
"But she also wanted to know. So I told her about your past and she held no reaction. She said nothing except that she would do what Henry said. She was very determined then." Bryan added.
"So now, she knows all about my past." It wasn't a true question but more a realization. Dom closed his eyes and passed his hands over his head and face. He felt tired but mostly confused and surprised. Both things that he didn't like to be. Damn! He wouldn't have wanted her to know about his past. He wanted things to be different this time, but his past seemed not wanting to abandon him. And he'd thought to have everything under his control! He breathed deeply trying to clear his mind. "Why didn't you tell me?" he then asked.
"We couldn't! It was part of the blackmail!" Bryan explained.
Dom shook his head still in disbelief. "And Annie followed you." It wasn't a true question but his tone was still incredulous.
Bryan simply nodded. His lips bent in a grin remembering the kiss with Annie.
"What's so funny" Dom asked frowning at his reaction .
Bryan became serious again and hurriedly muttered an apologize.
Dom grunted frustrated.
He stared at the emptiness of the night sky. Heck! That girl had risked her own life just for him. Why? And most important: Who was she? He remained silent and stared thoughtfully at Bryan.
"And Letty? How does she fit in?" he asked finally.
Bryan frowned not knowing exactly how Dom had discovered that.
"She only saw us coming back home. Then it had not been too difficult for her to imagine the rest -" Bryan ended shrugging.
"Mmh." he paused: " Why have you never told me?" he asked after a while raising an eyebrow.
"Anastasia was scared that you would go and sort it out with Mia or me," Bryan explained a bit surprised by Dom's quiet reaction.
"Silly girl," Dom said shaking his head.
"Why? Because she was afraid of you?" Bryan's tone was sarcastic. "Would you have given her the chance to explain?"
He was right, and Dom knew it. "What I still don't understand is why Annie ran away that night," Dom muttered to himself shaking his head thoughtfully, then looked toward Bryan as if to find a solution. He couldn't understand.
"Why don't you ask Letty" Bryan said quietly.
Dom glanced at him still angry: "I'm asking you!"
Bryan looked at him thoughtfully. Should he tell him all? He shook his head resigned. "Letty blackmails Annie. That's why Annie ran away four months ago," Bryan said.
"What for?"
"Well, I think for this, you gotta talk to Letty," Bryan said.
"And you? Why did you know it?"
"I know it and stop," Bryan replied toughly.
"It can't be true," Dom shook his head thoughtfully.
"Have you ever talked to Letty?"
Dom glanced at him undecided.
"And ask her why she hates Annie so much!" Bryan said decisive. "Only remember, sometimes things are different from what they seem" he ended enigmatically.
Dom stared at him frowning. What did it mean? Anyway he was right: it was time to talk to Letty.
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Next Day.
The races started as usual and Dom as well as Letty and Anastasia raced and won them all. For lunch time Annie was at a good point. She was the only driver of Hector's groups who had survived. There were still Tran, Dom and Letty on the list.
She was having a little rest alone in the shadow, eyes closed, relaxing, enjoying the little breeze on that hot sunny day. Suddenly she heard the sound of steps approaching. She opened her eyes and she mentally cursed.
"What do you want?" Annie asked, already knowing the answer.
"Still wanna race?" Letty asked once in front of her. Annie nodded.
"We'll be the first at the starting line in the afternoon. A couple of competitors dropped out," Letty informed her briefly. "Bring the money with you," she added and went away.
Shit! Annie thought. She hadn't expected to meet Letty so soon. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She needed to concentrate now.
--------------------------------------------
One hour and a half later. The two cars were preparing to race.
Annie was with Hector. "You got a great idea Annie! I'm gonna make some good money with it!" he was so thrilled: "Letty is the greatest female racer, and if you defeat her, it'll make me become famous!" Annie smiled at Hector but her mind was already at the race.
"You're here," Letty stated finally joining her.
"I would have never missed this chance," Annie said with a defiant smile.
"What the hell are you doing?" a voice like thunder suddenly said. Annie turned just in time to see Dom reaching them fast. He was angry.
"We race," Letty simply told him sure of herself.
"It's still not the time for your race against her, and even if so, I haven't given you the permission, if I remember well!" Dom toughly replied.
"Firstly, it's our turn to race, because some girls dropped out and secondly . . . . I'm not part of your team anymore, Toretto. I don't have to ask for your permission to race, I can go against whoever I want to," Annie said toughly staring at him defiantly.
He looked at her angrily.
"Racers please make your bet, in five minutes, you have to be on the starting line," a man of the organization came to announce them.
"Ok. How much?" Hector asked.
"Throw a number," Letty answered.
"No, no. You say," Hector insisted smiling.
"Ok. 15.000$, winner takes all," Letty said decisively.
Dom immediately turned to look at Letty, frowning.
"What???" Hector was astonished. Annie's eyes widened in surprise.
"Man, you'll never see a race like that in your life again!" Letty said arrogantly to convince him.
Hector stared undecided at her for a few seconds. "Ok. Want to play hard? Let's do it!" he finally gave up smiling fascinated.
"Hector!" Annie placed a hand on his forearm worried. He turned to look at her. "Are you sure?" she asked him. She wanted to race with all herself, but she hadn't expected such an amount. The risk had to be hers alone and shouldn't involve her friends.
"I trust you" Hector simply said shrugging, smiling at Annie. She was really surprised by his frankness, but smiled and nodded.
"Dom?" Letty asked waiting for the money. Dom looked at both girls thoughtfully for a moment, then took his money and gave it to Letty.
"My man!" Letty said satisfied: "He does whatever I tell him to," her tone arrogantly.
Hector raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Dom gave her a grim look, but didn't reply.
"Gotta talk to you," he said in a low tone grabbing Letty's arm stopping her: "Now," he underlined decisively.
"Later," she toughly replied freeing herself. Then she jumped in her car and closed the door just in front of him. She put the window down: "Wish me luck," she ordered arrogantly.
"Good luck," he said through his teeth.
She almost didn't wait and moved to the starting line. He looked worried at her car driving away.
"Oh man, I don't want to miss that!" Hector said all excited to Dom and fast walked to the starting line followed by his team as well as Toretto's. Dom was the last to arrive.
"Why you didn't stop them?" Mia said reaching Dom.
"I couldn't," he almost whispered, angry and worried at the same time.
"Is it possible that you don't understand??? They are not racing for the money! They're risking their own life for you! Money means nothing!" Mia shouted gesturing to the two cars very concerned.
He slowly turned to look at his sister, truly realizing the meaning of her words in that moment.
"You'll never grow up!" she yelled at him and left him alone, too angry and worried to fight with her brother.
Dom breathed deeply. It was right. He closed his eyes worried. What have I done? he thought, fear welling up inside him.
"Line up!" the flagman shouted as everyone backed away from the road between the cars on each side.
Letty pulled her car on the starting line. The black Subaru of Annie pulled up next to her. Annie let her right window down and slowly turned to meet Letty' s gaze. They exchanged a long, defiant, tough look. Letty smiled, arrogantly. They both looked in front of them revving up their engines.
Annie breathed deeply. She closed her eyes and slowly isolated herself from all the noises around her. Then she opened them and looked up, waiting for the flagman.
"3, . . . . 2, . . . . .1, . . . . " before he waved the flag, flames were shooting out the exhaust tips. When the man finally gave the sign the cars roared loudly and took off with squealing tires.
It was on.
Dom watched the scene almost in trance. He'd seen Letty race. He knew her, she was skilled. He'd seen Annie: she'd changed, she was incredibly better than before. But now, it was something else. This wasn't the usual race. There was rage in all that. It would be hard and dangerous.
Letty found her gears perfectly as did Annie with her black jewel. They were running exactly head-to-head.
"Let's see what you can do!" Letty said and without waiting, she pushed her car toward Annie's to scare her. Annie caught her in time. "You won't do this again!" Annie muttered. She'd expected this from her and swiftly moved her car just in time to avoid her.
"Fuck!" Letty shouted slamming her hand on the wheel.
She had to win. There was no way. Now or never. She pushed her NOS button, immediately she heard the tires squeal and found herself buried in her Sparco seat. Annie pushed her NOS button too and in a while she was nearby her again.
"What the fuck are they doing???" Vince shouted astonished: "They hit the button too early!"
"Great! I've never seen something like that before!" Hector said all excited.
Dom angrily turned like a tiger to Hector and pushed him against a car: "Fucking idiot! They're risking their lives!" Dom yelled blinded by fury and fear for them.
Hector's eyes widened scared at this sudden reaction and raised his hands in a surrender gesture.
"Dom! It's not the moment! Dom!" Bryan said pushing him away from Hector. Dom breathed hard to control himself and nodded. All three of them returned their attention to the race.
They were still head to head, their cars roaring furiously. Their engines pushed to the extreme. Letty came near Annie's car again. They were inches from one other, running around 170 mph. But both of them didn't take the feet off the gas, remaining on the same level.
It wasn't about the cars anymore. It was a psychological endurance. It was the strongest one. Annie had her hands cold because of the tension. Letty was sweated.
"I'm the one!" Letty suddenly shouted, not able to stand the tension anymore and pushed both of her NOS buttons at the same time.
An impossible shoot of NOS arrived at her engine. Her car jumped faster on, like no car had ever done before. "Eat my dust bitch!" Letty shouted.
Annie saw Letty' s car jumping forward like a bullet shot by a gun. She frowned. Letty was too fast, she wouldn't be able to reach her! Letty now was far ahead. But she had to try. It was now or never. Against her common sense, knowing the limits of her car, she pushed her NOS button before it was usually recommended and immediately the world seemed to dissolve around her, the car roared dreadfully pushing violently forward. In a second she was stuck against her Sparco seat and nothing existed anymore except for the street in front of her. It was like the NOS was running in her veins, the adrenaline level rose to almost impossible heights in her, and an immense sense of freedom mixed with power invaded her. Her car almost joined the one of Letty, but not quite.
Letty saw her in her rear view mirror and laughed out loud: "Buster!" Suddenly she heard something clinching, a red light was flashing. It was the temperature of the oil that had raised to a dangerous level. She should have taken the foot off the throttle. She glanced at the street, the finish line was not far from her.
"NO! Not now! C'mon! Not now!" She shouted worried. But then she heard a familiar bang and another red light switched on, on her dashboard. She closed her eyes for a second. She knew that she'd fried the pistons.
All in one go, her engine started to cough, smoke came out from the hood and the speed collapsed in a flash: " FUCK!" she shouted angrily, hitting the wheel violently.
Annie saw the scene just in front of her someway surprised. Letty had fried her engine. Without too much difficulty she passed Letty, when she saw a red light going off on her dashboard - her oil temperature was dangerously high. Fortunately it was just in time to cross the finish line first. She immediately took her foot off the accelerator and made her car stop. A little smoke started to come from the hood. Maybe if she was lucky, she'd saved her engine.
Letty reached her slowly, her car awfully smoking now from the hood. It was a chance that no fire had broken out. She shook her head and breathed deeply. They'll be mad, Annie thought.
Anastasia was declared the winner of the race. Hector and Toretto joined the girls immediately followed by the rest of their teams.
"Annie are you all right?" Hector asked anxiously opening the door of her car and pulling her outside to hug her.
"Yeah, I'm fine don't worry," Annie said in a low tone still shaken.
"And - " he hesitantly asked her embarrassed.
"Also the car should be fine, Hector," she ended with a grin reading his thoughts. A sigh of relief escaped from Hector's mouth.
She smiled quietly. Leaning against the side of her car.
"You've been great!" he suddenly said happily: " I've never seen something like that! People were crazy for you! You did it! You beat her! Can't believe it, . . . . we won!!" he was all excited.
Annie smiled quietly then glanced at Letty and her car.
"She made a big mistake," Hector said following Annie's line of sight and shaking his head: "You've been smart," he ended grinning at her.
"No, I've been lucky," Annie immediately whispered seriously.
Dom ran up to Letty: "How are you?" he asked her worried while Jesse joined them holding a fire extinguisher ready for everything.
"She cheated on me!" Letty said angrily without even listening to Dom.
"Letty? Letty!" Dom shouted to recall her attention.
"She cheated on me," Letty repeated obstinately.
"No, Letty. You did all by yourself!" Dom toughly replied then.
"No!" Letty protested furiously.
"You played like an incompetent! Who the hell told you to do that? Are
you mad?! The car could have exploded and you knew it! Letty? Letty! Listen
to me!" he yelled angrily.
Racing was good, but he wouldn't allow foolishness. It was too dangerous in that sport. And Letty's behavior had been nothing but foolish and dangerous, risking her own - even worse: someone else's life unnecessarily, only to boost her ego. But Letty wasn't listening to him anymore and already ran toward Annie very menacingly.
Annie prepared herself for the worst.
"Oh? Oh! You stop!" said Hector placing himself between the two girls. "You lost," Hector declared briefly: "You gotta pay."
Dom joined Letty and gave his money to Hector.
"You're not gonna pay her! Come on! She's a skank! She's nothing! She was only lucky! I wanna play this again!" Letty yelled at Dom, her voice reaching its crescendo.
"Oh, yes?" Dom burst out fed up of her tone. "With what? You just fried your car! You burnt your brain!" he paused to breathe trying to cool himself down: "No, it's enough this time, Letty. You lost," Dom declared in a newfound calm tone, even while his eyes still flashed with anger.
"I never lose! It was a mistake! I wanna do this again! Letty has never lost a race!" Letty yelled furiously.
"You just did," Hector stated with a little winning grin on his face, too happy to hide it.
"Bastard! I'm gonna take that smile out of your face!" Letty said menacingly ready to jump on him, but Dom grabbed her and threw her back.
"You stop!" he ordered her in a warning tone: "It's enough. Don't push it. You embarrass me!"
"No! - I - say 'when' it's enough or not!" Letty replied fuming and tried again to leap at Anastasia this time, who made a step back refusing to fight.
Dom stopped Letty just in time.
"Would you excuse us for a minute Hector" Dom said and dragged her away followed by his team.
"So? You gonna stop this or what?" Dom asked staring at Letty with a terrible warning look.
"Dom! She's cheating on you!" Letty insisted. "She's not a racer! And you're so blind not to understand it!"
"Letty, you're crossing the line!" Dom warned her. He didn't want to quarrel in front of the rest of the team.
"No! You have to listen to me!" Letty continued: "I know what she has done!"
"Don't - " Dom didn't want to hear it, but Letty started to tell him her version about the night of the truck.
"Your nice girl stole the money and she also organized the theft of the truck forcing Bryan and your little sis to take part of it!" Letty ended serious but with a triumphant note in her voice.
"She's lying!" Mia said.
Dom didn't react and remained calm: "Letty, I already know the whole story."
"What???" she was shocked.
"I told him everything," Bryan explained quietly.
Letty looked dumbfounded alternatively to Mia, Dom and Bryan, while the rest of the team observed her silently.
"She's still a thief," Letty insisted, "she took your money."
"She gave the money back," Mia simply told her.
"So what? She stole one time, she can do it again! After all, you know nothing about her past," Letty replied toughly.
"No," Bryan suddenly intervened.
"What?"
"Annie has never stolen in her life," Bryan continued confidently.
"Oh, yeah? And how do you know that?" Letty said sure of herself.
Dom turned to Bryan without understanding.
"Because I know who she really is," Bryan said in one go staring at Dom.
Dom frowned astonished.
"Annie is the daughter of one of the highest diplomatic appointments of the English embassy in Italy. Daughter of someone important. She never stole a penny in her whole life," Bryan ended.
"That's why I found nothing on her on the net!" Jesse said now realizing it.
"But she could be a thief however!" Letty insisted.
"Tell him the truth, Letty!" Bryan finally burst out.
"Stay out of this, Mister Arizona, this is none of your business!" Letty said through her teeth.
"It's my business too," Bryan replied.
"Shut your fucking mouth!" Letty said irritated.
"Stop!" Dom finally said wanting to shut them all up. He turned to Letty. "I want the truth. The whole entire truth," he told seriously, toughly staring at her.
She looked at him uncertain of what to do, feeling more and more nervous. She bit her lower lip and finally she broke down. She told him the truth even about the theft and her responsibility in all that, starting to cry at the end.
"Why?" Dom asked at last, sadly shaking his head in disbelief.
"I did it for love. For us, Dom! For us!" Letty replied in a trembling voice. Dom held her in his arms to calm her down.
Annie was leaned against her car waiting when she turned and saw Dom holding a crying Letty lovingly in his arms. She half closed her eyes feeling an aching pain in the middle of her chest. She swallowed and breathed deeply then she swiftly turned her head away.
"Us? What 'us'?" Dom said giving vent to his feelings: "There's been no 'us' anymore for almost a year, but we've always refused to admit it. We've continued like everything was fine, when it wasn't. Truth is, that it's been over for a lot of time."
"No! That's not true!" Letty replied obstinately.
"Letty, open your eyes. Let's face the reality! We quarrel all the time!" Dom said exasperated. Then he calmed down: "If only we had had the courage to talk before, we wouldn't have suffered so much," Dom ended.
Letty cried silently: "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, Dom! I didn't want things to go this way," Letty finally said sighing. She was saying the truth.
Dom stared at her thoughtful: "Neither did I," he muttered.
They came back to Hector: " Where is Anastasia?" Dom asked becoming immediately sullen as she wasn't there.
"She's gone, man. She's withdrawn," Hector explained flatly, looking a bit sad. "Oh! And this is for you," Hector added giving him the money of the bet. "She told me to report you that this was the last installment, and now she owed you nothing."
"Where did she go?" Dom asked alarmed.
Hector shrugged: "Who knows?"
"You have to know it!" Dom toughly said approaching him menacingly and taking Hector by his shirt: "Where does she work?"
Hector looked scared at Dom who was completely out of control and finally told him.
Dom left Hector immediately and turned threatening toward Letty: "You better whish that I find her or I'll hold you personally responsible for my unhappiness!" he yelled at her.
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Half an hour later Bryan was going back to his caravan to join Mia. He'd taken Anastasia back to Hector's sister and now was his turn to get some sleep.
He was going to turn the handle of the caravan's door when he suddenly felt being grabbed by his shoulder, and before he could react, was turned around and punched in his face. He fell to the ground like a doll.
"What - ?" Bryan said shaking his head and frowning worried. He looked up. "Dom? Are you mad?" He was astonished.
"O'Connor, I already told you once that I won't accept another lie from you ever again!" he yelled at him.
"What the fuck are you taking about?" Bryan said angrily massaging his aching chin, still sitting on the floor.
"Told you to never lie to me!" Dom insisted bending down to punch him again.
"Wait! Wait! I never lied to you!" he shouted worried.
"Really? So tell me what's up between you and Annie? You fuck her?" Dom yelled furiously.
"No! No! Dom! Are you mad??? We're just friends!" Bryan protested astonished.
"Bullshit!" Dom shouted and punched him again.
"Ah! Argh . . . oh . . . ohhhh . . . " Bryan moaned, the blow sending
his world spinning, and felt his cheek split. He shook his head.
Dom watched him disgusted. "So, do you wanna talk or shall I go on?"
"I don't know what the fuck you are talking - " Bryan insisted but Dom hit him again, hard.
This time blood started to flow from Bryan's mouth. He felt it and passed the tip of his tongue over the cut, licking it.
Dom was staring at him furiously, his chest rising and lowering rhythmically. "So?" he roared.
"You are crazy man!" Bryan replied shocked and angry.
"Yes I am! And now tell me!" he yelled again.
"What do you want me to say? That I like her? That there's been something between us? Is that what you want to hear?" Bryan burst out.
"Yeah," Dom growled. His eyes surly, his fists ready.
"Ok! Yes! I like her. A lot even! She's . . . . stunning! She's sweet and brilliant, so innocent but also strong and funny and stubborn and . . . she's incredibly lovely. She's sexy and . . . . ." Bryan paused lowering his tone as if he was embarrassed to reveal his inner thoughts, "and . . . .I'm -very - attracted to her. She's sensible and generous and honest!"
Dom half closed his eyes. His anger was rising to dangerous levels.
"There could have been something between us, yes, I admit it! Heck! I would have wanted! When I held her in my arms I . . . ." Bryan paused and shook his head. He breathed deeply. "But -" his tone lowered more, "she loves someone else and I do love and respect Mia. So even if I wanted her . . . . I'm sorry for you but - there's been nothing between me and Annie," Bryan ended in one go. He'd done it. Finally he'd said what he'd had in his heart for months. He felt strange - someway relieved.
Dom watched him shaken. "So what's up between you and her?"
"We're just friends. Yes, . . . sometimes we've been too close friends, but - that's it!" Bryan said smirking.
Dom didn't wait and hit him again.
"Why did you hit me again?" Bryan asked surprised.
"Because - you double crossed!"
"No! NO! No way! You're on the wrong track, completely!" Bryan said animatedly. "You hear me? There's been nothing between me and Annie."
Dom fell silent and looked at him. "I'm talking about the night of the truck," he then explained.
Bryan now looked worried: "How do you - "
"Stand up" Dom ordered him offering his hand to help him. Bryan looked hesitantly at him and then obeyed. "Let's go for a little walk" Dom ordered. Bryan looked uncertain but followed him.
"Now, do you talk or do I still have to convince you?" Dom said after a while.
Bryan looked at him still undecided on what to do then started to tell him all about that night. Dom remained silent throughout the story. Bryan told him about Henry, the party, the night of the truck, about him, Mia and Annie. "And that's all" Bryan ended when he finished holding his breath for Dom's reaction.
"You're a fucking idiot! You risked your own life and put Annie's in danger! She had to stay out of this!" Dom burst out, his eyes darkened of anger.
"We had no choice! It was Henry's rule! We had to be together!" Bryan insisted.
"And Annie accepted all that?" Dom asked incredulous.
"At first, she didn't want it, then when he told us he would go to the police and report you, she accepted immediately," Bryan explained him.
Dom looked at him speechless for a moment. "Why?" he asked quietly.
Bryan shrugged then went on. "She was worried for you. Anything else didn't matter anymore." Bryan's words were very respectful. He was proud of her. She'd done it even when she was scared as hell and without any experience. She'd risked a lot just for him.
Dom frowned.
"But she also wanted to know. So I told her about your past and she held no reaction. She said nothing except that she would do what Henry said. She was very determined then." Bryan added.
"So now, she knows all about my past." It wasn't a true question but more a realization. Dom closed his eyes and passed his hands over his head and face. He felt tired but mostly confused and surprised. Both things that he didn't like to be. Damn! He wouldn't have wanted her to know about his past. He wanted things to be different this time, but his past seemed not wanting to abandon him. And he'd thought to have everything under his control! He breathed deeply trying to clear his mind. "Why didn't you tell me?" he then asked.
"We couldn't! It was part of the blackmail!" Bryan explained.
Dom shook his head still in disbelief. "And Annie followed you." It wasn't a true question but his tone was still incredulous.
Bryan simply nodded. His lips bent in a grin remembering the kiss with Annie.
"What's so funny" Dom asked frowning at his reaction .
Bryan became serious again and hurriedly muttered an apologize.
Dom grunted frustrated.
He stared at the emptiness of the night sky. Heck! That girl had risked her own life just for him. Why? And most important: Who was she? He remained silent and stared thoughtfully at Bryan.
"And Letty? How does she fit in?" he asked finally.
Bryan frowned not knowing exactly how Dom had discovered that.
"She only saw us coming back home. Then it had not been too difficult for her to imagine the rest -" Bryan ended shrugging.
"Mmh." he paused: " Why have you never told me?" he asked after a while raising an eyebrow.
"Anastasia was scared that you would go and sort it out with Mia or me," Bryan explained a bit surprised by Dom's quiet reaction.
"Silly girl," Dom said shaking his head.
"Why? Because she was afraid of you?" Bryan's tone was sarcastic. "Would you have given her the chance to explain?"
He was right, and Dom knew it. "What I still don't understand is why Annie ran away that night," Dom muttered to himself shaking his head thoughtfully, then looked toward Bryan as if to find a solution. He couldn't understand.
"Why don't you ask Letty" Bryan said quietly.
Dom glanced at him still angry: "I'm asking you!"
Bryan looked at him thoughtfully. Should he tell him all? He shook his head resigned. "Letty blackmails Annie. That's why Annie ran away four months ago," Bryan said.
"What for?"
"Well, I think for this, you gotta talk to Letty," Bryan said.
"And you? Why did you know it?"
"I know it and stop," Bryan replied toughly.
"It can't be true," Dom shook his head thoughtfully.
"Have you ever talked to Letty?"
Dom glanced at him undecided.
"And ask her why she hates Annie so much!" Bryan said decisive. "Only remember, sometimes things are different from what they seem" he ended enigmatically.
Dom stared at him frowning. What did it mean? Anyway he was right: it was time to talk to Letty.
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Next Day.
The races started as usual and Dom as well as Letty and Anastasia raced and won them all. For lunch time Annie was at a good point. She was the only driver of Hector's groups who had survived. There were still Tran, Dom and Letty on the list.
She was having a little rest alone in the shadow, eyes closed, relaxing, enjoying the little breeze on that hot sunny day. Suddenly she heard the sound of steps approaching. She opened her eyes and she mentally cursed.
"What do you want?" Annie asked, already knowing the answer.
"Still wanna race?" Letty asked once in front of her. Annie nodded.
"We'll be the first at the starting line in the afternoon. A couple of competitors dropped out," Letty informed her briefly. "Bring the money with you," she added and went away.
Shit! Annie thought. She hadn't expected to meet Letty so soon. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She needed to concentrate now.
--------------------------------------------
One hour and a half later. The two cars were preparing to race.
Annie was with Hector. "You got a great idea Annie! I'm gonna make some good money with it!" he was so thrilled: "Letty is the greatest female racer, and if you defeat her, it'll make me become famous!" Annie smiled at Hector but her mind was already at the race.
"You're here," Letty stated finally joining her.
"I would have never missed this chance," Annie said with a defiant smile.
"What the hell are you doing?" a voice like thunder suddenly said. Annie turned just in time to see Dom reaching them fast. He was angry.
"We race," Letty simply told him sure of herself.
"It's still not the time for your race against her, and even if so, I haven't given you the permission, if I remember well!" Dom toughly replied.
"Firstly, it's our turn to race, because some girls dropped out and secondly . . . . I'm not part of your team anymore, Toretto. I don't have to ask for your permission to race, I can go against whoever I want to," Annie said toughly staring at him defiantly.
He looked at her angrily.
"Racers please make your bet, in five minutes, you have to be on the starting line," a man of the organization came to announce them.
"Ok. How much?" Hector asked.
"Throw a number," Letty answered.
"No, no. You say," Hector insisted smiling.
"Ok. 15.000$, winner takes all," Letty said decisively.
Dom immediately turned to look at Letty, frowning.
"What???" Hector was astonished. Annie's eyes widened in surprise.
"Man, you'll never see a race like that in your life again!" Letty said arrogantly to convince him.
Hector stared undecided at her for a few seconds. "Ok. Want to play hard? Let's do it!" he finally gave up smiling fascinated.
"Hector!" Annie placed a hand on his forearm worried. He turned to look at her. "Are you sure?" she asked him. She wanted to race with all herself, but she hadn't expected such an amount. The risk had to be hers alone and shouldn't involve her friends.
"I trust you" Hector simply said shrugging, smiling at Annie. She was really surprised by his frankness, but smiled and nodded.
"Dom?" Letty asked waiting for the money. Dom looked at both girls thoughtfully for a moment, then took his money and gave it to Letty.
"My man!" Letty said satisfied: "He does whatever I tell him to," her tone arrogantly.
Hector raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Dom gave her a grim look, but didn't reply.
"Gotta talk to you," he said in a low tone grabbing Letty's arm stopping her: "Now," he underlined decisively.
"Later," she toughly replied freeing herself. Then she jumped in her car and closed the door just in front of him. She put the window down: "Wish me luck," she ordered arrogantly.
"Good luck," he said through his teeth.
She almost didn't wait and moved to the starting line. He looked worried at her car driving away.
"Oh man, I don't want to miss that!" Hector said all excited to Dom and fast walked to the starting line followed by his team as well as Toretto's. Dom was the last to arrive.
"Why you didn't stop them?" Mia said reaching Dom.
"I couldn't," he almost whispered, angry and worried at the same time.
"Is it possible that you don't understand??? They are not racing for the money! They're risking their own life for you! Money means nothing!" Mia shouted gesturing to the two cars very concerned.
He slowly turned to look at his sister, truly realizing the meaning of her words in that moment.
"You'll never grow up!" she yelled at him and left him alone, too angry and worried to fight with her brother.
Dom breathed deeply. It was right. He closed his eyes worried. What have I done? he thought, fear welling up inside him.
"Line up!" the flagman shouted as everyone backed away from the road between the cars on each side.
Letty pulled her car on the starting line. The black Subaru of Annie pulled up next to her. Annie let her right window down and slowly turned to meet Letty' s gaze. They exchanged a long, defiant, tough look. Letty smiled, arrogantly. They both looked in front of them revving up their engines.
Annie breathed deeply. She closed her eyes and slowly isolated herself from all the noises around her. Then she opened them and looked up, waiting for the flagman.
"3, . . . . 2, . . . . .1, . . . . " before he waved the flag, flames were shooting out the exhaust tips. When the man finally gave the sign the cars roared loudly and took off with squealing tires.
It was on.
Dom watched the scene almost in trance. He'd seen Letty race. He knew her, she was skilled. He'd seen Annie: she'd changed, she was incredibly better than before. But now, it was something else. This wasn't the usual race. There was rage in all that. It would be hard and dangerous.
Letty found her gears perfectly as did Annie with her black jewel. They were running exactly head-to-head.
"Let's see what you can do!" Letty said and without waiting, she pushed her car toward Annie's to scare her. Annie caught her in time. "You won't do this again!" Annie muttered. She'd expected this from her and swiftly moved her car just in time to avoid her.
"Fuck!" Letty shouted slamming her hand on the wheel.
She had to win. There was no way. Now or never. She pushed her NOS button, immediately she heard the tires squeal and found herself buried in her Sparco seat. Annie pushed her NOS button too and in a while she was nearby her again.
"What the fuck are they doing???" Vince shouted astonished: "They hit the button too early!"
"Great! I've never seen something like that before!" Hector said all excited.
Dom angrily turned like a tiger to Hector and pushed him against a car: "Fucking idiot! They're risking their lives!" Dom yelled blinded by fury and fear for them.
Hector's eyes widened scared at this sudden reaction and raised his hands in a surrender gesture.
"Dom! It's not the moment! Dom!" Bryan said pushing him away from Hector. Dom breathed hard to control himself and nodded. All three of them returned their attention to the race.
They were still head to head, their cars roaring furiously. Their engines pushed to the extreme. Letty came near Annie's car again. They were inches from one other, running around 170 mph. But both of them didn't take the feet off the gas, remaining on the same level.
It wasn't about the cars anymore. It was a psychological endurance. It was the strongest one. Annie had her hands cold because of the tension. Letty was sweated.
"I'm the one!" Letty suddenly shouted, not able to stand the tension anymore and pushed both of her NOS buttons at the same time.
An impossible shoot of NOS arrived at her engine. Her car jumped faster on, like no car had ever done before. "Eat my dust bitch!" Letty shouted.
Annie saw Letty' s car jumping forward like a bullet shot by a gun. She frowned. Letty was too fast, she wouldn't be able to reach her! Letty now was far ahead. But she had to try. It was now or never. Against her common sense, knowing the limits of her car, she pushed her NOS button before it was usually recommended and immediately the world seemed to dissolve around her, the car roared dreadfully pushing violently forward. In a second she was stuck against her Sparco seat and nothing existed anymore except for the street in front of her. It was like the NOS was running in her veins, the adrenaline level rose to almost impossible heights in her, and an immense sense of freedom mixed with power invaded her. Her car almost joined the one of Letty, but not quite.
Letty saw her in her rear view mirror and laughed out loud: "Buster!" Suddenly she heard something clinching, a red light was flashing. It was the temperature of the oil that had raised to a dangerous level. She should have taken the foot off the throttle. She glanced at the street, the finish line was not far from her.
"NO! Not now! C'mon! Not now!" She shouted worried. But then she heard a familiar bang and another red light switched on, on her dashboard. She closed her eyes for a second. She knew that she'd fried the pistons.
All in one go, her engine started to cough, smoke came out from the hood and the speed collapsed in a flash: " FUCK!" she shouted angrily, hitting the wheel violently.
Annie saw the scene just in front of her someway surprised. Letty had fried her engine. Without too much difficulty she passed Letty, when she saw a red light going off on her dashboard - her oil temperature was dangerously high. Fortunately it was just in time to cross the finish line first. She immediately took her foot off the accelerator and made her car stop. A little smoke started to come from the hood. Maybe if she was lucky, she'd saved her engine.
Letty reached her slowly, her car awfully smoking now from the hood. It was a chance that no fire had broken out. She shook her head and breathed deeply. They'll be mad, Annie thought.
Anastasia was declared the winner of the race. Hector and Toretto joined the girls immediately followed by the rest of their teams.
"Annie are you all right?" Hector asked anxiously opening the door of her car and pulling her outside to hug her.
"Yeah, I'm fine don't worry," Annie said in a low tone still shaken.
"And - " he hesitantly asked her embarrassed.
"Also the car should be fine, Hector," she ended with a grin reading his thoughts. A sigh of relief escaped from Hector's mouth.
She smiled quietly. Leaning against the side of her car.
"You've been great!" he suddenly said happily: " I've never seen something like that! People were crazy for you! You did it! You beat her! Can't believe it, . . . . we won!!" he was all excited.
Annie smiled quietly then glanced at Letty and her car.
"She made a big mistake," Hector said following Annie's line of sight and shaking his head: "You've been smart," he ended grinning at her.
"No, I've been lucky," Annie immediately whispered seriously.
Dom ran up to Letty: "How are you?" he asked her worried while Jesse joined them holding a fire extinguisher ready for everything.
"She cheated on me!" Letty said angrily without even listening to Dom.
"Letty? Letty!" Dom shouted to recall her attention.
"She cheated on me," Letty repeated obstinately.
"No, Letty. You did all by yourself!" Dom toughly replied then.
"No!" Letty protested furiously.
"You played like an incompetent! Who the hell told you to do that? Are
you mad?! The car could have exploded and you knew it! Letty? Letty! Listen
to me!" he yelled angrily.
Racing was good, but he wouldn't allow foolishness. It was too dangerous in that sport. And Letty's behavior had been nothing but foolish and dangerous, risking her own - even worse: someone else's life unnecessarily, only to boost her ego. But Letty wasn't listening to him anymore and already ran toward Annie very menacingly.
Annie prepared herself for the worst.
"Oh? Oh! You stop!" said Hector placing himself between the two girls. "You lost," Hector declared briefly: "You gotta pay."
Dom joined Letty and gave his money to Hector.
"You're not gonna pay her! Come on! She's a skank! She's nothing! She was only lucky! I wanna play this again!" Letty yelled at Dom, her voice reaching its crescendo.
"Oh, yes?" Dom burst out fed up of her tone. "With what? You just fried your car! You burnt your brain!" he paused to breathe trying to cool himself down: "No, it's enough this time, Letty. You lost," Dom declared in a newfound calm tone, even while his eyes still flashed with anger.
"I never lose! It was a mistake! I wanna do this again! Letty has never lost a race!" Letty yelled furiously.
"You just did," Hector stated with a little winning grin on his face, too happy to hide it.
"Bastard! I'm gonna take that smile out of your face!" Letty said menacingly ready to jump on him, but Dom grabbed her and threw her back.
"You stop!" he ordered her in a warning tone: "It's enough. Don't push it. You embarrass me!"
"No! - I - say 'when' it's enough or not!" Letty replied fuming and tried again to leap at Anastasia this time, who made a step back refusing to fight.
Dom stopped Letty just in time.
"Would you excuse us for a minute Hector" Dom said and dragged her away followed by his team.
"So? You gonna stop this or what?" Dom asked staring at Letty with a terrible warning look.
"Dom! She's cheating on you!" Letty insisted. "She's not a racer! And you're so blind not to understand it!"
"Letty, you're crossing the line!" Dom warned her. He didn't want to quarrel in front of the rest of the team.
"No! You have to listen to me!" Letty continued: "I know what she has done!"
"Don't - " Dom didn't want to hear it, but Letty started to tell him her version about the night of the truck.
"Your nice girl stole the money and she also organized the theft of the truck forcing Bryan and your little sis to take part of it!" Letty ended serious but with a triumphant note in her voice.
"She's lying!" Mia said.
Dom didn't react and remained calm: "Letty, I already know the whole story."
"What???" she was shocked.
"I told him everything," Bryan explained quietly.
Letty looked dumbfounded alternatively to Mia, Dom and Bryan, while the rest of the team observed her silently.
"She's still a thief," Letty insisted, "she took your money."
"She gave the money back," Mia simply told her.
"So what? She stole one time, she can do it again! After all, you know nothing about her past," Letty replied toughly.
"No," Bryan suddenly intervened.
"What?"
"Annie has never stolen in her life," Bryan continued confidently.
"Oh, yeah? And how do you know that?" Letty said sure of herself.
Dom turned to Bryan without understanding.
"Because I know who she really is," Bryan said in one go staring at Dom.
Dom frowned astonished.
"Annie is the daughter of one of the highest diplomatic appointments of the English embassy in Italy. Daughter of someone important. She never stole a penny in her whole life," Bryan ended.
"That's why I found nothing on her on the net!" Jesse said now realizing it.
"But she could be a thief however!" Letty insisted.
"Tell him the truth, Letty!" Bryan finally burst out.
"Stay out of this, Mister Arizona, this is none of your business!" Letty said through her teeth.
"It's my business too," Bryan replied.
"Shut your fucking mouth!" Letty said irritated.
"Stop!" Dom finally said wanting to shut them all up. He turned to Letty. "I want the truth. The whole entire truth," he told seriously, toughly staring at her.
She looked at him uncertain of what to do, feeling more and more nervous. She bit her lower lip and finally she broke down. She told him the truth even about the theft and her responsibility in all that, starting to cry at the end.
"Why?" Dom asked at last, sadly shaking his head in disbelief.
"I did it for love. For us, Dom! For us!" Letty replied in a trembling voice. Dom held her in his arms to calm her down.
Annie was leaned against her car waiting when she turned and saw Dom holding a crying Letty lovingly in his arms. She half closed her eyes feeling an aching pain in the middle of her chest. She swallowed and breathed deeply then she swiftly turned her head away.
"Us? What 'us'?" Dom said giving vent to his feelings: "There's been no 'us' anymore for almost a year, but we've always refused to admit it. We've continued like everything was fine, when it wasn't. Truth is, that it's been over for a lot of time."
"No! That's not true!" Letty replied obstinately.
"Letty, open your eyes. Let's face the reality! We quarrel all the time!" Dom said exasperated. Then he calmed down: "If only we had had the courage to talk before, we wouldn't have suffered so much," Dom ended.
Letty cried silently: "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, Dom! I didn't want things to go this way," Letty finally said sighing. She was saying the truth.
Dom stared at her thoughtful: "Neither did I," he muttered.
They came back to Hector: " Where is Anastasia?" Dom asked becoming immediately sullen as she wasn't there.
"She's gone, man. She's withdrawn," Hector explained flatly, looking a bit sad. "Oh! And this is for you," Hector added giving him the money of the bet. "She told me to report you that this was the last installment, and now she owed you nothing."
"Where did she go?" Dom asked alarmed.
Hector shrugged: "Who knows?"
"You have to know it!" Dom toughly said approaching him menacingly and taking Hector by his shirt: "Where does she work?"
Hector looked scared at Dom who was completely out of control and finally told him.
Dom left Hector immediately and turned threatening toward Letty: "You better whish that I find her or I'll hold you personally responsible for my unhappiness!" he yelled at her.
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