Chapter 23: Races, Cops, and Party Oh My!

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As the girls entered the house, there were a couple of whistles and shouts. They found everyone sprawled around the living room. Brian's eyes were on Mia, Leon's were on Letty and Dom and Vince had their eyes on July; Jesse was too busy playing Nintendo to pay attention. July couldn't stop the little smile that appeared on her lips from their appreciative looks. The guys were all dressed in jeans and had on either a wife beater or a regular shirt, or in the case of Leon, a jersey.

"You showed," Dom remarked standing up.

"Duh. I told you I was coming," July said smirking. "Why wouldn't I come?" she asked and Dom gave her a knowing look. July took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a sec. "Let's go talk somewhere," she suggested when she opened her eyes.

"Okay," Dom said and they headed into the kitchen while everyone looked after them.

"What was that all about?" Vince asked when they had left. Everyone shrugged and didn't say anything. Vince got up and made his way to the kitchen.

"V, don't," Mia warned. Vince signaled for her to be quiet and crept closer to the kitchen door.

"Look, what you know doesn't change anything. I don't want or need your pity. This is just something that I have to deal with," Vince heard July say. Vince had no clue what they were talking about but that didn't stop him from listening.

"It wasn't that," Dom said and Vince could just imagine Dom running a hand over his head. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Dom, I'm fine, trust me, please?" Dom must have nodded his head in agreement because the next thing Vince heard were footsteps coming towards the door. He leaped onto the couch and acted as if he hadn't been listening in.

Dom and July entered the living room to see everyone looking at Vince. Dom raised an eyebrow at Vince and he just shrugged.

"All right, let's get going. You can ride with me," Dom said looking at July.

"Sure," she agreed coolly, still a bit upset with Dom. She'd confided in him and if he kept things up, everyone would know and she wasn't ready for that yet.

They all went outside and got into their respective cars, Mia riding with Brian. Dom left first and everyone followed. The ride was quiet and July could do nothing to stop the butterflies that were in her tummy. Dom kept opening his mouth as if to say something and then shut it like he couldn't decide what to say.

Soon the team pulled up between the two warehouse buildings. There were cars and people everywhere. The crowd split apart to allow them through. Dom gunned the engine and then stopped the car. July stepped out of the car and everyone's eyes were on her.

The air was filled with music, exhaust, perfume and cologne. Girls were dressed in barely anything and cat walked between the different cars. Guys sat on their hoods and had girls milling around them. There was so much energy that July immediately felt alive, as if she were to extend her arm to the sky a bolt of lightning would connect them. Dom got out of the car and was immediately swarmed with racer chasers, July taking note at the ease at which he handled them.

"Those are the skanks," Letty growled in her ear, her voice laden with distaste, but July could tell it wasn't directed at her.

"I figured that much. Not wearing much are they?" July replied.

"They never do. I use to have to fight them off him with a stick," Letty said with a sneer.

"Off of Dom?"

Letty seemed taken aback by that before giving a smirk and resuming her cool, nonchalant persona. "Yeah, we were together for a couple of years. Things didn't work out between us though, so we decided we made better friends. Now I got me my boy and wouldn't have it any other way," Letty said looking over at Leon who talking with Jesse and Vince.

"So I see you made it tonight," a voice interrupted. July turned to find Hector.

"Yeah. Told you I would," she said, a smirk finding its way on her face.

Hector took a step closer to her, but then looked up as Dom whistled at him. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I got business to do but I'll see you tonight at the party," he more stated then asked, giving her a wink and brushing past her towards Dom.

"Looks like you caught his attention," Letty teased, smirking.

"Yeah, I guess so. Not sure if I want it though," she trailed off as she saw Hector and Dom pounded fists and a couple of other people July didn't know came forward. "Who are all of them?"

"Wannabe racers. They come to see if they can beat Dom but just end up losing their money," Letty said in a low tone as Dom started to talk.

"One race, two-G-buy-in, winner takes all," Dom said handing a wad of cash to Hector. A few other guys handed money to Hector and then left disappeared back into the crowd. Dom came over to July and she could feel everyone's eyes following their every move.

Dom caught her eye and rested a hand at the small of her back as he came up next to her. "I'm going to be racing, I want you to stick around with Vince just incase the cops show up, okay?"

July's eyes seem to widen a bit at the mention of cops but she didn't say anything. "Sure. See you at the finish line. Good luck," July said. Dom gave a chuckle and then pushed her in Vince's direction.

"Hey," Vince greeted noticing Dom motion to July as she came forward. Vince nodded back to him, understanding he was to look out for her.

"Hey."

"So what do you think?" Vince asked.

"It's something all right. I like it thought. So how does this all work?" July asked sitting on the hood of Vince's car.

Vince sat down next to her, leaning towards her. "Well Dom sets up a race, Leon mans the scanners and when he says we're clear, we race until we leave or until the cops break it up."

"So you think there are going to be cops tonight?" July asked looking around. She was a little nervous about the cops; she had never run from them before.

"I don't know, but don't worry, I'll take care of you," he replied with a wink. July felt a smidge of heat warm her cheeks but he let her off the hook with a laugh. "Come on, the race is about to start."

They both got into his car and headed down to the strip. As she joined the others on the sidelines of the spray painted starting line, July's eyes wondered around as she tried to take everything in. It seemed like it was over before it even started. The cars sat at the starting line revving their engines, and as soon as Hector dropped his arms, they were off leaving the smell of burnt rubber in their wake. July watched with wide eyes as Dom won the race. He had barely had the money he won in his hands when Leon yelled out, "WE GOT COPS!"

July panicked, she didn't know what to do; luckily, Vince grabbed her and headed over to his car. By the time they got to his car, July was frantic, the adrenaline pumping through her veins and made her pupils dilate. She got herself strapped into the car just as Vince peeled out. Sirens were blaring and the lights flashed red and blue. Vince tore down the street, whizzing in and out of traffic and then turned to get onto the highway going well over the speed limit.

After a couple of minutes, he doubled back to the house. Once he had the car parked, he shut it off and turned towards July. She sat still and was staring straight ahead.

"July, you okay?" Vince asked, reaching out a hand to touch her shoulder. Slowly July turned toward him with a smile on her face.

"That as awesome, can we do it again?" she asked grinning.

Vince laughed at her. "Oh boy, I have a feeling you are going to be a wild one."

"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you very much," she replied with a haughty expression.

"Take it as whatever you want. Come on, let's go party. It looks like everyone made it," Vince said looking at the driveway. Everyone's car was parked and music was blasting from the house.

"Vince, do me a favor? Quit calling me July, call me JJ."

"Fine JJ, and you can call me V."

"Fine V," July said stressing his nickname the same way he had hers.

"You know, I never did get you back for saying I was a big baby," Vince reminded with a menacing look.

"That's because it's true," July said trying to look innocent.

"You are so going to get it. You just wait."

"Oh, I'm scared. I'm shaking in me boots captain!" July mocked, trying to keep a straight face.

"You better be. Now quit being a punk and let's go in," Vince said chuckling.

"V, you give up too easy."

"Not giving up, just waiting. I can be very patient you know."

"Whatever you need to tell yourself. Let's go, I'm starved."

They headed inside, Dom coming over to them as they did so.

"Hey, you okay?" Dom asked July.

"Yeah, I'm fine, V took care of me," July answered and patted Vince on the head. Vince turned and glared at her.

"Oh, well, just wanted to make sure you were okay, with the cops and all," Dom said, feeling at loss for words.

"She was more than okay, she wanted to do it again," Vince teased smirking and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. July opened her mouth wide as his double meaning sentence sunk in. Her shocked expression turned into a glare and Vince turned and ran.

"Yeah you better run monkey boy, you are so dead," July yelled running after him.

"Hey who you calling monkey boy?" Vince asked stopping dead in his tracks.

"You of course," July said as she threw herself at him. Everyone laughed as she managed to pin him in the middle of the living room. "What to do with you?" she contemplated aloud.

"Well I could think of one fun thing," Vince said with a leer.

"Perv!"

Vince laughed and July could feel his muscular chest shake with his laughter.

"I'm not a perv, I'm just a guy."

July rolled her eyes at him and Vince laughed.

"Hey Letty?" July called out.

"Yeah girl?" Letty said coming over and trying not to laugh too much.

"Do you think you could get me a razor and some shaving cream?"

Vince froze as the words flew out of her mouth. "You wouldn't," Vince murmured, squinting his eyes at her.

"See, that's were you're wrong," July replied, laughing.

"Not the beard," Vince said pulling his hands free and covering his face. Everyone who was watching was laughing, even Dom.

"Why not, I think there is a face underneath all that hair," July teased. Vince growled at her and glared some more. "Fine, since I'm feeling nice," she drawled, Vince raised an eyebrow at that, "I won't touch the beard, but what to do with you monkey boy?" Vince growled once again at her. "With all this growling someone might think you're a dog, so maybe I should be calling you dog boy?"

Vince decided he had let her have enough fun and flipped her over and started to tickle her. "See this is what happens when you call people names."

"V, I give, I give," July gasped, trying to breath as Vince let up. "Oh man, I don't think I could walk, my sides hurt too much," she groaned, rubbing her sides.

"Fine." Vince picked her up and set her on the couch.

"Thanks."

"You thirsty? I'm going to go get a drink."

"Yeah, a coke is good."

Vince turned around and went into the kitchen, July shaking her head after him. Leon came over and plopped down in the next chair over.

"Girl, I've got to give you props, no one had ever done that to V before," he said.

"Oh man, we need to keep you around for a laugh or two. I don't think I've ever laughed that hard in my life," Letty added, sitting down on Leon's lap as he curled an arm around her waist.

Vince came back holding a Corona for himself and a soda for July and a bag of chips. He sat on the couch looking around. Mia and Brian were dancing, Jesse was playing a video game, and Dom was talking to some guys while a couple of chicks stood behind him.

"Well, see you guys later," Letty said getting up and pulling Leon with her. They disappeared into the kitchen. Vince smiled a knowing look and then he opened the bag of chips and dug in.

"V?"

"Hmm?"

"You gonna share?" July asked.

"Nuh huh," Vince answered still chewing.

"Please?" July begged with a pout and fluttered her eyes at him. Vince sighed and turned the bag towards her. "Thanks V," July said grabbing a handful and munching away. "Told ya you give up too easy."

Vince glared at her. "Do you want me to take those away?" he asked, eyeing her handful of chips. July shook her head no and stuck more chips in her mouth. "That's what I thought so you better be nice or you ain't gonna get any more. Ungrateful, immature punk," Vince mumbled and July laughed.

July and Vince sat for a while talking and getting to know each other better and found out they had a lot in common. Dom had been watching them out of the corner of his eye since they had sat down but they were oblivious to him. Dom couldn't help but feel a little jealous at how good Vince was getting along with July. They had been talking nonstop, teasing and bantering back and forth. Not to mention what happened earlier.

Dom sighed and looked up. Some chick wearing cheap perfume was talking to him; he had no clue what she was talking about. He just couldn't take it anymore.

"Look you're probably a nice girl and all, but I'm not interested," Dom said stopping her mid sentence. She glared at him and then walked away flipping her hair. Dom sighed again and cradled his head in his hands. Vince took notice of Dom's down look and called him over.

"Yo Dom, come and sit with us."

Dom looked up to see July and Vince looking over at him. He got up and sat with them.

"What's up?" July asked, all thoughts of being mad at him forgotten.

"Just tired," Dom said honestly.

"Well then go to bed. There aren't very many people left anyways," Vince said looking around. It was true. It was almost three and most people had already left.

"Yeah, we'll clean up," July added.

"If you're sure?"

"Yeah, now go to bed."

Dom got up and before he made it to the stairs July tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and July gave him a hug. Dom held her tight and took a deep breath in, savoring her smell. She smelled like vanilla and strawberries.

"Thanks for today," she whispered in his ear.

"You're welcome," Dom said, reluctantly letting her go.

"Now go to bed," July said pushing Dom towards the stairs.

"Night," Dom said as he climbed the stairs.

"Night," July and Vince replied as Dom disappeared from view.

"Alright everyone, party's over. No one better be drinking and driving. If you don't have a ride, there's the phone and call yourself a cab," Vince said pointing to the wall where the phone hung. Slowly everyone shuffled out the door and once the last person was gone, Vince shut it.

"Do you guys need help cleaning?" Mia asked yawning.

"No, you two go on, we'll clean," Vince said.

"Thanks V," Mia said, and then she and Brian said night as they made their way upstairs together.

"Jesse, earth to Jesse," July called as she snapped her fingers in front of his face.

Jesse looked up startled. "What? Oh hey July."

"Hey Jesse. You should get to bed, everyone is gone."

Jesse looked around with a surprised look on his face. "Would ya believe that? They all left, and I never noticed." Jesse let out a big yawn and got up stretching. "Guess I'm going to go to bed. Night guys."

"Night Jess," July said as he left into the kitchen.

"So you ready for cleaning?"

"Don't try to sound so enthusiastic V, you might hurt yourself."

"Hey, you're the one who said we would clean, I never signed up," Vince said going into the kitchen and returning with two garbage bags.

"Yeah, but you're going to help me anyways aren't you?"

"Looks like it. I wouldn't want to get tackled by She-Man again."

"Hey, you take that back! I am not a She-Man," July said. Vince laughed at her standing there trying to be intimidating with her hands on her hips and her chin tilted up. He guessed he shouldn't have laughed because the next thing he knew, he was tackled and pinned to the ground again. "Take it back," she demanded.

"Nope," Vince said defiantly.

July sat up on his chest and looked down at him. "You know, I've tried to be nice all evening and what do I get? I get called names," she rambled on.

Vince took this as his opening as July released his wrists. Immediately, he flipped her again so he was pinning her. "You know, you're not so good at staying on top," Vince commented, straddling her, careful not to lay his full weight on her.

"Oh yeah and what are you going to do about it?" July asked, suddenly very aware of how close they were.

"This," Vince said and slowly lowered himself further until their lips brushed.

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tbc…