Chapter 6

In the Heat of the Night

"Brian, we're all going to watch the races!" Brian's friend Jimmy called to him as he left with Tej and Rome. He waved them off and continued to talk to some girl he'd just met. For some reason only fate could explain, he glanced over at the front door. Something in the pit of his stomach dropped. Forgetting everything, he stared at the people walking into the room. The world seemed as if it moved in slow motion around him. His past had come to bite him in the ass.

Turn around and go outside! His mind screamed, but he seemed to be frozen to the spot. Before he could make eye contact with the people who just came in, he spotted Jess. Her form coming to him, her hair bounced on her shoulders.

"Brian? Brian are you ok?" she asked waving a hand over his face.

"Yeah, just fine," he managed to choke out with a nod. "Come outside with me," he grabbed her arm and started walking as fast as he could to the back door. Jess didn't struggle as he led her away.

"But Brian! Didn't you even see the people behind me?" Jess asked confused. Oh he saw them all right. He saw Dom, Leon, Jesse, Letty and Mia…

"Wait, better yet. Lets go up here," Brian took a sharp corner and leading Jess up the back stairway. He practically ran into his room and shut the door quickly behind them.

"What's wrong? I thought you would be happy to see them. Aren't they your friends?" Brian looked down at a puzzled Jess. He frowned wondering why he suddenly thought she looked cute confused. He mentally shook off the thought and seriously looked her in the eye.

"We all have secrets Jess. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but Dom and me aren't too buddy buddy," he sighed when she looked ever more confused. "Look Jess, I was a cop. Don't forget the was. I was assigned to go undercover and find out who had been jacking millions of dollars from trucks in DVD players and other electronics. Of course I made friends, and I screwed everything up. My cover was blown and now here I stand. A run away cop, who by some miraculous event had my record cleared, but that's another story," he looked down at Jess; she seemed to be deep in thought.

"So Dom was the one who…"

"Yes, but you can't tell anyone, because the police haven't caught him," Brian's eyes pleaded with Jess.

"I won't tell Brian. I promise," Jess assured reaching out for his hand and giving it a squeeze. "So are we going to spend all night in your room?" she asked cocking her head to the side, but she couldn't keep a straight face and a huge smile broke out.

"If you want, I can think of one way to tire you out fast," Brian raised his eyebrows and a devilish twinkle flashed across his gorgeous blue eyes.

"Brian you're sick! Is that all guys think about?" Jess tried her best to sound shocked and disgusted.

"What? Bedtime stories?" he added innocently.

"Oh you're smooth Brian," she laughed and turned away from him crossing her arms over her chest. "Well come on, we should still be able to enjoy the party even though you stabbed those people in the back."

"You're not helping much. But I just can't go out there, I can't face her…" Brian sighed in frustration.

"Can't face who?" Jess asked, causing her to look back in curiosity.

"Mia," Brian said in a voice just above a whisper. "There was another thing that makes this even worse. I started dating Dom's sister… Mia."

"I see. Do you still like her?" Jess couldn't look at him.

"That doesn't matter because I know she thinks of me as scum. I just can't go down there alone Jess."

"You're not going to be alone. I'll be with you," she spun around and gave him a convincing hug. Jess smiled unconsciously as Brian returned her hug.

"All right…" she stepped back quickly. Dusting herself off nervously. "Let's go then!" she skipped to the door, her youth showing through.

"Yeah lets go!" Brian mocked clapping his hands and bouncing to the door in an over exaggeration of Jess' skip.

"I didn't look like that," she tried to sound offended.

"Yeah you did. It was cute," he kept his eyes straight but had a smirk on his face as they made their way slowly down the hallway.

"I think I'm gonna race," she threw out in the open. Her blood boiled just to day it out loud. It had once been so natural. Now it was new and exciting again as adrenaline was released.

"Really?" Brian asked interested.

"Yup," she looked up at him uneasily.

"You'll do great." Jess didn't even realize she had stopped till Brian gently guided her down the stairs by placing his hand on her lower back. Another shot of Adrenaline.

"Now who's pushing whom?" she laughed nervously as they neared the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm just here for you like you're here for me. Remember?" Brian mocked.

"Oh yeah," she set her jaw as her own words came back at her.

"Tej! Clear the set, and get something goin for Jess!" Brian called as a sound ended to Tej in the back yard. Brian continued to lead Jess to the garage while Tej was making room for Jess to race. Her heart beating fast and her breath coming out faster, Jess could feel her legs want to give way.

"Brian I," she almost backed out till she saw why it was all worthwhile. Brian turned on the lights to the garage revealing 8 beautiful cars. Jess' Eclipse was at the end, right next to Brian's Nissan Skyline GT-R. The candy red paint glowed even under the horrible fluorescent lights.

"God they're beautiful," Jess sighed. "Money may make the world go round but there's only one thing to spend it on." Jess quoted her brother Brandon, remembering what he told her when she was really young. Any and all bad butterflies escaped Jess when she walked to her car replaced with pure love and joy.

"I think this car was made for you," Brian said as she opened the door and stepped into her car.

"Light 'em up," Jess laughed as she turned the key in the ignition. Her car started with ease and sounded like a lullaby to the two car enthusiast. Her red neon lights glowed inside and out of her car.

"See you out there," he assured as the garage door opened and Jess' baby roared out.

"Who will it be gentlemen?" Jess asked, stepping out of her car. The crowd was silent and even the music stopped. Her heart pounded excitedly in her chest. She eyed the crowd and spotted many familiar faces some of whom she'd beat and some that'd kicked her ass royally.

"I thought you quit," a voice called out. She could have sworn her heart skipped a beat as the oh so familiar voice called out in a challenging way. Jess turned to see non-other than Eben Foster.

"You find the most convenient places to show up," Jess shook her head while Eben made his way through the crowd to stand in front of her. He stood over her like a wolf, and she was his prey… like it always had been.

"I heard there was a 'kick ass' party happening here," Eben grinned.

"For your information, I do race because I never quit," Jess stated boldly, not letting her voice falter for even a second. .

"How about you race me sweetheart," Eben brushed back a piece of stray hair on Jess' face. Jess just stood motionless starring up at Eben fighting the urge to slap his hand away.

"Fine. How much?" Jess asked tilting her head. The way Eben starred at her, she knew there was only one thing he wanted. The one thing the guy ever wanted, but Jess learned a long time ago not to trust a wolf.

"Ok," Jess held out her hand on their unspoken deal. Eben raised an eyebrow, his traditional way of saying 'are you sure?' Jess nodded and let go of his hand.

"I don't get it," Sean said as he watched Eben and Jess shake hands from a distance. He stood with the other guys watching the scene unfold.

"He's racing for her," Brian said through clenched teeth. His hands were fisted at his sides. Why am I so worked up? He suddenly asked himself.

"But why? What does she get?" Sean continued.

"Hopefully the satisfaction of winning," Rome said out loud what Brian thought.

"I gotta go make sure she's ok with this," Brian informed as he pushed through the crown in a rush to her car. Jess was lined up at the starting point on the oval track.

"Hey," he said as he came to her car. His eyes locked with hers.

"Hey yourself," was all she could say back.

"You don't have to race like this," Brian told her point blank.

"In a way it's the way I've always wanted to race," she shrugged. "Eben knows I'm untouchable and that's why I'm going to win." Brian starred hard at Jess and then looked up at the crowd. He could see Sean, Rome, Tej and Jimmy and the rest of the guys where he left them. Then he saw Dom, Leon, Jesse, Letty and Mia. He caught Mia's eyes and they held. For the first time in years he starred into her eyes again, but her eyes weren't Jess'. Brian snapped out of thought when Eben pulled up beside Jess. He drove Jess' twin car, the Eagle Talon. It was stallion black and glowed with blue neon lights.

"Come back in one piece Jess," Brian stepped back from her car. Her smile reassured him and herself as she focused on the track in front of her. It was just her and her mind now. Racing was 10 driving and 90 mind games. Jess revved her engine and flames shot out her exhaust from the nitrous oxide Brandon had put into her car. Jess quickly looked over at Eben, noticing that he was running without any nos, but in the back of her mind she knew the power in his engine wasn't something to take lightly. Jess cleared her mind and only listened to her car as Tej walked out to the track. Her heart raced with excitement as he raised his hands. Like clockwork, he dropped his arms and the race began. Both cars pull out even, but Jess' car had the extra kick. The only music Jess needed was the sound of shifting and releasing the clutch at just the right time. All the old math of racing came back to her as she shifted to a higher gear and turned the first turn even with Eben.

Jess released her first round of nos on the straight shot and flew ahead. But for some reason Eben caught up faster than expected. He pulled even again on the last corner of the large 1-mile oval.

"Bastard, Eben I knew it!" she yelled in frustration. She knew he wasn't going to his full potential. Wait for it…She told herself as they neared the finish line. Time had no effect in the racing world and on the track. All the possibilities of what could happen passed through her mind. What would happen if she lost, what she'd do if she won and for some reason…Brian? She took in a deep breath as she let go her last round of nos…

:::NewA/N::: OMG! Who will win? hehe... well another one revised!