UB2 chapter 12

"This shit sucks, how we gonna get them to squash this shit?" Brian asked his wife as the two ate at a restaurant a few miles away from Wars. They were having a much needed time out.

"Yeah, it does but you are better off to not take sides and stay outta it." Tiffany agreed, taking a drink of the coffee they were having. It was only a few hours after Ice and Tempest's heated fight and they were trying to unwind before Brian had his last races.

"I hate being caught in the middle." He griped, feeling like he was being personally tortured. Both of them were in the middle of a sibling and best friend fighting.

"I guess better to be in the middle then not at all." Tiffany sighed, messaging Brian's shoulders and resting her head on them afterwards.

"Shit, I gotta get up in an hour to race. No point in goin to sleep." Brian looked at his watch. He was due to enter his first and one of the bigger races in less than that, actually, he noticed. He and Tiffany hadn't yet made it to bed, and the sleeplessness was wearing on him.

"You okay to go?' Tiffany put her arms around him, holding him tightly.

"Yeah, I'm good." He sighed, his eyes bloodshot. He was looking worn out, Tiffany fretted as she played with his hair." Hey, second thought, you got something to keep me awake?" Brian said the last part over a cough as he looked away grinning as his wife stared at him in shock.

"Mr. Pure and Innocent wants something illegal?" She pretended to fall over as she held his gaze. "Are you my husband? What did you do with him?" She asked, suppressing a grin, sounding skeptical.

"I can't tell you that." he joked, stroking her hair.

"You a cop?' She couldn't' resist asking it. He looked at her, then shook his head.

"You are so in trouble right now for that one." He pointed to her as he walked her to the car, his arm around her waist.

"I like being in trouble. it's how I roll." Tiffany nodded seriously, a slight grin emerging as Brian laughed.

"It looks good when it's on you. I don't look so hot when I'm the one in trouble." Brian kissed her, his hand holding the back of her head.

"So, who's' this person that changed my pure and innocent man?" Tiffany ran her hands through his golden hair,



"I'm pretty sure it wasn't Tonya." He joked, waiting for a reaction out of her. She pushed him away and tried to walk away. He attacked her, tickling her to no avail.

"You got nerve, O'Connor." She said, breathing hard and surrendering.

"Yeah, so I been told." he grinned boyishly. "Do I get a reprieve?" he asked, as he held his hands up to indicate he would tickle her again.

"I suppose." Tiffany kissed him with a smile.

"You know, you been a bad influence on me isn't all that bad, now is it?' Brian ducked, knowing she was going to punch him more than likely.

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"Where's yo game, Toretto?"' A voice asked as Dominic turned around as he was fixing to get in his car to line up for his first race.

"What, you couldn't' manage enough money to race me so you had to try to come talk shit?' Dominic frowned, not in the mood for games.

"Easy, Dom, Easy." Edwin held up his hands. "Just wanted to say hi was all." Edwin grinned and shook his head.

"Hi." Dominic grumbled, looking over the engine of the red RX-7. "Where you been at these days?" He asked, squinting from the sun.

"Stock car racing. My friend Dre's hookin me up." Edwin pointed to Dre, who had walked up, smiling and in race attire.

"Where's J?" She asked, handing Dominic a rag to wipe off his oily hands.

"Hell if I know, why? You saw we broke up. Why?" Dominic leaned back on his car, his mood fouler than even before.

"Wanted to check on her. You up for this race too, eh?" She asked, indicating she was racing him, meaning she was now not only part of the reason that he had broke up with Jordan but was also competition.

"Yeah, are you?" He asked, deciding to be somewhat nice.

"Yup and don't be shocked if I win this one." She grinned, her blood rushing from the adrenaline.

"Please, bring it to the blacktop. Until you do, no braggin rites." Dominic grinned cockily, squinting form the hot California sun.



"Ha! You haven't seen me race in a long time, Toretto." Dre challenged, not liking his attitude.

"I got a name for you stock car racers." Dominic grinned at Edwin and Dre, seeing Edwin's arm holding Dre back.

"Yeah and what would that be?" Dre asked, taking a deep breath.

"See, we call stock car racers tail chasers. When you go pro, you become slow. I deal with your kind all the time, thinking they can beat me." Dominic shrugged as Dre frowned, now pissed off.

"You'll see, you'll see." She warned. They lined up to the race's starting line and glared at each other, neither clearly happy at the conversation that had just taken place. The flag was thrown and the cars peeled out, the smell of burning rubber assaulting the air.

"Piece of cake, little girl." Dominic shook his head as he watched her take an early lead, a third car and fourth passing him, something he did for show. He liked to let them all think they had the win and it was in the bag. He grinned as he cruised, shifting gears. This was too easy. He was gaining and taking lead over the third and fourth racers when the last car clipped the car he was inching up on, causing it to spin into his car. "Shit!" He floored the petal, trying to get out of the way of the two cars weaving out of control. He was neck and neck with Dre's car now, the two cars inches behind them as they cruised, one car hitting the both of them. They hit the brakes and slid to the line, though the race official shook his head.

"Who won?' Dominic and Dre both jumped out, eager to know.

"No one." The guy said, marking on some papers and not looking up.

"You're kidding, right?" Dominic scoffed.

"No." The guy said, walking away.

"That's Stupid! We both managed to finish!" Dre yelled, throwing her hat down in disgust.

"You want to rerace, then line up again after the blacktop's cleaned." The guy told her, handing back her wager.

"Toretto, I'll see you later." Dre nodded, her temper making him smile as he walked away and waved over his shoulder. He saw Ice and headed his way.

"It's not my day, how bout you?" Dominic sighed, wiping his bald forehead of sweat. Ice shook his head.

"Well, if you call almost kickin my girl's ass and becoming single a good day, then I don't know what you're talkin bout." Ice nodded, himself not in a good mood either. "What the hell happened wit the race?" He asked, nodding towards the track.



"They let amateurs on the blacktop and they fucked up the tar." Dominic shrugged.

"Wanna hit the bars?" Ice asked, checking his watch.

"Sure, why the hell not?" Dominic asked, thinking a drink sounded good. It was only 9:45 a.m. but it was already 102 degrees, hot as hell. "I got time." he added, jumping into Ice's corvette. He tried to keep his mind from wandering about Jordan, what she was doing, if she was okay, how she was feeling.

"It's a little country but it should work. All beverages gotta be the same." Ice pulled into a hole in the wall bar.

"What else you expect to find this early in the morning, ice?" Dominic chuckled as he got out, adjusting the shirt he was wearing.

"Shut up." Ice retorted sarcastically. They sat down and ordered a continuing tab of Coronas for Dominic and some mixed drink for Ice. "Why don't' you try talking to her?' Ice asked after the two sat in silence for a few minutes. He had been watching Dominic's expressions and knew he was thinking about her.

"Nope, it's on her." Dominic sighed, hating himself for being so stubborn. "Why don't you talk to Tempest and then I'll talk to Jordan." Dominic challenged, almost half hoping Ice would go for it.

"Hell no. She's the wrong one, she knows that shit, too.' Ice stiffened, not even grinning anymore.

"And Jordan's not the wrong one? " Dominic raised an eyebrow.

"She is." Ice assured him, knowing Dominic was right. Jordan had been outta line.

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"You gonna sleep all day?" Brian shook his sister after checking on her in Tempest's trailer.

"Yup." She mumbled, covering her head with her pillow. Brian grabbed the pillow, the two of them having a tug o war as he attempted to make her wake up.

"Nope, you are not. You can't." Brian shook his head, shaking her. She groaned in annoyance and looked at her brother.

"What does it matter? Why must I get up, I mean, really, what is the point?' She asked, scowling.



"To support your brother, your friends. Tempest has a race soon and Dre's racing. Come on, J, you can't mope in bed." Brian sighed, pulling her body out from under the covers.

"I can and I am going to ." Jordan pulled the covers over her head.

"You are going to force me to do something I don't want to have to do." Brian warned, his voice telling Jordan he was grinning.

"Whateva." Jordan shrugged, not looking for out of the covers.

"Fine. Wake your ass up." Brian took the pitcher of water he had and poured it over the head of the bed and her frame, making her scream. She jumped up, making Brian grin with pride.

"You have got some nerve, you ass." Jordan growled, staring at him harshly.

"You sound like Tempest and you are not the first person to tell me this." Brian affirmed to his sister, making her grab a pillow and slap him on the back of the head fiercely. "See you outside in five minutes or I'll get more water." He warned as Tiffany opened the door to check on the holdup, knowing Brian was up soon to race. Jordan got up and got dressed in some cutoffs and a tank top that was black. She grabbed her purse and headed for Tiff's car.

"Hung over?" Tiffany asked, as they followed Brian to the race site.

"Nope." She replied shortly, her hair still dripping wet.

"You wouldn't' tell me anyways, right?" Tiffany shook her head.

"You got it." Jordan leaned her head back and put on her sunglasses. They pulled up to see a wrecker taking away a yellow Miata. They walked over to the group, not saying a word. The group seemed to be as tense as Jordan's heart felt. She was trying her hardest to not cave and cry, like she was used to doing. She was going to stick it out an take it without spilling any tears.

"Dom's on his way, he's got a rematch with Dre. Then I'm up." Tempest told the guys as the two girls walked up. "Hey Blondie." She grinned as Jordan flicked her hair.

"Heya yourself." Jordan tried to smile.

"You feelin ok?" She asked, knowing it wasn't' the physical pain eating at her.

"Yeah, I am fine. Go smoke someone and quit worrying 'bout me." Jordan laughed, her foot playing in the sand as she talked.

"I'm Tempest, you can't fool me so stop trying." Tempest grinned, flicking Jordan's hair now.

"She's blonde. She don't remember these things" Tiffany joined in the aggravating.



"You two should not be allowed to hang out with each other." Jordan declared, making Tiffany and tempest grin proudly.

Where's Dre?" Dominic got out of Ice's car, asking Brian.

"Dude, you can't race. You've been drinkin." Brian looked at Dominic like he was insane.

"Nah, I am fine." Dominic waved of his concern, nodding at Ice and Brian, who were stood apart from the girls as Tej and Roman walked up.

"Dom, you can't ." Ice agreed with Brian.

'Yeah, I can." Dominic slurred, shaking his head ad folding his arms. " I am totally fine." He argued.

"No, you're not. Someone else needs to race fo yo ass." Roman suggested.

"Who, tell me who, Mr. Pearce." Dominic glared, not liking to be disagreed with.

"I'll race for you." Tej said quietly, shocking the rest f the group that was present.

"Hell no, you just want to race to get wit Jordan. You think that's gonna help you?' Dominic growled.

"Whoa, whoa, take it easy." Tej shook his head, keeping his cool. He was used to hotheads and Dominic wasn't anything new he hadn't seen before.

"Take it easy? HA ! My ass. You know I am right." Dominic pointed at Tej, getting closer t his face.

"I was trying to be nice but whatevea." Tej shook his head, trying to let t go. Brian stood between them, looking to be stressed.

"Stop, Dom." Brian pleaded.

"Take his side, do it. I don't care. I might as well let him have my car, and why not J too?" Dominic asked, Ice puling him away.

"Dom, get ahold of yourself." Ice suggested.

"Don't want to." Dominic told his friend honestly.

"Take my car, Bro." Brian nodded.

"Nah, man, he's right, I can't race." Tej shook his head.



"Dude, would I tell you to take my car if you couldn't' race" Brian asked, as Tej walked away.

"Letty, your boy's drunk and he's up against Dre so can you go race for him?" Tej asked, walking up to Letty as she talked to Tiffany, tempest, and Jordan.

"Yeah, sure." Letty sighed, hating the tension on between the crew.

"He's drunk?" Jordan asked, shocked. Tej looked at her and nodded.

"Step up that game, boy, if you want a chance wit her." Tempest whispered from behind Tej.

"Hey j, want to go get a bite to eat?" Tej asked, shocking his damn self. Jordan looked at Dominic and then smiled.

"Sure, let's go." Jordan smiled at Tej, making him grin.

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"You seen her yet?" A voice asked the other one.

"Not yet, she's in my crew so I'll see her soon enough." The voice replied as the two watched the races.

"Good, good. Keep a close eye on her, I ain't fucking this time up." The voice declared as they saw race flag go down.

"I wouldn't try anything here, you would be nuts." The other voice replied.

"No worries, I'm not. In fact, it'll be a little while before Princess even knows she's in way too deep and in too much trouble for help." The sinister voice laughed.