9 THE KING OF THE STREETS

We sat in the kitchen in silence. Mia looked up at Brian when she heard the shouting from the living room.

"So much for that quiet night in. Doesn't look like everyone with be going to races tonight."

"Don't worry they'll sort it out."

As he finished speaking a tall, muscular man walked into the kitchen. He didn't look very happy, obviously from all the arguing he had been doing.

"Hey Dom." Brian spoke first. Dom just looked at him and walked over to the fridge to get a drink. He lifted out a Corona and opened it.

"Oh hey man. Have a good time in Ireland? Seriously what is wrong with women. Brian you're lucky you've got Mia because the rest of the women in this world are mental."

"Don't worry man you's will sort it out."

"I don't know. But I guess we'll see."

He looked over at me. Brian seen him doing it and spoke up.

"Dom this is Ali. She's a friend I met in Ireland when I was over. She came back over with me and is going to stay out here for a while."

Dom looked a bit surprised by all this although I don't think he was that bothered.

"Hi Ali. Nice to meet you."

"Thanks. Nice to meet you too."

"So you planning on staying in LA for a while?"

"Yeh I suppose so. I haven't really planned anything so I guess I'll just see how it goes."

"Very good. Well you're welcome to stay here for as long as you want. I'm sure Mia will find you somewhere to sleep. Any friend of Brian's is a friend of our's."

"Thanks."

I didn't no what else to say to him. But I did realise that he was very good looking. He had a shaved head and very deep voice. In some ways he reminded me of Taylor a lot. The way he moved. They way he held himself. The way he said some things. I didn't no whether that was a good thing though what with me trying to forget about Taylor.

"Are you going to races tonight Dom?"

Mia looked up at him with a playful look. I guess he caught on to what she meant.

"Ahh Mia do you have to. I don't need to know that kind of thing. And of course I'm to races. I take it you two aren't"

"You know how it is man. We got a lot of catching up to do."

Mia blushed again slightly.

"Enough I don't want to know that. That's my baby sister."

We all laughed slightly.

"Is everyone else going?"

"If you mean is Letty going, I don't know and right now I don't care. She can go if she wants but she better stay away from me."

"Come on Dom don't belike that. You's have just had another stupid falling out. You's will probably sort it out before you leave tonight."

"Yeh I hope so coz that woman is doing my head in."

"Look just go and talk to her. And I mean talk t her. No shouting."

"For God's sake Mia you sound like my mum." he laughed slightly.

"Yeh well some one has to look after you."

He walked over and kissed he on her forehead and walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

"Come on and we'll find you somewhere to sleep. I don't know were though."

She looked up at Brian to see if he had any ideas.

"Well there's a spare bed in Jesse's room but you might not want to share with a guy."

"I don't mind. Beggars can't be choosers."

"Hey that's quite a good saying Ali. I like that one."

Mia said laughing.

"Ok then that's sorted. I'll go and get some new sheets and stuff. Why don't you and Brian go and get your things from the car."

She took her car keys out of her pocket and handed them to Brian before walking out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

"Ok come on lets get you sorted."

I followed him out of the kitchen, through the living room and out the front door into the front garden. We got our stuff and headed back into the house and sat on the sofa watching some American programme that was on.

The other guys were still in their rooms - wherever they were. I couldn't work out how there would be that many bedrooms up the stairs, unless they shared or something.

Dom came back down the stairs with a girl behind him - I assumed t was Letty. Mia was right she definitely wasn't a girly girl. She had baggy combat trousers (pants) on and a red tank top. Her hair was messy looking and had been pulled into a ponytail at the back. She had tanned skin and quite a pretty face.

"Hey Letty girl you alright."

"Alright Brian. Yeh I'm good. You have fun in Ireland."

She stared me up and down.

"Yeh I did. Letty this is Ali. She's a friend a met in Ireland."

"Oh right."

She looked me up and down again and she obviously didn't approve.

"So miss Ireland what brings you all the way out here?"

I looked a Brian not knowing what to say. He just looked up at Dom who in turn turned to Letty.

"Letty don't be like that she's a friend of Brian's. Nothing else."

"Yeh whatever." She headed towards the kitchen.

"Don't worry about her." Dom said to me with a smile. "You'll get used to

her."

"Dom I can hear you."

She shouted in from the kitchen. He rolled his eyes.

I couldn't work out why these two people were together. From first impressions they didn't seem very happy together. But who was I to make assumptions, I'd only meet him about an hour ago and her a few minutes ago.

"So Ali are you coming to races tonight or staying home with Brian and Mia?"

"Mmm I don't know. I've never been to races out here and I don't really know anyone so maybe I should just stay here."

"Don't worry we don't bite. I can introduce you to people tonight so then you will know people but if you want to stay here don't worry about it. Some people just don't like races anyway."

"Oh don't worry about that, Ali does like races. She's like Queen of the streets in Ireland." Brian informed him quickly.

"Oh really." Dom seemed a bit more interested now. "So you're into cars then?"

"Yeh you could say that. I've been racing for 5 years. I co owned a garage back in Ireland."

"Nice. So what did you drive back there then?"

"A 2000 Toyota Celica with fish-man customs. Me and Ta….. My team did it up."

"Oh you had team?"

"Yeh but that's my past. I'd rather not talk about it."

"Ok then. Well that's sorted then you're going to races tonight. We leave about 10. Be ready please I hate waiting about."