The crowd goes wild and Suki snickers before slapping my ass. He's watching his words knowing the first set that left his lips earlier were the wrong ones. "Let's see you try La Reina." He drags it out slowly, challenging the simple meaning behind it. I arch an eyebrow at him and nod at Tej. Everything becomes a blur at things get set up. Tej talks up the route we're taking and lays down the last bet. Julius's audience reminds me of ants swarming after a piece of bread. Almost like we used to do Dom. It brings a sad smile to my face, but I blink and it's gone.
I turn and Jimmy closes the hood giving me thumbs up. Tej kisses my cheek, "Whoop his ass mama." I laugh out loud and look for Brian. He's close and our eyes lock. As calm and casual as he always is he meets me half way. "I'll be waiting at the finish line for you." His kiss is deliberately slow, and I grin into it. "What? I still gotta stake my claim." I pull away after giving him one more kiss. "Wouldn't have it any other way." Like the many times before I slid in the driver's seat like it was made especially for me and started the engine. It purred to life and my stomach purred with it. Nothing is like this feeling. The blood coursing through your veins, your body humming ready to spring into action. Suki walked to the middle of the street, getting the signal from the both of us. Her eyes scan around and she lets out a huge breath before winking in my direction. Her lips start moving and just like that I've got tunnel vision and the race is on.
From the beginning I can tell he's too eager. He wants it too much. I clear my mind and focus on just the race, calming myself. The adrenaline gets my heart pumping and hammering into my chest. With slow deep breaths I focus and as soon as Suki's hand goes down I'm gone. He'll be clumsy on his shifting, too fast or too slow. I've heard he's a good driver, but too him it's the win he wants, the glory. He's blinded by the power that comes with it, and not the race, the car. That's why he'll never be the best, he'll never be king.
Our first turn comes up and I know he's going to cut me out. We're almost nose to nose, inches separating us. The turn is going to be a little tight. If I can get the upper hand the race is mine, because he'll play catch up the rest of the way. Let's just hope he doesn't know shit about drifting cause after tonight, I think I'll owe Bri a new set of tires.
Sure enough we get to the turn and I glide smoothly around the corner with him still jerking the wheel. Gotta love a Skyline. I'd never done it before but those late night talks with Brian about what I missed really paid off. I'll have to thank him for that one later. After that it was smooth sailing; he was only close enough to hit his NOS and even then he was too quick. I let him slowly get closer and closer before I hit it. He's still an amateur, poor man. When I got back to the crowd they were going crazy and my number one fan was standing front and center with his hands in his pockets and a smirk a mile long. As gracefully as I had gotten in I slid out of the car. Rome swooped me up and Suki wasn't far behind with a hug. "You gotta teach me that turn girl, shit is slick."
Tej wasn't far behind with a stack full of money in his hand and tossed it to me. I let my fingers flip through it and remembered old times, when all we did was race for stacks and slips. I glance up and he's still standing there, his eyes on me. I smile and remember the line he tossed out so long ago. The sound of an engine pulling up diverted my attention and I see Julius step out of his ride. His look is a little sour but I toss him and nod and look back at the stack of bills in my hand before tossing it back. "Keep it. I don't race for money. At least not anymore." The crowd murmured and Julius's voice booms over the noise.
"So what do you race for then?" I glance over my shoulder at him as I walk towards my prize. I wait until I'm there his hands wrapped around me and his look penetrating me as always before looking back. "Respect." The crowd roars but I ignore it because his ocean blues are connected to mine.
"And my trophy."