RUSH ― han lue

FAST FIVE

Part 2

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"I can positively assure you that this piece of junk is not a ten-second car."

"Yeah, well, race cars in arcades aren't. Also, please try not to break the poor wheel, I'm not paying for damages again."

"Again?"

"3 times."

I heaved heavily, trying my hardest not to kick the gear out of this thing when I lost the damn game again. It was the broken wheel and how it doesn't fully turn around to drift, so now, I'm all out of points and haven't won a lick. It's not often I lose a race but sometimes, shit like this wants to humble me down a few notches. I walked off of it after a short contemplation and looked at the man on my left, grinning his ass off. "You seem cheerful." I mumbled sarcastically, pushing the doors open and treading my way back to the garage in such sweltering heat. I was luckily wearing a tank to battle off the sweat that comes after but today is proving more and more not to be a good one.

"We can always go with Plan C, Violet." He said, bringing back the topic I went to the arcade for to forget. "You and I both know our first two plans aren't exactly foolproof. However, C isn't really becoming either, but we still get what we want—except they also win half, too."

"Which is why it's not an option." I nodded at the few greetings I got as soon as I entered the door, still very pissed but somehow, this place calms me in a way no one has ever done before. It's peace, even though some days I just want to burn this place down—

"Burning the garage isn't practical in today's economy." I glared at him, "Violet, come on."

He laid the pair of his hands on my shoulders that I rolled my eyes and groaned irritably, "Fine, Wesley. I'll reconsider your perfect structure tonight."

"You promise?" Upon groaning an inaudible and frustrated yes, he finally went out of my way and I was left alone in the comforts of my office just at the top of my own garage. We solely focus on detailing and the works, lead of course by Suki, but because I went into this head first with the money I got from side jobs, it's proven that I might've bit more than I can chew. Running a business is not something to be taken lightly but it was luck that Tej introduced me to a guy that knows how to run the scene better than all of us combined. Wesley is a really great partner, even if his ideas pissed me off sometimes, he never failed me once. He's there for brains and strategies, I'm here trying to learn not to punch the lights out of street racers with rods up their asses.

All in all, it's going great.

Really great.

"Knock, knock." Suki entered with a smile, handing me a coffee that I was grateful for. "Wesley's up and about today. I'm guessin' you didn't break anything on the arcade next door?" I chuckled, shaking my head as I took a sip.

"He's happy we're finally going for Plan C."

"Of course we are." Suki answered knowingly.

"You don't seem so bad yourself. Let me guess... you finally kicked him out?" I asked, pertaining to Tej and how he hasn't dropped by recently as far as I'm aware. He was almost always here, never missing a group lunch or pizza party I was beginning to think about hiring him.

"That's actually what I wanted to ask you about."

"Suki, you don't want me for love advice—"

"No, no." I let out a breath of relief, not really in the mood to talk about what I wasn't really good at ever since. "I wanted to ask if you know where he's goin'. He left last night and said it was for a job. Didn't bother to elaborate, as usual." Job?

"What j—" The phone suddenly rang, and for a quick minute, it felt like once I picked it up, I was in the hell of it all. It may just be stress, or overthinking, or false assumptions, but my hands started to sweat when Suki excused herself and left me with the still ringing device.

I sighed, hovering my hands above and placed it over my ear without another word,

"Hello? Is this Ms. Parrish? I'm from Crowler Supplier—" Fuck. I breathed hard.

Thank fuck.

"Yeah, hey, can we talk about this later? I'm in a meeting. Thanks." I slammed the phone down, calming my erratic nerves.

It's not that I was scared of doing a job, in fact, I needed it now more than ever to calm me down and help me think. I miss the family, even. But the part where I have to work with him—see him—scares me shitless. I left to make something of myself and have heard him ask around even back on Tej's garage. He went there, here in Miami, looking for me. But none of them knew where I was and I thank Tej for being a convincing liar. No one disclosed where I was even through the ways Han went with and for that, the insurmountable guilt was drowning me.

I love him but—it scares me still.

I've been asking myself why I really did leave and I couldn't convince myself enough to own the truth that I was frightened he'll leave me, and I got out before he even could.

Maybe that's why apart from all the guilt, there was a space for relief in knowing that what I don't know won't hurt me. I never gave him a chance to leave and that helps me sleep at night.

"Hey, Suki said you need me?" Wesley suddenly appeared from the door. Sneaky Suki.

"Y-Yeah, the supplier from—" The phone rang again that I pointed to it, "This must be them again. I bet it's from the last work. I think we forgot to pick up some stocks." He nodded as I picked up the phone and said hello. "You're just in time. I have my partner Wesley—"

"Partner?!"

What... the fuck?

"What do you mean by my partner, exactly?"

This cannot be happening.

"How did you know about this number?"

"Tej gave it up with a little motivation." He replied cockily as though I have several demons to deal with him.

"What do you—want?"

"Dom needs you." I knew it. "It's only been a year. You could've told me you were married."

"What—"

Han dropped the call before I could even call him an idiot.

"I'm guessing that's not the supplier?" Wesley quipped as he sat across and eyed me curiously. I ignored his snide look, opened my laptop, and knew then that trouble is already waiting for me on the other side of the world. "You gotta go?" Wesley peaked over the screen and saw I was already booked to leave for tonight, paid for by the man I didn't think I'd see this soon again.

"Please don't let this place burn down without letting me know first." My partner laughed, standing up and offering a hand in front of me.

"Don't worry, I'll let you do the honors when it comes to it." I held it across and sighed. "Be careful out there."

"Yep."

Famous last words.