"Are you nervous?" Michelle asked Brook as they drove to Phoenix Track, the location Jada had given Paige to meet up at.
"No," Brook answered curtly. Michelle sighed. Brook sounded like he'd reverted to one of his moods again.
"I know you don't like this, Brook. I don't either. But we need help and for the moment I think we need to set our personal feelings aside and..." she trailed off feeling hopeless. Brook took his eyes off the road to look at her and touched her knee on seeing her downcast face.
"Hey," He said softly. "I'm not mad at you, Michelle. I'm just not happy about this whole deal. I'm sorry for acting so gruff."
"It's okay," Michelle said, feeling better. "I understand."
"This was supposed to be a fresh start for us. I had plans for us. And now all this shit got in the way." Brook slammed his palm against the wheel in frustration. Michelle gently placed her hand over his knuckles.
"Nothing can come between us, Brook." She said softly. "That much I trust." He parked the car as they arrived in the parking lot and turned to her.
"I know, Michelle. I'm just a little - impatient, that's all." He said, cupping her face. She leaned into his touch.
"What are you impatient for?" She asked softly. His eyes burned with desire before he answered.
"You." He leaned in, capturing her lips in a needy kiss. They lost themselves in each other for a minute, lips tasting each other with ravenous hunger until a blaring 'honk' from Paige's car opposite them broke them apart. Brook sighed.
"Never a moment..."
"We'll make time for us, I promise," Michelle said comfortingly. Feeling mollified, he got out of the car with her. Paige, Payton, Jett, and Reece joined them as they headed into the lot together.
"Hey, bro? You might wanna wipe off that lipstick on your face." Payton said with a smirk to Brook as he dabbed his own lips in indication. Brook touched his lips and the others started guffawing.
"Sorry," Michelle said red-faced, as she watched Brook rub his mouth with the back of his hand. He smiled at her.
"If it were any other time, I wouldn't have minded leaving it on," He said to her. She hid a little smile at that.
"Okay people, get your intimidating faces on, we're gonna have to get the better deal from this," Paige said, clapping her hands once.
"Yeah, we can't let them milk us, we gotta turn the tables on them," Reece said.
"And look damn good while doing it." Paige winked at Michelle who had 'dressed to kill' as she put it, in a white leather jacket, a red heart-necked blouse, and a mini skirt, paired with black knee-high boots.
"Right back at you, Paige," Michelle said, approving her glossy orange bodysuit and black leather jacket. Michelle recognized the jacket as Payton's.
"That jacket looks better on you than it ever did on me," Payton said, wrapping an arm around Paige. She smirked.
"Good, because it's grown on me and I'm not giving it back," She said. Payton laughed and they all walked into the lot.
"What is this place?" Michelle asked in wonder as they entered what appeared to be a wide open space packed with activity. The place was swarming with people; there were cars of every kind, mini food trucks, and even a little makeshift dance floor where a pair of thumping speakers blared out hip-hop for bystanders to hop in and dance.
"Looks like a sideshow," Jett said.
"Guess we weren't off track after all," Reece stated.
"Huh?" Michelle looked confused. Reece pointed to the cars lined up for a race.
"This isn't an ordinary sideshow. It's a rookie tryouts race for the Nevada Nitrous Circuit. Newbies from all over the country come to sign up, compete or trade car parts here. It's like a pre-race before the main event."
"Which means it's a pretty good bet that Trish wants to use Brook as a racer," Payton said dryly.
"But why Brook?" Michelle asked, glancing at him. Brook suddenly looked abashed.
"Because he's the best damn street racer for miles around," Payton said with a laugh, slapping Brook on the shoulder. Michelle's eyes widened.
"You are? I didn't know that," she said to Brook.
"It's not something I brag about." He said, rubbing his neck.
"Hello, you've seen him maneuver the Bugatti." Paige rolled her eyes. Michelle nodded, understanding.
"Right. How could I forget that?" She slipped her hand in Brook's as they walked.
"Didn't think I'd get dragged back into that part of my life again." He muttered.
"You're the best at what you do, Brook, and for once, I wanna be there to root for you," Michelle said softly. Brook's eyes warmed on her.
"Pity the chief is missing this," Reece said as they roamed the grounds. "He used to love these things."
"It's just as well, he'd have run into some unfriendly faces if he came," Payton muttered, seeing some old racers throw curious unsavory looks their way.
"Yeah, he's probably having a fine time curled up with Leslie in front of the TV watching car races from the eighties," Paige mumbled with a knowing smile.
"Hey guys, she's spotted us," Jett said. Everyone turned and saw Trish watching them with keen eyes, slouching by a food truck. They walked over to her.
"You guys made it." She commented. Her gaze became icy as it fell on Michelle's hand entwined in Brook's.
"I see your little tart is back." She said bitterly.
"Watch your mouth, Trish, or we walk away right now," Brook said sharply. Michelle felt heartened to hear Brook defending her. Trish's face twitched but she said nothing.
"Okay, so why don't we start over on a friendlier note?" Jett said, breaking the ice. "We all know each other so there's no need for all this hostility."
"Jett. Always the mediator." Jada stated as she came near. She gave a keen stare at Paige before turning away. A young man was with her, a man with dreadlocks and several piercings on his face. Michelle stared at him like she'd never seen anyone quite like him before.
"Jada. Austin. Long time no see," Reece said, seeing as no one else bothered to respond. Jada gave him a disinterested cursory look.
"Since you're all here on business, why don't we cut to it?" She asked.
"Follow us to a place where we can talk," Trish said, leading the way. The man named Austin also followed them and Michelle got the uncomfortable feeling that he was scrutinizing her. She turned to see if that was the case, but as soon as she did, he looked away.
"You guys feeling cordial enough to share a meal? Zeke's truck just pulled up and he makes the best chili fries." Trish said in a less antagonizing voice.
"Sure, we all love food, right guys?" Jett said, seeing as no one answered. Everyone mumbled disinterestedly. Trish went off to buy the fries while Jada and Austin led the crew to a set of picnic tables.
"So. You must have figured out why we called you here," Jada stated pointedly, her eyes landing on Paige for a long moment once more. "You people are smart. I see no reason to beat around the bush."
"You want Brook to win the Nevada Nitrous Circuit race for you," Payton said bluntly. Jada's lips tugged up.
"Not bad," She said.
"Five hundred grand is a lot of money, though. How much is the split?" Paige continued, cocking her eyebrows at Jada.
"Paige!" Brook hissed at her.
"What? We're not going to give you away without getting our money's worth." She argued.
"This isn't a trade-off!" Michelle said loudly. "Brook isn't some sort of exchange gift!" Brook smiled in amusement at her.
"Thanks," He said. A tiny smile reciprocated Michelle's lips.
"Look, you guys need our help, we need a racer." Jada reasoned. "Way I see it, we either help each other or call the whole thing off."
"You're talking business already? I wasn't even gone for five minutes." Trish said, coming back with trays of chili fries. She placed the first tray in front of Brook.
"Here Brook, extra jalapenos for you, just the way you like it." She said, almost cooing. Michelle clenched her teeth, well aware that Trish was trying to butter him up. Brook looked impassive as he pushed the tray in front of Michelle.
"Wanna share mine?" He asked. Immediately Michelle's anger melted away as she realized Brook was unmoved by Trish's advances - and was partial only to her. She ate with relish, even feeding Brook a little. He ate demurely from her hand and smiled at her.
"Tastes better when you give it to me." He whispered. Michelle giggled. Trish cleared her throat, clearly irritated.
"Okay, so what have you people decided?" Jada asked.
"I'll race for you, but I can't guarantee winning it," Brook said firmly.
"Money isn't the only thing we're after. You enter the race on our behalf and our rep goes up. A lot of local gangs have been trying to bully us and once they see we've got an in in the NNC, they'll have to start dishing out respect," Trish said.
"That should also boost our customers," Jada said calculatingly. "Not to mention push us up the social list. A lot of big shots are willing to bet on us if we get a decent racer - they're more comfortable with the tried and tested than new blood. You race for us, we bring in much-needed revenue." Brook nodded thoughtfully.
"Say he does win the NNC," Paige conjectured. "What do we get in return? We want half the cut."
"Paige, we're not after money here," Payton said with a frown.
"We already agreed to help you with whatever you want help with!" Trish snapped. Jada touched her shoulder.
"What Trish is trying to say is that our resources also cost money and we can't afford to help you if we don't get our grubstake." She gave Paige a long hard look. Paige shrugged.
"You said it yourself, Brook's participation in the NNC alone will fill your pockets." Reece reasoned. "I don't see why we can't get a fair share out of this."
"One-third," Austin said. Everyone turned to look at him. "You get one-third of the prize earnings. Take it or leave it."
"No, Austin, that's not-" Jada frowned, but Paige interrupted her.
"Deal." She said, folding her arms as if to close the subject.
"Yay, then it's settled! Now does anyone wanna go check out some parts?" Jett asked, getting up.
"Wait a minute, we never agreed-" Jada protested.
"Give it a rest, Jada. We got what we wanted. And it's a fair deal." Trish said crabbily.
"When does this race start?" Brook asked. Trish spoke to him.
"In a week, the first lap is here in Reno. It's a five-lap race across the country-"
That's all I needed to know." Brook cut her off curtly. She looked like she was about to flare up, but she held her tongue.
"Now about your side of the deal." Paige reminded them that the meeting wasn't over. Jett sat down, grumbling under his breath.
"Yeah, let's hear it. What trouble have you Night Blazers gotten into now?" Austin asked with a sly sneer.
"Watch it, Alvarez," Payton said sharply. Michelle furrowed her eyebrows at the name, wondering if he was related to Jada and Trish.
"Someone's after us but we don't know who. Whoever they are, they're hunting down everybody who has ever associated with us." Brook explained.
"And it's not Kromer's gang?" Trish asked.
"No, they're all behind bars. These newbies are hard to track and nobody seems to have any information on who it is. We don't even know if it's one person working alone or if it's a new gang." Brook continued.
"We'd have heard about it if it was. It's more likely to be one person working alone." Austin said, his piercing stare flickering from each crew member's face.
"What do you want us to do about it?" Trish asked.
"You investigate without raising suspicion. You've got a wide network, right?" Paige asked Jada pointedly. Jada's eyes narrowed.
"Naturally," Trish replied instead, with a little arrogance.
"We can't afford to be in the spotlight right now, it might only draw the attention of whoever's after us; that's why we need your help," Payton said.
"I still think we could've managed on our own..." Brook mumbled. Michelle silently agreed with him.
"Fine. We'll see what we can find and get back to you." Jada said slowly.
"In the meantime, I suggest you practice for the big race, Brook. You're gonna be up against some fierce competition," Trish said.
"I'll take care of myself, you just see about keeping your side of the deal." He said stiffly. Trish exhaled, irked that she couldn't crack his cold front.
"Great! Now that that's settled, can we please go check out the sideshow?" Jett asked longingly, getting up for the second time. Everyone else followed suit, indicating the meeting was over.
"Wanna stay and look around?" Brook asked Michelle.
"Well, I've never been to a sideshow before..." she hesitated, seeing Trish hovering nearby. She hoped she wouldn't follow them around all night.
"Hey Brook, I know a place that sells new parts you can use for your Chiron," Trish said hopefully. "Wanna come check it out?"
"I drive a Veyron," Brook bristled. "And I'd rather check out the rest of the show with my girlfriend." He put his arm securely around Michelle as they walked together. Michelle turned back and could swear she heard Trish growl. Paige snorted in laughter as she watched Trish storm off.
"Obsessive, isn't she?" She commented.
"Gotta admire her persistence. Too bad she's fighting the immovable," Payton said.
"Hey we're going to check out some rookies do donuts, let us know when you're ready to go," Reece said, pulling Jett away.
"But I wanted to-" Jett began, but Reece cut him off, violently nodding his head toward Paige and Payton. Jett suddenly realized what he was trying to convey and grinned as they left the two alone.
"Finally." Payton exhaled. He pulled Paige close by the waist, his fingers stroking sensually against her smooth bodysuit. "What do you think we should do now that we're alone?"
"This bodysuit was made for dancing..." Paige said with a wink. Payton grinned as they headed off to the dance floor.
"Phew, I thought she'd never take a hint." Michelle breathed in relief to Brook later.
"I know. I was two seconds away from making out with you in front of her. That should prove to her once and for all that you're my girlfriend." Brook grinned. Michelle bit her lip in amusement.
"What stopped you?" She asked. Brook rubbed his neck, warmth rising to his face.
"I don't think I'd have been able to stop myself if I did." He said huskily, fondling a loose lock of her hair. Pleasant jolts of electricity coursed through her at his words.
"That guy who was with Jada and Trish, who is he? He kept staring at me a lot," She said.
"Austin is Jada's older brother. As you can probably tell, Trish is not related to them by blood. As for the staring part - it wasn't you he was staring at, it was me. He hates my guts for turning down his stepsister."
"Oh." Michelle wanted to change the subject so she looked around and saw the dance area.
"Do you wanna dance?" She asked, trailing her fingers up his arm. He caught her hand and gripped it securely in his own.
"With you? Anytime." he winked roguishly. They made their way to the dance floor where Paige and Payton were already swaying intimately against each other. Soon they were lost in the music, bodies pressing against one another as they moved in sync to the lyrics.
My heart keeps on racing in overdrive
It's the music, it's my body, I feel so alive...
"You haven't lost your touch, Havens." Michelle breathed as he traced a line down her chest to her stomach. He smiled rakishly as he watched her shiver.
"You turn me on, Patterson." He breathed in her ear before connecting his lips with her throat. She moaned but the sound was lost in the slow heavy beat of the music.
"What do you say we continue this somewhere more - secluded?" He whispered against her skin.
"Your car?" Michelle asked. Brook purred approvingly.
"You read my mind." They disappeared from the crowd. Paige and Payton saw them go.
"They had the right idea. Thinking what I'm thinking?" Paige asked him as they stopped swaying to the music. Payton smiled.
"You, me, and a private drive."
A little friction, a little tension, a little romantic action... Michelle and Brook get their groove on with some hard-core dancing. Oooh, steamed up 🔥🌡️🥵🥰. Nothing like striking up jealousy and gettin' down and dirty on the dance floor!
Also got a chance to use the pics from the game, it was inspiring and totally fitting!😊
So the deal is set, no one is wiser to Paige's schemes and speaking of, there's something going on there between her with Payton 😍. Y'all hooked to the new couple yet?
And whatcha think about the plot development? A state wide race? Shifting away from fanfiction to an original idea here so I'd love to hear your thoughts!