Page 57 of Full Throttle

I scoffed, letting a tear fall. “Why? You going to hurt me?”

Cain’s jaw flexed. Then, he snapped his fingers and pointed to my car. “Get in, drive away, and never come back. That clear?”

A new realization slammed into me then.

What if he was protecting me from something? What if…what if he was in danger? What if that driver…

Dark thoughts invaded my mind, poisoning me.

The Pit wasn’t some popular hangout. Bad people ran it, and last year, the cops had a huge drug bust involving some Pit drivers. They were gang leaders. I

“Dominique,” Cain barked.

My head shot up to meet his gaze once more. “What are you hiding?”

“Go home.” With that, he left me.

I watched as he walked across the street, folded into his car, and took off. The old Cain would’ve made sure I got into the car. The old Cain would’ve been kind to me instead of trying to push me away.

“I’m going to find you again,” I promised his red taillights in a whisper, and I looked to my Honda, knowing the choice I had to make.

Months later, after graduation and a lot of practice, I showed up to The Pits ready to race. I raced two times, losing the money I’d won from the first race.

I made connections.

I talked to people, and by the end of the night, I was terrified.

No one had seen Cain in over eight months.

I’d been right.

He had been in danger.

The fear ate at me, chewing me up from the inside out. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep. My dad was worried, and after a long discussion, I told him I needed to take a year before going to college. I lied and told him I wanted to travel. He agreed and gave me access to the savings account he started for me when I was baby, the one that Mom didn’t know about. It wasn’t much, but I was grateful. In the middle of summer, I packed my bags and said goodbye.

My parents thought I was going to travel the country, so I could see all the wonders of America.

I didn’t care about that.

I only care about finding Cain.

Years passed. I moved from city to city, making connections in the car communities, searching.

I never found him.

Then, I got a letter.

Chapter Twelve

Nikki

Present Day. St. Louis, MO.

“Are you okay?” Mina asked on the other end of the line.

I fell back onto my pillows, staring up at the ceiling of the bedroom. I’d been stuck in this loft with Cain for over five days, and I was going stir crazy. We hadn’t spoken to each other in three days. He stayed on his side of the loft, working on engine designs for Oasis, while I mainly stayed in my room, only leaving for the bathroom and food.

“I need to get out of here,” I croaked, my voice thick with emotion. “Mina, I’m going fucking crazy.”

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