Page 129 of Ace of Spades

I reach out, ruffle his hair, and pull him into a rough hug before letting him go.

Kick throws a wrench at him—missing on purpose—and shouts, “You’re a fucking legend, Skid!”

Ghost grunts something that sounds suspiciously like agreement.

Joey just beams from ear to ear.

And for the first time since we set foot in this arena… Hope doesn't feel so far away.

The judges make their rounds. Inspecting the frame, the paint, the innovation. I hold my breath when they get to Joey’s work, but their murmured words—Flawless execution,” “Clean lines,” “Risky design but damn if it doesn’t work—settle the knot in my gut.

Still, no one breathes easy.

Not until the announcement.

We line up behind the barrier with the other crews. The lights are brutal, blinding. The cameras are rolling. The crowd buzzing like a swarm of hornets.

Eight teams. Three trophies.

Savage Rides is standing cocky and smug in their polished shirts, arms crossed like they already know they’ve won second place.

We’re a mess.

Grimy. Exhausted. Wild-eyed.

But weearnedour mess.

The announcer steps up to the mic.

Third place is called. Some team from Oklahoma who barely pulled it together by the skin of their teeth.

Second place—my heart pounds so hard I can barely hear.

Second place isSavage Rides.

The entire SKC crew jerks like we’ve been hit by a live wire.

Grayson Holt’s face twists, somewhere between disbelief and barely concealed rage.

But it’s the next announcement that shatters everything.

“And your first place champions… Steel King’s Customs!”

For a beat, a full second, no one moves.

Like the words didn’t register.

And then I’m yelling… roaring… charging toward my crew, grabbing Sienna first.

I haul her right off the ground, spinning her in a circle while she laughs and cries at the same time.

Gramps whoops so loud the cameras swing to catch him. Kick’s jumping on Ghost’s back, screaming victory. Joey’s tackled by the entire crew. Their mussing his hair and pounding him on the back like he's just did the world's hardest thing.

We won.

Against the odds.

Against the clock.

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