Page 4 of Nitro
Kane shot Nitro a look I didn’t understand, his mouth curving the tiniest bit. “Meet me at The Pit tomorrow morning at ten. We’ll talk about what’s next.”
He and his brother stalked away, leaving me squarely in Nitro’s line of fire.
I should have looked away. Ignored him. But I couldn’t, much to my irritation. I just stared while his brown eyes cataloged every inch of me like he had every right. The crooked edge of his mouth twitched, the start of a dangerous smile. “See ya’ tomorrow.”
My pulse raced almost as fast as it had in my car, and I knew I should steer clear of Nitro. Too bad fate had just thrown us on a collision course.
By the following morning,the victory high had faded into anticipation laced with nerves I refused to let anyone see. Kane didn’t invite just anyone into his MC’s garage, and I knew how rare this chance was.
I’d never been there before but knew where it was, which was a good thing because The Pit sat a few miles off the main road, tucked into the back end of a repurposed industrial block. Surrounded by chain-link fences with razor wire, it wasn’t somewhere a person would accidentally stumble into.
Parking my car in one of the open spots near the entrance, I left it unlocked. I might not be a fan of motorcycle clubs, but Istill appreciated that nobody was reckless enough to steal from the Redline Kings’ turf.
One of the bay doors lining the front of the building was open, and I headed that way, lured by the sound of engines revving somewhere deep inside. The noise vibrated through the concrete floor beneath my shoes.
It was exhilarating and exactly what I’d come for, even if it meant dealing with the kind of men I’d promised myself to steer clear of.
Tool chests and parts covered the wall across from me, everything organized but scarred with use. This wasn’t some polished showroom. It was a working garage. Loud, gritty, and alive.
At the curious glances aimed my way, I took a steadying breath, squaring my shoulders. I’d earned this meeting, and I wasn’t going to let anyone scare me off.
Kane Beckett stepped out from behind a workbench, wiping his hands on a rag. He radiated authority without even trying, and if I wanted to make it in the racing world, he was the one who could open that door.
His gaze landed on me, eyes sharp and assessing. “You made an impression yesterday.”
My stomach flipped, but I kept my tone light as I replied, “That was the goal.”
He nodded once, tucking the rag into his back pocket. “You have talent. Enough that I’m willing to put you on one of my underground teams.”
My pulse kicked, excitement pushing against the cool mask I kept in place. This was my chance to prove I could do more than just win one race.
Kane wasn’t finished. “But there are conditions. Every race is an audition for a pro team. You don’t just win once and coast. You’ll need to prove yourself again and again.”
I expected that—I had even heard that his wife wouldn’t put up with him treating women any differently, which I respected. “Understood.”
The next part was a surprise, though.
“And before any of that happens, there’s a background check. No exceptions.”
My heart thudded hard against my ribs as I forced my face to remain neutral. I wanted to kick myself for not considering that they’d run a check on drivers for the underground circuit. I’d assumed I was safe until I made a pro team, but Kane’s reputation was on the line either way.
“Gotcha.”
The name might pass muster since it belonged to someone who looked enough like me that I could get into a bar with her ID, but panic still sparked low in my gut.
I was seriously wondering if I should just fess up and ask Kane to keep my secret when Nitro walked into the bay and strode over to us. He lifted his chin in greeting, his gaze locked on me.
“Show her around while Jax does his thing,” Kane told him before walking away.
My chance to confess was gone. And if that background check was already being run like I feared…my time was already running out.
Nitro didn’t wait for me to agree before jerking his chin at a car with its hood up. “Come on.”
His voice was rough in a way that left goose bumps along my arms. I hated that reaction almost as much as the smug glint in his eyes when he clocked it.
I followed him, keeping my expression blank as he led me deeper into the garage. The clang of metal and low thrum of engines being tested was enough to remind me why I’d come here. The Pit was the heart of the underground circuit, and Iwanted a place in it, even if that meant spending time with the Redline Kings MC.
Nitro stopped beside a workbench and crossed his arms over his chest. I tore my eyes away from his bulging biceps to meet his dark gaze. “You drove like you had something to prove last night.”
