PLAY WITH FIRE

CHAPTER 34

SCARLETT VALENTINE

PRESENT TIME

Eros didn't look like a grown man. He looked like a child. An innocent child whose smile is so big and pure it squeezes the hearts of all those blessed with the eyes to see it. His hand held mine tightly as he pulled me ahead of Schmidt, Dean and Holden, eager to show me his special place. 

The race track. 

"You're gonna fucking love it" The excitement in his voice only made my heart squeeze tighter and my smile shine brighter. Seeing him so excited to show me one of the things he loved was enough to make my day. Eros was like a child in a lolly shop, dragging his Mum throughout the maze like store, all the way to his favourite shelf, that held his favourite sweet. 

A balding man stopped to smile and greet Eros as we turned a corner. "Hey Eros. How's-"

"Bye Nathan" Eros called back, not bothering to stop and greet the older man, his hand tightening around mine as we whizzed past him. Far behind us I heard the same older man greet the three slow pokes behind us, asking how they were and what they'd been doing lately. It sounded like they all gave the man the attention Eros had so graciously not given. 

We stopped at a closed metal rolling door, Eros glancing down at me, a wide smile on his face. "Ready?"

"Are you?" I teased, Eros rolling his eyes as he let go of my hand, pushing the roller door up with ease. 

"Et voilà" He swung his arms out wide as he walked forward and into the pit stop, my eyes bulging out of my head at the view as I too walked forward, a couple steps behind Eros. When I stopped to stare speechless, Eros grabbed my wrist, pulling me to him, before wrapping his arm around my shoulder and pulling me into his side. He used his hand on my shoulder to point out all the different bits of the track, giving me a quick run down on the rules and terminology, things I wasn't going to remember but I appreciated him trying to educate me nonetheless. 

The most racing I've ever seen was from watching 'Cars' and 'Herbie' when I was younger. Racing wasn't watched in my house growing up, heck I forgot people actually did it for a living. Primarily, we watched either football or soccer, very occasionally swimming purely for the fact Louise was an avid swimmer. We loved her and loved that she was passionate about something, but that didn't stop the groans and failed escapes at leaving the loungeroom when she turned it on. 

Fuck, I hate watching swimming. 

"So..." Eros brought me back to reality, a smile on his face when he looked down at me before looking back up to the race track, his eyes sparkling in the sunlight. "Thoughts?"

"On?" I questioned, Eros nodding his head towards the track. I stood in silence for a moment before sighing. 

"I hate it. It's boring. You should quit." Eros' face paled as he stared down at me like I'd just told him I killed his entire family. His arm dropped from my shoulders as he took a slight step away from me, processing what I said. I hid my grin with my hand. 

"I love you Scar. But I want you to know, if it comes down to you, or racing-" He pointed to the track. "You're out. Nice knowing you, I'll miss ya, but you're fucking out." 

I threw up a loud laugh, moving towards Eros and placing my hands on either side of his face. He was stiff, looking at me with such betrayal, but doing nothing in the way of pushing me away. I pulled his face down to mine, lightly bumping my forehead with his. 

"I'm fucking with you, idiot. But good to know where your loyalties lie." I dropped my hands, about to turn when Eros yanked me back, bringing me into his chest and pressing a kiss to the top of my head.