Spinning Out

Chapter 15

JAINA

We can still hear the sound of the cars racing I the background, but Elijah and I sit in his Mustang in the dark lot. He's turned to face me, all attention on what I'm about to share. I know I barely know him, but I can tell in his eyes he is genuinely curious and wants to know what I have to say.

"The boy in my post is my best friend. We've known each other since we were young. We have always done everything together," I tell him. His hand moves to the top of mine in support as I continue. "The last time I saw him awake, we were going to prom together. We had a great night dancing and laughing and then left to go home."

I take a deep breath and try to keep it together as I describe the next part.

"Some people leaving one street take-over and on their way to another were speeding or racing down the freeway. They clipped our car and put us into the wall," I say. The detectives still aren't sure about all the details and I'm operating on little sleep so I hope that made sense to him.

"You were in the car with him?" he asks. His hand moving up to brush the hair from my forehead as he takes in my bruising and the stitches in my cheek. I nod.

"Yes. His side got crushed. Mine didn't. Fluke I guess. We should both be dead." It's the truth. The firemen were very surprised to pull us both out breathing.

"Jesus," he says as he examines every cut and scrape. "Will your friend be ok?"

I shrug. I wish I knew.

"I'm sorry. That's awful," he says.

"I want to know about the people who did it. I want it to make sense." It's a half truth. I do want to know all of that, but I also want to know about WHO did it.

"Idiots. Those street spinning guys put everyone's life at risk," he tells me.

"I keep thinking if I could understand them I won't be so mad. I want to see it," I tell him.

"I get that, but it's not a great scene. My friend's club does those and it's chaos and dangerous," he warns me.

Maybe I was wrong, maybe he won't be the guy to show me. It's ok, I won't let it stop me. We watch each other for a moment, neither of us breaking the stare. Any other time, I would listen to him. I believe he knows what he's talking about. He clearly walks the walk. He knows about cars and this fringe illegal community around them, but I need answers. I will find who did this to Nathan if it's the last thing I do.

"Promise me you won't go looking without me," he says. And he has no right to ask, but I'm going to comply. I'd be stubborn to not admit I'm out of my league on this. I still get anxious about all of it.

"I promise," I tell him.

"I'll get some information and take you there. I don't think it will have the answers you want because it's all meaningless, but I'll go with you if that's what you think you need," he says.

"Thank you," I tell him. I won't let him do all the work. I have a plan for finding who did this and I will keep moving forward with it, but having him offer to help is wildly attractive. I didn't know this boy days ago, and now I feel the desire to touch him. Sharing my story made me feel closer to him somehow. His skin on mine is enticing and maybe it's my lack of sleep or the loneliness that comes from having my best friend in a coma, but I want to lean into him.

His hand moves from mine so he can start the car. I watch the muscles of his forearm bulge as he turns the key and then his bicep flex as he stretches his arm behind me to my seat ret so he can look out the back window as he reverses. Why is that move so sexy? I can't take my eyes off him as he drives us to the exit of the parking lot.

"Where to now?" he asks.

I imagine telling Nathan about this tomorrow. Real life doesn't feel so real when I'm with Elijah. In this world, time stands still and responsibilities fall away. It's just me and a cute, helpful boy in his really fast car. I lean closer to him, what is there to lose? His eyes are locked on mine, curious at first. We wait, the car idling at the edge of the dark lot. In the distance, the cars are still flying down the quarter mile.

"You tell me," I reply, my gaze falling to his lips as the idea of a distraction from the last few days grows in its appeal.

His lip curls up at the edge. I return my gaze to his. I watch as his eyes crinkle in question before he lets out a low chuckle.

"I can't figure you out Ms. Jaina. But you are the most interesting thing to happen to me in a long time," he says.

I watch his hand on the gear shift. His strong fingers gripping as if he's trying decide his next move. The sound of two cars roaring to life just beyond us rings out. His hand slides the car into park and then reaches for my chin.

"We only live once, right?" he asks just before he guides my face to his and kisses me.