Max's Faith & Fury [COMPLETE]

Chapter 26

A calmness filled the car between races. Three more drivers challenged Max before she wanted to stay parked. Asahel didn't expect her to win every race by the way she talked about her driving skills, but for whatever reason the other drivers couldn't beat her. Every time they came back down from the mountain pass, more cars were parked with the rest. More racers and spectators. More people outside enjoying the races and each other's company.

Max turned the music down as she parked near the edge of the parking lot and dimmed her lights. She explained to Asahel the dimming lights meant she wasn't accepting anymore challenges. So, for a moment, they watched the other cars.

So many of them had the modified spoilers, colorful lights, and loud, backfiring mufflers. There were Audis, BMWs, Subaru's, Mazda's, even little Hondas. After a while, Asahel stopped looking at the cars and he looked back at Max. She was resting her head on the steering wheel.

"Do you want to get out and get some fresh air?" He asked as one of the cars came back from the pass.

She smiled at him.

"What?" He tensed.

"In all the years I've raced up here, I've never gotten out to be with the crowd." She explained. "Sometimes I'd go find a spot higher on the pass and pull over and park to get out, so I could be alone." She sighed.

"You'd be with me." He said, as if that would convince her. "Why haven't you ever gotten out? Don't you want your fans to know who you are?"

Max laughed, "one, my dad was usually with me and even though they like the lights, they don't like cops. Two," she sighed and looked forward. By now, the crowd was used to her parking in the distance and didn't look her way. "Too many people. I don't know, I'm kind of awkward and don't really like to be around people." She shrugged, "I don't know."

"But they're your fans." He was teasing her now.

She smiled, looking down at the steering wheel. "Okay, but don't let me get lost." She shut off the engine and the crowd nearby noticed.

Asahel noticed people leaning over to each other, turning, and watching to see why she shut off the engine. A strange kind of tension mixed with the high energy in the car.

"Unless you don't want to." Asahel said when he noticed more people watching. Even some of the other drivers rolled their windows down to get a better look. "You haven't done anything bad to anyone, have you?" He asked before looking at her.

Asahel stiffened when she leaned over to the compartment in front of him. In the dark, her hair was too visible, and his senses picked up the sweet smell of her skin. His ears caught the jingling of something metal.

"What is that?" He asked, light reflected off the metal in her hands.

"Handcuffs," she said before he got a glimpse of gold.

"Why are you bringing your gun? Do you expect trouble?"

"No. I'd just feel better."

"Max," he grabbed her arm and she inhaled sharply. "I'll be with you the whole time. We don't even have to get out if you don't want to."

She didn't pull away, "well, I kind of want to get out. I'm just scared of people." She laughed nervously.

"Give me the gun and you can keep the cuffs. We're not going to use them, okay?"

She stared at him in the dark before slowly giving him the gun. "Safety is on." She informed.

He nodded before taking it and putting it back in the compartment in front of him. "You have me. Let that be enough."