Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Lowering his shoulder, he catches Reid in the torso and drives him backward for a few steps before they both go down hard. I stand there frozen, listening to them grunt as fists fly, knuckles connecting and curses dripping from both their mouths.
And then there’s blood. I see it first on Reid’s hand but trace it back to Lance’s face… specifically his teeth as he sneers at Reid with a crimson, maniacal laugh. “You’re a goddamn traitor, brother.”
Reid punches him again, this time in the side of the head. “And you’re a fucking loser who couldn’t make it in Formula racing, and you sure as shit couldn’t keep the best thing that ever happened to you.”
Lance retaliates with an elbow to Reid’s head but he launches himself at his brother, putting him into a headlock.
“Stop!” I scream, rushing in. “Enough!”
I grab Reid’s arm, pulling with everything I have. “Get off him!”
Reid finally disengages, but it’s not because I ask. It’s because Lance is still striking out with flailing arms and legs, and Reid doesn’t want me hurt. He gently pushes me away about ten feet before turning on his brother.
Blood trickles from Lance’s lip. Reid’s got a bruise starting on his temple.
“Get the fuck out of here,” Reid says, pointing at the door. “Or I’ll call the polizei.”
Lance glares at Reid. His chest rises and falls, his words a sharp accusation. “I came here to talk to you, brother. I thought maybe you could help me.” His eyes cut only briefly to me, then back again. “I thought you could help me fix things with Lara but clearly you just sort of helped yourself, didn’t you? How does it feel to be a replacement?”
“I didn’t replace you,” I snap at Lance, drawing his gaze back to me. “I left you because you cheated on me… you hit me. There’s no reality where you get to make me the bad guy.”
Lance doesn’t even flinch but turns to Reid, wiping blood from his mouth. “You think this lasts? You think she won’t do the same to you one day?”
Reid’s fists clench again but he doesn’t move. His eyes are flat and cold.
“Go home, Lance,” I say softly, exhaustion washing over me. “Go to Torquay and I’ll meet you there.”
Reid jerks, his head turning my way, and I can tell he’s not happy about that. But this needs to be taken care of once and for all.
“We’ll talk when we’re back home,” I repeat to Lance, ignoring Reid’s murderous expression but at least he remains quiet.
Lance laughs, bloodied and furious. “Fuck you. Don’t bother.”
And then he’s gone—storming out of the building and disappearing into the dark.
Reid doesn’t say anything for a long beat and neither do I. We both just stare at the door until Reid lifts his hand to examine his knuckles. They’re covered in blood and I don’t know if it’s his or Lance’s. It breaks me out of my trance and I reach for it, bringing it closer to my face to examine. “We need to get this cleaned up and bandaged.”
We walk up to the apartment in silence, but anger radiates off Reid. My heart’s still hammering when I close the door behind us.
He wheels on me. “I can’t believe you’re following him to Torquay.”
“I need to end this, Reid, and you can’t be dragged into it. You have a race to concentrate on.”
“It is ended,” he snaps angrily. “He knows two very important things… you’re never going back to him and you’re with me. So why even bother going to talk to him?”
“Because this was a huge blow to Lance.”
“Good!” he yells, throwing his arms out. “I hope he hurts as much as you did.”
I take a deep breath, rub the bridge of my nose. “This isn’t just about me and Lance, or me and you. It’s about our families. I need to make sure that we keep relationships as intact as we can, and that means I need to go handle this. Now. Then we’re free to be us.”
Reid rubs both hands over his face, seemingly considering my reasoning. “I can’t believe he showed up here.”
“It was clearly a shock to see us together. Add on that he was here to ask for your help and I know he has to be reeling.”
Reid’s eyes flash with ire. “That doesn’t excuse what he said to you. He called you a slut, for fuck’s sake.”
“I know,” I say. “And I’m not defending him. But he’s unraveling.”
Reid eyes me dubiously. “You’re sure this is the right play?”
“I need to go,” I say. “Not for him—for the bigger picture. For Graham. For Leanne. For my family. Really… for the two of us so we can move on with our lives.”
Reid looks at me like I’ve betrayed him. “You said you’d come to Suzuka.”