Crashing Hearts (Pine Valley College #2)

20. Bones

CHAPTER 20

BONES

H e stares at me, and I stare right back.

Nerves fill me, but I refuse to let them show. Why am I here? I could blame Alek or Evan, but the truth is, I was planning to come anyway. I even texted Evan to ask what I should wear. He suggested a shirt with Skylar’s name. I didn’t go that far, but I made an effort and put on a leather jacket. I can tell it wasn’t in vain as his eyes run down my body. His friend or co-racer, whatever they are called, tries to tug him along, but he stands still, watching me.

My gaze roams over him, my mouth turning dry. He looks good in the white and orange suit, his helmet held in his hand. I’d been straining to catch a glimpse of him in the pit while Alek and Evan got us set up trackside so we didn’t have to sit in the stands, but now, looking at him, I have to admit I want Skylar Warren.

The crowd cheers, and some even scream his name, but he never once looks away from me. He doesn’t even seem to blink, but I see relief in his eyes and know I made the right decision to come. When I lift my hand shyly and wave, it seems to break his spell. Ignoring the young guy at his side, he hurries to the barrier separating us from the track.

He doesn’t look away as he vaults the first barrier, grabs onto the railing, and hauls himself up, grinning at me. “Hi, beautiful. I’m so glad you came.”

“Hi,” I say, glancing around in embarrassment when I feel every eye on us. “Skylar, everyone is looking.”

“Let them. They can look at you all they want. They just can’t touch.” He winks.

“I meant at you.” I sigh deeply, pinching my nose in annoyance.

“Nah, baby, trust me. They are looking at you, and I don’t blame them one bit, but you’re looking at me. Like the suit? I could keep it on later—” I smack his chest, and he laughs, kissing my cheek even as I jerk back. “I needed that for luck.”

“Go,” I order, pointing at the track sternly.

He pouts. “Kiss me properly for luck?” he asks cutely. “I need it. I’m nervous.”

“Go,” I order once more.

“Baby,” he whines. “Wish your boy luck.”

I glance at Alek and Evan, who are grinning, and those around us with cameras. Rolling my eyes, I turn back to Skylar, grab the edge of his suit, and pull him in. His eyes widen in shock and desire as I lean close, only to stop. “Go race. I didn’t come here to see you lose.”

I let go then, and he sighs dramatically. “So demanding. Fine, beautiful, I’ll win for you.”

“Warren, get your ass on that track!” the man Alek introduced as Noah barks, but he sounds more amused than anything.

“Sure thing, old man, just had to say hi to my boy. Alek, take care of him while I’m racing and make sure no one messes with him.” He winks at me and drops back, letting his feet hit the tarmac. With one more grin at me, he turns and prowls onto the track. I watch as the others gathered there watch him with fear, desire, or curiosity.

It’s clear Skylar Warren is an enigma to them, and they are all watching him. He’s a wild card.

“Is he nervous?” I ask Alek. “He doesn’t seem like he is.”

“He is. He just covers it well,” Alek replies.

“You don’t step foot into the wolves’ den and not be nervous,” Noah remarks, covering his mic. “There is nothing like your first qualifier. I was so terrified, I threw up after, but he’s playing it well and not giving them an inch of weakness. It’s part of our plan to intimidate them and play up his reputation. Everyone here knows he’s a street racer, so he’s playing the cocky bad boy to throw them off. It will work.” He nods at someone glaring at Sky, who’s leaning against a red car. “Even Blizzard is thrown off. They’ve never seen him race, so they don’t know what to expect, and that makes them nervous. There’s quite a legend building about Sky, and I bet after today, there will only be more.”

“What do you mean?” I murmur, glancing at Noah.

“Skylar Warren is one of the best racers I have ever seen, and with Mackie, he will be unstoppable. If they can rein in their shit, they won’t just be champions, but world champions.”

I guess I never really gave much thought to the fame Sky will gain from this, but as people scream their names, I start to see how it will be.

Will he leave me behind?

I don’t know, but the thought squeezes my heart in something akin to terror. Shaking it off, I focus on him and the track. I tried to research it as much as I could, purely to make sure he doesn’t win the bet unfairly of course, but I don’t know everything, so I’m glad Alek is at my side.

He and his partner hit their helmets together. “That’s Mackie,” Alek explains. “Noah’s protégé.”

I nod, keeping my eyes on Skylar as he puts his helmet on and blows the guy from Blizzard a kiss then climbs in. He’s toward the back with Mackie, but he doesn’t seem to care as he revs his engine and waits. Everyone else clears the track, and the lights flicker on above them, the four wide bulbs each displaying a racing flag as the commentator’s voice fills the stadium, but I can hardly listen until I hear his name.

“We have a new racer today—Skylar Warren for team Starfire. It’s his first qualifying match after joining Starfire a month ago. Most aren’t putting much stock into the new racer, but we’ll see what today holds. Can Starfire place, or will they fizzle out again and be forgotten?”

“Assholes,” I mutter as I focus on Skylar.

“Ignore them,” Noah says. “Our boys know their job, and they have no problem showing everyone they are wrong.” He uncovers his mic. “Mackie, stay on Skylar’s ass no matter what. Block those motherfuckers and stick to the plan. Skylar, show the fuck off. It’s time.”

“You got it, boss man.” His voice crackles through the mic. “Tell them to hold onto their asses because I’m about to make them my bitch.”

Shaking my head, I bite my smile back as a big screen starts to count down. The lights begin to flash red, then orange, and suddenly the flag drops, they flash green, and they are off.

My heart seems to crash in my chest as I keep my eyes on the blue cars. There are two of them, Sky and Mackie, and they keep level as they shoot down the straight, only breaking apart to overtake three cars until they are in the middle of the pack.

“That’s it, keep it there. Let them fight it out and then sweep in to take the lead,” Noah commands, glancing from the computers to the track.

I watch as they take the first corner, Sky’s car drifting around someone before he levels out and shoots off. He and Mackie create a barrier in the middle as the top five cars keep changing positions, seeming to fight it out for the next three corners.

Sky must get bored because on the fourth, he undercuts a car and speeds past to level out with the top four. Two are red cars, and the others are black and orange.

“Skylar, easy,” Noah warns.

“Ah, come on, old man, this is too easy. You think I’ve even put in any effort yet?”

He keeps pace with them around the next corner, and then Noah grins. “Alright, boys, time to show them. Take first and second.”

“About fucking time,” Skylar retorts.

“Let’s do this,” Mackie says.

As I watch, Skylar levels out next to the red Blizzard car, and even from here, I can see him waving at him as they pass, and then he slams his hand into the throttle and shoots off, taking the lead.

I can’t help it, I cheer with everyone else before coughing when I feel Alek watching me. “I got caught up,” I mutter.

“Sure.” He smirks.

Looking back at the track, I see Mackie slipping past them, and it’s no wonder Noah is so proud of him. He levels out behind Skylar, blocking anyone from getting past and allowing Sky to speed and show off. It’s a good plan, and it’s clearly working as they take the next lap, the red and orange cars fighting to get past Mackie. The Blizzard car manages to on the third and final lap.

“Shit, sorry, Sky,” Mackie snarls. “This fucker won’t stop riding me.”

“Take care of yourself. I have Conall.” I can hear Sky’s smirk from here.

“Skylar,” Noah cautions.

“Ah, don’t worry, just going to show him some street moves.”

He seems to slow, and Blizzard pulls up beside him as they take a three S-bend. Skylar’s engine revs, and he drifts right next to him, almost touching Blizzard’s car. He’s clearly showing off, and on the last turn, he slips behind him, letting him think he’s won. My eyes widen as Skylar spins in a circle and out on Blizzard’s other side then shoots past him.

He takes first once more, leaving the Blizzard racer so focused on Sky that he doesn’t even see Mackie hunting him. Mackie swerves left and right before shooting past and down the straight. Skylar slows, leveling out with Mackie.

“Take first place, Sky,” Mackie calls. “I’m happy in second. You fucking deserve it.”

“Noah?” Sky asks.

“You heard him, take first.”

Sky takes off, and Mackie slips in behind him, both crossing the line, and the crowd goes wild.

“And Skylar Warren has done it, taking first place! Starfire claims both top spots in an unprecedented takeover. They dominated the track?—”

I’m screaming alongside everyone else, jumping and whooping as Sky and Mackie spin and slide to a stop, other cars following over the line.

“Skylar Warren, the underdog, has done it, beating the undefeated reigning champion from Blizzard?—”

“Yes, baby!” I scream, and someone laughs.

When I turn, I gape when I find Alek recording me. He puts his phone away and blinks innocently as my eyes narrow.

When the last car stops, they start to climb out, and my focus is dragged back to Sky. He climbs from his car, and he and Mackie smack each other on the back before Sky picks him up and spins him around, and Noah shakes his head, grinning as he pulls his mic off.

“They fucking did it,” he whispers.

Sky drops Mackie, looking at the crowd, and I don’t blame him. They are all screaming for him, but his eyes land on me. Uncaring about the other drivers coming over to congratulate him, he hurries my way, leaps over the barrier again, and throws his gloves and helmet down. The crowd screams louder the closer he gets.

Some girls behind me squeal. “Holy shit, he’s coming over again! He’s so hot.”

“Think he’ll be at the after-party? We could team him.”

“If not, we’ll sneak into the locker room again?—”

My eyes narrow as I turn to glare at them before a noise makes me turn around to find Skylar hauling himself up the rail again. This time he sits astride it, grinning down at me. Call it excitement or annoyance at those girls, but I fist his suit and drag him closer as his eyes widen, and when my lips meet his ear, I feel him shiver.

“Show off,” I murmur, and when I pull back, my lips brush his cheek.

Panting, he stares at me, covering my hand on his suit when I go to release him. “I won. I want my prize, beautiful.”

“Sky, get down there for the photo!” Alek barks.

Skylar waits, arching an eyebrow. “They can wait until my boy is ready.”

“Skylar,” I snap.

He smirks. “I’m waiting.”

I hear the crowd chanting his name, every eye on us. Grinding my teeth, I speak quietly between us.

“Silas Townsend,” I offer, and his smile is slow and so fucking sexy.

His lips touch my ear, and it’s my turn to shiver. “I’ll see you at the after-party, Silas. I want this pretty ass at my side all night so I can show you off.”

“Warren!” Noah warns.

Skylar laughs as he drops and heads back to the track as Noah curses and points at me. “If you have any control over that idiot, make him behave.”

“I don’t think anyone can make Skylar behave,” I counter.

“Not when it comes to Bones,” Alek scoffs.

“Lord help us and whipped racer boys,” Noah mutters.

“True.” Alek nods. “But then again, you’d know all about that.”

It’s my turn to gape at Noah, and he quickly looks away.

The crowd screams again, and I look at the track, knowing I’ll be at that party just like he said, especially when I hear the girls behind me chattering again.

Skylar Warren might not be mine, but he won’t be anyone else’s either.

Not while I’m here.