Chapter 17 – VALENTINA
Seventeen
VALENTINA
“This is new.”
Remi drops onto my bed, and our eyes meet in the mirror. Her grin is all mischief as she watches my every move.
“You have something to say?” I ask. “Spit it out.”
“Please. I think you’re the one with a secret.
” She props her chin in her hand, smirking.
“Why are you getting all dolled up for dinner at Aunt Leni’s?
It’s just family.” She pauses, eyes glittering.
“Except this time, Maksim will be there. So the real question is, why are you trying to impress him?”
Secrets don’t exist between Remi and I. We know everything there is to know about each other, from our first kiss to our first times and all the messy moments in between. But this is different. This is Maksim. The boy we used to vacation with, play with, and torment for fun. Aunt Leni’s son.
What would she think of us?
What would they all think?
A part of me doesn’t care—because even in this short time, I’m already in too deep. But then the thought of the fallout creeps in. We’ve all been so close, and here I am, the grenade waiting to blow it all apart.
“Well…”
She snaps up. “Oh, shit, Val. You’re crushing on Maksim?”
My hands freeze on the necklace clasp. Caught. “I’m not—” I stop. Even I don’t believe it. “Okay…maybe? Is that…weird? Too soon? Is this Stockholm syndrome because he was in the car that almost killed me?”
Remi snorts. “I don’t think that’s what that means.”
“No, but you know what I mean,” I say, laughing as I turn back to the mirror.
“Okay, let’s say you wanna jump his bones. So what? He’s not blood, and we’re not kids anymore. What’s the problem?”
She throws an arm around my neck and kisses my temple. “And if there ever was the perfect woman in Aunt Leni’s eyes for her only son, it’s you.”
I squeeze her, smiling. “Bring it down a few notches. I’m not trying to marry the guy. I just—”
“Want to take him for a test drive?” she finishes, grinning.
“Yeah, maybe.” I bite my lip and let my imagination wander to those heated moments between us, so close yet so damn far.
“Then do it. See where it goes. You’ve never been one to hold back, Val. Take what you want.”
Again, our eyes lock in the glass, indecision and uncertainty reflected in mine. “It’s not that simple.”
“He’s a man who owns a dick. You’re you. End of story.”
“Always so eloquent.”
She shrugs and lets herself fall back onto the mattress. “I try.”
I stand, limp my way to the bed—damn crutches, damn broken leg—and sit beside her. “It’s more than that, Rem. Attraction is the easy part. So easy,” I say, sucking my teeth. “The man is gorgeous. All steel on the outside, but deep down, with me…he’s soft and actually pretty fucking sweet.”
“Okay…still not seeing the problem. But go on.”
I let out a deep sigh. “He has a lot of demons. And I think he’s afraid of…love. Of getting too close.”
Remi’s smirk fades. “I can see that. Maybe he has a reason to be. A lot of reasons.”
“I know.” My heart clenches as his voice echoes in my head, his confession about the water. “And then there’s my dad—”
“Valentina, no man will ever be good enough for you in Uncle Derek’s eyes.
You won’t win that battle. So my sage advice is follow your heart, but also guard it.
You just came off this thing with Cole. Maybe you’re vulnerable, and Maksim is like the shiny new toy.
I don’t want you to get hurt. At the end of the day, his home is Russia. ”
I grab my crutches and push to my feet. “I hate when you make sense.”
“Me too. But only because if he hurts you, shit will get ugly. And I have a crowbar in my trunk with his name on it.”
We share a laugh.
“And speak of the devil.” Remi’s voice shifts. “We’ve got a situation.”
I brace for what I already know is coming. The subject I’ve been trying to put out of my mind since leaving the hospital.
“With you out for at least another two weeks, we’re either delaying more races or forfeiting them. Neither option is great.”
My stomach knots. “Two more fucking weeks,” I repeat, like saying it again will make it sound shorter.
“Yeah. And guess who is sniffing around the gaps in our schedule?”
I don’t answer. I already know.
Dominic Balterra came on the scene five months ago.
And proved himself an asshole the moment he opened his mouth.
He’s lucky I didn’t cave his teeth in when he told me I’d look better bent over his hood than behind a wheel.
Best revenge? I ate his ego on the track.
My cleanest, most satisfying win. He’s hated me ever since.
Remi scowls. “Yeah—fucking Balterra. He’s been talking so much shit. Saying you’re bitching out because of Cole. Can I just run him over?” She pulls a butterfly knife from the strap on her thigh, snapping it open in a smooth figure-eight. “Or I can carve him up real pretty. Just say the word.”
“He’s just goading us. Let him talk. It’s all he has. Two more weeks, and I’ll be there to take his money and his pride. In the meantime, you got this.”
Her mouth curls into a grin. “Then I cut him.”
I shove her playfully. “Remi!”
She winks. “Oh, I’m joking.”
We both know she isn’t. If shit ever goes sideways, neither of us will flinch. It’s how we were raised—strategy, instinct, and survival. Taught young that the world isn’t what it seems. There’s an underground network out there, operating like reapers. Blood oaths. Death contracts.
Growing up, we learned two things: Always stay ready. Never hesitate.
“Let’s get moving.” I stand too fast and a hot jolt rips down my leg, making me stumble. Remi’s on me in a second, both hands steadying my shoulders.
“Easy, Val.”
“Fuck, I hate this.”
“Me too. But it’s temporary, remember that.”
I blow out a breath. “Yeah. Let’s go. Hermes, Apollo come.”
Remi grabs my bag and falls into step beside me.
“By the way, since I can't run that bastard over, I'll need to make sure I smoke his ass.
I'm thinking of swapping the pulley on Raze’s supercharger.
The boost curve just doesn't hit right in the higher gears,” she says, jabbing the elevator button.
“It's choking past six grand. Maybe if I tweak the ECU and clean up the timing—get cleaner throttle out of corners.”
I raise a brow. “Didn't you just upgrade it last month?”
“Yeah, but I’ve been chasing that perfect pull, Val. She’s still not breathing right,” she says with a shrug. “I’ll get her dialed in, though. She deserves it.”
I laugh under my breath. “You talk like she’s a lover instead of a car.”
“Like you’re one to talk. I bet you’re missing getting your hands on Poison Ivy.” She isn’t wrong. “And absolutely. She just costs more and screams louder.”
“Touché.”
“The parts should be here in two days. I’ll wrench it myself.”
“Of course you will,” I say with a smile, nudging her shoulder.
Remi’s face softens, and her eyes drop to my cast. “Don’t worry. I got this. You just heal up…and don’t you fucking scare me like that again. I can’t lose you.”
My first instinct is to crack a joke and break the tension, but I can see the raw fear in her eyes. “I love you, Rem. And I’m not going anywhere.”