Quater-Mile// Dominic Toretto

16

Dom and I are walking up the stairs of some club that Braga owns. It's dimly lit with people dancing all over and drinking at bars.

"Stay by me," Dom whispers.

"Gisele won't like that," I tease.

As we reach the top of the stairs I see Brian at the pool table. I can tell Dom isn't too happy to see him. Dom and I make our way over to the makeshift bar.

"Yeah, two Corona," Dom tells the lady.

Brian walks over to stand next to us. "That's too bad about Dwight. Having the Feds raid your house the same night you make the team. So unfortunate."

"I wish I could say I was surprised to see you here," Dom tells him. The woman comes back with the Coronas. "What's to stop someone from telling them you're a cop?"

"Probably the same thing that's keeping me from telling them why you're really here," Brian reasons.

Campos walks over towards us. "What up, fellas?"

Brian shakes his hand. "Hey, how you doing?"

"Great. You having a good time?" Campos asks.

"Yeah, a great time," Brian tells him.

"Come on, let's have a better time," Campos tells us. We follow him to a booth. "How's your car? It took a nasty bump."

"It'll be ready," Brian assures.

"I also heard you just got out of County," Campos adds.

Brian nods. "Mmm-hmm."

"You know a guy named Jim Garcia?" Dom asks.

Brian shakes his head. "Nah. Big place. Lots of names, lots of faces."

"And you, you're wanted by a lot of people, homes," Campos tells Dom.

"Yeah, that kind of heat can't be good for business," Brian argues.

"Yeah, well, that depends on how you look at things. I go down, I do time. I do real time. I don't know about your other drivers, but when I see flashing lights in my mirror, I don't stop," Dom says.

"Do you know each other?" Campos asks.

"He used to date my sister," Dom tells him.

"I see." Campos turns to Brian. "You're a lucky man."

"How's that?" Brian asks.

"You're still breathing." Campos chuckles. He holds his glass up. "To the ladies we've loved and the ladies we've lost." He turns to me. "And what about you, mami, showing up both of them at the race?"

I shrug my shoulders. "Just a better driver."

Dom rolls his eyes as Brian scoffs.

"And which one of them did you date?" Campos asks.

I gesture to Dom with my head. "That one."

Campos laughs. "If I were him I would have never let you go."

Just the way he looks at me is creepy.

"So, what's Braga about?" Brian asks.

"You know, he's just one of us. Came up from the streets.

Down for el barrio. Now he's a shot caller. The boss of bosses. See all these cats in here? Any one of them would die for Braga," Campos tells us.

"Including you?" Brian asks.

"Especially me," Campos tells him. A man leans over and whispers to Campos. "Enjoy the party, fellas. Club's yours. Whatever you want, booze, broads, it's all good." He walks away obviously to handle something.

"Braga's mine," Brian tells Dom. "I'm taking the whole house down." He stands up to leave.

"Good luck," Dom tells him.

Two girls come over and sit beside Dom. They give him a shoot. I watch intently waiting for him to do something. He takes the shots. The girls lead him out onto the dance floor. I lose sight of him as he gets in an elevator. What the hell is he doing? I'm angry now that Gisele has gone in the same elevator.

I wait a moment before heading up myself. The two of them are standing inches apart by a green Gran Torino. They both look at me when they hear the elevator door open.

I laugh. "Sorry this isn't the bathroom." I hold up my beer. "I think I had one too many."

Gisele looks like she's unhappy I interrupted them. Dom slips out from beside her and walks over to me. He takes the beer from my hand.

"I should help my new teammate out," Dom says.

Gisele nods. "Of course."

Dom and I get into the elevator. He doesn't look too happy with me.

"You two seemed cozy," I remark.

"Don't start that," Dom tells me.

I play dumb, "Start what?"

Dom pushes me back into the wall. "You told Campos we used to date."

I laugh. "Yeah Dom 'cause I'm not dumb. If I told him we were together he would hold it against us the first chance he got."

"I don't like the way he was looking at you," Dom tells me.

"Neither do I," I assure him.

Dom puts one hand on my waist and the other on the back of my neck. "Only I get to look at you like that."

The elevator dings as the door opens. I smile. "Ride or die."

Dom nods his head. "Ride or die."

I wake up to a loud beeping. I roll over and land on top of Dom.

"It's the damn GPS," Dom groans.

I groan. "Do you think there's time for breakfast?"

"It's 1 oclock," Dom tells me.

"Do you think there's time for lunch?" I ask.

Dom and I each hop in our cars and head to the location the GPS tells us to. We pull into a garage. There's a semi truck there as well as Campos and his goons. His guys look over the cars in case of trackers or anything. Everything goes well so Brian must have ditched his.

"All clear."

One by one we drive into the semi truck. I sit in my car unsure of what to do.

I can see two guys, Tash and Malik, climb down from their cars.

"This ain't right, bro. Nobody said nothing about being locked in no truck," Tash complains.

"Tell me about it," Malik remarks.

"Hey. Hey!" Tash is trying to get Dom's attention. "Yo! Where do you think they're taking us?"

"Don't matter. We're all just along for the ride now," Dom tells them.

I get out of my car walking towards Dom's. I lean in the window of his car.

"You okay?" Dom asks.

I nod my head. "Yeah. Any idea where we're going?" Dom shakes his head. "I'll let you get back to your nap."

Dom smiles slightly. "Stay sharp, Toni."

I roll my eyes. "Says the one sleeping."