Heart of the City

Chapter 3

The engine's growl still echoed in my ears as I sat on the hood of my car, sweat beading down my brow. Lena leaned against the side, her arms crossed over her chest, a worried expression painted on her face.

"Jack," she said, biting her lip. "That was too close. We barely got away from Detective Montgomery. She's really onto us."

I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. "I know, Nitro. Believe me, I know."

"Then why aren't you more concerned?" Her voice rose an octave in her frustration. "She's not just some random cop. This is Detective Rose Montgomery we're talking about!"

"Look, Lena," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm aware of the risks. But this is what we do. We race. It's in our blood."

"Jack, we can't keep doing this," she insisted, her eyes pleading with me to see reason. "One day, our luck will run out, and then what? Jail? Worse?"

"Maybe." My voice was barely above a whisper. "But it's either that or giving up a part of who we are."

"Is it worth it?" Lena asked, her voice cracking. "We've been living like this for years. Don't you ever wish for something more... normal?"

"Normal?" I scoffed, running a hand through my hair. "What's normal, anyway? A nine-to-five job, a house with a white picket fence, settling down?"

"Maybe, yeah," she admitted, looking at the ground. "There's more to life than racing and dodging the law, Jack."

"Are you saying you want out, Lena?" I asked, unable to hide the hurt in my voice.

"No, I..." She hesitated, searching for the right words. "I worry about us, Jack. About you. I don't want to lose you to the streets."

"Then let's be more careful," I suggested, trying to find a compromise. "We can plan better, cover our tracks, and avoid getting caught by Detective Rose Montgomery. We're smarter than her."

"Are we?" Lena asked, narrowing her eyes. "She almost had us tonight. I just... I don't know, Jack."

"Trust me, Nitro," I said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll find a way. We always do."

"Promise me one thing, then" she implored, looking deep into my eyes. "If it ever gets too dangerous, if there's no way out... promise me you'll walk away from this life."

I hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I promise, Lena."

"Alright, but there's something else I need to talk to you about," I said, taking a deep breath. "Detective Rose Montgomery."

"Her again?" Lena groaned, rolling her eyes. "What about her?"

I hesitated for a moment before admitting, "I can't help it, Lena. I'm intrigued by her. She's smart, relentless... and damn good at her job."

"Jack, are you serious?" Lena asked, looking at me with disbelief. "You know we're on opposite sides, right? She wants to put us behind bars."

"Of course I know that!" I snapped, suddenly defensive. "But that doesn't mean I can't be fascinated by her. Besides, it's not like I'm going to turn myself in just because I find her interesting."

"Listen to yourself, Jack," Lena said, crossing her arms. "You're playing with fire here. If she catches us, it's game over."

"Relax, Nitro," I replied, trying to calm her down. "I'm not going to let her catch us. But I won't deny that the thrill of the chase is what keeps me going. It's what drives me to push my limits and be the best racer I can be."

"Is that really it, Jack?" Lena asked, frustration evident in her voice. "Or is it just another excuse to keep living this dangerous life? Is it worth risking everything, including our future?"

"Racing is part of who I am, Lena," I said solemnly. "It's in my blood. I can't just give it up. I love the adrenaline, the freedom... and yes, even the risk."

"Jack," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "I love you, but I can't continue to live like this. We have to change, or one day it'll be too late."

"Hey..." I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close. "We'll figure this out, Lena. We always do."

"I hope so, Jack," she murmured, burying her face in my chest. "I really hope so."

"Alright, Lena," I said, gently wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I promise I'll be more careful. I'll do everything in my power to make sure Detective Rose doesn't catch us."

"Jack, you can't just promise things like that," she replied softly, her voice quivering. "Street racing is dangerous enough as it is. We both know we've been lucky so far – but our luck might run out."

"Hey," I held her gaze, willing her to believe me. "Trust me, Nitro. We're a great team. As long as we work together and stay cautious, we can keep one step ahead of the police – especially Detective Rose."

"Fine," she sighed, but I could tell she was still worried. "But we need to take extra precautions, Jack. We have to be smarter about this."

"Agreed," I nodded firmly. "We'll map out escape routes before every race, and always have a backup plan. Plus, we can use our connections to monitor police movements and stay informed."

"Sounds like a start," Lena conceded, though her expression remained tense. "But you need to promise me one more thing, Jack."

"Anything," I replied, holding her close.

"Promise me that you won't let your feelings for Detective Rose cloud your judgment," she whispered, searching my eyes. "She's the enemy, Jack. Don't forget that."

"Rose may be on the other side of the law, but I'm not going to let that compromise us, Lena," I assured her, my heart heavy with conflicting emotions. "You're my family, my priority. I won't let anything get in the way of that."

"Thank you," she murmured, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Let's get some rest," I suggested, leading her towards the bedroom. "Tomorrow, we start a new day"