Wands & Wheels

Chapter 15. Busted

Rio De Janeiro, Abandon Wearhouse

Severa stood next to Dom, watching as he changed a part in his car. It wasn't her fault the guy had big arms... broad shoulders...big hands...eyes that were looking at her...lips that were moving..

"Severa? Are you listening?" Severa blinked, snapping out of her trance as Dom's deep voice pulled her back to reality. Her cheeks warmed as she realized she'd been staring at him.

"Uh, sorry," she muttered, quickly averting her gaze and hoping he didn't notice the slight flush in her cheeks.

Dom chuckled softly, his voice tinged with amusement. "I asked if you could hand me the wrench."

"Oh! Right," Severa said, hastily grabbing the wrench from the tool kit and handing it to him, their fingers brushing briefly. The contact sent a jolt up her arm, and she bit her lip, trying to ignore the tingling sensation.

Dom didn't seem to notice—or if he did, he didn't show it. He simply took the wrench and went back to work, muscles flexing as he tightened the part. Severa's heart pounded in her chest as she watched him. How could she focus on anything else when he was standing there, looking like he'd just walked out of one of those Muggle car magazines?

Pull yourself together, Severa! He is just a man....a very very very hot man..

"So," Dom said after a moment, breaking the silence and her train of thought, "Why are you standing over here with me? Just here to watch, or do you actually want to get your hands dirty?"

Severa put on a smirked, glad for the change instead of the deep lust-filled rabbit hole her mind was about to take her down. "I could do more than just watch, you know. I'm not afraid to get a little grease on me."

Dom glanced at her with a teasing glint in his eye. "Is that so? Because last time I checked, you preferred wands to wheels in recent years."

"Who says I can't handle both?" Severa shot back, stepping closer to him. The scent of motor oil mixed with the faintest hint of his cologne filled her senses, making her feel light-headed.

Dom grinned, clearly enjoying the banter. "Alright then, how about a little test?" He handed her the wrench, eyes gleaming with challenge. "Let's see if you can figure out what's wrong with this engine."

Severa hesitated for a split second before taking the wrench from his hand. She wasn't going crazy over cars in the last couple of years, so she wasn't exactly an expert, but she wasn't going to back down. Not with Dom watching her like that.

"Challenge accepted," she said confidently, moving to the front of the car and peering into the engine. She could feel Dom's gaze on her, and it only made her more determined.

As stated, she wasn't a car expert, but she'd picked up a thing or two from watching Dom over the past few weeks along with some old memories of her childhood. The engine block was a maze of metal, wires, and tubes, but something caught her eye—a loose spark plug wire, just barely connected to the distributor.

"Looks like your ignition system isn't getting a proper connection," Severa said, reaching in to grip the wire. She carefully reattached it, ensuring it clicked securely into place. "This spark plug wire was loose. Without it, your engine would misfire, and you'd get poor acceleration—or worse, it might not start at all."

Dom's gaze sharpened with interest as he watched her work. "Impressive. You know your way around an engine more than I thought."

Severa smirked, trying to hide how pleased she was with his praise. "Should have known I'm not just a pretty face."

Dom's expression softened, and for a moment, he looked at her with something deeper in his eyes. "You're definitely more than that, Severa."

The air between them thickened, the playful banter giving way to something more intense. Severa's breath hitched as she met his gaze, her heart racing.

Before either of them could say anything, the sound of Mia's voice from across the warehouse interrupted the moment.

"Guys, Guys! We have a problem!" Mia's urgency cut through the lingering tension between Severa and Dom like a knife.

Brian, who had been hovering near one of the computer terminals, peeked at the screen before turning to them, his expression grim. "The whole team just got burnt!"

Dom's demeanor shifted instantly from casual to intense. "What?!"

Severa followed Dom as they rushed over to the makeshift command center, her heart racing, but this time for a different reason. She didn't know the full extent of what was going on, but it was clear that whatever it was, it wasn't good.

Mia pointed to the screen, which displayed mugshots of each member of the team, minus her own as she never got one. "How did this happen?" 

Mia sighed. "U.S. Diplomatic Security Service issued the warrant," She watched as Mia pulled up a photo of a bald man, glaring at the camera. "Agent L. Hobbs." Brian reached over Mia to the computer, enlarging the photo of the man before addressing Dom.

"Hey, Dom. Is that the guy you saw in the favela?" She watched as Dom glanced at the photo before nodding. "Yeah," he muttered, his voice low and filled with a mix of frustration and determination. Severa could see the wheels turning in his head, already strategizing their next move.

Brian nodded grimly before continuing. "Hobbs is the leader of the elite task force for the DSS." Severa watched the faces of each team member, noting the tension etched into their expressions. She hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "So he's good?"

Brian shook his head slowly, his eyes dark with concern. "When the FBI wants to find somebody, that's who they call. Cause he never misses his mark. If Hobbs is on us, we're in deep trouble."

Severa took a step back, the weight of the situation settling. The gravity of what they were facing was evident in the way the team began murmuring to each other, their voices low but filled with urgency. They were trying to figure out how this new threat would affect everything—their plans, their safety, their very lives.

As she absorbed the rising tension, Roman's voice cut through the anxious chatter, drawing her attention. "If anything, we need more room to breathe," he said, his tone sharp and frustrated.

She felt Dom turn to Roman, nodding in agreement. "Roman's right. I think we need to get some fresh air." The whole team nodded, moving to gather their belongings, their movements quick and purposeful, as if they were all silently agreeing that a change of scenery was desperately needed.

Severa was still processing everything when she suddenly felt the solid warmth of Dom's chest against her back. She froze, her breath catching in her throat as his presence enveloped her, steady and reassuring amidst the chaos.

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Dom leaning in, his lips close to her ear. "You riding with me?" he asked, his voice low and intimate, sending a shiver down her spine.

She hesitated for a brief moment, the proximity making her heart race. But there was something about Dom's presence that steadied her, grounding her in the midst of the storm swirling around them. She nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah... I'll ride with you."

Dom gave her a small, approving pat on her lower back before stepping back, allowing her to breathe again. Severa quickly grabbed her chest, taking in a deep breath before brushing the fallen hair out of her face. Damn..Why did he have to be so...so..ugh?

Wait...Where the hell were they even going?