Ineffable ꕥ Joost Klein ꕥ

26.

When Elke used to step out of Roan's WRX, she would take hang her head low to avoid the stares. It wasn't because she didn't like the attention or that she was ashamed of being seen with him and his friends. It was because she was always stepping out of the car alone and spending the rest of the night trailing behind her so-called boyfriend.

But tonight, Elke stepped out of the Impreza with confidence. Being in the middle seat, she waited for Alanis to be helped out by Apson, who had opened the door for her. He took Alanis' hand and was immediately replaced by the driver.

Elke straightened up as her sneakers hit the carpark tar and had the silver door shut for her. Joost's hand attached to the small of her back as he stepped to be behind her. Looking down at her, Joost had a permanent smile on his face.

People paused their conversations and watched the couple from afar. Men leaned against bonnets and shamelessly stared at the beautiful woman wrapped in the blonde's arm. Women shoved at their boyfriends' shoulders in fury while lonesome girls envied Elke. She was against the most handsome man at the meet, surrounded by a friend group that everyone wanted to join and radiated an unmatchable aura.

'You're not racing today, are you?' Elke asked Joost. Enzo had pulled up beside them in his Porsche with a man Elke still wasn't familiar with. It seemed he was going to be a stranger for a while longer, as Enzo joined the group while the man headed off in the other direction.

'Not planning on it,' Joost lowered back onto the bonnet of his car, his hand sliding to sit on Elke's side. 'Although, if that fucker keeps staring, I might have to go back on my word.'

Elke turned look where Joost gestured with his chin. Over her shoulder, she spotted a dark-eyed man practically breaking his neck to stare where Elke stood next to Alanis. Her feet were forced to move as Joost pulled her towards him and Elke turned back to see the space between his thighs. She couldn't resist, his hands already guiding her to sit on the silver bonnet with him.

'Don't you two look cosy,' Stuntje commented with a smirk. 'You almost look like boyfriend and girlfriend.'

'That's because we are,' Elke said, matching the man's mocking tone. Joost grinned from behind the girl as Stuntje's eyebrows shot up.

'Oh, really? Well, pardon my impoliteness, Mrs. Joost's girlfriend.'

With hands up in defence, Stuntje made Elke giggle. Joost could feel her laughter rumble through his arms locked around her middle. He had the perfect view over the top of Elke's head and only needed to look to his right to see where Donnie was stood. The man was far enough out of sight for Elke to be oblivious to him while Joost and the others could see everything that was going on.

From what Joost could gather, the informat was a young man much like himself. He faced Donnie who lit up a cigarette and listened to the limited answers he got to his questions. The young man looked around the meet, making sure that there were no familiar faces listening in. When his head swivelled to Joost's direction, he looked away and tightened his hold around Elke's middle.

'I've got three meetings tomorrow,' Elke sulked as she checked her phone. 'How am I going to make it to the weekend with that being my Friday?'

'Call in sick. We can go out, instead.'

'I can't. I've used up almost all of my sick days already.'