The streets of Michigan held the best car soirees and top dog street races-on top of it all, a life of their own.
What happens when two polar opposite racers collide; the best one from detroit, and one all the way from the city of angels?
I couldn't get a read on her, and that was a first. Ryujin stood there, arms crossed, staring me down with that cold expression I couldn't decipher.
Most girls were easy enough to figure out. A smile, a few well-placed words, and they'd melt like butter in my hands. But not her. She wasn't like them. I couldn't quite tell if it was the challenge in her eyes or the way she seemed completely unfazed by my presence, but something about her intimidated me.
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Even now, as we stood on the crowded street, engines roaring and people cheering, her focus was somewhere else. She looked right through me, as if I was just another opponent. Nothing special. The way she gave me the cold shoulder should've bothered me, but instead, it made me want more.
I wanted her to look at me like I mattered.
"Ryujin," I tried again, leaning against her car with her eyes finally on me, hoping to crack through that icy exterior. "What's your story?"
She didn't answer, her gaze fixed on something else. She had this stillness about her that made the air between us tense, like I was pressing against something immovable. It was frustrating, but in the best way.
Why is she being so difficult?
Before I could push further, I felt a hand on my shoulder, dragging me somewhere.
"Ji," my twin brother, Hyunjin, called. He handed me a crumpled piece of paper. "The matchups for tonight. We're guests here, so we don't know how they play their game."
I took it without looking away from Ryujin, but she didn't do so much as blink. She was in her own world, and for some reason, it bugged the hell out of me.
I unfolded the paper, glancing down at the list. My smile grew the moment I saw the names.
Yuna. Jennifer. Then Ryujin.
Perfect.
I'd have to get through two other racers before I could face her, but that was fine. I liked the build-up, the push and pull. I wanted to make sure she'd know just who she was up against.
I shoved the paper into my pocket, turning my attention back to the crowd. The drag races were always a crowd favorite, and that was tonight's forte. It was all about speed—1,320 feet of pure adrenaline. No room for error. No time for fucking up.
The rules were simple: win, no matter what. Some racers got dirty with it, but I didn't need to. Heck, I'm good enough on my own. But even as I mentally prepared for the first race, I couldn't shake the feeling that Ryujin's eyes were on me. Watching. Waiting.
