Tangled Shadows [COMPLETE]

chapter 5.

Kian's pov-

Being a CEO is boring, infact I never wanted to be one, I'm here because of my father only. Hopes, expectations.... *Sigh*

I lean against my McLaren, my only love. Feeling the rumble of the engine beneath me. The track’s just sitting there, waiting, like it knows what's coming. Tonight’s race? It’s already mine. I can see the way the others look at me, trying to hide their nerves behind cocky smiles. But we all know how this ends.

"I’ve got a race tonight," I say, and I can hear the edge in my voice. "And, let’s be real, there’s no way I’m walking out of there without a win. That’s just not who I am."

I mean, come on. Losing? That’s for the guys who show up hoping for a lucky break, the ones who think they can win with a little grit and luck. Me? I don’t leave things to chance. I’ve got this in the bag, and they all know it. They won’t say it out loud, but they can see it when they look at me. "Confidence" i say. Call it what you want, but I call it knowing what I’m capable of.
"Second place is just the first loser," I add with a smirk, my hand running over the cool metal of the car door. "And you know that’s not my thing."

I’m already picturing it, the roar of the engine, the blur of the lights, the way the world falls away when I’m speeding down that track. The feeling of the wind slicing past, the pavement disappearing under my wheels, and that moment when I cross the finish line, leaving everyone else in my dust.
Yeah, I’ve got a race tonight. And the only outcome I’m interested in? My name at the top.

The engines are loud, rumbling through the ground beneath my feet, but it’s nothing compared to the noise in my head. I’ve got the race on my mind, victory, the rush of speed, the sweet satisfaction of crossing the finish line first. But all of that fades the second I spot her, don't know her but she’s standing close to my opponent Magnus, too close, leaning in while he whispers something in her ear.
His hand is casually resting on her lower back, and it makes my jaw clench tight. Magnus, with that smug grin of his, probably thinks he’s charming her, feeding her some lie about me. I don’t know what he’s saying, but I can guess, painting me as the reckless one, the bad boy she should stay away from, well he ain't lying tho but she shouldn't stay away from me, yet under me.

But it’s the way she looks at me that twists something inside my chest, a slow burn spreading through my veins. Her hazel eyes, brown and green with the hint of blue meet mine, and there’s a flash there something defiant, something curious. Like she’s daring me to react. And damn, it’s working. Because I can’t look away. Not when she’s standing there, looking like that, wrapped in a dress that clings to her curves in all the right ways.

Magnus again leans in closer, like he’s got something important to tell her, but I can see the way her attention keeps shifting back to me. She’s listening to him, but her eyes stay locked on mine.

Jealousy and heat churn in my gut, and suddenly all I can think about is walking over there, and pulling her into my arms. I want to feel her body press against mine, hear the hitch in her breath when I run my hands down her back, make her forget whatever lies he’s been feeding her. She doesn’t belong with a guy like him, she belongs with someone who can handle her fire, who knows how to make her melt with just a touch. She belongs to me. And I’ll be damned if I let her walk away without telling her how badly I want to tear her apart, make her scream my name until she passed out.

I was so lost fantasizing her that's when the buzzer started to buzz indicating us to be ready for the face. I sat down in my MacLean, trying my best to be focused but all I was thinking about fucking her in my car, in a way she would never forget.

The engine roars beneath me, a familiar growl that usually feels like an extension of my own heartbeat. My hands grip the steering wheel, knuckles white, as I stare down the track ahead. The lights flicker green, and the cars lurch forward, tires screaming against the asphalt as we launch into the night. Normally, this is where everything fades, just me and the road, nothing else matters. But tonight, she’s in my head.
Magnus pulls ahead, his car slipping through the corners with precision. I hear his turbo spool up, the hiss of the blow-off valve sharp in the air, and it snaps me back to reality, sort of. My foot’s heavy on the gas, but my mind’s split between the track and the image of her. It gnaws at me, making my focus slip as my car lags through the next corner.

Focus, Kian. Get it together.

I downshift, feeling the shudder run through the chassis as the car grips into the turn. The turbo spools up again, pushing me back into my seat as I try to catch up, but Magnus is still gaining distance. He’s taken the inside line, cutting the apex cleanly. I can see the flare of his taillights in front of me, taunting me as he rockets out of the corner, his engine snarling over mine.

The RPMs scream past the redline, and I shift up, the gear change smooth but my mind still tangled. Her face keeps flashing in my mind, the way she looked at me, like she could see right through me. It’s messing with my head.

Magnus is pulling further ahead, his car slicing through the night like a black bullet, exhaust crackling as he pushes it harder. I can hear the tires chirp as he takes another sharp corner, see the flames licking out of his exhaust as he shifts gears. He’s playing it smart, keeping his lead, and I’m stuck in his wake.

But then, something clicks. A flash of her expression comes to mind, curious, like she’s wondering if I’m really all that he’s making me out to be. And that’s it. That’s what I need. Prove him wrong. Prove her wrong.

I slam the clutch down and shift up, feeling the surge of power as the turbo kicks in, the tires biting into the road like they’ve come alive. The car lunges forward, closing the gap between us, the engine howling like a beast set loose. I focus in on Magnus’s car, the way his suspension bounces over the rough spots in the pavement, and I find my opening.

The straightaway is coming up, and I floor it. My car rockets forward, engine roaring at full tilt, and I can feel the chassis straining, every bolt and weld holding together under the pressure. Magnus sees me coming in his side mirror, tries to cut me off, but I’m faster. I keep my foot buried in the throttle, the RPM needle dancing at the edge of redline, and I slip past him on the outside, tires squealing as I hug the edge of the track.

His headlights disappear behind me, just another pair of beams swallowed up by the night. I hear the whine of his supercharger as he tries to fight back, but it’s too late, I’ve got the momentum. The finish line blurs ahead, and I punch it, the tachometer spiking as I wring every ounce of speed from the engine. The wind tears at the windows, the vibrations rattling through the steering wheel, but all I see is that checkered flag.

I cross it first, my car blazing past with the exhaust popping in defiance. It’s only then, with the rush of victory hitting me, that I allow myself to think of her again, wondering if she’s watching, wondering if she’ll see now who the real winner is.

As I slow down, the engine settling into a low growl, I glance back in the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of Magnus’s car trailing behind. I smirk, letting the satisfaction roll through me, knowing that even with her in my head, I still came out on top.

I came out from my car just to see her disappointed. But i like that, I love that.... Everyone started to celebrate my winning.