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“Trust me, I’d rather be with him, too.”
“A cop, huh?” Mateo asks.
The way he’s looking at me right now makes me think he isn’t the biggest fan of law enforcement. I’m starting to think it has nothing to do with racing, either.
Who in the hell did Eli get himself involved with?
“Well, not yet,” I chuckle. “But soon. And don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” I say, directing that last part at my brother. He winks in response, but I know that he’s more so thanking me for playing along and not freaking out over him calling Sander my boyfriend.
Mateo hums, looking entirely unamused as he drags the tip of his tongue over his teeth. I feel the sudden urge to cover myself up. To wrap myself in a blanket and protect myself from his cold stare.
One of the other guys slams the hood on the car, breaking the tension swirling around us.
“You ready, man?” he calls toward my brother.
“Yeah man, let’s do this,” he says before turning back to me. “You stay here, okay? This will be done in ten minutes, tops.”
Mateo turns and takes a step toward me, and I fight every instinct to back up. He settles in beside me, hooking his arm around my shoulder and hugging me close to his side.
“Oh, no worries, Brother. She can wait here with me,” he smiles.
I see the moment Eli realizes my discomfort, but before he can say anything, I dip low and maneuver myself out from under his arm.
“Actually, I saw one of the girls from cheer over there,” I thumb over my shoulder at a group of girls I saw when we came over. I don’t know any of them, but I can almost guarantee that they’re far more safe than any of these men my brother chooses to associate with. Which, by the way, he and I are going to have a long talk about that when we get home later today. “I think I'll go say hi. Come grab me when you’re done?”
Understanding flashes in Eli’s eyes, and he nods. “Yeah, cool. If you see Val, tell her I say what’s up.”
I agree before turning and heading in the opposite direction, fighting the shiver that races down my spine. There is no Val, but God bless my brother for playing along so well. He needs to distance himself from that guy before something bad happens.
I know the only way he manages to race is in Mateo’s car. But if I have to spend time out in the garage with him every day this summer to fix up the Camaro, I will. Eli doesn’t need those guys.
I weave through the crowd until enough people are standing between me and Eli’s friends. Then I turn to take in my surroundings.
The place is still crowded with guys showing off their cars, and girls hoping to get the same attention as the shiny engines. It's when I spot the guy leaning up against the wall of a brick building, arms crossed over his chest, that I start moving again.
He’s wearing dark jeans and a heather gray t-shirt, one black booted foot pulled up underneath him and resting against the wall. His blonde hair is styled in loose waves that hang down over his forehead. It looks like he could use a haircut, but he makes the look work for him.
“Hey,” I smile politely as I approach, and the guy instantly perks up, though he doesn’t move from his position on the wall.
“Do I know you?” he asks, his eyes searching mine.
He looks hesitant, and I don't know why, but I shake my head, throwing a thumb over my shoulder to where I just left my brother.
“No, I’m here with my brother. He’s racing today, and I didn’t want to stand with his friends,” I admit.
The guy leans around me, just enough to see the friends in question.
“Yeah, I don’t blame you.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, curious if he’ll confirm my suspicions about Eli’s sketchy friend group.
“They just aren’t the type of people you want to associate yourself with,” he says.
“I figured as much,” I say, scowling, wondering how I'll broach the subject with Eli later.
“So, your brother is Eli King?”
I straighten, looking him in the eyes. The light blue, almost silver irises shine brightly in the late afternoon sun.
