Chapter 354 Unwanted Company
Ella
We settled into the hard plastic seats, the cacophony of engines and crowd noise enveloping us like a heavy blanket. Even from our spot, I could see the intensity on the drivers’ faces, their concentration palpable even from a distance.
There was something both exciting and terrifying about it, and something addictive, I was sure of it. This was a place for adrenaline junkies, for people who loved thrills and danger, even just as casual observers.
Logan leaned closer, his clear blue eyes not leaving the spectacle unfolding on the racetrack. “See that guy in the blue car? His gear ratios are off. He’s gonna lose speed on the straights.”
I looked at him, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Gear ratios? That’s an oddly specific observation.”
He flushed slightly, a sheepish smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “You know how much I love cars. That’s all.”
I peered into his eyes, looking for a hint of deception. I could tell that there was something he wasn’t telling me, something beyond just loving cars, but I let it slide. If he wanted to share, he would, in his own time. And frankly, it wasn’t really my concern.
Soon, though, the race completely captured my attention. The swerving of the cars, the high- pitched roar of the engines, even the palpable tension in the air-it was intoxicating. I found myself cheering as cars zoomed past the finish line, lap after lap.
“Looks like someone’s getting into it,” Logan chuckled, handing me a cup of soda.
I took a sip and smiled. “It’s… growing on me. Never thought I’d say this, but I’m actually having fun.”
He beamed, and I sensed a kind of pride in his eyes. “Told you so. Aren’t you glad that you came out instead of eating pizza and watching true crime?”
I blushed. “There’s a time and a place for everything,” I found myself saying. Then, maybe thanks to a little unwarranted push from my wolf: “I’ll have to introduce you to my guilty pleasures as payback.”
Logan smirked, his blue eyes flashing with something I couldn’t quite read. “I’d love that,” he murmured. His voice was almost husky over the sound of the roaring engines. “True crime and pizza with you sounds…”
His voice trailed off before he finished, but I decided not to push. Instead, I let myself get swept up by the race again. The sound of the engines, the crowd cheering, the cacophony of sights and noises.
For a moment, just a moment, I pictured the two of us here in the future, sucked into the spectacle of it all. But I quickly pushed that thought away. One time would be good enough. There was no need for more.
“That car’s engine mapping isn’t right,” Logan commented, his eyes narrowing at one of the vehicles whizzing past us. “He’s gonna face some serious turbo lag.”
I furrowed my brow as Logan spoke. And, just as he predicted, the car’s engine sputtered and lagged behind the other cars. The driver inside could be seen banging his hands on the steering wheel, no doubt cursing up a storm behind his helmet.
I looked at Logan, genuinely curious. “You really know your stuff. Do you come to these races a lot?”
Logan’s face flushed a bit, and I thought he was about to offer up some juicy tidbit about his mysterious relationship with car racing. But then, he seemed to think better of it. “Yeah, I try to come every weekend when I can. It’s just another hobby of mine.”
I eyed him suspiciously but decided not to push it. Still, I couldn’t help asking: “Ever consider doing this yourself? Racing, I mean.”
His face went red again, faster than one of the cars zooming around the track. But instead of answering, he changed the subject. “How’s your drink?”
I glanced down at my almost empty cup, realizing only then how thirsty the excitement had made me. “It’s good. Almost empty, though.”
“I’ll get you another,” Logan offered, rising from his seat.
“No, don’t spend the money on me,” I protested, but he just rolled his eyes, snatched the empty cup from my hand, and stood.
“Stay here,” he said. “Save our seats.”
As he got up, I couldn’t help but let my eyes linger on him. He looked particularly handsome tonight, his jeans and tight t-shirt emphasizing all the right muscles. For a split second, I felt the presence of my wolf, as if she were drawn to him, too. I had to consciously tear my gaze away, a low growl sounding in the back of my mind.
Logan vanished into the crowd, and a strange void settled where he’d been sitting. I shook it off, but Ema wasn’t having it.
“Just admit that you like him,” she declared, a hint of teasing in her voice. “Anyone could tell from the way you just looked at him.”
“Sure, he’s an attractive man,” I defended, rolling my eyes internally. “I’m allowed to look, aren’t 17”
“Of course, but there’s looking and then there’s looking,” Ema purred. “Don’t think I didn’t notice your body language, Ella. Your heart beats faster around him.”
I sighed. “Yeah, well, hearts can be stupid.”
Ema chuckled. “And what about the soul? We’re fated mates, you know. That’s no small thing.”
“I haven’t forgotten,” I replied, “but it’s complicated, Ema. He’s trying to pull away from a life of crime, but we don’t know if he can actually do it. I can’t risk everything for a ‘maybe.”
Ema went quiet for a moment. “You’re scared for him, though. You’re thinking about the long term, about what could happen if he can’t pull away from that world.”
I nodded to myself. “Sure, I’m scared for him. And for myself. What kind of life would that be? Constantly looking over our shoulders? Not to mention, the fact that I would be bound to someone in the criminal underworld. It’s too risky, and it goes against everything I’ve ever stood for.”
“And your family?” Ema probed. “You’re worried about how they’ll react when he meets them.”
I sighed again, heavier this time. “Of course. They’ve got strong values too, Ema. To them, learning that I’m ‘dating’ a mobster would be like dropping a bomb on our family.”
“You’re stuck between a rock and a hard place,” Ema acknowledged. “But, Ella, you don’t have to decide everything now. You can be cautious and still be…open.”
“Open to what? The possibility of monumental disaster? The potential heartbreak, too?”
“Or the potential happiness,” Ema countered. “Remember the guy you dated in college?”
At the mention of my college boyfriend, I had to restrain myself from rolling my eyes. His name had been David, and he really liked me. Maybe too much. I had never been the type to care about relationships; I was always focused on my goals. I could still hear him now, on the night we went to a party together and he chastised me in front of a group of people for refusing to show affection for him in public. I had walked out without a second thought and never looked back.
“Look,” Ema continued, sensing my thoughts. “This is different, I know. But it’s not that different. Just like with David, Logan is clearly into you, and you’re pushing him away.”
“This is way different,” I snarled. “And he’s a criminal.”
Ema sighed. “And… he’s trying to change, Ella. I know it’s a gamble, but life is full of those.”
“I guess,” I conceded, “but it’s easier said than done.”
“Look, I get it,” Ema assured me. “Being cautious isn’t a bad thing. But don’t let caution turn into a wall that shuts out all possibility.”
I was about to respond when I felt it-a sudden shift, a prickling at the back of my neck. Ema tensed up, her sense of alertness bleeding into my own consciousness. “Someone’s coming, Ella, and they’re not friendly.”
My body tensed, my head automatically going on a swivel. Then, I saw him. A man, dressed in a red beanie and a beaten-up denim jacket, was coming my way.
He looked relatively normal in appearance, but there was something about him that threw me off. Something that I had felt before; on a crowded street, an empty subway car, a dark alley. I was all too familiar with the sensation of a creepy person staring at me.
Before I had the chance to get up and walk away, the man sank down into Logan’s seat.
“Hey there, gorgeous,” he greeted, giving me a sleazy grin that instantly made my skin crawl.
“Um, hi? Look, someone’s already sitting here, So-
“I couldn’t help but notice you from across the stadium. You’re stunning, you know that?”
He leaned in closer, way too close for comfort. Before I knew it, his hand was creeping up my leg. Anger bubbled up inside me, and I shoved his hand away, a low growl escaping my lips. “Back off. Now.”
The man chuckled, apparently unfazed. “Cute. I like ’em feisty.”
I glanced around, a sense of urgency building up inside me. Where the hell was Logan?
