Girls liked to make a mountain out of a molehill, so now I had to go put out the damn fire she’d no doubt started in her head.

As I approached the bleachers—where she sat two rows up—I noticed Shane sitting next to her, talking to friends on her other side, while Madoc, Fallon, and Adam stood up, talking to a group of people.

She saw me and looked away, straightening her back. I set my foot on the bottom bleacher and leaned in next to her face.

“Don’t,” I cautioned, looking in her eyes.

She dropped her chin, looking almost sad. God, I wanted to wrap my arms around her.

“Don’t what?” she mumbled.

“Don’t be jealous.”

“I’m not,” she maintained, looking defiant.

I nearly whispered. “Three years ago, I laid eyes on you for the first time,” I said, “and every time I’ve looked at another girl since then, I’ve compared her to you. Every time.”

She raised her eyes hesitantly.

I gave a half smile. “Your big green eyes that give away everything you’re feeling. Your pouty little mouth that tells me when you’re happy or pissed.” I leaned in, close to her lips. “And your tight little body that I finally got my fucking hands on after years of waiting for you.”

Her throat moved up and down as she listened.

“I have lots of energy for you, Juliet—only you—so don’t go imagining shit that’s not true.”

No more bullshit. I always knew what I wanted, and I never failed at getting it. I had an appetite for a lot, but when I found my niche, I knew it. Lacrosse, computers, the Loop …

And Juliet. She was my niche, too.

When her lips pursed against a smile she desperately tried to hold back, I knew she’d relaxed.

“Keep your eyes open,” I whispered.

A confused look crossed her face right before I dived in, caught her lips in mine, and kissed her deep and soft. My tongue flicked over hers, owning her mouth. She was helpless against me, and I was absolutely fine with that.

I pulled away to nuzzle in her ear. “You drive me crazy.”

She shivered, breathing hard. “Good.”

I smiled, continuing to trail my lips over her jaw.

“Jax.” I heard Madoc’s voice off to the side. “Adam’s going to race me in his 370Z, okay?”

I stopped, my lips hovering over Juliet’s skin.

Standing up, I turned and saw all three of them looking at me and waiting. “What’s the point of that?” I scoffed.

Madoc’s face fell, and I saw the eyebrow shoot up as he realized I was insulting his friend’s car. A GTO against a 370Z? He knew better.

“Juliet?” Madoc averted his eyes to her, ignoring me. “It’s a couple’s race. You want to ride with him?”

I turned around completely, facing him. “Enough already,” I growled low. “I’m sick of your bullshit.”

Everyone clammed up, and I struggled between feeling bad that I was getting pissy with my friends, feeling shitty that I was determining for Juliet what she would and would not be doing, and being angry that every time I felt fucking high on life, someone or something messed with it.

Adam stepped forward. “If I’m supposed to have a girl in the car—”

“You can have a guy, too,” I shot back. “Love is love. We don’t discriminate.”

Fallon snorted, and Madoc scowled down at her.

I bit back my smile, locking eyes with Madoc. “She’s not going.”

I heard Juliet clearing her throat behind me, but I ignored it. Would she be okay with me taking another girl for a drive?

Madoc held out his hands. “Shane won’t do it. I asked,” he explained. “I’m honestly not trying to get under your skin, okay?”

“Relax.” Adam stepped forward, and I folded my arms over my chest. “It’s obvious Madoc set me up with a girl who’s already taken. I’ll keep my hands off. I promise.”

“That’s right.” I nodded. “Because she won’t be in the car. You’re not a screened driver, and she could get hurt. You want to mess up your ride. Go ahead. But not with her in it.”

“Jax,” Juliet said under her breath behind me, and I could tell she was trying to rein me in.

Yeah, no.

Fallon spoke up. “So, how about Madoc takes K.C….” She paused, shaking her head clear. “Juliet, I mean—and I’ll go with Adam.”

“No,” Madoc maintained. “This is supposed to be you and me riding together.”

Fallon pulled her hair up in a ponytail. “Baby, if this is the only way, he’ll let her—”

“I’ll go,” Juliet groaned, climbing down from the bleachers. “I’ll go with Adam.”

I dropped my arms, staring down at her like a warning.

She cut me off before I started. “Just be quiet for a minute. It’s a three-minute race.” She peered up at me, handling me. “Let Madoc have his fun and calm down. The guy’s car is pretty intense. I’m sure he knows how to handle it.”

I steeled my jaw, not liking her talking about his ride. “You’re trying to make me feel better, right?” I joked. “I mean, that is your goal? Because it’s not working.”

She laughed into my chest. “You’re not jealous, are you?”

“He can go alone,” I said, annoyed. “I make the rules, and I choose when to break them.”

“You’re being silly.” She started to back away toward the cars. “Especially when you’re the one I might let take me home tonight,” she teased.

“Might?” I shot out. “I really don’t like you sometimes.”

“I don’t like you, either,” she singsonged, walking toward Adam’s car.

“Shit,” I breathed out, raking a hand through my hair and watching her head to Adam’s car. Was I being silly?

He wouldn’t touch her if he knew what was good for him, and she wouldn’t let him. I trusted that.

And I’d be absolutely fine with Jared or Madoc driving with her. It wasn’t that I never wanted her to be on the track.

No, I was simply worried he’d get her hurt. I didn’t know him or his driving, and I was real damn unhappy about this.

Both cars roared to life, filling the air with the whir of Adam’s high-pitched 3.7-liter engine and the heavy rumble of Madoc’s 6.0 LS2. I didn’t breathe as I watched Juliet buckle herself in, her black-and-white feather earrings dangling against her neck.

I breathed out a sigh, heading back down the track. I swung myself around the stairs and jogged up to where Zack already stood, ready to announce the next race. Both cars traveled slowly down the track, coming to a stop below us, revving their engines.

“We need to meet this week,” Zack said to me as he inspected the scene below. “I want to talk about your plans to expand to street racing. I’m concerned.”

I gripped the railing, watching every movement of Adam’s ride. “Not now.” I shook my head. “That’s at least a year out. We’ll talk later.”

The crowd cheered, welcoming one of their favorite sons home. So many people remembered Madoc, and everyone flooded the night with noise. The crowd at the Loop used to be mainly high school students, but now it was more eclectic, and since it was summer, a lot of our high school friends were here.

“Announce it,” I said to Zack. “Madoc Caruthers and Adam One Direction.”

He laughed under his breath. “This is an odd matchup.”

I nodded, knowing it wasn’t really a race. Madoc had to know he was going to win.

Zack leaned on the railing, microphone in hand, booming voice hitting the crowd. “I know you all remember him!” he taunted, and the crowd cheered.

“If you don’t, then I know you’ve heard of him!” Zack’s deep voice echoed through the night air, and they shouted louder.

People held up their cups and cans, howling over the track. The GTO shook as it revved, while the 370Z’s high-pitched hum matched it, both drowning out any coherent thought in my head.

“Give it up for Madoc and Fallon Caruthers,” he sang out, going long, “going up against K. C. Carter and Adam One Direction!” he yelled.

The sea of spectators cheered, holding up their phones and iPads, probably taking either pictures or video. Since the couples’ races were only once around the paved track, we never installed GoPros. No reason to dumb down the audience. They had a perfect view anyway, so it worked.

“Come on,” I nudged. “Get this over with.”

He walked around me to my other side, lining up with the starting line. “Ready!” he shouted, and the stoplight stayed on red. “Set!” And the stoplight switched to yellow, the engines revving over and over again as the crowd went wild. “Go!” he roared, and my heart leaped into my throat as both cars saw the light change to green and spun their tires, trying to take off so quickly.

I swallowed, seeing Madoc shoot off first, and I gripped the railing, watching the 370Z speed after him. Both cars gained speed, and I listened for the change of gears, hearing when each shifted up, increasing its pace.

Madoc knew the track, knew when to speed up, and knew at exactly which point he needed to lay off the gas to round the turn effectively. He spun around, drifting into a slight skid, but I gritted my teeth, seeing Adam fishtail left and then right as he corrected himself.