Chapter 329: Late Night Race 2

Liam maneuvered his dark BMW M4 smoothly into an open spot along the far edge of the lot, cutting the ignition as the twin-turbo engine settled into a quiet standstill. Right beside him,

Kelvin’s black Range Rover clicked into park, its massive frame towering over the lower sports cars lined up along the asphalt.

Liam opened his door and stepped out, the cool night air instantly washing over his face. .

He leaned against the sleek side panel of his M4, watching Kelvin hop down from the high driver’s seat of the Range Rover with that familiar, effortless grin on his face.

Before they could even walk toward the center of the crowd, the sound of heavy boots crunching over loose gravel echoed from behind them.

"Well, look who finally decided to show his face," a voice called out, laced with thick, heavy mock surprise.

A guy in his mid-twenties stepped into the circle of light cast by the overhead halogen lamps. He wore a dark leather racing jacket left open over a black graphic tee, a silver chain hanging down his chest, and a pair of faded denim jeans.

He had sharp facial features, a shaved undercut, and an arrogant stance that practically radiated looking down on everyone else in the lot.

Two other guys walked closely behind him like an entourage, keeping their arms crossed and looking smug.

Kelvin stopped in his tracks, his smile flattening into a tight, neutral line as he turned around.

Liam watched the exchange quietly from the side, his eyes tracking the tall guy as he strutted closer with his hands shoved casually into his pockets.

Liam leaned over toward Kelvin, keeping his eyes locked on the newcomer as he spoke in a low whisper right into Kelvin’s ear. "Who is this asshole?"

Kelvin didn’t break eye contact with the guy, but his lips moved just enough for Liam to hear. "That’s Zach. He’s technically the best racer on this strip, and he’s also the biggest prick you’ll ever meet in your life."

"I can hear that," Zach snapped instantly, his eyes flickering over to Liam with a sharp, dismissive glare before snapping back to Kelvin. A bitter, nasty smirk pulled at the side of his mouth. "And if only you were able to control yours, Kelvin, then maybe we would actually be cool."

Kelvin didn’t flinch.

He shuffled his weight onto his back foot, resting one hand on his hip, completely unimpressed by the hostility radiating off the guy.

"I knew that was why you couldn’t stop messing with me every single time I show up," Kelvin said, shaking his head with a quiet scoff. "Grow up, dude. It happens."

The taunt hit its mark instantly.

Zach’s arrogant expression shattered, replaced by a sudden flare of dark, genuine anger across his face.

His jaw clamped down so hard the muscles along his cheeks twitched, and his hands tightened into thick, white-knuckled fists at his sides. For a second, it looked like he was about to step up and throw a punch right there on the gravel.

Instead, Zach let out a harsh breath through his nose, spun on his heel, and walked off toward the main staging area without another word, his two followers falling into step right behind him.

Liam watched Zach’s retreating back until the guy disappeared into the thick crowd surrounding the racing lanes.

He turned his head slowly to look at Kelvin, raising an eyebrow in silent question.

"What did you actually do to that guy to make him that pissed off?" Liam asked, his voice calm and curious.

Kelvin let out a short, sudden laugh, running a hand through his hair as he looked down at the ground. "Well, I might or might not have stolen his girlfriend a while back."

Liam stared at him for a beat, his expression completely blank, unreadable, and still. He took a slow breath, nodded once, and uttered a low, drawled out, "Mmmm. Alright."

Kelvin blinked, his eyes widening in total shock at the complete lack of explosion or lecture. He took a half-step toward Liam, searching his face with genuine concern.

"Wait, seriously?" Kelvin asked, his voice rising a bit. "Mmmm, alright? That’s it? Are you going to say anything else? You’re starting to scare me right now, man."

Liam let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head as he pushed himself off the hood of his M4. "Look, I fully expected you did something stupid like that. The only thing is, I keep wondering how you even manage to pull that off. Stealing the best racer’s girl right out from under his nose is actually kind of impressive. I can’t even be mad about it."

Kelvin’s shocked face instantly melted back into his classic, ego-driven grin. He puffed his chest out slightly and tapped his side with two fingers. "What can I say? It’s a superpower, Liam. Some people are born with it, some aren’t."

"Keep telling yourself that," Liam muttered, though he couldn’t hide the faint smile touching his lips.

"Come on, let me show you the real reason people come out here," Kelvin said, waving his hand for Liam to follow as he turned toward the far end of the shipping yard.

They walked past rows of parked cars, cutting through the heavy smell of exhaust and burnt rubber.

They reached a wide, open concrete circle surrounded by a perimeter of tall water-filled plastic barriers and hundreds of cheering spectators.

In the center of the ring, a heavily modified silver coupe was engaged in a continuous, high-speed drift.

The rear tires were spinning at insane speeds, kicking up thick clouds of white, acrid smoke that caught the bright halogen lights above.

The screaming roar of the engine filled the night air, echoing loudly off the concrete ground.

Liam stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening as he took in the sight.

Positioned right in the middle of the drifting car’s roof, crouched down low with one hand gripping a reinforced roof rack and the other waving wildly in the air, was a guy hanging on for dear life as the vehicle spun in tight, screaming donuts around the circle.

The sheer ridiculousness and danger of the spectacle had the entire crowd shouting and holding up their phones to record every second of it.

"Look at that guy!" Liam yelled over the deafening roar of the engine, pointing toward the spinning car. "Is he completely insane?"

"That’s just standard Friday night entertainment!" Kelvin shouted back with a grin, clapping Liam on the shoulder. "Now come on, there’s someone you actually need to meet."

Kelvin grabbed Liam by the sleeve of his jacket, dragging him away from the drifting ring and toward a quieter, more exclusive section of the lot reserved for high-end builds.

Parked under a single, soft overhead light was a stunning sports car painted in a deep, metallic crystal emerald color.

The paint job caught the light in waves, shifting subtly between dark forest tones and vivid green sparkles.

The windows were heavily tinted in a pitch-black glaze, making it completely impossible to see who was sitting inside the driver’s seat.

Kelvin walked right up to the driver’s side door and knocked twice on the glass with his knuckles.

"Hey! Roll it down!" Kelvin called out.

The dark glass slid down smoothly, revealing the interior of the vehicle. Sitting in the plush leather driver’s seat was a girl with vibrant, fiery red hair that fell in soft, bouncy waves over her shoulders.

She had pale skin, bright green eyes that instantly locked onto them, and a sweet, adorable face that looked entirely too innocent for the aggressive machine she was sitting in.

She looked over at Kelvin, a bright, genuine smile instantly lighting up her face as her full lips curved upward.

"Hey, Kelvin," she said, her voice smooth and light.

"I brought my friend Liam over," Kelvin said, stepping back slightly and gesturing toward Liam, who was standing a step behind him. "Liam, this is Maya."

Maya turned her green eyes onto Liam, her smile growing just a little wider as she took him in.

She didn’t say a word right away. Instead, she put the car into gear, revved the engine with a deep, throaty rumble that made the emerald bodywork vibrate, and gave them a playful wink.

"Hold that thought, boys," she said sweetly.

Without waiting for a response, she hit the gas. The emerald sports car shot out of the parking space like a bullet, tearing across the open concrete toward the center drift ring.

Liam and Kelvin watched as she threw the car into a hard sideways slide right at the entrance of the circle, the rear end whipping around with absolute control and fluid movement.

She completed three flawless, tight drift loops around the ring, the emerald paint flashing brightly under the floodlights while the crowd erupted into loud cheers at the smooth execution.

She swung the car out of the drift, brought it back around in a sweeping arc, and pulled right back into the exact spot where she had been parked just thirty seconds prior.

She cut the ignition, shoved the door open, and stepped out onto the gravel.

Up close, she was short, barely reaching Liam’s chest, but her presence filled the entire space.

She wore a tight, low-cut white crop top that hugged the full curves of her bust, exposing a smooth, pale midriff, paired with a tiny black leather skirt that clung to her rounded hips and showcased her long, flawless legs.

She ran a hand through her vibrant red hair, fluffing it up, then turned around to face Liam with a bright, breathtaking smile, her eyes sparkling with excitement under the night sky.

"Hey," she said softly, her voice carrying a sweet, confident warmth.