These past two weeks have been some of the tensest of my life. Since Ace and I had our fight, I decided to give him the silent treatment until he apologized, which hasn't happened yet. He doesn't seem willing to admit that he acted like a total control freak and, of course, that he was completely wrong. His refusal to take the blame only makes my anger grow, making me want to punch him in the face. Almost.

The initial hearing for the trial against Travis was one of the most uncomfortable situations I've ever faced. It happened the day after our fight, so the atmosphere was anything but perfect. We didn't even arrive at the courthouse in the same car; that's how stubborn we are. Well, his stubbornness, because it's clear that I'm right and he is wrong.

Once in the courthouse, we sat together with our lawyer, but we didn't exchange more words than strictly necessary. The only reason I regret this is the image of disunity we might have given to Travis and Faye. Of course, the couple looked as united as if they had just gotten married, together in sickness and in health, as they say at weddings. The only thing that could comfort me was seeing the scratches on the face of the girl who used to call herself my best friend.

To put the cherry on top of the shit cake that was that day, they didn't arrest Travis, as we had hoped. They said they didn't see him as a danger to other women, which I'm sure was because of how lovey-dovey he looked with Faye. The only consolation I had was when the prosecutor decided to press charges against Travis after reviewing our evidence. I had expected that, but a victory is a victory.

My way of celebrating was driving home alone in my car, feeling my anger towards Ace grow the more I saw him act like he hadn't done or said anything wrong. I wanted to yell in his face like I did when he tried to forbid me from participating in the race, to make him react in any way to realize the mistake he had made, but of course, that option was completely off the table. I'm not going to stoop to begging for an apology or recognition that he was wrong. I only have one way to win this argument, and that's by playing his game: the battle of egos.

When my sleek black and red Bugatti Chiron crosses the finish line before his stupid McLaren, he'll know I was right and finally apologize.

•

It's the first time I've seen so many people at the races, though it doesn't surprise me at all. Word of our fight with Travis has spread, and everyone knows that Ace and I are racing against him. Gossip moves masses at Hayden, and the latest one is too juicy to ignore. It doesn't offend me that so many people have come out of morbid curiosity, mainly because I would do exactly the same. Besides, the whole conflict with Travis and Faye is a huge gossip, so it's completely normal for everyone to react the way they have.

These past two weeks have allowed me to get used to the stares and comments that arose from the video published without my consent. I don't really care that people saw me in that situation because I'm someone who's not afraid to show her body, but doing so against my will is something I won't tolerate. In the first few days, those who hated me tried to undermine my self-esteem with taunts and jokes, but when they saw that none of it affected me, they soon stopped. I suppose it also helped that I slapped an idiot who took his jokes too far. Sometimes, a little violence is necessary to shut a jerk up.

"He's staring at you," Cher comments casually, offering me a drink.

I don't need to turn my head to know who she's talking about, and I absolutely don't care that he's watching me. In fact, it irritates me to think that he's constantly trying to control me.

"He can look all he wants. I'm still going to participate and crush both him and that idiot Travis."

"That is, if Faye ever takes her tongue out of his mouth. They look like they've been glued together with silicone, it's disgusting."

"Too bad their wounds have healed. Seeing that bitch's face marked by my nails was a true dream," I sigh before noticing the judges gathering, a sign that the race is about to start.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in between! Attention, please! The race will begin in five minutes, so I ask the racers to take their places by their respective cars. Due to the incident with Mr. Huxley's car last time, we have personally inspected the vehicles and confirmed that there are no issues. Remember, once the race starts, you need to set aside personal grievances and try to ensure the safety of your opponents and yourself. We don't want any accidents!"

After giving my friends three quick kisses in their cheeks, I head towards my sleek Bugatti. That car is my baby, the crown jewel, as I like to call it. It's one of the best competing today, and I know that combining the car's power with my own skill, I'll crush all my opponents.

When the judges signal us to get into our respective cars, my eyes briefly meet the two familiar blue sapphires. Ace's eyes don't seem to want to leave mine, trying to communicate with me, but I look away. I won't do what he tells me, not in a million years.

"On your marks, get set... GO!"

Ten cars shoot off the starting line at the judge's signal, filling the abandoned lot with the roar of our engines and shouts of encouragement. The first part of the track is a long straight, so I floor the accelerator until I'm in first place. To achieve this position in this section, you simply need a combination of speed and agility to weave around the other cars. It's easy enough, so I quickly reach the second position, right behind the stupid McLaren I know so well.

At the end of the straight section, I glimpse the first curve, marking the start of the urban section of the track. I need to find a way to overtake my stupid boyfriend before the curve because the upcoming semi-abandoned alleys are too narrow for safe overtaking. Unfortunately, I can't think of anything, and I keep seeing the back of Ace's car right in front of my nose. The curve keeps approaching at a terrifying speed, making me curse as I fail to come up with a strategy. Just when I had almost given up on overtaking him in this section, an option as plausible as it is dangerous pops into my head. I don't have time to weigh the pros and cons; I simply have to do it. I need to trust that this will work out and forget the possible danger it may suppose.

Unlike the other competitors, I take advantage of our approach to the curve to accelerate as much as possible. It's usually not a good idea to enter a zone like this at such high speed, but I have a plan that might work. Just at the beginning of the curve, I manage to overtake Ace. I turn my head for a millisecond to look at him and flip him off before pressing the handbrake button and turning the wheel to the right as far as it will go.

The result of my maneuver is instantaneous: my Bugatti takes the curve violently, drifting and cutting off the two cars trying to overtake me. By just a few centimeters, I manage not to scrape the concrete wall and avoid any collisions. As soon as the road straightens out again, I release the handbrake and speed up as much as possible, leaving the other cars behind. I take advantage of that moment of pure euphoria to roll down the window and let out a laugh, feeling like the queen of the world.

Now that I'm in the urban zone, I feel like I can stop worrying about someone overtaking me, but an idiot I know all too well doesn't have the same plans. A hit to the back of my sports car catches me by surprise, and I let out a gasp before checking the rearview mirror to see the identity of that fool. I'm not surprised to see Travis's car, but it ignites my fury towards him more than ever.

If this asshole thinks he's going to make me crash, he better think twice.

I floor the accelerator to get him off my back and ensure my passage through this part of the track is safe and doesn't end with me crashing into one of the abandoned houses. Maybe it was a mistake, maybe he got too close to my car, accidentally hitting the...

Another hit makes me let out a gasp, painting a horrified expression as I see Travis exceeding the safe speed in this section to pull alongside me. This area isn't meant for two cars of this size to drive side by side, so it's only a matter of time before one of us ends up in trouble.

This race has become a matter of eating or being eaten, and today, I'm very hungry.

Thinking faster than I thought I was capable of, I decide to try to escape without hurting Travis, avoiding further hits. At least, that was the plan until Travis hits my car from the left side with his, causing my black and red bodywork to scrape against the wall. I feel the anger that has been growing inside me for months toward Travis begin to boil, threatening to spiral out of control. I have to try to stay calm and avoid getting into trouble, I have to manage it, I have to...

A fourth hit makes me let out a scream of rage from the depths of my stomach, unleashing all the rot that this being has caused inside me. He wants to kill me, he wants me to have an accident, to end my life so he can avoid getting into the trouble he's going to end up in. I don't plan to kill him; that would be too good a fate for someone as hateful as him, but I also don't plan to let him keep endangering mine. Besides, I don't want to get disqualified, so I have to find an opportunity that seems fortuitous.

Michael and the rest of the archangels appear to me when I glimpse the last right turn before the course goes back to the abandoned riverbed. A macabre idea pops into my head, an idea that could go very well or terribly wrong. A crazy laugh emerges from my stomach as I approach the turn at breakneck speed. Before the time comes to take the turn, I quickly turn the steering wheel to the left. The front of my Bugatti blocks Travis's Porsche, forcing him to slam on the brakes violently, lose control, and crash into a lamppost. I hear a scream coming from his car and laugh, filled with adrenaline, before turning the wheel completely to the right, pulling the handbrake, and accelerating. The rear of my car is completely wrecked as it scrapes against the buildings in the skid, but I come out unscathed.

Finally, I see the finish line in the distance, a sign that it's time to hit the nitro. I can almost taste victory, I can feel it at my fingertips until the front of a car I know all too well appears in my rearview mirror.

My dear boyfriend wants to take the prize from me at the last moment.

I press the accelerator as hard as I can, aware that there are no tactics left, only speed. I don't know much about cars, so all I can do is pray that my Bugatti is faster than his McLaren. The finish line is getting closer, but the front of his car starts to overtake me on the left. I see Ace looking at me through his window, smiling in that way that used to make me want to kill him. Now I'm content with flooring the accelerator, crossing the finish line alongside him...

The adrenaline makes me jump out of the car as soon as I slam on the brakes, walking furiously toward Ace. The possibility that he got what he wanted and will rub it in my face for months makes me sick.

"If you think you're going to rub this in my face for weeks, you're sorely mistaken! I had a much better race than you, taking advantage of everything I did at the end! It's totally unfair!"

Before I can push Ace like I want to, Brooke grabs me by the arms and pulls me away from my boyfriend. I can't tell because of the adrenaline, but obviously, I neither want nor should fight with Ace now.

"Attention! We've all seen that there was an apparent tie when crossing the finish line, as well as an accident-related withdrawal by Travis Huxley, who we have checked and is fine," announces one of the judges. "We will review the slow-motion footage to determine which of the two competitors crossed the finish line first."

I simply give Ace a murderous look before huffing and turning my back on him. At this moment, I remember that my car crashed quite violently into the wall, so I walk over to the rear to check the damage. My heart nearly sinks when I see that one of the taillights is completely missing, along with a huge scrape. I'm going to have to take the car to the garage, and it's not going to be cheap, but it's worth it if it means I didn't die because of Travis's recklessness.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!" exclaims the same judge, grabbing Ace and me by the arms, the possible victors of the race. "The winner of today's race, by just a few thousandths of a second, is... Alexa Arden!"

A scream escapes my stomach before I realize it, and my friends rush to hug me once the judge raises my arm in victory. The rush of adrenaline gets even more intense, making me feel like I've taken some kind of drug that produces pure euphoria. I return the hug as best as I can, laughing and jumping with them, before seeing them step back. In front of me, I see the man I still adore approaching with the money briefcase.

"Congratulations on the win, Max Verstappen," says Ace, and I almost think I see him smile.

I take the money but don't answer, still angry with him for everything that's happened between us. If now that I've proven there was no problem with me participating in the race he doesn't apologize, then he's a complete fool.

•

"Well, if it isn't the reigning champion of the Hayden races."

That unmistakable voice could only belong to one person, specifically my neighbor. I can't help but turn around and see Ace standing with his back to my house's door, while I was about to enter mine.

"Well, if it isn't the boyfriend who thought he could control me at will."

"I never tried to control you, Alexa."

"Oh, really? So, the one who told me I couldn't race was your secret twin brother?"

"I was just trying to warn you it could be dangerous, and, by the way, I was right about because you almost crashed into a wall thanks to that idiot Huxley."

"But nothing happened to me, and I won the damn race. Can't you see that you're not right?" I finally explode, shouting with a fiery glare.

"I was right the moment you were about to lose control of your fucking car!"

"Nothing happened to me, damn it! Can't you admit that you're not an all-powerful god who can't be wrong?"

"You're the one who won't admit it! You were damn lucky you didn't get hurt. Think straight for once!"

Ace steps closer to me, both of our chests rising and falling rapidly with the anger boiling inside us. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife. We glare at each other in a silence filled with unspoken words, like two boxers about to hear the starting bell.

"It wasn't luck; it was talent! Fucking hell, realize that I'm capable of more than just..."

My yelling is suddenly silenced by his lips against mine, soon moving as if I were the first sip of cold water he's had after months in the desert. It doesn't take me half a second to wrap my arms around his neck and respond to that kiss filled with tension, anger, and so much, much passion. Our tongues start battling for dominance, with him winning in just a few seconds. His hands find my ass and lift me in his arms as if I weighed less than a feather, kissing me against the wall. I begin to feel his erection against me and can't help but think about doing other things with him, things that don't actually involve clothes. The pent-up anger of these past days mixes with the adrenaline from today's race, charging our kiss with passion and fierceness, showing that we both crave victory, even in this field.

Hurriedly, I manage to open the door to my home and enter while he's still carrying me, squeezing my ass until I feel his erection against my crotch. Ace wastes no time and places me on my kitchen counter, starting to undress me without stopping kissing me in that fierce way that turns me on so much, while I remove his shirt and toss it to the floor carelessly. My hands soon get rid of his pants, scratching his bare torso without any care until reaching his length. I need him, I need him now in every possible way to relieve this tension boiling inside me, this huge anger that has only fueled more passion and desire for this angry and combative Ace I've come to know these past few weeks and find so damn attractive.

"You're not going to beat me in this, too, bunny," he growls, grabbing my thighs until I'm seated right on the edge of the counter.

His words make me look at him with a mix of anger and desire before kissing him passionately, digging my nails into his back. I want him to swallow his words, to prove that I'm right, to make him lose his mind and be completely at my mercy.

"We'll see about that," I respond with a dark smile, jumping off the counter to kneel in front of him.

"If you think sucking me off is going to get you anywhere, you're..." His words turn into a choked groan as my mouth envelops the tip of his cock, savoring it with my tongue.

While making sure to caress every inch of his length unattended by my mouth with my hand, I look at him with a determined expression, knowing that right now he is completely at my mercy, that I've won, at least for now. Without taking my eyes off his, I let my mouth take him in more and more until I reach the base, controlling the gag reflex triggered by feeling his tip at the back of my throat. Ace lets his head fall back and grabs my hair into an impromptu ponytail, trying to guide the movements of my head, but I don't let him. My mouth returns to the tip, making it clear that if he dares to try to move my head, the blowjob will end.

"You're the fucking Devil, Alexa, you know that?"

With a cocky smirk, I start moving my head and hand, combining my motions to please him perfectly. My tongue caresses the veins that stand out under his skin, delighting in his groans of pure need. I know he's close; I can tell by how he's trying to control himself, not daring to guide my movements. When I take him fully once more, I gently fondle his balls, driving him crazy. Just as he's seconds away from coming undone, I pull away and stand up with an innocent smile. Ace looks at me wide-eyed, breathing heavily.

"That will teach you who's in charge here," I declare, turning to head towards the bedroom, but his hand grabs my wrist before I can move.

I feel Ace behind me, his erection pressed against my bare ass, and I can't help but get excited thinking about the possibilities of what he might do to me after what I've just done.

"Get on the counter, right now."

I almost want to disobey, but his deep tone, more dominant than I've ever heard from him, makes me bend over the surface without protest, offering him a perfect view of my entrance. I hear the sound of a condom wrapper being torn behind me, and without warning, Ace thrusts into me, making me gasp in surprise. He doesn't give me a second to adjust to his size; instead, he grabs my hair until my back is arched and begins fucking me mercilessly, chasing his own pleasure.

The roughness of his actions makes me moan louder, turning me on even more as he handles me at his mercy. It only takes a few minutes for him to come, thrusting sloppily until he comes down from his climax. I think he's going to pull out and leave, but then I feel him lean into my ear, still pushing in and out inside me, and whisper:

"A good winner knows it's not a true victory if his girl doesn't enjoy it too."

Hey, babes!

It seems these two found the perfect way to release all the tension 😅 what do you think will happen now?

I'll be reading you! ❤️