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═══════ LAP 11/15 ═══════

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To the readers who don't follow me but constantly ask about updates, I'll stress this one last time. I DON'T have an update schedule. I DO however, announce on my board whenever I'm about to update & ask my readers if they're online. If you don't follow me an author, you can't exactly expect to be kept up to speed so follow me if you wanna stay updated & influence when I update... Duh.

Also, I wanna share this announcement I put out after LAP 10:

That's all. THANK YOU SM FOR 41+K!!! LEAVE A VOTE, SPAM MY ASS &
ENJOY THE CHAPTER!
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Beaming rays invade our garage as I spend the sunny morning getting a head start on a customer's busted Ford, keeping up my comfy fashion of a rolled-up white vest, tracksuit bottoms and Nike's.

Since I wasn't too drunk last night, I was able to wake up early and immediately get to work in Dad and I's garage. Fixing ordinary cars suddenly doesn't seem so bad... Not since I started avoiding Gatti anyway.

...I'm still mad at JK. Furious, even. It just wouldn't be right for me to go back there and risk my safety again after what he did... Maybe I was tipsy, and I doubt I'll drink like that again, but I don't regret the things I said. I finally got to express how I felt.

"Shego?" Dad enters, lowering his toolbox as he watches me in confusion.

"You're usually at Gatti around now. What are you doing here?"

"Just... Clearing my head." I fail to force a jolly tone.

Dad tosses a rag over his shoulder and pulls a stool beside me before nudging my arm.

"Not the sulky face... How many times do I have to tell you that you can tell your old man anything, hm?" He smiles, "Talk to me."

With a heavy frown, I sigh and stop what I'm doing.

"...I went to a party last night."

"A what-now?"

"Don't worry, it was just some girls and I. We behaived ourselves... Problem is, I was supposed to be working on a car for JK until he found out and came to get me. He was not happy."

"What happened?"

"He just said a lot of hurtful things... I understand where I went wrong, I-I do, but the way he spoke to me felt so... Harsh. Like I wasn't important. Like I was replaceable. It was all really sudden... It's like no matter how obedient or polite I am, I just can't warm up to him Paps."

I know it's just work, and I know I shouldn't be surprised by JK's ways... But it just hurts to accept that the guy I'm falling for, the ONLY guy I've ever fallen for, would shoot me. Especially when I'd never hurt him.

"...Seems like you care a lot about this JK guy."

I chew my lip to contain the tears that sprout when recalling that night.

"...I do. I just wish he cared about me back, you know? Whether that be as a mechanic or as a person."

"Aw Pumpkin." Dad wraps me in his arms the moment a tear drops from my eye.

"Any boy that doesn't treat you the way you deserve, doesn't deserve your company. Because I can tell you right now, my daughter? She deserves to be treated like a princess." He tucks a hair behind my ear. "And I'll beat up any guy that disagrees, seriously."

I sniff and chuckle as Dad raises my chin high. Honestly, I probably would've tolerated what JK did if it wasn't for him. I guess I owe it to Dad for setting the right standard.

"I love you Paps."

"Love you too Pumpkin."

He kisses my forehead.

"Oh! That reminds me. I've been collecting tips along with your profits and storing them in the piggy bank. Now that you're not at Gatti, we'll have to work twice as hard, but I think we could have that garage expansion by the end of the year."

"Then we'd better get to work." I wipe my eye with a smile, "This Ford isn't going to repaint itself."

"Repaint? Shoot, we're all out of blue paint... Alright, I'm gonna quickly get some more from the store. Watch the garage?"

"Yessir." I salute playfully.

Dad kisses my forehead again before exiting the garage, leaving me to return to the license plate that I was unscrewing...

But not even two minutes later—

*Vroooommm!*

A motorcycle engine loudly revs up our street from the distance, ruining the peaceful summer's silence and speeding straight into our garage. I glance up, but recognize the driver's tattoos and instantly look down.

What's he doing here.

JK parks and gets off of his motorbike before coolly strolling towards the car I'm working on and sitting against the hood.

"She, come here."

I can feel him in my peripheral vision... Watching me with that calm smirk while I awkwardly try to avoid his gaze.

Don't do it Shego... Remember, you're mad at him.

"You sure you wanna be ignoring me?"

After some seconds, I slowly stop and peer up at JK who stares at me with a strict expression, looking as tanned, iced out and dangerous as ever...

...Dammit.

I put down my tools and walk over to JK with a scowl, even folding my arms once I reach him. "Yes?"

JK just cracks a closed grin at my bluff before grabbing my waist and pulling me onto his lap possessively.

My mouth immediately falls open and cheeks flush as I try to pull away, "JK—!"

"Why you being like this?" His brows screw. "You acting like I hit you."

"...Are you serious? JK you locked me in your car and pulled a GUN on me!"

"Tch, I wasn't actually gonna shoot you. That's just what we do here, damn."

"And that's your reasoning?! All I did was have ONE night out JK, something you and the guys do all the time yet somehow I'm the prostitute for dancing on one guy. Then I had to wrestle you and dodge a BULLET when all I wanted was to leave... At any point did you think, 'I've scared her enough. Let me stop?' No, because your instant solution is always to either install unnecessary fear or use violence! You didn't even care that I was crying and shaking beside you..."

I look away from his eyes when my own water.

"I-I know I shouldn't have left Gatti, but I don't need to be threatened every time I make a mistake. I'm a big girl, I know how to just listen. But after being in that car last night... I'm scared of you JK." I catch my tear with the palm of my wrist, my voice cracking slightly.

"S-so there, you wanted me to fear you and you got it. I'm can't come back to Gatti if you're gonna treat me like this... I just can't..."

I turn the other way and sniff with my wrist still against my eye. With his hands on my hips, JK continues to stare me down before shrugging.

"Sorry."

I sniff and face him, but turn around again. "You don't mean it."

"Nah, straight up. I ain't had to do all that... But you gotta understand, this race is important to me, so you wandering off allows my shit to get tampered with by AD. Not only that, it puts your ass in danger too."

"Which I understand." I nod, "Well thank you for apologizing... I'm sorry for leaving the garage."

"I mean... You looked real sexy at that club." He licks his lips, his shifting touch causing my heart to suddenly race. "Made the jealousy worth it."

...Jealous? Him??

"So we good now?"

I look away and sigh with my arms still crossed. JK lowers his head to observe my face with a grin and bounces his knee beneath me, as if shaking the desired answer out of me.

"...Fine. We're good."

"Good. I expect to see you at Gatti tonight." His hands stay comfortable. I look down and press back an awkward smile.

"Well I guess I'll see you later then—"

I attempt to stand up when his grip suddenly tightens on my hips and I'm harshly grounded back onto his lap.

"Did I say we were done here?"

JK's moonless glare falls to my lips, hypnotizing me to stare back at his with a nervous gulp. As if carrying all the confidence in the world, the alluring driver leans in and hungrily locks his lips with mine...

His lips brush smoothly yet dominantly at the pace of his hands caressing my waist. My body unconsciously turns more towards him, palms rested against his chest as he already rolls his tongue against my own.

Soft snacks bounce between our lips before JK pulls away and smirks at my surprised expression.

"Don't act shocked. You know you been feelin' me too She."

I bite my lip and smile sheepishly while he links my arms around his neck and rests his hands back on my hips. We both lean in again when—

*CLANG!*

JK and I quickly turn to see Dad staring at us with a numb jaw, having dropped everything in his hands.

"Paps!"

"Shego, who's this?!" He storms in.

"P-Paps this isn't—"

"No no, I want to hear from him." Dad points in a hostile manner. "What's your name son?"

"JK." He nudges his chin.

"Ohhh, so you're the boy who hurt my little girl, huh? And I meant the name your mother birthed you with, not one of your little street personas."

"Paps, please. He apologized." I softly push his chest. JK only chuckles, making Dad even angrier.

"You better wipe that grin before I—"

"Stop!" My yell shocks Dad when I stand before him.

"I said he apologized. I forgive him so please, trust me by doing the same..."

He gives me a long, soft gaze before motioning to JK and scowling. The younger gets up from the car hood and walks towards us, holding his hand out with a calm smirk.

"JK, this is my dad. Dad... JK."

Dad's eyebrow arches more than ever. He stares at JK's hand before gripping it and shaking intensely.

"So what are you doing here, hm? Come to hurt my baby some more?"

"Paps!"

"Nah, I'm here to make sure you can keep up them Burberry shirts you be wearing." JK pinches Dad's collar teasingly before tucking a hand in his pocket. "See you at the club She."

Before I can even respond, JK pulls my waist and presses his lips to mine before walking to his luxury motorcycle and bolting off. I slowly and awkwardly look back at Dad with wide eyes...

"You better not be thinking about going back to that club."

"Well..."

"Nope, no way. I let you work there to fix cars, not to run around with these hoodlums. Boys like that are after one thing Shego. I won't watch you get hurt again."

"Paps, I won't. I'm a big girl, I can handle myself. You just have to have faith in me, okay?"

Dad sighs frustratedly under the influence of my cute pout.

"Fine. But please don't rush into anything with that boy Shego... I'm trusting you here. And if he hurts you again, there'll be no more nice Paps. I'm snapping his neck."

"I'd appreciate it." I laugh.

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"Whooooooo!"

A trio of adrenaline-rushed thugs hang from the windows of their blue-flamed silver Lexus, sporting matching blue smoke that spits out the rears as they spin doughnuts. The open site is crowded with AD members, smoking, passing drugs and chatting amongst the many expensive cars that surround them.

In the midst of it all, Agust watches the site from his Lambo roof and smokes a cigarette.

"Agust."

India passes a cellphone for the leader to hold against his ear. "Who's this."

"Yo man, it's A$AP."

"A$AP? What happened to you? India told me you in hospital."

"Agh..." He hisses when sitting up. "That punk-ass JK shot me in the fucking knee. Got me up in hospital for months..."

"What? JK did this to you?"

"Yeah. All because I was gonna fuck his girl."

"Hwasa? Since when he cared about that flat ass bitch—"

"Nah, not that one. Some new young-looking girl called Shego... I think our old foe's got a new weakness." He chuckles through the phone.

Agust cracks a massive smirk at the sound of those words, falling onto his back with spread legs and a sigh of satisfaction. "Is that so?"

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— NEXT WEEK —

It's 9PM... One hour before the club opens and will flood with its usual audience. Despite the nightly hour, the sky only reaches an ocean blue that darkens the buildings around us and hosts a minty half-moon.

JK, Quavo and Offset hang out by Quavo's open yellow Lamborghini Diablo GT1 Stradale while I clean my Honda from the distance of my garage, letting the three men chat amongst themselves and roll their weed to bassful hip-hop music.

It's so hard to focus with JK's occasional flirting and our kiss... But this is work at the end of the day. I've got to play it cool and keep my butterflies under control.

Still, why does he have to be so hot...

"You heard from Takeoff?" Offset asks.

Quavo sits sideways on his driver's seat and puffs, "Mm. He's still wounded. I'm finna visit him after this though... Oh and Offset, ya girl been blowing up my phone looking for your ass. I think they formed some kinda baby momma squad. Might wanna hit her up."

"Man, what more that bitch want? I already took the kid for the weekend like shit..."

"Daddy daddy! Can I play with the pretty motorbike?!" A cute little melanated girl skips over, her hair beautifully twisted and secured with rainbow bobbles.

"Course baby."

"Yayyy! Thank you thank youuu!"

JK smiles as the little girl innocently skips past before motioning his gaze to me. To my oblivion, I focus on cleaning my car while he watches my body.

"Real talk, I'm feelin a race right 'bout now." Quavo throws away his remaining paper. "Yo JK? You wanna race before everyone gets here or what?"

JK allows smoke to leave his nostrils whilst observing the way I lean over with my jacket slipped from my shoulder and hair parted to one side. The racer smirks and blows a forceful whistle.

"She!"

My head snaps up the instant I notice him curling two fingers at me. With a gulp, I dry off my hands and hurry over.

"Yeah?"

"Quavo's feeling a race right now. You wanna tail him around the block?"

"...Y-you want me to race?"

He shrugs, "You been wanting to drive, right? Now's your chance. Show us how hot them wheels are."

"Ayyy looks like it's you and me Shawty." Quavo shakes my shoulder. I remain frozen with parted lips.

"Guys, I know how to drive now but I've never raced before."

"Girl, if you wanna be in Gatti you gotta race at some point." Offset laughs, "It's just for fun, loosen up."

My nervous expression eventually thaws under his words. I reluctantly return to my pink custom Honda, turning the key and slowly pulling up beside Quavo's Lamborghini. The contrast of our cars are enough to catch the eyes of helicopters, bringing a burst of color to the unlit backstreet.

"Daddy daddy! I wanna wave the flag!"

Offset laughs and picks up his daughter who had found one of Hwasa's checkered flags. JK steps back with folded arms while Offset stands beside him with his daughter on his shoulders, waving her flag with two hands. The scene automatically feels like our own lighthearted mini race... No crowd, no Big Joe, no angry Hwasa, just good vibes.

"Listennn up y'all! The first one to come back wins the race and is the bestest! On your marks?!" She shouts adorably.

I giggle at her simplistic rules while the other guys smile. My fingers begin to curl around my leather wheel and head turns to the long road ahead...

"Get set!"

Quavo's car starts to rev fiercely. I pass him a daring grin and press my foot to do the same...

"Imma go easy on you she!"

"Don't you dare!" I laugh back.

Offset and his daughter pass each other a wide grin before shouting simultaneously—

"Go!"

My Honda swings at the rear when I bolt off behind Quavo's Lamborghini that catapults with orange flames. JK observes both cars as the two of us shrink in the distance.

For us though, the escalating hums of our engines do anything but, canceling any other sound in the street. My hands grip the wheel tighter and eyes squint through the hair strands invading my face as Quavo glances at me and smiles.

"Left!"

A screech strikes our tires when we both drift around the bend and tear through the left street.

Being on the inner corner, I swerve faster than Quavo who surpasses me by a few inches until we're repeatedly overtaking each other, causing the newspapers and skirts of the street to blow.

"Whoaa now chile! You see that Peggy?! I swear them kids tryna' blow ma damn wig off every damn day." Mama Lou pulls down her slipping wig from her front lawn.

Quavo and I pass each other lighthearted laughs as we whip around another couple of street corners. With Gatti just ahead, the pointer on my pink neon dashboard rises and car vibrates as I speed mercilessly beside Quavo...

"Come on Shegoooo!" Offset's daughter cheers.

A pink flame pops from my rear the instant yellow ones blow from Quavo's. It's at that moment that some Gatti watchers enter the backstreet to notice they've walked in on an early race.

With not even an inch apart, Quavo and I dash to our original spot at the exact same time, causing the watchers to cheer.

"Hoorayyyy, everyone's a winner!"

"Damn Shawty, I ain't know you could drive like that. And you made this car? Respect." Quavo exits his car and leans over mine.

I show him a heartfelt smile and accept his hand by smacking it.

Honestly, tying a Lamborghini with a DIY Honda in my first ever race is pretty impressive. I can't say I'm not proud of myself.

After watching me exit my car with a smirk, JK finally walks over and nods.

"Good job."

I look down and smile shyly...

"Thanks."

He loses focus when his eyes trail down my face. As if not caring about the people around us, he suddenly grabs my jaw and keeps my face close to his, his sharp jawline angled and gaze still on my lips.

"You know, I should really reward you..." His thumb strokes my lip—

"JK!"

My gaze fails to detach from JK's lips straight away despite him turning his head and loosening his hold on my jaw. I then turn also to notice Big Joe standing by the club door.

"Get in 'ere boy! We going to my office!"

A delayed but discrete sigh airs from JK's mouth as he leans off of me and follows his boss to his inside, leaving me to watch with an unsatisfied frown.

"OooOoo... Y'all were gonna kissss." Offset's daughter giggles.

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— INSIDE —

Taking a wiggle of his heavy mustache, Big Joe collapses into his office chair and props his feet up on a mountain of money with a cigar between his teeth.

"How's your day been son?"

"...It's been—"

"Right so I got a job for you. You gone' like this one."

JK just sighs and holds his arms. "Who you want me to race this time?"

"Actually, you racing seven people." The older leans forward. "I guess them judges liked what they saw 'cause I got you a race in a real Formula 1 circuit boy!"

"What?!"

"Yep, and not none of them little circle ones either. You gone' be driving across the west coast, 6 miles per lap in one of them custom sponsor cars. I've been putting in a good word for you for these investors to place some big bets. And the best part? If you win, I get 70% of the earnings!"

JK smiles in shock, too happy to acknowledge or care about the money.

"This is crazy... Wait, who am I racing?"

"T. Scott; a professional racer, Vin, another professional, Kodak, 69, Wayne, Birdman... Aaand someone from that AD gang, I on't know boy I ain't no goddam memory machine. So you in or what?"

"Hell yeah I'm in." JK slaps the elder's hand.

"Remember, this ain't no backstreet race boy. The laps are long; meaning these people can play dirty when the audience ain't around, so watch your back AND front." He pokes the youngers chest.

JK nods as Big Joe grabs his shoulders and leans in intimidatingly.

"I'm betting A LOT of money on you son. This is your dream as well as mine, so don't let us down." With a suddenly chirpy smile, he squeezes JK's shoulders despite the racer's frown. "Now go make me some money."