Fueled Hate: A Dark College Bully Romance

by A. J. Logan

  Taking off, I don’t look for my challenger. I don’t care about his start. I only care about my finish.

  Darkness surrounds the track, only the headlights provide a glimpse of the abandoned pavement with rubber markings covering the asphalt. I’ve raced on dirt, cement, gravel, all of it. But this place has a life of its own.

  Crossing the finish line, I note my opponent finishes behind me. Two more wins, and I’ll be in the final race. The only race I’m here for. The only race that matters.

  The second race runs much like the first. A Mustang to my left, launching with only my path in my tunnel vision as it becomes a blur, the finish line behind me as I see the Mustang come up short.

  The next race is closer at the finish, but I cross the line first, sending me to the final race.

  Pulling off the main track, I shut off the car, and step out. Parker shouts out wagers for the final race which starts in five minutes so bets close in two.

  Leaning against my car, Bryce joins me, propping beside me as he says, “Damn, boy, that was solid.”

  “Thanks.” I glance over at the ZR1 pulling up ten feet away.

  Kyle steps out, lazily glancing over me. He moves next to Sadie, leaning over to whisper something in her ear.

  Why? Why the fuck does she let him touch her when he was just kissing someone else right in front of her? I’m more than aware that my rage is showing on my face, and Kyle takes notice as he grins, walking over to me. I need to get my shit together. I know how to play mind games better than anyone—and I can’t let him, or her, get to me.

  “I know you like watching, so you’re welcome to watch me take both my victory lap and my victory pussy tonight.”

  “I doubt either would be a good show,” Bryce says as I remain silent.

  Kyle looks over his shoulder glancing to Sadie who’s a few feet away, talking to Willow and Parker. “What’re the odds, Park?”

  Parker disregards him, though Willow answers in the form of flipping Kyle the bird. I knew I liked her for a reason. Sadie should really take a cue from her friend.

  “I don’t need to know the odds. I know the outcome,” I say to Kyle. Most of the crowd surrounding us were already focused on the conversation, but now others inched forward to enjoy the shit-talking. Only I’m not blowing smoke up his ass. I know the outcome, and it won’t be him taking a victory lap ever again on this track.

  Kyle turns to look back to me, tilting his head. “Is that right? Well, if you’re so sure maybe we should up the stakes.”

  “What do you have in mind?” Bryce asks, pulling the baiting move we’ve done a million times. Only, I don’t want his car. Not yet. Bryce continues, lying through his teeth. “I don’t have much cash on me, but maybe we could come to some arrangement.”

  “How about we race for pinks?” Kyle says, giving my car a dismissive glance. “I’m sure I could part it out or something.”

  “I don’t want your car.”

  “What are you doing?” Bryce whispers as he leans over. I know I’m going off script, but this is a better mind game then taking his car. I’ll save that for later. Right now, I have my sights set elsewhere.

  Kyle laughs, looking back to his ZR1. “Are you sure? It’s a much better ride than you’ll ever be able to get your hands on.” He shrugs his shoulders, egging on the crowd before asking, “So, you don’t want the car, and you don’t have the cash, then what are the terms?”

  “Her.”

  The grin drops off Kyle’s face as a gasp sounds from behind him. I’m guessing it’s courtesy of Willow or Sadie. The only ones who know exactly who I’m talking about. Kyle’s certainty has faded, yielding to his weakness, but he won’t give in that easy. “And what do I get if I win?”

  “Fuck off. You are not seriously having this conversation right now,” Sadie interjects, moving in front of Kyle. He ignores her. Bull’s-eye.

  “Name your terms,” I say as Sadie’s furious scowl turns to me.

  “Leave. If I win, you leave this track, school, town, and you never come back. I’m sure there’s another uni in whatever miserable shithole you crawled out of.”

  I knew my existence bothered him, but he wants rid of me bad enough that he’d wager her just to see me gone. Little does he know how much he’ll really be losing—not only this race and Sadie, but his reigning title as king of the Dome, his self-respect, whatever dignity he might possess, and soon, his precious ZR1. There’s a long list of shit that I plan to strip away from him one by one, but tonight I’ll enjoy every second of capturing his pride and his girl.

  “Deal.”

  “What the fuck do you mean deal?” Sadie steps in front of me, shoving me back. Did she expect something different? From her irate appearance, she wasn’t expecting this wager, but I can live with that. It’s not the first time I’ve made her angry, and it definitely won’t be the last. Livid, she turns back to Kyle. “I didn’t agree to this. Keep me out of your ludicrous pissing match and come up with different terms.”

  Kyle continues to ignore Sadie as she stands in front of him while Willow yells at the top of her lungs, calling Kyle and me every cuss word in the book, and a few that aren’t. Kyle nods. “Deal.”

  Sadie throws her hands in the air, looking between Kyle and me. “Are you fucking kidding me? Are both you idiots hard of hearing? Fuck. You. There’s no deal, because I do not agree to any of this fuckery.”

  “Time to line ’em up,” Parker says uncertainly, but no one makes a move.

  “Do something about this!” Willow shouts at Parker.

  Shrugging, Parker takes a quick scan of the scene then says, “I have no control over that bet. That’s between the three of them.”

  Willow, relentlessly defending her friend, lays into Parker for all she’s worth, shouting for him to stop encouraging the idiotic side bet.

  Kyle stiffly steps away, dropping into the ZR1. He starts it up, pulling into place for the burnout.

  Standing rigid, Sadie pins me with her fuming glare, her eyes locked on me.

  “Just think. You could be rid of me soon.” Not a chance, but I’m enjoying driving her insane, just like she’s done to me since the moment I laid eyes on her.

  “I’m counting on it, no matter what the outcome of this absurd race is.” She pivots, quickly walking to Willow, who is still yelling at Parker. She really is in Sadie’s corner.

  “What happened to keeping your head straight? Keeping focused on the prize?” Bryce asks.

  “It’s all part of the plan.”

  “Since when?”

  “Since now. I want to toy with him, extend his torture, and screw with his head. Then when I take everything, victory will be even sweeter.”

  “What makes you think he’ll race you again after you whop his ass tonight?”

  “His wounded ego won’t allow him to back down.” Dropping into my car, I start it up and pull onto the track, steering around the water box. Driving forward to the starting position, I spot Kyle doing a burnout, smoke billowing from his tires. Just when I think he’s going to pull up to the starting line, his tires start spinning again. He’s either thinking it’ll give him an advantage to have his tires good and warmed up, or he’s just showing off. My guess is the latter. Finally, he pulls into the starting position to my right, the flagger centered ahead of us, and my eyes are on the track. Focus. Drive. Win. It’s as simple as that.

  As soon as the flashlight turns on, I’m off the line and speeding down the marked pavement.

  For the first time ever in a race, I have the desire to look over at my opponent, wanting to know where he is, where I stand. I’m able to fight the urge, maintaining the focus on winning. On Sadie. If I lose this race, I’ll keep my word and leave town. That won’t happen. It’s not that I always win. It’s that I can’t lose. Not against Kyle. Not here. Not ever.

  I see the finish line in sight. Just the line, nothing else. After my STI crosses, I look over to see Kyle behind me. I knew he was close, but I knew the importance o
f focusing on making it over the line. A moment of hesitation could result in a loss.

  Slowly, I make the drive back down the track to the starting line. Coming to a stop, my car is swarmed by the crowd as they whoop and holler, whistling and celebrating the uncrowning of the arrogant king. Spotting Kyle, he slowly steps out of his car, a few of his loyal fans solemnly gathered around him as he eyes me. Yeah, he was the target, but he’s not the focus in the moment. Looking to the side, I see Sadie standing just a few feet past the celebrating crowd. Arms folded across her chest, she’s directing her outraged look right at me. Shaking her head with disgust, her nose scrunches up as she steps back, walking away. She’s really angry, but I can work with that. I can work with anything other than her being with him.

  Willow follows right behind Sadie, the finger she’d given Kyle earlier is now pointed in my direction.

  Bryce walks up, congratulates me, then gives me a puzzled look. “Where’s your prize, Dylan?”

  “Winning. Winning was the prize.”

  Shaking his head, Bryce laughs as he looks to the ground then back up to me. “You’ve never bet anything on a race except cash or pinks, and you signed yourself up for another race when you shouldn’t have been in the first. So do us both a favor and admit that she got to you.”

  “And what if she did?” I ask, not looking at Bryce because we both know he’s correct.

  “Then your head isn’t in the game. And you shouldn’t be in the race or in this town. We both know this won’t end well for you or her. How could it?”

  “Even if I walk away now, there won’t be a happy ending for anyone. It’s too late for that.”

  Bryce places his hand on my shoulder, gripping it as he says, “It’s never too late.”

  “Yeah. It is.” I shove off the car, yank the door open, drop into the seat, and speed off, leaving the celebrating crowd behind. I don’t want the glory, the praise, or even the money. Peace. I need peace. This race should’ve given me some peace. It should’ve eased some of the pain, but now, it only feels like it’s embedded deeper.

  It is too late—for everyone involved.

  14

  Sadie

  “You still with me over there?” Willow asks, sitting on the couch next to me.

  “Yeah,” I mutter, staring at the TV. There’s a show flickering on the screen, but I can’t pay attention to it. Everything seems to be hazy since I walked away from the track. The drive home with Willow was filled with her cussing everyone out—Kyle, Dylan, Parker—no matter that they couldn’t hear her, that didn’t stop her. She did call Parker and yell at him (again) for not stopping the foolery, but I don’t blame Parker. I blame the other idiots who took it upon themselves to designate me as a prize to possess. Their fragile male egos are so fucked up.

  Willow looks to me when a knock sounds on the door, then stands from the couch, stomping her way across the living room. Jerking the door open, she doesn’t skip a beat and resumes her verbal assault—my girl is fired up—as Kyle stands silent.

  “I need to talk to her.” His pleading, pained voice sends rage shooting through my veins.

  Rising from the couch, I walk to the doorway, stepping in front of Willow who has yet to cease yelling obscenities at Kyle, even as she walks away and plops back down on the couch.

  “Now you want to talk? Why is it you’re always ready to talk after the fact?”

  “Sadie, I’m sorry. Everything happened so fast. I didn’t think—”

  “That’s right. You didn’t think about anyone but yourself, like always.”

  “He’s bad news, Sadie. It was just a stupid bet. Don’t go anywhere near him.”

  Is he for real? That’s his concern? Me holding up the terms of the bet that he made on my behalf? “I won’t be going anywhere near him—or you, for that matter.”

  “Don’t do this. We’ve been together too long to throw it all away.”

  “We aren’t together. I told you that this morning. And any smidgen of a chance that we had to remain friends went up in flames when you offered me up as a trophy to be passed around.”

  “I never thought he’d win. He had to have cheated or something. There’s no way he beat me fairly. Andrew said the car isn’t stock. Dylan modified it. I didn’t know.”

  “It doesn’t matter. Everything is done, and you lost more than a stupid race, but that’s still all you’re worried about.” Stepping back, I push the door closed.

  Kyle raises a hand, placing his palm flush against the door, preventing it from closing by a few inches. “Sadie, he’s going to hurt you.”

  “Then y’all have a lot in common.” Shoving the door closed, I twist the dead bolt, satisfied when the lock clicks into place. Turning to face Willow, I say, “I’m going to bed. I have to be at work early.”

  “Yell if you need me,” Willow says, making her way into her room.

  “I think you’ve yelled enough for the both of us,” I tease.

  “That’s what I’m here for. Buncha boneheads … they deserved it and more,” she gives me a thumbs-up before stepping into her bedroom.

  Yeah. They all played a part, but Dylan is the one who escalated it. He’s the one I have the urge to knock some sense into. Kyle was a lost cause to begin with. Yeah, the history between us matters, but it also can’t be undone.

  15

  Sadie

  The morning is speeding by but I’m dragging ass through it, barely able to keep up. The good thing about working early is leaving early, but there’s still another hour left of my shift and Big Tobe’s isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

  The hope of smooth sailing through the remainder of my time is lost when Kyle and Andrew walk in, taking a seat in my section. Damn it. There’s no way I’m serving that blockhead. Hurrying to the waitstaff area, I spot Carrie. “Hey, can you take one of my tables, please?”

  “Which one?”

  “Fourteen,” I respond.

  She peeks around the partition, spotting Kyle and Andrew before looking back to me. “No prob.”

  “Thanks so much. I owe you one,” I say.

  “Nah. I still owe you for recommending your dad’s shop. He literally saved me a small fortune on the repairs.” She grabs two cups of ice water and heads to the table.

  Dad had mentioned he didn’t charge Carrie for labor on the repairs because he knew she was short on funds. I need to remember to thank him again because trading off Kyle’s table was definitely helpful.

  Getting back to my remaining tables, it’s easy to avoid glancing over to Kyle with how busy the place is. I deliver a few plates and refill drinks for a couple of Carrie’s tables to help with the extra load I passed off to her. I’d take every one of her tables to avoid the one of mine, so it was more than worth the extra trips.

  Kyle is nowhere in sight when my shift ends, but I don’t want to risk an ambush, so I hurry to my car and drive off. Hopefully, he got the hint with my blunt statement last night that we’re done.

  I’m not far down the road when my car starts shaking. As I slow down, I realize I have a flat tire. Another flat tire. Glancing around the area, I’m almost certain I’m in the same spot as I was the other night. The only difference is it was dark and raining then. Now, it’s bright and sunny, but there’s a sinister feeling swelling in my gut. What are the chances?

  Hitting the button for my hazards, I survey my surroundings as I step out of the car and glance to the tire. The same tire is flat. Again. A leaky valve stem was the problem the first go-round, which I was assured had been repaired at the tire shop after I finished up with classes on Wednesday. I’d debated holding off until I could get home and to my dad’s shop, but it was a few-dollars fix so I went ahead and had it done, relieved that I didn’t have to completely replace the tire. That might be the best route to go this time if it’s the valve stem again.

  Reaching into the car, I pop the trunk to retrieve the spare. At least it’s not raining and I’m not in a dress this time. I grab the spare and am rolling
it over to the side of the car when I spot the black Subaru pulling to a stop behind me. The same general spot he’d parked in last time. This is not a coincidence. None of it is.

  Dylan emerges from his car, stopping a few feet away as he asks, “Need a hand?”

  “Did you do this? Did you mess with my tire?”

  “Why would I do that?”

  Stomping forward, I close the distance between us. I’m sick and tired of his weird ass lurking around. Insanity. He’s literally making me feel insane. “Why the fuck do you do anything that you do?”

  He doesn’t respond, just stands there with a ridiculously smug look on his face.

  “Leave now. I didn’t need your help last time, and I won’t need your help the next hundred times.”

  As I turn back to my car, a harsh grip seizes my elbow, spinning me around to press my back against the side of my car, it happens so fast I don’t have time to process anything until Dylan has his body flush with mine, pinning me to the door, stone-cold eyes staring into mine.

  “Dylan? What the—”

  His hand raises, rubbing his thumb across my lip as I lose my words. What the hell is going on with him? I should fear this crazy person who has me trapped against my vehicle. Instead, he’s just pissing me off. Do any of these morons have boundaries?

  “Don’t. Touch. Me.”

  “I thought you were different.” His voice is low, but there’s nothing soft about his tone. He brushes his thumb along my jawline, rubbing it over my neck as he leans forward, causing me to press even harder against the car, though I’m unable to put any more space between us.

  “Get out of my way,” I say, keeping my voice as stern as possible. I’d let my guard down, started to trust that he wasn’t some crazy person who’d murder me on the side of the road. And he may not be a murderer, but he’s an out-in-the-open, in-plain-sight crazy person nonetheless.

  Threading his fingers into my hair, he tightly grips as he says, “You’re in my way.”