ial park in Brooklyn

with the smell of burning rubber, cheap beer, and high-octane fu

r echoed down t

antly parted l

ena. She didn't rev the engine for show. She just let

worn leather jacket, an unlit cigarette dangling

he asphalt to stabilize the bike. She didn't take off her helmet

, resting his hand o

se. "We got a problem. Some rich kid rolled in an hour ago. Dropped a mass

head. She followed Finn'

i-million-dollar hypercar, a street-legal spaceship. It had no license plates, a deliberate choice to

side door s

havez st

ack t-shirt. He wore a dark baseball cap pulled low over his brow, a rare concession to anonymit

r of her gloves creaked. Her nominal fiancé was standing fi

ed dead when they landed on the rider in th

d walked straight toward her. The cr

ver the sleek lines of the motorcycle, then up the tight leather suit, lingering

voice was smooth, commanding, and laced with abs

ted plastic. She didn't speak. Her

right hand. She exte

Winner

ved into a danger

starting line. The engines revved, screaming ag

etween the two machines. She raised

ned her chest against the gas tan

lag d

heel-drive system gripped the pavement, rocketing him

the throttle, the Ducati screami

ound the abandoned warehouses, fi

the brakes perfectly, the Aston Martin sliding in

didn't

he motorcycle into a terrifyingly steep lean. He

eee

footpeg. She hugged the inside line, inches from the conc

the Aston Mart

the black shadow tear past his window. A surge of pure ad

he final s

The Aston Martin surged forward with terrifying v

attened her body completely, reducing her aerodynamic dra

cati s

he finish line

owd er

o a violent, sliding stop, the rear tire sm

on by hal

toward her. His chest was heaving. His jaw was locked tight. It was

cket, pulled out a checkbook,

, holding the check out

check. Then she lo

muffled scoff fro

ted the throttle hard. The front wheel li

tire missed Clarke's chest by inches, the

f into the darkness, leaving Clarke

ppear into the night. His fists slowly clenched at hi