Free Faster Longer (Take Me...#3) (New Adult Bad Boy Racer Novel) by Colleen Masters Page A

even concluded when Enzo
is forced to come back to the pit—an unprecedented move. The emerald green
racer pulls into the pit, and Enzo furiously rips his helmet off his head. His
eyes are on fire with anger and frustration, and I know enough to keep my
distance. He doesn’t need me telling him what to do right now.
    “What the fuck is the matter with this car?” my brother
roars. Beyond him, I watch as Harrison pulls into the McClain pit as well,
equally undone by his stunted vehicle.
    “It was running fine in the preliminaries,” Gus says, “I
don’t know what’s happened. But we’re going to fix it. I promise you.”
    “Do whatever you have to do, and do it fast!” Enzo shouts
slamming his hands against the steering wheel.
    The pit crew toils away, looking for the source of the
problem. Finally, a commotion goes up on the far side of the car, and Gus
hurries around to see what’s wrong. I hold my breath as the crew deliberates
over the vehicle, solemn looks on their faces.
    “What?” I demand, “Gus, what is it?”
    “Someone’s tampered with it,” Gus says grimly, “I don’t know
how, I don’t know—”
    “Well, what does that mean?” Enzo shouts, “How are you going
to fix it?”
    “It’s a small problem, but a dangerous one,” Gus says, “By
the time we have it fully fixed, the race could already be over.”
    “What?!” Enzo and I shout in unison.
    “Can you jerry rig it in the meantime?” Enzo demands.
    “It might not be safe...” Gus says anxiously.
    “I don’t give a damn about safe!” Enzo cries, “Just get me
back in there!”
    I stand back as the pit crew sets to work, doing their best
to fix whatever problem’s arisen overnight. My head is spinning with
possibilities. Up until now, my suspicion that someone’s been trying to
sabotage Enzo and Harrison has been hypothetical. Pure conjecture. But after
today, I don’t think anyone can honestly believe that these are just
coincidences anymore. Enzo receives those incriminating pictures of me and
Harrison the day of the race, and now this? Someone is out to get my brother
and the man I love. And I don’t know how to stomach that. I don’t think that I
can.
    Gus slaps the side of Enzo’s car, signaling that he’s ready
to get back in the race. My brother takes off just seconds after Harrison does.
I guess the McClain pit crew worked their own magic, too. I wrap my arms around
my waist as I watch them roar back into the fray. Their speeds are better,
their trajectories smoother. Maybe there’s hope for them yet.
    “Think it’ll hold up?” I ask Gus.
    “I hope so,” he says, his brow furrowed, “It wasn’t a
catastrophic mess in the undercarriage, but that sort of thing doesn’t happen
by chance. Especially not to two drivers at once. I can’t believe someone would
so something like that.”
    Unfortunately, I can. Jealousy and competition can be very
destructive, especially when they grip the wrong person. I send as much
positive energy toward my brother and Harrison as I possibly can and force deep
breaths into my lungs. It’s going to be a long race, after all.
    Things really do begin to look up after the boys’ first pit
stop. With every lap, it seems as though they’re gaining more control. By the
time they’ve reached the last legs of the race, they’re back up where they belong.
Rostov, Landers, and Marques hold onto the top three spots, but Harrison and
Enzo gain on them with every second. Even with the race’s shoddy start, it
lifts my heart to see Enzo and Harrison not trying to screw each other on the
track today. I suppose they both have bigger things to worry about than edging
in over each other. As long as they both finish the Grand Prix safe and sound,
I’ll personally be the happiest camper in Britain.
    “Almost there,” I whisper, as they begin the penultimate
lap. “Stay with it, boys. You’re doing great.” I know they can’t hear me, but I
can't help but cheer them on from the