Chapter 108 - WORK

It's official: Gerald Tollido is a prick. 

The way his eyes raked my body like I was a piece of meat he couldn't wait to devour made my skin crawl. It took everything in me to not punch the living daylights out of him (it'd hurt like a bitch if I did. My punches aren't the best) but I'd get the satisfaction of knowing I hit the guy who objectified me.

Luckily, Jason did the punching for me. He hit him square on the jaw and had blood oozing out of him faster than he could scream. I didn't expect that punch, it literally came out of nowhere and I was surprised. Gerald deserved it but still, I was shocked.

And happy and giddy.

While I don't condone violence, I can't help but state the fact that he hit him because of me. Fuck, I almost kissed him at that moment. Jason is doing a lot of things I'd never expected him to do. I never expected him to take me home, I never expected him to shoot a person for me, I never expected him to defend me against Mariah, hell I never expected him to climb a tree, risking his life, so that he'd kiss me.

When he said he wanted to protect me, he really meant that shit.

I can't help but say I like him more, if that even makes any sense.

''Jason, you're up.'' Janet, the woman who drugged me back at 'the base' says. I don't know what I was expecting the minute we came here but it wasn't her face that's for sure. I guess she has business here because of Jason. 

He nods once and turns to me as his eyes twinkle. I should be scared or freaked out because this is literally illegal street racing and if the cops come here, we're all so screwed Not to mention, Theo would have my head, but for some reason, I don't care when it comes to him. I can tell he gets a rush out of this-he loves the adrenaline, he loves the trash talking, he loves the nightlife. 

It's so obvious and I'm happy he trusts me enough to show me this side of him.

''You good?''

I nod, despite the fact that I'm cold. I don't know how Janet can comfortably wear shorts in this weather. I'm in his suit jacket and I'm still cold.

''A little cold, but I'll survive,'' I grin. ''Are you good?'' The excitement in the crowd's voice is definitely something. They are acting like it's a boxing match and Gerald and Jason are about to kill each other. From their reactions, it's obvious that they're not new to the Jaguar, neither are they new to the rivalry between them.From what I gathered, they've had several matches and Jason has had the upper hand, however in the last match, Gerald cheated and the race that's about to happen is some sort of rematch.

''I am,'' he confirms with a grin of his own. He kisses the top of my forehead and Janet hurries him over to his Veyron with a glare in my direction. I'm guessing she still doesn't like me, either that or she doesn't trust me. It could be both.

The two cars have already been parked side by side in the direction of the road that we came from minutes ago. The crowd scream like blood hounds, each person having a favourite. 'King' and 'Beast' are the only things that can be heard from a mile away.

Or maybe not, because this place is on the outskirts of Bridgewood, took a solid forty minutes to get here from my house, and is surrounded by vegetation and grassland.

''Hey.'' I turn to my side and see a familiar face, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

''Hey?''

''Pearson,'' he completes. 

Oh right. The third of the quartet.

''Now I remember.'' After Jason released me, Pearson walked me to my car. He seemed nice, I guess.

''Yea.'' He's clad in a grey leather jacket and dark jeans with an equally dark ball cap covering his hair and face. ''It's a full production, isn't it?''

Jason and Gerald are standing next to their respective vehicles, the crowd still cheering. Janet is officiating this race because she has a flag in her hands. 

I nod. ''It is.''

''He has never brought anyone here before," Pearson says, still staring at the race.

''Alright,'' Janet yells. ''It's not your first rodeo so you both know the rules. It's a ten minutes drive from here to Shadow Valley. You get there and come back first, you win. No cheating, no scratching of each other's vehicles and definitely no stopping. It's a free road, cleared out because folks would be in bed by now.'' They both nod as we watch from the sidelines. ''Also, no killing each other.'' I snicker. ''That's the most important rule.''

''He hasn't?'' I question to Pearson. Raymond said this before but I still want to hold a conversation with Pearson. 

''He hasn't so I was surprised when you both walked in together.''

''On your mark.'' The two both enter the Veyrons.

''He must like you if he willingly brought you here.''

''I guess he does,'' I answer with a small smile.

''Get ready.'' The engines roar to life.

''And he must trust you enough. He doesn't trust a lot of people.'' 

Janet waves the flag and the two speed off into the darkness, the crowd cheering loudly.

''I guess we have that in common then,'' I respond, my arms folded. ''I don't trust a lot of people either.''

''Good to know.'' He stares me down. ''I hope his trust isn't misplaced.''

What's his problem?

''I don't know what you're suggesting.''

His lips quirk at the tip. ''I'm not suggesting anything. Just trying to see if he's making a mistake. Jason doesn't let people in his inner circle, nor does he ever let people know about this.'' He points to the empty streets. ''He never lets people see this side of him and never lets his guard down.''

Oh.

''It's why he's such a good leader and why we are respected and feared.'' He watches my expression. Of couse I know he's in a gang and according to the conversation I heard when I was spying on Ryan, they are the most respected gang in Bridgewood.

''He told you, didn't he?''

''He did.''

He shakes his head with a smile. ''He's fucking whipped then.''

I chuckle. ''Well, if he trusts you and I trust his judgement, I can learn to trust you since I have a feeling you'd be around for a while.'' 

Progress. 

"Can I ask you something?"

He nods.

"What does O.T.S.S mean?" It's the password to this place.

"You haven't figured it out yet?"

"Nope."

"O.T.S.S means Only The Swiftest Survive. A Jaguar is a swift animal so that's why this place is called the Jaguar and that's why the password is...well that."

It makes sense now.

"Besides," he continues. "In order to be a member here, you have to be fast, daring and risky just like a Jaguar. If you aren't, people won't wager on you."

My gaze falls on a Hispanic man who is standing next to a car taking money from people and writing stuff on a piece of paper. As they stuff money in his face, he eagerly takes it and separates them into piles.

''Who is that?'' I motion to the guy.

''That's David. He's the booker for the Jaguar.''

''He replaced Darnell?'' He looks at me in surprise. ''He told you about that too?'' I nod. ''Well shit,'' he mutters. ''He's extra whipped.''

He's whipped and I am too.

''He did replace Darnell and the people shoving money in his face are placing bets on who would win, Jason or Gerald.'' He points to the separate piles of money on the hood of his car. ''Those are the monies that people invest in this race. It's what keeps the Jaguar on its feet and it pays Ray's salary so it works.''

''One pile is bigger than the other.''

''That's Jason's pile,'' he says with a proud smile. ''I would have bet but I don't have to. He's the undefeated champion, has been since he was sixteen. Only a fool would bet on Gerald.''

''Gerald and Jason don't like each other very much?''

He doesn't say anything for a minute, my guess is he's pondering how much information he's meant to divulge. There's a lot I don't know about Jason and there's a lot I don't know about his life, his world. I'm aware of that. He has tried to be as open and honest with me, I appreciate that, but I know he's still hiding shit from me.

He doesn't even owe me an explanation considering we're not officially dating and I'm keeping secrets myself, the biggest being Theo's identity and the fact that Theo knows that Jason is in a gang. I guess Pearson is right to not trust me, but the truth is, I'd never do or say anything to jeopardize Jason. 

Call it a Bonnie and Clyde shit but I had many opportunities to rat him out but I didn't. He did the same for me too. He knew I was dating Bob but didn't spread the news to the whole school when he and I both knew we hated each other's guts nor did he tell Mariah or it would have been a huge scandal. Mariah was insinuating it back when I returned back to school after the accident, but it never had any substance and people thought she was just being spiteful to someone who had just come back from the hospital. Hence, the situation died.

We can call it even.

''They don't,'' he confirms. ''And I have a feeling that their issues run deeper than the races and the dominance of territories. He never talks about himself a lot.''

''Oh. He has my money then.'' And my heart. ''Bets on him winning.''

''I wouldn't let you bet otherwise,'' he grins.

I feel a shove at my back, nearly knocking me over face forward but I regain my balance quickly. I turn sharply in irritation and Pearson follows my gaze.

''Excuse me,'' a deep voice says. A man in a red ball cap fades into view. ''That was an accident.''

''Sure,'' my irritation subsides when his face shows sincerity. ''No problem.''

He side steps me and hurries off, lost in the sea of people. I notice a piece of paper on the floor and I pick it up. ''Stranger, your....'' Oh right, he's gone. ''Paper.''

''What's that?'' Pearson asks, looking at the paper curiously.

''A paper. That guy hit me and I guess he dropped this in his haste.''

Pearson looks at the note sceptically, then nods. ''That's weird.''

Weird indeed.