I drag a smoke from the cigarette and lean my head back, exhaling it all out, closing my eyes to enjoy the moment and then open them to watch the smoke mix with the air and disappear into the night air.

I feel this is going to be a sweet night.

My eyes fall on Ryder – or Spider as he likes to call himself these days. A guy I've wanted to race against since the moment I turned around and he stabbed me right in the back. The victory against him will be sweet.

As if he's sensing I'm watching him, he slowly turns his head and stares me right in the eyes from a few metres away. People are standing between us, but I can see his eyes perfectly.

I let my lips stretch into a lazy smile and I nod at him. Then I crush the cigarette against my thigh and smash it completely. Ryder's eyes fall down for a second before he looks at me once more and then turns around.

That's it, fucker. Keep hiding from me. We can play this game for how long he wants, but he knows I'll get my hands on him, and he also knows when I do, he won't live until another sunrise.

No one ever messes with me. Especially not the way he did. And just because I counted him as my friend, doesn't mean he gets the privilege to fuck me over and get away with it.

I'm a cold bastard, I'm not denying it. I don't feel compassion anymore. I don't pity anyone. If you do me wrong, you pay. I don't listen to any excuses and any apologies. I especially hate begging.

Who's the weak one now, asshole?

I remove my eyes from the bastard who still has to pay for what he did. Not only to me, but those closest to me. I'll make him suffer. I'll prolong his journey of suffering, make him feel everything deeply. He's not getting away that easily.

I search the crowd of people that gathered around us, my eyes lazily looking at every person, trying to remember everyone's face, but I don't stop on anyone particular. No one catches enough of my interest to rest my eyes on them for longer than needed.

I spot Sam, my cousin, somewhere in the front and I head towards her to greet her. She's one of the coolest people.

"Sam!" I call out when I'm closer. I walk the distance between us and I greet her with our significant handshake. And when Sam leans forward, my eyes instantly fall on the girl that's doing a poor job of hiding herself behind Sam.

I feel my blood go cold and my jaw tenses up. "What the fuck is she doing here?" I'm staring straight at her as I say this.

This girl ... I feel like there's no place I don't see her. She's everywhere I am. She's bothering the hell out of me for some reason. She just seems ... perfect. Too perfect. A little quiet around people, but she speaks back to me just fine. At first, she seemed like a shy girl that covers into herself anytime someone says something to her. I had fun playing with her.

She showed weakness and she was easily scared. But then something happened in-between and she grew somewhat stronger, she doesn't have any fear speaking back to me and sending me to hell. She acts like she's not afraid of me anymore, like she's just not affected.

I want her trembling with fear every time she sees me, just so she knows she can't fuck with me. I don't want her anywhere near my business. There's something about her, something secretive and mysterious, she seems like a shell of a person, like she's hiding something – hiding herself. But I don't know from whom.

And I don't give a shit.

She's babysitting my sister – fine. That's enough information I need to know about her. She seems harmless, so she doesn't bother me that much. Well, she's starting to now.

Especially now that she's trying to involve in my business.

"Relax, Sin. She's with me," Sam says, bumping me in my shoulder playfully.

If she was anyone else, she'd be lying on the ground with a bloody nose for doing that by now. But she has some privileges. Sam is ... you have to get used to her, I'd say. She's completely her own person and she doesn't take anyone's shit. She tells it how she sees it, not biting her tongue. That's what makes her special. She's fearless.

Gabrielle, on the other hand, that tiny little mouse who's hiding behind Sam like she's going to get attacked by a pack of wolves, is anything but fearless.

"I don't want her here," I say it loud enough that Gabrielle hears me and the hatred in my voice.

Something sparks in Gabrielle's eyes. I see it. Something that makes her eyes go dead and makes her slump down even further. But then she seems to fight it and she straightens up and glares at me.

It's then that I notice what she's wearing.

I need to rethink about the statement where I said Sam was cool. Because right now, I want to strangle her.

She's dressed as all the other sluts are around here, maybe a little less revealing than them, but she's still showing a lot of skin. But on her part, she looks uncomfortable wearing it, having her arms crossed over her body so she hides it with her arms a bit. I have no doubt this was all Sam's idea.

She looks fucking ridiculous. No, she looks hot, but she looks ridiculous in those clothes because it's obvious she doesn't belong in them.

I don't know why Sam thought it would be okay to bring Gabrielle with her. I don't care if she likes her and hangs out with her, but bringing her to where she knew I'll be? That's a bit too far.

Sam knows my dislike for her. We talked about Gabrielle, I complained a hell of a lot to Sam, told her how she ratted me out to my mum. I'm still mad about that, but I hope she learned the lesson from the last time. I wouldn't mind giving her another one, though, it seems like she needs it.

"Suck it up, Sin. She's here with me and she's staying."

I point my glare at Sam, staring her down with a look that'd make most people shake in fear, but Sam only lifts her eyebrows at me, challenging me.

"Fucking hell, Sam. Do we have to talk about it again? You know I don't want her anywhere near my business," I tell her, not giving two shits that Gabrielle can hear every word I say. In fact, it's part of the reason I say what I say so she can hear it and knows I'm being completely serious about wanting her to stay as far away from me as possible.

Sam stands up straighter. She's tall, but has nothing on me, so I take that as an advantage as I straighten up. "Suck. It. Up."

I shake my head at her. "I don't give a fuck if you two become best friends. But don't bring her anywhere near me again, Sam, or I might just lay it out for her, not in the same nice way you would, that I don't want to see her more than I have to. You get me?" I challenge her with my stare.

Sam only rolls her eyes at me. "Oh, screw off. You're acting like a bigger asshole than you usually are. It's annoying, so drop it, yeah?"

I glare at Sam a little longer and then look at Gabrielle again, who's been watching me this whole time with big, round eyes and her mouth shut tight. "Stay somewhere where I won't see you. Understand?"

She opens her mouth and I see she's going to agree obediently, but then something dark crosses her face, and she closes her mouth before she opens it again and surprises me completely with her words. "No. You're not the only one here who wants to have fun. If I bother you so much, don't look at me. It's that simple." She shrugs.

I take a step closer to her, it's meant to be threatening and I do it unconsciously, because her words just made my blood boil. She may be acting like she's tough and doesn't fear me, but she can't fool me. "Or maybe you could make it easier for both of us and just not show up at the same places as me?" I suggest coldly, making sure to let her know it's more like a demand.

Gabrielle puts her hands on her hips and glares at me. My eyes flicker down, because, fuck, I'm a guy and I can't resist a good cleavage in front of me. And she has a smoking body, even I have to admit that. I'd be blind not to see it.

But she's too pure, too good, just too ... everything. And that gets on my nerves, because I want to see her crack. I want to bring her to the point when she drops her façade and shows her true colours.

"I live with you, dumbass. How can I not show at the same place as you?" she retorts back, pointing out the fact as if I'm the one being stupid here.

I exhale through my nose, my jaw clenching. "I don't know if you're actually really that stupid or you're just acting. If it's the latter, I have to say you're a good actress."

Gabrielle lifts her noise up even higher. "And I don't know if you were born a jerk or you taught yourself to be one. If it's the latter, I have to say you're a very good student."

I cock my head on the side, hoping that I haven't heard her right. "Do you have a death wish, Little one?"

Gabrielle purses her lips and I see I finally got to her. She's not as fearless as she may be acting, that one. I actually want to laugh. That was fast. "If I wanted to die, I'd find another way to do it than let your dirty hands ever get near me," she says with disgust on her face.

Her words shock the hell out of me. I don't remember when it was the last time someone provoked me like this, showing so little fear and speaking back to me. I lean my face closer to hers, my eyes narrowing. "Who said I'd use my hands?" I say this with a cold smile.

When I think I finally have her where I want to, she shakes her head at me. "You sick bastard. I don't know why you're here talking to me if I bother you this much."

I lean back a bit and raise my eyebrow. She's daring tonight. I merely look down on the ground and smile ruthlessly, then lick my lips and lift my gaze back to hers. "I remember how I once told you I'll have so much time tearing you apart." I shake my head, still keeping a smile on my face. "Little one, now I'm telling you how much I'll enjoy destroying you. Piece by piece ..." I let the last words sink in her.

And just to prove my words even further, I lift my hand and put my fingers on her cheek, caressing her skin that feels too soft under my rough hands. Then I travel with my hand downwards, resting my whole palm on her neck, but not squeezing it. I feel she stops breathing and I both see and feel goosebumps on her collar bone.

I chuckle at the unmistakable fear shining from her eyes, knowing that I proved my point. I remove my hand away from her neck and turn on my heel without another word.

It's better to have her fear me so she knows not to bother me and just stays away. I don't need her creating more problems for me.

I catch Sam's curious eyes as I start walking away from her. Her eyes are boring into mine, and I hold her gaze. And then Sam smiles at something, her smile anything but sarcastic or mean as I'm used from her – if anything, it's actually soft and natural.

I furrow my eyebrows together, but I don't question what the fuck is her problem. I point my gaze forward and keep making myself a path among all these people who came here to see me and others racing.

I have to make sure to give them a show they won't forget anytime soon, then.