This is a double update as per usual- Chapter 19 was uploaded before this so please make sure you read them in the correct order :)

♕Harley Anderson♕

Nobody was kidding when they said that this track was different to Emery's. In fact, they weren't clear enough about it.

Unlike Emery's track that was structured and run like a proper business, this track doesn't have that. There's no betting room or man managing paperwork. Instead, a tall man simply asks who wants to race against the champion and then someone randomly volunteers and they begin the race while the crowd bet amongst themselves. While Emery's track had a mixture of the latest cars and older cars, this track has only modern cars. From Lamboginis to Bugattis and Ferraris and Dodgers- you name it.

Along with that, the kind of people here are just different. Very, very different. Definitely more dangerous too. And since the track is in neither of the gang's territories, it means that there are various King members around me. That thought alone scares the living shit out of me and I'm surprised I'm not hyperventilating.

It's funny how I haven't being a part of this world for very long and I can already tell the Kings from the Slithers. Besides them all having bandanas on them somewhere, they just look and hold themselves differently. Where as the Slither members scowl and sneer at every person who is not part of the gang, the Kings members mind their own business, talking amongst themselves and laughing as if they aren't part of some messed up syndicate. Only when a Slither member comes near them do they take on their masks of deadly calm. Most of them speak in Spanish to one another and I pick up on a few things when they walk by. However, they stay on one side of the track while we stay on the other. People unaware of the rivalry float around without knowledge of the brewing tension.

I avoid talking to anyone but Katalina who is currently sucking on a purple lollipop while leaning her elbows on the hood of my car. When guys walk past, they whistle at her ass that peeks out from her shorts and her tan legs which she responds to by telling them to fuck off. I chuckle at her and when she meets my gaze again, I shake my head.

"You could be having the time of your life with all these guys and yet all you do is tell them to fuck off." I muse and Lina rolls her eyes.

"You could too. Guys also look at you."

"I have Cameron." I say and Lina smirks, pulling the sweet out of her mouth.

"Different dick, different flavour." She says and I gawk at her crude remark before shaking my head.

"I don't want a different flavour."

"The dick that good?" She teases me and I laugh although I feel my cheeks redden slightly. She chuckles at me before tossing the stick from her sweet into her pocket. "I'm only kidding. You and Cameron are good together." She says while playing with a ring on her finger. It's a simple one with a thin silver band and a small crystal- or possibly diamond- on it. I've noticed that it's something she plays with a lot subconsciously, often pulling it off and slipping it back on. Besides hoop earrings that usually hang from her ears, you don't really see Lina with any other jewelry although this ring seems to be an exception. It draws my attention every time as it reminds me of my mother's wedding ring... the ring that legally tied her down to that monster I was forced to have as a father. I can't count how many times I saw her crying as she clutched the ring to het chest after fighting with Derek when I was a kid.

"How come I don't see you with any guys?" I ask curiously, serious this time. Katalina is gorgeous and her Latina look going on is even more eye drawing so why have I never seen her with a guy? She can't seriously not want or see potential in someone.

Lina stops from playing with her ring, slipping her hands into her pocket as she shrugs.

"Nobody has caught my eye this side. And I'm definitely not interested in one night stands so being alone it is."

I don't press the matter any further, understanding where she's coming from and instead glance around. My eyes stop at two Kings members leaning against a blue Subaru. The man with messy brown hair isn't very tall, leaving the Asian girl beside him to tower over him. It seems like I'm not the only one whose attention has being drawn to the girl and it's no wonder- besides her height, she's beautiful. Wavy black hair hangs at a medium length, it almost glistening from its sleekness, her upturned eyes have a stunning wing on each and she complimented the black with a dark purple lipstick. The girl has made no attempts to hide her freckles and her button nose is a contrast to her sharp facial structure. Along with that, she's incredibly skinny, making me think of a model immediately and the short leather shirt she's wearing and tight skinny jeans prove that she's all muscle underneath.

The girl looks around and when our eyes meet, she has no shame in eyeing me from head to toe. I switch my weight from one foot to the other and when she meets my gaze again and raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, I look away. Giving a Kings member one bad look is enough to start a fire here.

"Don't go near her." Lina says and I glance at her to see her watching me.

"Who is she?" I press, restraining myself from glancing back at the girl, and Lina shrugs.

"Jee."

I nod in acknowledgement. "How do you know her?"

"I've encountered her a few times."

My eyebrows knit together. "And she's still alive?" Jack says that we have to hurt any Kings member we've come across and if Lina hurt Jee then wouldn't she try something today? The anxiety that the thought gives me makes my breath hitch and I hope with every ounce of my heart that tonight goes smoothly. I won't be able to race if something throws me off my game. Before Lina can answer, Isaac is steeping between us.

"You guys need to be around when the races begin in the next ten minutes." Is what he says and all the nerves that I was distracting myself from recognizing by talking to Lina, reappear. "I don't want to have to go for looking for you alright?" Isaac says with the usual scowl on his face. He doesn't give me a chance to respond when he's turning to Lina. "Come on. I gotta speak to you."

Lina casts me a sideways glance before following after the brooding man and I'm left to try and figure a way out to calm down and not completely freak out. However, that's only made a million times harder when my brother suddenly appears near me. I straighten up against the car, eyes narrowing at him. I haven't spoken to Cyrus since the day I helped stitch him up and although I've seen him around the gang a few times, he hasn't made an effort to come and talk to me. I don't know what's worse- the fact that he isn't talking to me or the fact that I'm okay with it.

"Cyrus." I grind out. "What are you doing here?"

His bust lip has healed now and I wonder if his bullet wound is okay too.

A small smile graces his lips as he slips his hands into his jean pockets.

"I came to support."

Cocking my head to the side, I say: "I hope the gang and not me."

His dark eyebrows knit together. "Why can't I come and support my sister?"

A scoff leaves me mouth and I cross my arms over my chest defensively.

"Maybe because your sister doesn't want you here."

This seems to hurt him a little because he takes a step back and his lips turn down. I always hated seeing my brother upset when I was younger. Cyrus was always such a happy and gregarious kid that when he wasn't bubbling like a bottle of champagne, it used to make my stomach churn. I would have done anything to protect my brother and yet here I am- purposefully hurting him. I want him to ache. I want him to hurt. I want him to feel what I felt when he left and didn't return. I want him to understand that he broke me. He was the last straw and he completely ruined me. If he had come back... if he had come back, things would have been different. We wouldn't be here, in this mess. But he didn't come back. And I'll be damned to not be a constant reminder of that for him.

"When are you going to give me a chance to make it up to you?" He asks and it's like he's flipped a switch in my brain. I let out a laugh of disbelief.

"You don't deserve a chance Cyrus. You're fucked up. Even more so than me. And I refuse to be collateral damage because of your shitty mistakes. You hurt me." I say. "Don't you get that? You were the one that broke me." My voice shakes with emotions as I step closer to him. "You were my sanity and salvation in that house. But you decided I wasn't good enough. So you left. You left me in all my shattered state. So don't think for a second that you know me Cyrus." I sneer, the venom in my voice sounding foreign to my own ears. "I put my pieces back differently and you deserve no opportunity to see it."

I take a step back, my arms shaking in anger and my eyes burning with unshed tears. I turn around so that I can leave when I hear him say: "I might have left you before but I'm not leaving you again. I'm staying right here."

I glance at him over my shoulder, taking in his hardened features. "Do whatever you want Cyrus. Just stop making my life worse than you already have." And then I push my way through the group of people to where a crowd has formed. My anxiety has accelerated to a new level and I struggle to get air in my lungs. Why did he have to show up? Why? I was struggling to keep my shit together before he rocked up and now I'm not sure I'm keeping it together at all.

I feel my chest constricting and I heave out a breath before I feel a hand on my arm and I jump. It's Katalina. And she's frowning at me.

"Harley? Are you okay?"

I open my mouth to respond but no words come out. Quickly, I turn on my heel and hurdle towards a trashcan a little distance away from the crowd. I hunch over as I throw up, my stomach clenching violently. Tears sting my eyes and I grip the bin tightly in hopes of keeping myself upright. I don't have to look to know Lina is behind me and I close my eyes tightly to compose myself before I stand up, wiping my mouth. Gingerly, I meet her gaze and for the first time since I've met her- I see a burning curiosity behind her eyes.

"You okay?" She brings me back to reality and I nod shakily.

"Yeah." I straighten up, fidgeting with my jacket to keep my hands busy and Lina watches me silently.

"You don't have to lie Harley. Just because you're part of a gang doesn't mean you have to be an emotionless bitch."

I purse my lips. Being partially honest with Lina could cause a lot of issues but maybe it could help. Somehow. She hasn't done anything to warrant me not trusting her but she certainly has done things to warrant me trusting her.

"Cyrus is my brother." I breathe out. At first she frowns before her eyebrows raise high, eyes widening.

"Wait, what?" She gawks and I swallow hard.

"Cyrus is my brother. We stopped talking a few years ago."

"And he's allowing Jack to blackmail you into joining the gang?"

Now it's my turn to take a step back, my eyebrows knitting together as I take in what she just said. She knows about the video. How the fuck does she know about that?

"How the hell do you know that?" I accuse and Lina's eyebrows crease as she realises her mistake. She looks down at the ground, kicking at a loose stone.

"Mierda." She hisses under her breath.

"Katalina." I press urgently. "How do you know that?"

She stops from pacing and meets my gaze. "I overhead Jack and Persephone. But I wasn't sure if it was you."

For some reason, suspicion crawls up my spine.

"Then why are you acting like you didn't want me to know that you know?"

She shakes her head. "I don't want you to think I'm a liar or something. Like I know shit about you and am a part of Jack's plan to make your life difficult."

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because you're my friend!" She snaps angrily.

It's silent for a moment as I absorb the fact that she knows why I'm here. Why I have no choice.

"Do you know what's my blackmail?" I ask softly and she shakes her head, chewing on her glossy lip.

"Yes." My heart drops.

"Who else knows?" I press but she just blinks at me. "Who else knows Lina?"

"I don't know! I think it's only Jack, Persephone and Cyrus. I only heard by accident. They don't know I know either."

"And you haven't told anyone?" I say and Lina frowns, hurt flickering over her features.

"Of course not."

It's silent again until I see Isaac come out of the crowd with a scowl on his face. "There you two are!" He shouts, anger lacing his voice. "You think this is a fucking tea party?"

"Sorry." I mutter before walking pass the two of them and into the crowd.

I hope I win this race because it sure feels like tonight isn't working out too well.

•••
So this was a bit of a hectic chapter with all the drama with Cyrus and Lina... what do you guys think of it? Any theories? I'd love to hear them! Once again, thank you for reading and I hope you all stay safe! <3

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