(Edited)

I was contemplating either going to meet up with James or staying in and continue crying like I had been doing for the past four hours. James messaged me when I got home, asking for me to meet up with him because our two weeks ended today. How convenient that it ended the same day Ryan decided to show up and throw around my dirty laundry. I shook my buzzing head, no they didn't purposefully run into us.

I trusted James; he would have warned me, I hope. I was scared to meet up with him though, what if Ryan found out. I wasn't ready for another encounter. On the other hand, I was curious to know what James wanted to tell me. What had he found out, why was Ryan at my house?

My phone had been blowing up ever since I ran away from my friends. From the looks of the messages I got, they were extremely angry with me. Imagine how much worse it could be if I had to experience their wrath in person. They would probably lock me in a cage until I confessed; something I wasnt very keen on doing.

The way they were handling this was another reason why I doubted meeting up with James. I was scared they might see us together and ruin the last bit of friendship we had left; if there was anything left. Actually, that thought bothered me more than I would have like to admit. Yes, we started out on a rocky path but soon got over it and now we were inseparable.

It was true what Ryan repeatedly told me: I got attached to quickly, hurt faster and fell even harder. I couldnt help myself though, I always ended up caring for someone, even though I portrayed the I didnt care façade.

His last words were on repeat in my mind. What would he tell Max? Would he turn Max against me? I didnt want to believe that he would do that. James mentioned that Ryan never spoke badly about me in front of Max, so why would he start now? Maybe because I was hanging around with Michael and the guys. With that thought in mind, I called James, and he sent Dustin over to pick me up. For now, I would focus on one problem at a time, Michael and the guys would have to wait until tomorrow.

The racetrack, thats where James wanted to meet up, was livelier than before. There was something in the air, indicating big things were going to happen tonight. I hoped that James had a purpose for bringing me here.

"You made it!" James hugged me with a beaming smile.

"What am I doing here, James?"

"Wow! Please control your enthusiasm, you're driving me crazy." He retorted, moving away from me.

He looked ravishing tonight; he always did. It was one of the things that I use to love about James; how well put together he was. His navy track pants matched perfectly with his white V-neck shirt and blue denim jacket. Why this guy was still single, confused me.

I rolled my eyes after giving him a once over. "So, this is what you brought me here for, to be sarcastic? If so, please tell me so I can leave."

"First of all, lose the attitude it doesnt suit you. Secondly, I wanted to give you your birthday present since I didnt get a chance to do so." James said, leaning back against his car.

I huffed, frustration evident in my voice. "I didnt come here for a freaking gift! I want to know what the heck Ryan is up to." I paced in front of him, looking around to make sure that there were no people that I knew around me.

James watched my every move. "And Ill tell you," he smirked, and I wanted to slap it off him. "After you opened your gift."

"Fine!" I groaned, grabbing the small box out of his hands.

One thing that all these boys had in common was their stubbornness and James wasnt going to stop until he got what he wanted. I opened the box and on the inside laid a silver heart-shaped locket. I grazed my thumb over the surface and found some writing on it.

I gave James a humorous look. "DAMSJ?"

James chuckled and moved some of his hair behind his ear. "Its our initials, but we made the mistake of trusting Dustin with the engraving part, and thats what he went for." He shrugged lazily.

I smiled up at James, who was already looking down at me. "Put it on for me?"

He took the necklace and turned me around. He fumbled with it a bit until I felt it replace the space where my lost locked had been. I beamed up at him and hugged him, feeling much better than I had before I arrived.

"Thanks, Jay-Jay."

He hugged me back, burying his face in my lose hair. The music and yelling brought me out of my happy cloud and into the current location I was. I stiffened getting serious again.

"What?"

"I love my gift, but you know I didnt come here for that. Please tell me what you found out before Ryan shows up." I begged him, looking around us again.

James sighed, annoyed that their moment ended. "Hes not around here. He has a big race in a few and is busy preparing." He huffed, crossing his arms. "Relax, would you?"

I got irritated by his laidback persona. He obviously didnt understand that I had a lot to lose if people saw me here. "Just tell me!" I said an ominous tone in my voice.

"Fine!" The look on Jamess face said that he was stalling for a reason, but that he couldnt do it anymore. "Ryansbeenpayingyourfosterparentstobeatyouup." He rushed out in one breath, his eyes wide.

"Come again? This time remember that I dont speak stupidity." I said, sounding incredibly rude.

James glared at me and then avoided eye contact. My shoes being more interesting than my face. "Ryan has been paying your foster parents to beat you up." He said much slower this time.

I wasnt sure if I heard him correctly. I wanted to be surprised, but something in my gut told me that he was up to something ever since that day I saw him walking out of my house like he owned the place. My stomach turned, and I felt like throwing up.

"Fighter, are you okay? You look pale." James asked worriedly. He grabbed my arms to keep me up.

"I think Im going to be sick!" I said gagging. Placing my hand over my mouth, I leaned forward.

"Deep breath, calm down. Youre going to be okay," James reassured me, rubbing my back.

I tried controlling my breathing and nausea I was feeling but was failing despondently. How inhumane can one person be? Why did he hate me so much? How could No, I needed to calm down. I wouldnt let him win! I was stronger than this. I wouldnt give him the satisfaction of breaking me once again. I stood up slowly, my face straight.

"Im fine!" I needed him to tell me everything he knew. I had to be ready. "Go on!" He gave me a questioning look, silently asking if I was sure. I waved my hand at him to go on. He kept his eyes on me the entire time.

"He knows where you have been for the past two years. He knew since the moment you left Australia. I think this is his way of getting revenge for putting him in jail." James explained, waiting for another freak out reaction. When none came, he went on. "In his own twisted way, he loves you. Thats why he hasnt killed you yet, but he cant leave you unpunished."

I clenched my fist, reminding myself that even though it sounded like James agreed with what Ryan was doing, he didnt. His words rang loud in my ears. In his own twisted way, he loves you. Ha! So much love that he paid for my torture. Every broken rib, every shove down the stairs, every ounce of blood Ive lost, was caused because he loved me.

"Right," I said venomously. "How much punishment does Ryan want me to get? Until I end up killing myself?" I yelled, throwing my hands up into the air. "Will that be enough for you?" I screamed, enraged, hoping that he would hear me.

"Look at me, Autumn!" James shouted, pulling me by the arms so, I stood still in front of him. "Over my dead body will I let that happen!" he said, pulling my face close. The look of determination breaking my heart. If only he knew how close I had been. "I just got you back. I cant lose you again." He whispered, pulling me into his embrace.

I broke down, crying in his arms. I was crying for the second time today, crying because I was sick of crying, crying for everything I have lost and was still to lose. Crying for every person, I had hurt by lying to; just crying because my heart felt like it. After a while I pulled away from James, feeling much better.

"Thanks for telling me," I said, sincerely, looking up at him. He shrugged and smiled at me. "I should get going."

James reached forward and grabbed my arm, stopping my attempt to leave. "No, I think you should stay and watch Ryans race. You might be surprised with what you find out," he said, the tone in his voice indicating that he knew something that I would want to know.

So, I stayed and watched the race. Ryan was racing against someone with a black mustang; a black mustang that looked awfully familiar, but I couldnt pinpoint where I had seen it before. I wasnt really into the race that much; I had seen Ryan race, and he usually won. There was one lap left, and the mustang and Ryan were neck and neck. One-minute Ryan was ahead and next, the mustang crossed the finish line first, and the crowd went wild.

James chuckled and walked away from the crowd. "The prick never listens."

"You knew he was going to lose?" I asked.

He shook his head in amusement. "Yeah, The Leader of The Dragons is unbeatable, but you know Ryan, always thinking he is the best." He rolled his eyes.

I looked at him, confused. "Then why would you let him race?" I looked out onto the track and saw Ryan storm away, furiously. He approached the black mustang ready for a fight, but before I could look at the driver of the mustang, James pulled my attention back to him.

"So he can learn. This race cost him eight grand!" James laughed.

I gasped, trying to look over my shoulder at who the owner of the mustang was. "Darn! The winner must be incredibly happy?"

James shrugged. "Hes rich, he doesnt care about the money. He does it for the thrill of it." I smiled, impressed with the mustangs moves.

I stifled a yawn and looked at James. "I think Im going to find Dustin and head home. Im exhausted." I told him, giving him a tight squeeze.

He smiled. "Yes, okay." He pulled out of the hug. "You know for the record, Ryan didnt say anything to Max about you. He would never try to turn Max on you." James said, making me smile. It was the best news that I had received tonight.

"Thanks, thats what I needed to hear." James looked at something behind me and smirked, but I caught onto it too late. "What are you-?" I started asking when a voice interrupted.

"What the actual hell?"

I recognized that voice anywhere, and something in me told me not to turn around. James chuckled at the panicked look on my face, and I glared at him, wishing a black hole would swallow me whole.

"Turn around Autumn!" Michael demanded, the anger evident in his voice. I contemplated on running away, but that would only anger him more. So, I swallowed my fear and slowly turned around, faking the biggest smile I could muster.

"Sup," I swung back and forth on my feet, trying to look as innocent as possible. Michael glared at me, not believing my innocent act.

"Would you like to explain to me what the bloody hell you are doing here?"

"Uhm No, not really!" I mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

I heard James chuckle lowly behind me. I wanted to turn around and punch him black and blue.

"I dont freaking care! Tell me, anyway." He seethed, his face turning bright red.

Michael stood a few feet away, anger radiating off him. Even though he stood before us, mad of his rockers, all I could do was admire him. His hair had that messy look that I had grown to love, and everything in me wanted to run my hands through them. The lamp on his left was shining bright enough for me to notice the twelve oclock shadow on his face. He looked even better than he did this morning.

"Talk, Autumn, youre not mute!" he exclaimed, angrily.

I blushed shamelessly, caught checking him out. I wasnt going to ask him what he was doing here, that much was obvious. Now it made sense why I recognized the mustang; it belonged to Michael.

Instead of answering him, I asked. "You raced against Ryan and won?" I was slightly shocked. Ryan was a decent racer, but James did warn me.

James chuckled and poked my sides. "Look at you, being smart." He joked.

I turned around and slapped his arm. "Oh, bugger off!" I laughed, momentarily forgetting that Michael was in front of us.

"Both of you shut up!"

James raised his hands in mock surrender. "Relax man, youre the one that wanted her to talk." He said shrugging.

Michael glared at me and turned to James. "You know what, theres a lot of shit I dont get when it comes to her, but what I want to know right now is what the hell came over you when you decided to bring her here?" Michael growled, taking a dangerous step forward. "This is no place for her! So, if this-" He pointed between James and myself glaring. "-is going to continue, you cant freaking bring her to places like this." He jabbed his finger into Jamess chest.

I chuckled inwardly. It was cute that Michael was so protective; it made my heart leap with joy. If only he knew that I had been coming to illegal races since I was thirteen, he probably wouldnt have been so protective. No, he still probably would.

James decided to voice out my thoughts. "Sorry to disappoint you buddy but shes been going to races since she was thirteen." He pushed Michael away, lightly not wanting to cause a sense and winked at me.

Michael staggered backwards from shock and looked at me wide-eyed. I didnt know what to do but shrug. It was so sudden; one moment he was shocked and the next he was angry. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward into his arms. If I wanted to move- which I didnt because I love being in his arms- I couldnt, his grip on my wrist was tight. His nose flared, and he shot James a deadly look.

"I dont give a flying shit! All I know is that you will not see her ever again." He snarled at James and pulled me away.

I look over my shoulder, and my eyes met Jamess. He stood with an enormous smile on his face waving at me like a little kid.

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