Chapter 13
Blaze
"God, Blaze, we’ve got some rookies joining the race tonight," Felix says as we step into the arena, his voice dripping with excitement.
"That dude in the blue tracksuit seems like a good bet," he adds, nodding toward the track. I follow his gaze and spot the familiar face. The brat from earlier. What’s his name again? Max. Rude little shit. I scoff.
"Your biggest mistake if you try it," I mutter, glancing around for a seat. I need to relax before the game kicks off.
"Why’d you say that? Do you know him? Then it’s a good bet," Felix says, his curiosity clearly piqued.
"Know him? Hell no." I shoot him a sharp look. "Just a gut feeling." No way am I bringing up that whole damn interaction from earlier. Felix will just start bugging me to take the kid under my wing or some bullshit.
We settle in, and the countdown starts. 3…2…1…
The race kicks off, the roar of the bikes filling the arena as the crowd erupts in cheers and curses. People are screaming their heads off, some praying their riders won’t screw up their bets.
Felix leans forward, eyes glued to the track. I let my gaze wander to the blue tracksuit again. Max. He’s holding his own, but I can tell he’s tense, gripping those handlebars like his life depends on it.
Then I see it—the bastard riding beside him. The skull logo on his helmet gives it away. He's a Ghost Rider team member. Fucking pricks. I already know what’s coming.
The asshole starts closing in on Max, crowding his space and throwing him off balance. I can see Max’s hand shaking from here. Shit. If he doesn’t focus, he’s gonna eat dirt at that sharp turn ahead.
"Shit!" I curse under my breath, leaning forward instinctively. The Ghost Rider bastard grins, and it pisses me off even more. Max is panicking, his movements jittery as hell.
Then it happens—a loud screech followed by the crunch of metal. The Ghost Rider’s tire slips, sending him skidding across the track like a rag doll. Max is sharp, though. He slows down just enough to let the asshole slide out of the way before speeding up again.
The crowd goes nuts, half of them cheering, the rest cursing their luck. I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding.
"Wow," Felix mutters beside me, shaking his head in awe. "The dude’s good. He just needs a little brushing up."
I grunt in response, watching as Max crosses the finish line. He doesn’t even glance at the crowd. Smart move.
"Thank God I followed your gut and bet on the red-haired guy instead," Felix says with a smirk.
I stand, shoving my hands into my pockets. "I need a smoke," I mutter, walking off.
I lean against the wall, the cigarette dangling between my fingers. The cold air barely calms me down after that nerve-wracking race.
I glance at the track from where I’m standing. The crowd is still buzzing, cheering like someone just won the goddamn Olympics. These people don’t know half the shit that goes on behind the scenes—kids with too much ego and not enough skill thinking they can conquer the world on two wheels.
As I take another drag, I see a flash of blond hair in the corner of my eye. I know it’s him before he even opens his mouth.
“Blaze!” Max’s voice cuts through the noise like nails on a chalkboard.
“For fuck’s sake…” I grumble under my breath. The kid’s practically sprinting toward me, his face lit up like he just won first place—which, newsflash, he didn’t.
“You won’t believe it!” he says, stopping a few feet in front of me, panting like he just ran a marathon.
“What?” I say, exhaling a cloud of smoke. “You finally figured out how to ride without pissing your pants?”
Max ignores the jab, his grin widening. “I swear, I thought I saw someone like you out there. That’s why I made damn sure I didn’t fail.”
I roll my eyes. “Oh, please. You didn’t fail because you were lucky, not skilled. And you didn’t win either, so don’t act all cocky.”
“Fourth place isn’t that bad,” he shoots back, his tone defensive but still hopeful.
“Fourth place is for losers who think mediocrity is an achievement,” I say coldly. “Now, what the fuck do you want, kid?”
He hesitates, his cocky façade cracking just a little. “Uh… okay, look, I wanted to talk to you again.”
“Again?” I raise an eyebrow. “Jesus, don’t tell me you’re back to begging me to train you. I thought I told you to fuck off.”
“I know, I know!” he says quickly, holding up his hands like he’s surrendering. “But I’m serious this time. Look, Blaze, it’s been my biggest dream to train under you ever since you were a champion. You were my idol, man. I can’t let this opportunity slip away.”
I snort, flicking ash off my cigarette. “Idol, huh? You’ve got a shitty taste in heroes.”
“I’m not joking!” he insists, his voice getting louder.
“Neither am I,” I deadpan.
Max takes a deep breath, like he’s trying to steady himself. “Alright, listen,” he says. “What if I pay you? Like, really pay you. I’m not asking you to do this for free.”
“Oh, here we go,” I say, crossing my arms. “Let me guess, you’re some rich kid trying to throw daddy’s money around to get what you want?”
“No!” he says quickly, his face turning red. “It’s not like that. I’m desperate, okay? This isn’t about showing off—I just really, really want this.”
I give him a hard look, trying to figure out if he’s bullshitting me. “How much are we talking, then?”
He hesitates for a second before blurting out, “Ten thousand. Every month.”
I freeze.
“What the fuck did you just say?”
“Ten grand,” he repeats, his voice steadier this time. “Every month. I’ll pay you whatever it takes.”
I let out a low whistle, my mind racing. Ten fucking grand. That’s not just pocket change—that’s life-changing money, especially for someone like me. My mind flashes to the stack of overdue bills sitting on my kitchen counter, the debt collectors breathing down my neck, and my mom’s medical expenses that seem to pile up more every month.
Still, I can’t let this kid see me sweat.
“Ten grand, huh?” I say, pretending to be unimpressed. “What, you think money solves everything?”
“No,” he says, his voice softening. “But I thought it might… help.”
I take another drag from my cigarette, buying myself a moment to think. On the outside, I’m calm, cold, unbothered. On the inside? I’m already calculating how fast I can pay off my debts and get the collectors off my ass.
“Alright,” I say finally, exhaling smoke. “I’ll think about it. Come back in two days, and I’ll give you an answer.”
Max’s face lights up like a fucking Christmas tree. “Really? You mean it?”
“Yeah, yeah,” I say, waving him off. “Now get the hell out of here before I change my mind.”
He nods eagerly, a grin plastered across his face. “Thank you, Blaze. Seriously, thank you. I won’t let you down!”
“Yeah, we’ll see about that,” I mutter as he runs off, leaving me alone with my cigarette and my thoughts.
As Max starts walking away, another dude jogs up to him, calling his name. “Yo, Max!” he shouts. “Wait up, man!”
Max stops, turning toward the guy, and I watch out of the corner of my eye as they talk. The guy leans in, whispering something, but I still catch it.
“Isn’t that Blaze? Your crush for, like, forever? Did you finally tell him?”
I nearly choke on my smoke.
“What the fuck?” I mutter under my breath. Crush? Does this kid know I’m way older than him?
Shaking my head, I stub out my cigarette on the wall and start walking away before I lose my damn mind.
I head toward Felix, who’s waiting by the entrance, already scrolling through his phone. “Let’s get out of here,” I say, my voice sharp.
“Where to?” he asks without looking up.
“The club,” I say, my mood souring even more. “I’ve got a shift to cover.”