The Race

"So, are you going through that engagement?" Asked Joseph.

"Are you nuts? Of course not. I will be leaving the country right before the party. That ought to teach her for forcing me. Am I, Lucian Gray, so easily attained?" Lucian scoffed.

"Does that mean you are playing hard to get?" Ethan voiced out.

"Hard to get? No, for her, I am absolutely impossible to get."

"But isn't leaving on the engagement day too cruel? After all, Valerie too is a lady," Joseph pointed out.

This made Lucian turn towards him and voice out, "Why? Do you feel pity for her? You want to take my place?"

Joseph immediately shook his head. He had only seen Valerie from afar, but even from there, she was intimidating enough to scare him.

"Valerie Davies?" Ethan pronounced.

"What about—"

Before Lucian could finish that, he noticed Valerie walking towards them. Dressed in leather pants and pairing that with leather jacket, she appeared wilder than usual. She ran her hand through her hair.

Seeing her like this, Lucian felt as though she had more life to her.

"Fuck! I change my mind. I don't mind Valerie Davies tying me up," Joseph commented. Lucian threw a disgusted expression at his drooling friend.

"Are you stalking me?" Lucian asked, raising an eyebrow. A hint of playfulness was there in his eyes.

This was a private racing track that only those with influence and money can enter. Lucian considered this to be his relaxing spot where he can pour out all of his energy. He enjoyed the thrill provided by recklessly driving the car.

"You could say that," Valerie responded. As a partial owner to the racing arena, Valerie kept a track of when Lucian visited.

"Oh?" He wanted her to continue explaining. What objective did someone so busy as Valerie had for visiting such an arena frequented by bored rich children?

"Let's race," Valerie said in a commanding tone.

"How exciting! Ms. Valerie is inviting me to race with her. But what to do?" He wore a woeful expression.

Then, with smugness lacing his tone, he enunciated, "I don't want to."

Valerie expected for him to not accept this directly and said, "If you win, I will not pursue this engagement."

That sounded tempting to Lucian.

"And if you win?" He questioned.

"Fulfill a wish of mine," Valerie responded.

Lucian smiled and rejected, "Still not interested."

"Why? Are you afraid that you will be losing to me?" There was a hint of derision in her eyes and tone.

"Such provocations do not work on me," Lucian said, "That's why, quit disturbing me, Ms. Valerie."

Valerie remained unfazed as she asked, "Do you see my secretary there?"

She then added, "He is taking pictures. So, how would it feel if this got in the media."

Saying that, before Lucian could process it, she grabbed on to his shirt's collar and stood on her knees. She brought her face closer to her ear. Her warm breath hit the surface of his ear.

Lucian smirked. Grabbing on to her waist with one hand, he pulled her closer. Then, he gently pushed off the hair from her forehead and expressed, "Do you think I would care given my reputation?"

Valerie's stopped breathing for a second at their proximity. Rabble of butterflies created a mess in her stomach. Her eyes fell on those pink, somewhat plump thin lips of his.

"I thought about adding something along the line of engagement on the article title."

He chuckled. The deep, magnetic sound gave Valerie jitters.

"How do you think a sob story would work with that?"

"Wouldn't the sob story from the woman catch more attention?"

Clenching his hand into a tight fist, Lucian uttered, "If you want to lose that badly, let's go."

He then let go of her, making Valerie take steps back.