RACERS

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:A Dangerous Type Of Attraction

Axel drove faster than I'd ever seen him drive.

Streetlights flashed across his face as he followed the address Noah had sent. His jaw was tight, and his fingers gripped the steering wheel.

I glanced at him. “Axel, slow down. We're not going to help Luca if we crash before we get there.”

He looked at me briefly before easing off the accelerator.

“Sorry.”

I blinked.

“Wait. Did Axel Moretti just apologise?”

“Don't make me regret it, Isabelle.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. “There he is.”

He shook his head, but I caught the faintest smile on his face.

For a few seconds, the tension inside the car eased.

Then he reached across the centre console and took my hand.

I stared at our joined hands. “What's this for?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Can't I hold your hand?”

My heart betrayed me by beating faster.

“You can,” I murmured. “I was just wondering why.”

His thumb brushed over my knuckles.

“Because I'm worried about Luca. And because having you here makes this a little easier.”

I turned towards the window before he could see how much those words affected me.

Axel Moretti was becoming a serious problem.

And I was beginning to suspect I liked having that problem.

---

We found Noah standing beside a narrow road behind an abandoned warehouse. His expression was serious, and Kieran was nowhere in sight—this was strictly crew business.

Luca's motorcycle lay on its side near the wall.

Axel immediately released my hand and hurried towards it.

“Where's the blood?” he asked.

Noah pointed to the ground beside the motorcycle.

A dark stain marked the concrete.

My stomach tightened.

“Is it Luca's?” I asked.

“We don't know,” Noah replied. “There's no body, and his phone was smashed nearby.”

Axel crouched beside the motorcycle, examining it. His face revealed nothing, but I noticed the way his jaw clenched.

“He didn't just abandon this,” he muttered.

“Someone could have taken him,” Noah said.

“Or he could have left on his own,” I suggested carefully.

Axel looked up at me.

“You think Luca would do this?”

“I don't know him well enough to say. Neither do you, apparently.”

The words came out sharper than I intended.

Noah looked between us, wisely deciding to stay quiet.

Axel stood.

“Not now, Isabelle.”

“Then when? You keep telling me not to ask questions, but you expect me to stand beside you and pretend none of this matters.”

His expression hardened.

“I never asked you to get involved.”

“And yet you keep letting me.”

Silence settled between us.

For a moment, I thought he would tell me to leave.

Instead, he stepped closer.

“You have no idea how difficult you make this.”

“Make what difficult?”

“Keeping my mind on anything other than you.”

My anger faltered.

Even Noah looked surprised.

Axel seemed to realise what he'd admitted. He glanced away, running a hand through his hair.

I folded my arms, trying to recover my composure.

“That's a terrible excuse for being rude.”

A reluctant smile touched his mouth.

“I know.”

“Good.”

“And you're still annoying.”

“There he is again.”

Noah groaned. “Can you two flirt somewhere else? We're standing beside a possible crime scene.”

I felt my cheeks heat.

“We are not flirting!” I protested.

Axel looked at Noah.

“Speak for yourself.”

My mouth fell open.

Before I could respond, Axel walked back towards the motorcycle, leaving me standing there with a ridiculous smile I couldn't quite hide.

---

An hour later, we had learned very little.

The blood had been left for examination, and Noah had arranged for someone to check nearby businesses for security footage. There was still no sign of Luca.

As we prepared to leave, Axel noticed me rubbing my arms against the cold.

Without a word, he took off his jacket and placed it around my shoulders.

“You keep doing that,” I said.

“Doing what?”

“Acting like you don't care, then doing things that suggest otherwise.”

He looked directly at me.

“Maybe I care more than I should.”

My teasing smile disappeared.

For once, neither of us had anything clever to say.

He reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

“Stay close to me, Isabelle. Please.”

The last word caught me off guard.

Not an order. Not a warning.

A request.

I nodded.

“Okay.”

His hand lingered against my cheek. His gaze dropped to my lips, and suddenly the cold air didn't seem so noticeable.

“Axel,” I whispered.

“Yeah?”

“If you're going to kiss me, stop looking like you're trying to solve a complicated equation.”

He laughed softly.

“You always have something to say, don't you?”

“It's one of my best qualities.”

“Debatable.”

Then he leaned down and kissed my forehead.

I stared at him.

“That was not what I meant.”

His smile widened.

“I know.”

“Axel Moretti, I swear—”

He kissed my cheek before stepping away.

“Come on, sweetheart. I'll take you home.”

I followed him to the car, pretending I wasn't smiling.

But as I climbed into the passenger seat, I caught him watching me.

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing.”

“Stop saying that!”

He laughed and started the engine.

For the first time that night, I laughed with him.

Still, as we drove away, my thoughts returned to Luca.

Someone had left blood beside his motorcycle. Someone might have taken him. And until we knew the truth, none of us could relax.

But there was something else I couldn't ignore.

Axel had finally let his guard down, even if only for a moment.

And I was starting to fall for the boy hiding behind all that arrogance.

God help me.

Because I had a feeling he was going to break my heart before I ever got the chance to break his.