The Burning Tarmac

Leo slammed his body hard against the heavy iron bar of the final security door. The rusty metal gave a loud, painful screech before swinging open completely. The cool, damp night air of the underground VIP parking lot hit my face, shocking my senses after the suffocating heat of the kitchen hallways. The space was massive, lit only by a few flickering yellow lights that cast long, scary shadows across the grease-stained concrete floor.

Right in the center of the lot, idling under a dim bulb, was Leo’s sleek, low-profile black sports car. The engine was roaring with a low, heavy growl that vibrated straight through the soles of my shoes. The exhaust fumes filled the damp air with a thick smell of burning rubber and hot fuel. The passenger doors were already unlocked, sitting wide open like an invitation into the dark.

Before I could take a step toward the vehicle, a heavy, wet hand slammed onto my shoulder from behind.

Julian stumbled out of the dark stairwell, his face completely pale from the loss of blood. The dark red liquid was still leaking fast from his torn sleeve, dripping onto the concrete with a steady, quiet sound. But his grip on my flesh was still bruisingly tight. He yanked me back against his massive frame, his chest heaving violently against my shoulder blades. He was burning hot, his body radiating pure adrenaline and feverish jealousy.

"You are not getting into that car, Noah," Julian growled directly into my ear. His voice was rough, broken, and dead serious. "It is a tiny tin can. If the police block the main gate, you will be crushed. My armored limousine is parked just twenty yards away near the loading dock. My private bodyguards are waiting with submachine guns. You stay behind my chest where you belong."

Leo spun around, his face flushing a deep, angry crimson under the yellow lights. He stepped right into the space between us, his broad shoulders squaring up as he pushed hard against Julian’s bleeding chest to force him away from me. He reached out and grabbed my left wrist, his fingers squeezing my skin hard enough to leave deep marks.

"Look at your status, Vance! You are bleeding out on his clothes!" Leo yelled, his blue eyes flashing with a dangerous, rabid devotion. All his friendly celebrity charm was completely stripped away. He looked like a madman ready to kill to keep his prize. "If he gets into your big limousine, the police will trap it before you even hit the street! My car can blow past the security barriers before the officers even know we are down here! Let go of him right now!"

I stood perfectly still between their massive frames, feeling the intense heat coming off both of their large bodies. They were crowding me so tightly that the air felt thin and boiling hot. Julian’s calloused, bloody hand was marking my shoulder, while Leo’s tight grip was anchoring my wrist. They were completely ready to start a brutal fistfight right here on the dirty concrete, completely ignoring the heavy thud of police boots that was already starting to echo down the stairs behind us. They were totally obsessed, driven crazy by the fear of losing me to the other.

"The footsteps are right behind us, beautiful," Leo whispered, his voice suddenly dropping into a low, frantic plea as his thumb rubbed against the bare skin of my wrist. "Please. Trust me. Get into the car. I will protect you from everything."

"Noah, look at me," Julian commanded from behind, his teeth gritting tight from the sharp pain of his arm. He yanked my hips flush against his solid flank, forcing me to feel the rigid, unyielding lines of his body. "I shed blood to keep that knife away from your throat tonight. You do not run away with an actor. You stay with the man who can buy the entire police department by morning."

I looked from the dark, open door of the sports car to the deep, bleeding cut on Julian’s arm. A slow, ice-cold smirk spread across my lips. I didn't feel any panic or fear as the shouting of the police officers grew louder inside the stairwell. I loved the feeling of these two incredibly powerful men losing their minds over me in the dark. They had no idea that even now, with the sirens screaming and the walls closing in, I was the one pulling all the strings.

With a sharp, sudden movement, I snapped my left arm completely out of Leo’s warm grip. At the same time, I lifted my right hand and pressed my open palm hard against Julian’s bleeding forearm, sliding my fingers through the hot crimson liquid before pushing his hand off my waist. The sudden loss of contact made both men gasp, their eyes widening in shock as I stepped back, out of their reach. The red and blue strobe lights from the stairwell flickered across my sharp jawline.

"Both of you, keep your mouths shut," I whispered, my voice completely smooth and dripping with absolute authority. "I am not getting into the limousine, Julian. And I am not letting you drive me away like a prize, Leo. We are all getting into this sports car right now. Julian, you sit in the back and hold your arm before you bleed out on my leather. Leo, get in the driver's seat and show me how fast this piece of metal can move."

Julian’s jaw clenched so tightly that a thick muscle violently jumped near his ear. He looked like he wanted to argue, to grab me and force me into his own vehicle, but the cold dominance in my eyes made him freeze. He slowly lowered his head, his chest heaving with jealous anger as he accepted my command.

Leo’s playful smirk instantly returned to his face, his blue eyes darkening with an intense, submissive pleasure because I chose his car. "Whatever the king wants," Leo purred, his voice thick and low.

Leo lunged into the driver's seat, his hands instantly gripping the steering wheel. I slid smoothly into the front passenger seat, pulling Julian’s heavy, warm suit jacket tight around my shoulders to hide the red stains on my black silk shirt. Julian climbed into the back seat right behind me, his massive frame completely filling the small space. His large, calloused hand reached forward, wrapping around the back of my leather seat, his fingers brushing against the hair at the base of my neck just to maintain physical contact.

"If this driver crashes, Noah, I am killing him myself," Julian growled from the darkness of the back seat, his breath hot against the top of my head.

BANG.

The iron security door at the bottom of the stairs flew open completely. Three police officers ran into the parking lot, their heavy black boots slamming against the concrete as their flashlights cut through the yellow darkness.

"Stop right there! Step out of the vehicle!" an officer shouted, pointing a black pistol straight at our windshield.

Leo didn't even blink. A wild, reckless laugh escaped his lips as his foot slammed hard against the gas pedal. The sports car shrieked loudly, the tires burning rubber against the concrete and filling the underground air with a thick, white cloud of hot smoke. The car shot forward like a bullet, the sudden speed throwing my back hard against the leather seat.

Julian’s hand instantly gripped my shoulder from behind, holding me steady as the vehicle smashed straight through the plastic security barriers at the exit gate. The bright, blinding lights of the city streets hit my face as we broke out into the night, leaving the police and the ruined Hayes family far behind in the dirt.

But as the car roared down the open highway, the phone inside my inner coat pocket violently buzzed again. My heart gave one heavy, agonizing thud. I pulled it out, the screen lighting up my face. It was another text from the blocked number.

“A very clever escape, Noah. You look so beautiful sitting between your two protectors. But you left the ballroom too fast. Look at the glove compartment in front of you. I left a welcome home gift for my favorite toy.”

My breath caught hard in my throat. Slowly, my fingers shaking just a tiny bit, I reached out my hand toward the plastic latch of the glove compartment