Not for you (FIN)

I drove the car off the track, Verone told me to turn right and just drive on, which was just what I did.

"Say, didn't I tell you to make friends with this guy?" He asked sharply.

"Ya, so?" I asked, not really knowing what he wanted from me.

"Well, the only thing you did was giving him snarky comments."

O-ha. Not only cameras but also microphones in this car, I thought. But anyway...

"Mis- Carter, have you ever tried to make out with a racer without lowering yourself to be a cheap racer chaser?"

"Of course not." He glared at me.

"See, then don't tell me what to do because this is something I have done several times, and successfully so." I grinned.

He shook his head in reply. "You know, it's really funny. I thought you were like other women, but I'm surprised that I learn some new things from you. Pleased, in fact. Perhaps I should really keep you."

I was feeling sick.

"Talking of 'keeping' - where is your friend?" I asked.

"Watching over us from the distance." Verone smiled. "Turn left at the next street."

"Oh, by the way, I've got something for you." He said when a red traffic light forced me to stop. He pulled something out of his pocket; a necklace with a ridiculously big silver star shape pendant attached to it.

"Nice." I said. "But a bit too much, not quite my style, thanks."

"I don't ask for permission, remember? I give something to you, you take it and better be grateful. That's how it works, get used to it."

His left hand was slipping around my shoulder and neck, the right brought the necklace around my neck, which he kissed while he closed the chain. A look in the rear mirror showed me that Dom was staring at us from Eleanor. Damn...

"What's that supposed to be?" I snorted, looking down at the star. Silver, about two inches wide and half an inch thick. A small clear stone set to its center; one that somehow seemed familiar, but I couldn't place it.

"My life insurance in case you're either not smart enough or smarter than I thought." He smiled. "Your life insurance, in fact, if you do everything right."

I noticed that the pendant was still warm. It should have cooled down to the temperature of my own skin now, I thought frowning... and suddenly... recognition hit me. I stared at the small dot that was attached to the rear mirror. Camera lens, looked like a clear stone. The one on the dashboard. Clear stone. That thing around my neck... clear stone.

"You stuck a goddamn camera around my neck?" I shouted furious.

Verone stared at me, eyes cold. "Don't you ever dare to shout at me again, my dear. And don't you dare take that thing off before I tell you to. You know what will happen if..." He pulled the gun out and started playing with it.

"Got that." I grunted while my head was spinning.

Oh. My. God. A fucking camera around my neck. Microphone too, probably. Damn. No matter what I would say to Dom from now on, Verone would know. Worse; no matter what Dom or anyone else would say to me - he'd know too. How the hell was I supposed to tell the others anything with that thing around my neck?

Eventually we arrived at a small but exclusive looking club. Expensive. Impressive. Downgrading, I thought. Dom wouldn't love being in there. Giving it a second thought - I wouldn't love to be in there.

I drove by the entrance, earning me an angry stare from Verone.

"Where the hell are you driving?"

"Parking the Charger." I said.

"There are people there who get paid for parking cars!" He boomed.

"Maybe, but not for parking Chargers, especially not Chargers like this here. You wouldn't want that, believe me."

He seemed to consider for a moment, then remained still. Good.

I parked on the parking lot, he was obviously pissed that he would have to walk the long distance of approximately thirty yards. I smiled when I saw that Dom, too, was about to park Eleanor. People who handed cars over to have them parked would always remain a mystery to me.

Verone wrapped his arms around my waist from behind when we were waiting for Sway and Dom at the entrance. They soon appeared; arm in arm. No need to worry, I thought. The only thing to worry about is how to tell them that this freaking thing around your neck is a goddamn TV station...

"What took you so long? Had sex in the car?" I teased grinning, trying to calm myself by making jokes.

"Not really, but a good idea for later." Dom looked at Sway in a way that could clearly be called hungry. Grrrrr... I thought and, at the same time, wondered why. Never had problems like this before...

"In the car?" Verone laughed from behind me. "Good idea. We only had sex at the car today, right, darling?"

Just good that he couldn't see the face with which I was staring at Dom.

"Right." I said quietly just to see Dom's jaw tighten.

I looked at him with pleading eyes, lightly, almost casually touching the pendant. I just tried to tell him... but he didn't notice, at least he didn't react.

Sway, however, did; making the same kind of movement towards her neck. She definitely knew what the pendant really was; I just hoped she hadn't forgotten to tell Dom about something like this...

We're in horrible trouble here, I thought...

"Beautiful necklace. Isn't that a bit too much for a little racer like you?" She asked, teasing. Always staying in character, I thought...

"I like my woman with big things. Chargers, pendants...." Verone laughed, leaving further 'big things' to the other's imagination. "You like it? I could buy you one, Miss. In fact, I could drown you in them. Let's go in there, have something to drink."

"I just hope they also have something to eat, I'm starving." I grumbled. Breakfast had been my last meal; now it was afternoon.

"Better watch your weight, darling; but I'm sure we can find a nice salad for you." Verone said, leading us into the club.

Give me ten minutes alone with this guy and he's dead, I thought. The only problem were his friends. Two I had seen so far, none of them was here now. It was highly likely that they would do something if their boss was killed. The question was - would this 'something' be running or killing us all?

The club visit went better than I had thought. A bit of talking, my salad being emptied in under two minutes even if I hated salad with a passion. A bit of casual talking; between Dom and Verone about making money with racing. Sway gave a silly comment from time to time which made her seem as if she had no idea about cars; I kept commenting on her silliness. Then I started discussing cars with Dom, and Sway and Verone kept talking to each other.

Dom was extremely stressed - which I could only tell because I had seen him relaxed before. To someone who didn't know him he would only seem very cautious.

Some people were dancing, slow, tight dances.

"How about we two try this, hmmm?" Verone asked Sway.

"I'd like to!" She said.

"Then it's you and me I guess?" Dom looked at me.

"If you say so." I shrugged.

He pulled me close on the dancefloor, I put my hands on his back, felt that he was deliberately working his back muscles and smiled. Then he stopped doing this.

"Sex at the car, hmmm?" He whispered into my ear, his hand squeezing my shoulder hard.

"So, Dommie?" I whispered, trying not to wince in pain and hoping that this damn thing around my neck wouldn't 'hear' us whispering. Taking the sheer volume of music into consideration, it probably wouldn't.

"What else happened?" He whispered, the hold on my shoulder tightening even more.

"Later. I have a camera and microphone around my neck."

"Yeah, I know. Sway told us this could possibly come up."

"No, really." I snorted a bit louder.

"I'll kill him if I catch him alone." The low voice on my ear was threatening.

"Funny, a few minutes ago I thought the same."

"You're fucking crazy, you know that?" He said, now looking at me. "That Charger is too much for a woman."

"Ya think?!" I laughed. "Well, Dommie, perhaps you should try driving it." I chose my words extra careful for the pendant and prayed that he would do the same.

"Perhaps I shouldn't just try driving it, but also something else." He purred, his hand sliding down and up my arm, up my neck.... along my cheek.

I instantly froze. He so knew I didn't like that! I turned my head, the fingers remained on my cheek as if they had been glued to it.

"Don't like being touched." I hissed. And you know it! My eyes said.

"Well, sometimes we all have to do things we don't like. What's your name, anyway?" He asked while removing the hand from my face, leaving me confused for a moment. Oh yes - officially, we hadn't been introduced to each other...

"Dana. And I guess your parents didn't really punish you with 'Dommie'?"

He laughed. "Not really. It's Dominic." He leaned closer, whispering into my ear again. "And I want you to remember that name... whatever you do, wherever you go."

"I do, believe me." I sighed.

"Dommie!" Sway was standing beside us. "Why don't you stop dancing with that little racer freak and dance with me instead?"

"Because I'm growing rather fond of this little racer freak."

"You know, if you keep doing things like these, you're gonna lose me!" She pouted.

"So? Think you have a lot of entertainment going on there." He nodded to Verone, who was leaning to the bar again, obviously enjoying the scene.

"Hey, that's mine." I tried to sound enraged. This wouldn't look... right to anyone if I didn't do this...

"That guy is way out of your league, racer." Sway said sneering.

"Ah, but he's your league? I doubt that; he doesn't like cheap things." I said, practically shrugged Dom off and stormed over to Verone, Sway and Dom on my heels.

"What the hell did you tell her, darling?" I snarled.

"Just that I wouldn't have let her eat salad." He smiled. "See, be happy, you were always more interested in my money than me. You can keep the Charger... but just go now, I think it's better."

"But-" I said, staring at him - and at Sway, who was now leaning to his shoulder. His arm was draped around her waist.

"I think it's better if you two go now, race each other a bit. This one here and I have other things to do." He smiled at Sway, nudging her cheek.

"Snobs!" Dom snorted. "Come on, Dana, leave these two alone."

I couldn't believe this had been so simple. When I turned, Verone placed a hand on my shoulder.

"You, my dear, will call me this evening to discuss when I can get my stuff from your home." He handed me a card; the key to the house attached to it. "Here's my new phone number that you don't have yet and your key back. I'm expecting your call at nine."

"Whatever." I shrugged, then Dom grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the club, not coming to a halt before we had reached the parking lot.

"And now?" I said.

He came closer, very close, then glanced down at the pendant from an angle no camera in the world would have been able to catch. I knew what he wanted to say: 'We're still being observed'.

"What about I show you my garage?" He said.

"Oh, I love garages." I replied.

"That's what I thought." He grinned. "You just drive after me."

His 'garage' was more like a 'loft with garage' - living room, kitchen, bedroom - all in one with a garage in a giant room. Separate bathroom. I had never seen this before.

"Need a shower, care to join me?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Sure, Dommie. Let's see how much of a man you are."

Damn, I hoped Verone would believe this when he saw it - if he saw it, that was.

Dom started taking his clothes off. Damn... so beautiful. I grinned to myself, wondering what Verone would think if he saw this mountain of a man on camera.

I also took my clothes off; finally we were both standing naked before the bathroom.

"You forgot something..." He said, coming closer.

"And that would be...?" I said, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"This... thing. Hilarious. I want my women naked." He started fumbling with the closure of the necklace.

Clever, I thought - really clever.

"But... it's... a keepsake!" I argued not really wholeheartedly.

"Then by all means, we'll keep it safe by not drowning it in the shower." He took the necklace off and placed it on the sofa, the pendant facing away from us. His face instantly darkened when he looked at me, now with the certainty that no one was watching us any more. Then he turned away.

"I need music when I shower." He said, very loud, took a radio from one of the shelves, placed it behind the necklace and turned it on.

Super clever, Dom...

"Come on." He practically shouted. "Let's see what you got."

He went into the bathroom, his back on me, not looking back and I followed. As soon as I had closed the door, he turned around.

The man was furious. I think I never saw anyone as angry as him at that moment.

"What the HELL have you done?" He shouted.

"Dom... I..."

"With Verone? Dana, how could you! How could you!" He spoke with voice and hands, running up and down in the bathroom, occasionally beating one of the walls with his fist.

"And you? With Sway?" I replied bitter.

"Well, I've been joking about sex in the car. But you, obviously, didn't!" He shouted. "That guy fucked you? You let him fuck you? And you told me to trust you?"

"No, Dom, I didn't fuck him." I whispered, leaning to the wall, closed my eyes and thought about what had happened with Verone.

The garage. The fumbling. Then - the almost-blowjob in the shower. Gun pressed to my temple. The Charger spinning at over a hundred miles per hour on the track.

"Yeah, sure!" I heard him scream at me. "I've seen the way he touched you. Looked at you. Damn!"

When I reopened my eyes I felt the tears coming, finally, but still tried to will them away.

"Well, fuck you very much, Dom, I've seen your 'touching' with Sway, too! That man nearly raped me, Dom, and all I could do was smile to save my damn life! I had a gun pointed to my head today, I never had that before and I definitely never want that again!"

I buried my face in my hands. No more composure possible or necessary, I cried without holding back any more.

"Then that fucking Charger! No one ever told me that there are cars in this world which want to kill their drivers! That beast is a freaking Christine remake and I'll have sore muscles all over my body for days by just driving it once!"

The events of the day now really sank in, I sat down on the floor and sobbed with my face between my knees.

Two arms wrapping around my waist, pulling me on his lap. He, too, was sitting on the floor now. Hand stroking over my head.

"Shhhh, it's okay, baby, shhh..."

"I didn't fuck him! He touched me! I so hated to be touched by him!" I cried, leaning to his shoulder. "I just closed my eyes and pretended it was you, Dom! And if he hadn't gotten a phonecall, he would have raped me and I would still have pretended, because if I would have said anything he would have killed me! I did that for you, Dom, for you and the others!" I couldn't stop shaking and crying.

"I know... shhhh... I know..."

He was holding me for several minutes, just whispering to me.

"Look at me baby, look at me." He finally said when I became calmer.

I looked up and was not really surprised to see tears in his eyes, too.

"Sorry." He said, looking into my eyes. "I'm sorry. I was just so..."

"Probably the same 'thing' I was when I saw you with Sway." I said.

"Sorry." He said again. "But, oh, if it wasn't for Brian, I would have killed that bastard on the track."

"I would have gladly participated. But why, oh why, didn't we just do it?" I tried to smile.

"Because the FBI needs him alive."

"Wonderful institution. Say, what the hell does he want with all of you in his house?"

"Kill us." He said a bit too calm for my taste.

"Beg pardon?" I stared at him wide eyed.

"The plan seems to be to erase the whole team so none of us will be left to carry out any vengeance plans. Clever, really clever."

"I wouldn't call that clever, I would call that evil."

"Well," he said and pulled me closer, "if I were him, I'd do the same."

"And how the hell do we get out of this? When exactly is the FBI going to get a hold of him?"

"Four days from now on. You'll invite the team to the house, they'll arrest them on their way."

I looked at him. "I'm scared, Dom."

"I know, baby. I would lie if I'd say that I'm not."

"You love me?" I asked, biting my bottom lip.

I saw his forehead wrinkling in surprise.

"Sure I do, but I would never have expected that question from you. Does that mean I'll get an answer to that very same question from you right now?"

"Uhm... Dominic..." I said, smiling. "I meant... as in... right now and here? I could really need that."

"That you can have." He grinned and stood up with me on his arms. "But first... I'll shower Verone off you."

"What about showering Verone off me and loving me?" I suggested while I was carried over to the shower.

"Good plan." He whispered and kissed me while carried me over to the shower, but the frown that was still etched to his face didn't really disappear.