Not for you (FIN)

We both sat on the floor of the shower, breathing fast, grinning at each other.

"Didn't think I'd ever see you break down to your knees while carrying something as lightweight as me. Especially if you have a wall to support me, too." I chuckled. "Perhaps you're becoming old and weak, Dominic."

He snorted laughing. "I don't think the carrying or the supporting thing was the problem. I think the fucking thing in between might have been. Speaking of lightweight - you hungry?"

"Yes, why?"

"Because I never fucked anyone whose stomach was rumbling louder than the lovemaking."

I chuckled and elbowed him.

"What would you like?"

"Hmmm... Pizza. Steak. Pasta. All at once, if possible, and much of it."

"I think you deserve that." He smiled and leaned over to kiss me.

"Out there's a camera waiting for us..." I said and the smile vanished.

"I know. Let's just give him the show of his life."

"You mean the show for our lives?"

"Yeah, that too." Another kiss.

"You know, we can't be too good. He said he'd keep me if he'd like what he saw."

Dom snorted.

"Well, then I'll happily give him an even better show - to make him see what he will never, ever keep."

"I like that idea. Much." I laughed, got up and walked to the door.

"Stop." He said. "You're naked."

"So what?"

"Well, he'll see you naked."

"He already saw me naked in the shower today, Dom. And I bet I have nothing on my body that he wouldn't have seen on another woman so far."

"Right, but I still don't like it."

"Well, you wanted to give him the show of his life; so that's probably just another thing we don't like but which has to be done anyway." I shrugged. "Say - whose place is this here, anyway? It's definitely not yours."

"How would you know that?" He wondered, raising his eyebrows.

"Oh, for two reasons, actually. First, you told me at Racewars that you didn't sleep in a bed for several years; and the way you rolled around in the bed of my trailer basically told me that you didn't lie. Second, this here is beautiful and really looks as if it could belong to you... but the two things that gave away it doesn't... the little radio; you're not the man for small things, and then... it doesn't smell like you."

He laughed. "You're really good at observing. Actually, this is Leon's place; borrowed with permission."

"Leon's? Wow. Wouldn't have expected that. He looks more like a one-room-apartment-man."

"Yeah well it is a one room apartment."

"Sure." I snorted and opened the door.

"Damn, that music is loud, Dom." I said and slowly turned down the volume on the radio.

"I like it loud." He grinned and pushed me past the sofa - into the angle that would be covered by the camera.

"Yeah, I heard that." I replied, letting my hand wander over his chest.

"Likewise." He pulled me close, kissing me deep. I couldn't help but grin into his mouth. Oh, what a show!

"Well, big things make me loud, you know?" Ha, ha. Verone had made that strange comment on women with big things - well, I thought, he's probably just about to crawl into the monitor if he sees this man...

"Ah yes, big things are good." Dom said. "Speaking of it - you hungry?"

Of course. He had to repeat the question from the bathroom...

"Starving, actually. Salad is so not enough."

"Only if one likes skinny little things. I don't, I want a woman who won't be crushed if I lie down on her."

"Well, you're already good at 'crushing' women against shower walls." I laughed.

"Will show you later how good I'm at the other option." He shrugged.

"I'd love to see that." I said and dressed; the last thing I put on was the necklace.

"Why don't you just leave that ugly thing off?" Dom asked. "You got that from that snob, you surely don't want to go back to him?"

"Just got used to it. I somewhat like it." I replied quietly.

"Don't like things from other men on my women while I fuck them. You'll never wear that when I fuck you, or I'll just tear it off."

"As you wish." I said, letting my voice sound insecure.

I used my hand at my side to signal Dom that he should go into the bathroom again - this was, at least, a thing I could do without Verone seeing it.

Dom went off, I turned a bit around and could see that he was leaning to the bathroom's doorframe with a frown - not being covered by the camera angle.

I took the pendant into my hand and spoke to it.

"Okay, Carter, hope you get this. There's no way how I would let this mountain of a man tear anything from my neck or elsewhere, let alone such a massive chain; so I guess you'll have to be fine with me draping your fucking camera over something so that you can still enjoy watching me." I whispered into it. Just hope he would hear that...

"Did you say anything?" Dom said, almost casually getting back into the angle of the camera.

"No, I was just wondering to myself if you share this... garage of yours with many women?"

He laughed. "Quite a lot, actually." He pulled me close; so close that the pendant was pressed against his chest; then shook his head in real reply to my question.

"But I think I like you, think I should bring you here more often."

"I'd like that, but I'm afraid I'll starve before you can do that."

"Come on, dinner time." He said, picked me up from the floor and carried me over to the Charger. "And this time I'll drive that thing, must see what it can do."

"Perfectly okay with me." I breathed out.

Food. Eating.

I had almost forgotten how it really tasted and ate so much that I started to fear I would explode. Dom, on the other hand, shoved about the same amount into his mouth but didn't look uncomfortable in any way. But then again he approximately had almost twice my weight... which, of course, demanded to be maintained.

He didn't stop commenting on the Charger; how beautiful it was and yet how badly it was put together. He'd know, having driven the original one; but he never referred to it; probably to show Verone that he didn't quite trust me. And how would he, knowing me for just half a day? The setup of this story was perfect.

"Honestly, I have no idea how you kept that thing on the track for even just a minute. I mean, it requires some skills and power to drive something like this, but that thing was put together by someone who never test rode it to be able to make necessary adjustments to the steering and the brakes."

"Well," I shrugged, "Carter had that thing built. I daresay whoever did it was scared to drive it himself. He just wanted to gift me with something pretty, I guess."

"Probably right. But I think it's not really responsible to hand out a car like this in an untested state, let alone letting anyone drive something like this. I daresay he didn't love you too much."

I just shrugged in reply and yawned.

"You tired?" He said.

"Just a bit. Was a bit much for me today."

"I believe that without asking what else you did apart from racing with the Charger... and riding me." He grinned, leaving me snickering. "Sleep at my home? I'm expecting some friends coming into town within the next days."

Some friends. A-ha. A cue for Verone.


"Oh really." I said, trying to sound surprised. "Nice friends?"

"Very nice friends." He said.

"Racers?" I said, wiggling my eyebrows.

"And how!" He laughed. "We hoped to have a party in the next days."

"Cool, I like parties. Say, if I like your friends, too, couldn't we party at my house? Nice... big..."

"Brilliant. I'll ask them... given I like your house. But tonight I have to stay at my place because they might call me at home."

Now, I thought, if Verone doesn't believe this story, then I have no idea which story he possibly would believe...

"So, your place tonight? Hope you'll let me get a bit of sleep." I winked.

"Just a bit." He grinned.

"Thanks so much." I smiled.

"While you're sleeping I could make some adjustments on the Charger?" He suggested.

"I'd love that!" I replied.

It was almost dark when we got back to Dom's, sorry, Leon's apartment. I looked at the clock, a quarter to nine. Brilliant.

"Have to call my ex soon, you know? To make a date when he can get his clothes from my home." I gave a meaningful look to Dom.

"Whatever. If you have problems with the sucker, just tell me." He shrugged, side-glancing at my pendant. "Should give him a beating anyway for not having the Charger tested."

"Ah, he's not that bad." I said, rolling my eyes."

"Sure." Dom snorted.

As soon as we had shrugged off our clothes and slumped down on the bed, the necklace being hung over the lampshade next to it, I called Verone.

"Hi Carter." I purred into the phone when it was picked up.

"Darling, I can see you." I could hear that he was grinning.

"I know." I gritted through my teeth.

"Miss me?"

"No, too busy for that." I laughed not very happy.

"Yes, that I have seen, too. Next time you'll take the necklace with you into the bathroom, got that?"

"Got that." I grunted; not just because of what he said but because Dom sat down on my back; one leg at each of my sides. "Think I should give you a massage." He said; I grinned back to him.

"Got company, Carter." I said.

"I know. Say, would you rather have me sitting on your back there? Or no, let me rephrase that: What about you sitting on my back and doing this?"

"Right now... not really. That Charger almost broke my arms." I snorted. "Say, when do you want to pick up your stuff?"

"Oh, what about... in four days? Think I can combine the fun with something necessary then."

"No really!" I snorted. "Sorry, but as it seems I'll have a party then." As if he didn't know...

"Good for you, you don't want to be alone with the 'sucker', right?" Verone said.

"Right. Hmmmm...." I said when Dom started to work on my shoulders.

"You're having fun there, darling?" Verone asked.

"Sure. I like big things, didn't you know?" I laughed.

"Ah, when we meet again, I think it's time I shove one or two big things into you, too..." He laughed hard, and the mentioning of two big things somehow made me sick.

"We'll see. Bye, Carter." I said, and before I could hang up, I still head him laugh at the other end of the line.

I looked back at Dom and breathed out. He just frowned; I shook my head almost unnoticeable.

"Let's sleep." He said and laid down beside me, his arm protectively wrapped around my waist.

And even if my head and thoughts were spinning, I drifted to sleep within a matter of minutes.

I woke up in almost total darkness by a hand covering my mouth. I looked around, almost panicking, and finally realized that it was Dom. I frowned at him, he put his finger on his lips. I understood.

He got up, making almost no sound, and placed a shirt over the lampshade with the necklace. Then he signaled me to come with him; he was already about to get dressed; I did the same as quiet as I could. Together we sneaked out of the apartment.

"What's up? And what's the time?"

"The others have arrived. And it's three in the morning. We have to tell them what happened and how to behave if you're wearing that thing around your neck." He said. "Quick, we only have two hours before the sun will start to come out and Verone will notice that there's something wrong with your necklace."

Clever, I thought, yawned and got into Eleanor.

"Michael! Vince!" I squeaked by their very sight in Memphis' garage and jumped to them to give both a thorough hug.

"What about me." Brian huffed.

"And I?" Leon said.

"Awww, you two too. Come here." We all together practiced group hugging.

"Hey, and us?" Hector said, Letty standing beside him.

"Well, why don't you come over and join us?" I winked. "Good lord, it's so good to see you all again. Michael, you wouldn't believe what I drove today. Well, yesterday, actually"

"You're right, I wouldn't - if I hadn't seen this." He laughed, pointing at a monitor. Monitor? Not only one, but several of them. Damn, those things hadn't been here the last time...

The one he had pointed to, however, showed a Charger on a racetrack, spinning out of control around its own axis, barely missing the rail; then, with burning out tires, speeding up again; and it took me some seconds to realize that this, obviously, was a recording of last day's race.

"Damn." I marveled at that stunt. "You know, it didn't look that cool from inside the car. Also didn't really look that dangerous, by the way."

The sound of clapping hands made me turn around. An older man, black, wearing a hilarious Hawaii shirt, stood there and clapped all by himself - to me.

"Who the hell are you?" I snapped.

"That's Bilkins, the FBI asshole." Came a voice from the door behind me. On the first word, I had started to spin around; on the second, I blinked and on the third, I was already running.

"Roman!!!" I screamed, jumped on him, my legs draping around his waist, my arms around his neck.

"Guess the team is complete now." Sway said from somewhere above us. I looked up, Memphis was standing there with her, Sphinx and Otto, all smiling down at us.

"Yeah, complete. Let's get the party started." Dom grinned.