Nothing noteworthy or extraordinarily significant happened during Kendall’s reconnoitering of Grayson’s whereabouts. To make it worst, she barely managed to get close to him as the young, obnoxious man was simply too elusive for her to get any information.

Adding to that, Chief Spencer kept on pressing her relentlessly regarding her progress with the entitled, and insufferable swot, Grayson Hoffman. With that bug-bearing thought bothering her, Kendall knew that this would probably compromise her mission, or even worse, become the demise of her career.

She couldn’t let that happen, whilst letting a young man be the reason for her career’s downfall. Kendall believed that if you couldn’t swing it in the most mundane and traditional way, then you would have to seize it by fair means or foul.

So, she decided to come up with an idea to leverage Grayson’s pretensions toward her. By the time the weekend had arrived, she went to the nearest automobile repair shop across the street. Kendall knew the shop as they were known for servicing car modifications and alterations. She had already met the owner, Atlas Miller, when she had them clean the carburetor and repair the coolant on her Tarazon Harley-Davidson bike.

Spotting Altas below the Hannasey pickup truck, she knocked on the hood of the car. “Sup, Atlas. You’ve been quite busy these days, eh?”

A tan-skinned guy with disheveled black hair instantly rolled out from underneath the car. Daubing a quite charming smile, he removed the knitted gloves, wiping his greasy palms on his dark-green overalls. “Hey, Kels! Didn’t notice you there. So, you decided to beef up your baby?”

Kendall bent her lips upward. Looking back at her black Davidson parked on the railings, she replied, “Nah, not now, Atlas. Got other things I have to attend to first.” She then turned back to him. “Anyway, I need your help with something.”

His arms crossed over his chest, making the veins on his tattooed biceps pop out. “Sure, fire away, officer. What do you need?”

“I need a car. Well, not just any car, Atlas.” She stopped to point at the Rimac Nevera wrapped around a silver car cover. “That car.”

Following her index finger, Atlas crooked his head to the side. “For what? Are you planning to go dicing?” he asked while moving towards it. “You know this is my girl, Kendall. I don’t just let anyone take a ride on it.”

She sighed with dejection as she walked toward him. “I know, Atlas. Just this once, please. I promise I’ll give your baby back once I’m done.”

Atlas’s eyebrows dished down, raking a few strands of his hair falling over his eyes. “Is this another one of your confidential cases? Did you remember when you completely shattered the front-rear of Old Joe’s mustang? He was shitty for days, Kels.”

In an instant, Kendall remembered that day when she used Officer Joe’s car amid a car chase. She did, not with any intention, crash the mustang with the suspects’ car along the intersection road.

“Okay, that was an accident, Atlas. Besides, this case is different. I have to teach that git some lessons.” Shoving her hands into her back pockets, she added. “Can you please help me with this? I promise I’ll pay you for renting your baby.”

Atlas breathed out with a slight restraint. There was a pregnant pause for a moment when he went back to his office. Kendall waited for a couple of minutes for him—and as soon as she saw him getting back to her, she noticed the keys in his hands.

“Here.” He threw it at her with slight hesitation. “Just make sure she’ll be back with no scratches, Kels.”

Kendall grinned ear to ear. “Perfect! Of course, Atlas! I promise. In the meantime, can my baby stay here for a while? You can use it whenever you want.”

“Deal!” He agreed, with no objections.

She went to the Nevara extracting the cover above it. Kendall walked around it, checking if it was in good condition for racing. Checking its tires, brakes, and steering wheel, she asked Atlas again, “Hey bro, Can I hit up your baby beyond the limit?”

He scoffed while propping his arms against the car’s roof. “You shitting me, Kels? This baby is souped up with turbochargers, highflow filters, exhaust headers, a remapped ECU for an internal combustion engine, and a RE-71R tire for traction. This is a fucking greyhound. You will never go wrong with my baby, Kels.”

Her lips went wide with glee. “Excellent! Can’t wait to drive this around.”

“Oh, also, I upgraded the clutch to a short-throw shifter. It will be easier to shift the gear lever for a maximum rotational speed,” he explained while his arms were perched on the windowsill.

“Got it. Anything else I have to remember?”

Atlas’ molten honey-glazed eyes turned into admonition. “Bring back my baby in one piece.”

...

Grayson Hoffman exited the Caesaere Restaurant with a lady hooking on his left side. Alongside him was his girlfriend for a year, Abigail Vanderbilt, who was famous for being the only Milanon model who’d worked together with international and luxurious brands.

Like her boyfriend, Abigail was raised in a privileged society. Both of her parents also owned a multi-million dollar company that dealt with expensive and exclusive brands. It was also the reason why Abigail could easily get gigs or shows at the latest Milanon Fashion Week.

“My driver won’t be able to fetch me, babe. Will you mind if I get a ride with you?” she requested as she gazed at him.

Grayson responded to her with a faint beam. “Sure!” Looking at his watch, he added, “It’s five pm. Would you like to go back now?”

Abigail pouted. “It’s too early. I thought we were still going to watch a movie? You said you’ll reserve some seats.”

'Fuck!' Grayson muttered as he grabbed her slender and smooth fingers to intertwine with him. “Crap, so sorry, babe! Totally slipped my mind as I was reviewing for the midterms.”

She heaved a sigh. “It’s fine. I understand. Our finals are also coming up, but I still have a few weeks to do that.” Pulling him to her side, she continued, “Anyway, let’s just see if there are still available seats in the cinema. I’m pretty sure there are still vacant seats.”

Same as Grayson, Abigail was also in her second year. Though, unlike him, she’s taking Mass Communications at Rydell University, which was a well-known private university for students who can afford expensive tuition fees.

“I really can’t today. I gotta review for Econ. How about tomorrow, babe? I’ll pick you up in the afternoon.” Grayson frowned as he held tight to her hand.

To be honest, he felt lucky to have her. The first time he met her was at one of his friend’s parties. He knew that the first time he laid his eyes on her, she was the perfect girl for her. She was beautiful, tall, understanding, and patient. Even his grandfather adored her very much because he was close to her father.

“Really, Grayson? That is just so unfair! You barely have time with me! Also, you’re always out with your friends, and you don’t even respond to my calls or texts. Sometimes, I just think that you’re not really invested in our relationship like I am,” she burst out, having enough of Grayson’s excuses.

“God, no Abigail! I-I'm... Shit! I want what we have.” He gulped as he started to feel the sweats on his forehead. “It’s just I’m so cramped up these past few days with requirements and deadlines.”

His girlfriend bit her lips. “Tch, fine! But please promise you’ll make it up to me after your exams.”

Delighted by her response, he smirked. “I swear, babe.”

Abigail then tiptoed to reach him for a kiss. As she damped her full lips on his cheeks, she said, “I’ll keep that promise.”

Meanwhile, Grayson was shocked by her action. Even though they were together for a year, they hadn’t done it yet. Abigail might seem liberated by the way she dressed, but she was still a conservative woman. She’d never given herself to Grayson fully. They had make-out sessions once in a while, but that was only that.

“I will. Swear to God,” Grayson added as he nipped her lips, trying to appease his girlfriend’s sulkiness.

It was a rare sight to witness him being mushy to anyone. People around Grayson knew him to be a bit aloof and standoffish. Nonetheless, it was different when he was with Abigail. With her, Grayson was more cordial and agreeable.

He loved and respected his girlfriend. Even so, despite this fact, Grayson still would frequently sleep with another woman as his way of indulgence. In his defense, he wanted to enjoy his youth as early as possible. Live life the way he could before time ran out.

As they walked out of the mall, Grayson told Abigail that he would drive her home. It was still early for them to go back, but Grayson still had some other things to do.

“Let’s go. I’ll drive you home.”

“Can we go back later? I still want to stroll around.” Abigail expressed dismay because she wanted to spend more time with him.

He exhaled lightly. “I would love to, babe, but I still have to study for Monday.”

Convinced by his explanation, her face went down in disappointment. “Pfft, fine. I guess we have to go back.”

Grayson clutched her hand again, damping his lips to her warm, delicate skin. “Thank you for understanding, babe.”

Abigail understood and knew how much Grayson cared about his studies. Knowing that he was the next in line to his grandfather’s position, Abigail fathomed that Grayson must be equipped to handle their business. Besides, a multi-billion-dollar company wasn’t like any other small enterprise.

As soon as they were at her place, Abigail suddenly brought up something. Grabbing the car’s door handle, she asked, “Before I go, I just remembered... One of my friends saw you last time at the racetrack with another girl. Is that true?”

Immediately, Grayson remembered that night when he had sex with Sandra. It was also the day when he ignored her texts and calls. He felt uncomfortable with her question, so he rubbed the back of his neck.

“No, I was at home studying. Maybe she saw someone else.” He shrugged, sucking up to his lie.

Abigail stared at him pensively. “Are you sure? She did say that it was really you.”

“I promise, babe, that was not me. I was studying at that time for exams,” he explained, firmly denying it to his girlfriend.

She huffed. "Okay, fine, I believe you. Just—Can you please tell me if you’ll go out somewhere with your friends so that I know where you are?”

Trepid with hesitation, he replied, “O-of course! I will. Sure.”

Abigail didn’t ask any questions after that. She went out of the car and walked towards her house. After reaching the place, he dropped her off, and she got inside.

By the time she was out of his eyesight, Grayson released a heaving sigh of relief as she had almost caught him.

'Whew, that was close.' He thought. It was a good thing that he had an alibi to tell her, or else he would definitely be in a boiling pot of water.

When he got back to his car, Grayson’s phone rang inside his pocket. Grabbing it out, he accepted the call.

“Yep?”

“Where are you, Grayson?” Indistinct yet lurid noises were dominant in the background.

“I’m on my way. Will be there in a buck.”

Minutes later, he had gotten to the racetrack. There were a lot of people already, as music boomed throughout the entire place. Cars were already docked in the open space, and random girls in tight clothes were clinging to their beaus.

Rancid smoke filled the air as the night was brimming with the endless perspiration of vulgarity. Grayson smiled in bliss as he was back in his jungle.

“Hey man! Sup!” Anton called him on the left side of the track.

He then ambled towards his friends while girls at the sideline greeted him with fervor. Of course, a man like him with needs would flirt back either with a smile or a hug. He made his way to his friends immediately as he passed along the way.

When he got to where they were located, Will threw him a beer. “Good that you’re here, bro. You almost missed the fun.”

Grayson jeered. “Fun never starts without me, Will. You know that.”

Will, however, just laugh it off.

He was about to open the beer when another girl approached him. She walked toward him with delight and excitement. It was Agnes, who was one of Grayson’s girls.

“Hi, Gray! Glad you’re here again, baby boy,” a girl wearing a mesh mid-drip cooed.

“Course, where would I be other than here?” he coyly smirked.

She teased, “In me?”

Grayson then pulled her closer to him, kissing her languidly on the lips while brushing his palms to her firm derriere. “Later, babe,” he wooed, before giving her another peck on the lips.

“You promise, Gray?” Her eyes fluttered, alluring him to get on with her.

“Course, sweetpea.” Grayson traced his thumbs on her plump, rosy lips.

Agnes only nodded at her and walked back to her place afterward.

His friend Chester, who was beside him, suddenly snaked his arms to Grayson’s shoulder. “Damn, bro. You’re in it again. You know, since we’re friends, why don’t you give us some tricks on how to get some hot chicks?”

“It’s innate, Chester. You don’t need—” he was cut off when a loud revving of the engine blared in their ears.

All of a sudden, the said car parked in front of them. In a minute, the door automatically opened and a woman in a black leather jacket and tight pants came out of it.

Shocked was engraved on everyone’s faces when they saw Kendall standing in front of them.

As Grayson’s eyes widened, he couldn’t help but release an irritable yell. “Huh? It’s the nosy woman! What are you doing here?”

Kendall inhaled pettily. Placing her hands on her hips, she simpered. “I hear you’re undefeated.” Moving closer to him with a gap of a few inches between them, she added, “You up for a race, Hoffman?”

Anton wooed. “Do it, bro! There’s no way she can beat you!”

On the other hand, Will murmured to him, “Shit bro, the chit got a Nevera. That fucker can kill your car in just a minute. I don’t think your Bugatti can top it.”

'Agh, fuck! I know. If I only just brought my Forza! Nevera is one of the best dragsters with its high-powered combustion engine as an AWD. Damn, that thing can cover the dragstrip in less than 3.7 sec with a speed of 330 mph. I might be able to outrun her, but that will depend on her RT.' He grumbled inwardly.

“You fucking sure about that? I don’t want to get your hopes up, but you can’t beat me,” Grayson confidently replied.

Kendall's eyebrows raised as she devilishly smirked. “Why? Are you scared you’d lose? If you’re that good, then prove it.”

'This girl is driving me nuts! However, if I do it right, I can maneuver her with an early pre-take and maintain my tracking speed to low-down the torque of my engine. Fucking hell, this chit is really annoying!'

Grayson’s fury slowly ignited. “Fine! What are you going to bet then?”

Her eyes flicked back to her car. “If you win, I'll give you my car. But if I do—” Leaning closer to him, her eyes landed on his, challenging him even more. “I'll be a part of your squad."

“Oh shit, Grayson! If I were you, I’d go for it, man!” Chester commented.

“She’ll lose anyway, bro. You got this,” Anton patted his shoulder.

Grayson found her deal quite beneficial to him. If he won, he would get her Nevera which he could add to his collection. He knew that it was an easy win as the girl was entirely clueless about how to drag race.

"Deal!" he said.

Their talk ended briefly as both of them started to burn out their cars in the open space. As soon as both of them were ready, the oval race track was prepared. Bystanders cheered while Grayson and Kendall's cars were next to each other.

The instructions for the race were easy. They just had to complete five laps, and whoever got to the finishing line first would win. Grayson had done it in the past, and surely he could win this without difficulty.

Before they got inside their respective places, Kendall left him with a statement. “Don’t go easy on me, Hoffman. I don’t wanna win it the easy way.”

Grayson scoffed, finding her declaration quite ridiculous. “Even if I go easy on you, you’ll still lose.”

Kendall didn’t respond after that as she went inside her car. A woman wearing a sexy bodysuit appeared in front of them as she waved the flag on the drag street.

“Play it easy, guys!” She reminded them before dropping the black flag.

In an instant, Grayson pushed his gear to launch his car. Luckily, his car moved fast, leaving her behind. While keeping in mind to maintain his fast speed, he paddled the pedal in between with his clutch as he slightly shifted his gears.

Meanwhile, Kendall, who was at his back, didn’t budge to move ahead. She kept her pace at a distance of two to three meters away from him. Grayson laughed at this thought, knowing that there was no way in hell she would reach him before the last lap.

“Knew it. The chit doesn’t know anything,” he muttered while his hand was on the steering wheel. He continued his fast pace, minding the balance of traction on his car's wheel-spin. He didn’t want to throttle his car in an instant, as it might take a toll on him later.

“Go, Grayson! Prove to her you’re the king of the track, fucker!” He heard one of his friends cheer him on the sidelines.

Grayson only smiled at them while keeping his focus on the dragstrip.

A few minutes had passed, and the match was intense. Grayson was still leading after four laps, while Kendall was still behind him. With this in mind, as he got to the start of the fifth lap, he boosted his car, accelerating immensely to 450mph, leaving Kendall behind for over seven meters.

“Fuck yes,” he said triumphantly while tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

'Easy peasy, baby.'

His consistent speed continued for half of the lap, making him the lead on the front line. Grayson felt that victory was already at his fingertips. The Nevera would soon be his, and the chit would stop bothering him. Everything was going according to his plan when suddenly—“Fucking shit!”

Grayson noticed her car was running beyond the maximum limit. Kendall reached him in no time, overlapping his speed like a child’s play. His annoyance with her grew stronger as he challenged her speed.

Pushing his pedal harder, he half-clutched and switched gears to maximum speed. When his car reached the Nevera, he tried swerving it to hit her bumper, but, soon, was disappointed when Kendall easily maneuvered his attack.

"Ugh, Shit!"

When the driveway beside Grayson opened, the Nevera briskly rushed swiftly towards the finish line. He tried to reach her speed, but to his distress, his car had already reached its capacity. He knew it would blow out soon if he tried pushing it beyond.

To his utter demise, Kendall completed the laps first before him, making her the indisputable winner.

Grayson was dumbfounded. He couldn’t believe that she had won. He thought the chit knew nothing about racing, or at least was clueless about it. Trying to process it through his brain, he couldn’t swallow the bitter pill that had punched him unexpectedly.

He then got out of the car in disbelief as soon as he saw Kendall moving out of hers.

Still shocked, Grayson stood there, frozen, as Kendall strutted towards him with a cunning smirk.

"Bull’s eye! Got you, Hoffman.”

Like always, Grayson’s gang hung out at a nearby bar after the race. With their cars parked under the shading cap of the tree outside the pub, they remained there while sharing a case of beer. Kendall, who just got in the by winning against Grayson, was sitting currently on the hood of her car.

Grayson, on the other hand, was beside her propping on his Bugatti. The countenance of disbelief etched on his face as he still couldn’t comprehend that he lost against a newbie. He had been racing for almost two years since he was sixteen and he couldn’t bite the fact that a girl he barely knew would end his streak of victory.

Meanwhile, Chester, who was on the other side, expressed his amazement to the new member of the squad. “You were so cool! How did you do it? Did you know that no one has ever defeated Grayson before?”

Kendall shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “I guess it was a fluke? I fell behind for four laps of the race. If Grayson hadn’t given me an opening, I would probably lose, which will end in me giving my car.”

Chester patted his palms on her shoulder. “Lucky you won—” he stopped his response while processing her name. Chuckling at himself, he continued, “Damn, I’m an ass for not knowing your name. Grayson still hadn’t introduced you to us.”

All of a sudden, a deep raspy voice spoke. “Hailey. Her name is Hailey.”

Kendall turned to him with incredulity. She didn’t know Grayson would remember her name. As a matter of fact, she thought that he had forgotten about it when she introduced herself last week.

“Well, Hailey, nice to meet you! Chester, here,” he introduced himself while producing a Cheshire kind of smile.

Chester’s rich, yet sidesplitting voice, along with his comical smile, made Kendall chortle lightly. Compared to Grayson, Chester was more approachable and amicable. She thought that although he might not be as attractive or appealing as Grayson, his character and demeanor alone were striking enough.

“Sup, Hailey. Anton.” His luscious green-honey heterochromatic eyes gazed at her as he took her hand and shook it. “Apologize for dissing you a while ago. Anyhow, since you’ve become part of the team, welcome!"

Meanwhile, a red-headed guy beside him wearing a baseball cap gave her a nod. “Welcome, Hails.”

Kendall noticed Anton was more of a level-headed kind of guy, while Will was more reserved and silent. Either way, she thought both of them were like Grayson, who had been groomed by a silver spoon.

“Thanks, guys. You can surely ask anything about me regarding cars or bikes. Though, my interest leans more towards bikes.” Kendall smiled softly.

“ Cool, Hailey! Definitely! Honestly, I absolutely have no problem with you being a part of our group. Ain’t that right, Grayson?” he asked, seemingly unaware of Grayson’s detachment.

“Thanks, Chester.” Kendall reflexively replied to him, as if she didn’t know how to respond to his eagerness.

Anton and Will, who were listening, veered their direction to Grayson, whose attention was completely divided.

“You still good, bro? You look down and out,” Will sniped before drinking his cold can of beer.

Anton added, trying to comfort his distressed friend, “It’s fine if you lose, bro. We win some, we lose some shit, but that’s just part of it. At least we got a rising star in our team who could help us out, right?"

“Yeah, Dude! Besides, Hailey will be a great addition to our team, right?” Chester continued, waiting for his friend’s affirmation.

Nonetheless, out of the blue, Grayson sneered. “Let’s see.”

Averting his gaze back at Kendall, he chugged the beer empty and crushed it into a ball. He then leaned away from his car’s hood, throwing it into the nearest bin. Looking back at them, he saw Chester talking to Kendall again.

His jaw instantly twitched in annoyance as he watched his friend’s delight and keenness.

“By the way, why do you want us to be your friends instead of other girls, Hailey?” Chester asked curiously.

Grayson scoffed as soon as he heard it. “Can’t you see, bro?” Gazing back at her, he gave a lopsided smile. “With that look of hers, do you think she’s a girl?” he added with an implication while scrutinizing Kendall’s black ensemble.

He surmised that, without a doubt, Kendall must be a dyke, with the looks of how she wore herself and the way she gestured. There was no way she was like other girls.

“Kind of has a feeling about it. Anyway, whatever you like, Hailey, it doesn’t matter to us. You’re still part of the group,” Anton declared.

Will didn’t reply as he just shrugged it off.

As soon as Chester realized what Grayson meant, his eyes widened. “Oh… You mean… You’re a...”

Kendall crossed her arms, looking amused. “A what?”

Chester scratched his nape and hesitantly said, “You know… Someone who doesn’t like men. Is that why you enjoy hanging out with guys more than girls?”

Her mouth slightly parted, grasping what Chester was trying to say. However, she was nonchalant about it and just said, “I don’t know. It’s up to you to decide. That’s too personal."

“I told you so,” Grayson muffled.

By saying that, Kendall figured out that it would be better to get closer to Grayson if he didn’t see her as someone who would like him. Also, her gender and sex weren’t a big deal.

“God, dude. I don’t know how you can be so dense sometimes,” Will teased while laughing.

Chester’s pupil narrowed while throwing the empty can of beer toward him. “Shut it, bro. I’m fucking serious here. And I want to know our maggs better.” The corner of his lips curled upward.

Will retorted. “Yeah, Hails. You’re still in."

The group kept talking for a while. Grayson joined in some of their conversations but remained to be distant. A little while later, Anton and Will went inside the pub to replenish their beers. leaving Grayson, Chester, and Kendall alone in the parking area.

Chester continued to ask Kendall questions. She tried to respond to him with equal vigor while keeping a distance from the young man.

While they were conversing, a woman appeared to be walking toward them. Her blonde hair was curled to perfection, while in her blinding tight metallic dress. Chester quickly noticed, immediately, getting Grayson's attention.

"Shit, dude! Sandra is here," he hissed.

Grayson turned to his back, corroborating whether Chester was telling the truth. As soon as he saw it with his own eyes, Sandra appeared more clearly in his vision. He bolted out of his car.

“Crap!” Grayson instantly panicked. He was no longer interested in the woman, nor did he want to do anything with her. With this, out of instinct, he moved next to the unsuspecting Kendall, draping his arms on her shoulder.

Simultaneously, Kendall was flustered by his sudden and baffling gesture. She was about to ask what he was doing, but Grayson riposted back with a shush.

“Shh! Just follow my lead."

Kendall then noticed the woman walking toward them. She went back to Grayson and saw his awkward and stifling countenance. As soon as she realized it, Kendall slumped her back as she waited for Sandra to move away.

However, even with Sandra’s bewildered expression, she still kept walking toward them. When Kendall recognized it, she turned to Grayson to let him know.

“She’s co—"

She felt a heavy barrier against her lips halt her from whatever she was about to say. Wet, smooth lips dampened the skin of her mouth. His lips drifted slightly to the opening of her mouth, nipping her to move about.

Her eyelids nictitated repeatedly. Shock, perturbation, and consternation swirled all over her system as if she had been hit by an unexpected storm. With his body closer to her, she could feel the tension in his shoulders, the arrest of his breathing, and the mixed scent of musky bergamo and liquor wafting through her nose.

The scent filled her attention—No; it occupied her.

It was damning and confusing that the heat on her body flushed out of her skin suddenly. More so, she felt her body trembled not with fear but with an enigma that a sprouting thought suddenly emerged out of her awareness.

Grayson didn’t stop. His lips moved again, nibbling her a bit, making her even more in a state of a conundrum. Even so, this time, Kendall tried to push him away; however, before she could do so, she suddenly felt her waist dragging towards him.

With his arms on her waist, she felt a part of her being sucked into the deep recessive of her subconscious mind.

...

He felt her rapid breathing and the warm, inviting skin against him, which made his whole body react instinctively.

Grayson knew he had completely reacted out of necessity. Nonetheless, he never thought in his wildest dreams that Kendall would feel like this. To have a smell so good—so fresh and distinctive that made him whiff like an idiot just so he could inhale the sweet fragrance of her watermelon and faux pas leather scent.

Apart from that, he was even more befuddled when his mouth nipped her full, supple lips. It felt so tender that it urged him to want more—to taste more. And then, he did the almost unthinkable. He reached towards her, pulling her dainty waist closer.

His mouth parted slightly, dipping it against her lips as his shoulders were awkwardly edgy.

'God…' He grunted.

Albeit, in an instant, her protesting moans hit him back to reality. His eyes flicked open and the tightness on his body loosened. Within a second, he felt her arms pushing him away from her.

“What the fuck!” Kendall hissed in anger.

Coming back to his senses, Grayson shrugged it out of his thought.

He breathed in, trying to compose himself as though nothing had happened. Then, Grayson noticed his arms wrapped around her waist while her stare was etched with contempt.

Clearing his throat, he asked, “Chester, did she leave?"

Chester replied stingily, but with relief, “Yep, she did.”

After hearing his response, Grayson was about to pull away from her when his eyes met her warm forest green eyes. He paused for a while, gazing at her flustered face for a moment. Instinctively, his eyes dropped to her plump rosy lips. It was then, at that moment, that an alarming feeling burst out of him, which made him gulp in ablaze.

Grayson immediately brushed aside the absurd and troubling idea in his mind.

To be honest, he didn’t know why he did that. Kendall wasn’t even his type. She wasn’t the type of girl he would gawk at randomly on the streets. This made him more perturbed and disturbed about what made him react like that.

Then, in a minute, he turned around to look at where Sandra was. He saw her back fading away from the area, which made him sigh with relief.

“Thank Go—Goddammit! O-ouch!” He shrieked when he felt his arms being pulled by Kendall.

She twisted his forearm aptly, causing him to scream in agony. Grayson felt all the nerves in his body awaken in unfortunate discomfort.

“Ouch!” he shrieked, begging her to stop.

However, Kendall didn’t stop as she locked his arms to the hood of the car, bending it in the opposite direction.

“Why the fuck would you do that?!” she kept asking as though she wanted to kill him.

“Fuck! Ugh—I’m just joking, Hailey!” he rebutted in pain.

She didn’t believe him as she even clutched his arms tighter. “Joking? Do you fucking think it’s just a joke?”

“Aren’t we friends? Friends help each—fucking fuck, Hailey!” His back curved inwards, trying to suppress the immense pain from her brutal strength.

“Friends don’t kiss each other!"

“Okay! Okay! I won’t kiss you again! It was just a joke!” He apologized while screaming in anguish.

Chester tried to calm her down. “Umm, Hailey, Grayson’s really like that. You will get used to him when you get to know him better. You might break his—oh, God!” Chester's eyes widened in astonishment.

Nonetheless, Kendall twisted Grayson's arm even tighter, making him scream even more. “Fuck! Damn it! I won’t do it again! I swear! I’m sorry.”

Kendall ignored Chester’s explanations as she never felt violated in her life until this. “Do that again and I’ll break all your bones!”

Grayson immediately nodded. “I won’t—I won’t do it again."

Finally, she let Grayson go while still glaring at him. He, on the other hand, massaged his arms with a pout. Grayson didn’t expect her to do that. Well, the girl was really the epitome of all uncliches.

Then, all of the sudden, heaps of screams came from inside the bar. People inside sporadically bolted out of it with distress painted on their faces. Meanwhile, Grayson saw Anton and Will storming out of the pub.

“Hell, bro, there's a brawl inside!” Will yelled while panting as both of them ran towards them.

“Don’t go, man. It’s a mess!” Anton warned.

Weirdly, instead of keeping her distance, Grayson noticed Kendall storming inside the bar.

"Wait, where are you going?!" Anton queried while looking at her from the distance.

Grayson and Chester exchanged unsure glances but soon followed her, thinking she might cause another trouble.

“Ugh, dammit! This woman will lead us to our demise,” Grayson said irritatingly.

...

With no hesitation, Kendall went inside the bar. She scanned the place and spotted two bulky guys fighting on the dance floor. Most of the customers, even the employees, fled, but Kendall wanted to know what happened.

“Sir, please come down!”

“Stay the fuck away from me!"

The guard tried to pacify the drunk men on the right side while, on the other hand, an employee tried to pull the other guy away. Both were doing their best to calm the two, but they were just too engaged with their anger.

Initially, Kendall didn’t want to get involved, since she wanted to keep her undercover persona as seamless as possible. Also, she had called the cops to handle the situation, but when she noticed that the other big guy was about to pull something from his pocket, alarm bells went off in her head.

On the other side, Chester and Grayson followed her inside. Both of them refused to join in watching the fight, as they had just watched Kendall’s next moves. Knowing that she was a nosy chit, they were worried that she would do something stupid.

And there it went. Kendall’s palm curled into a knuckle.

“Ugh, fuck it…” she muttered as she gazed at her target.

Cracking the muscles on her neck, she grabbed the empty tray lying on the counter and before the target could use his knife, the silver metal plate was flying towards him. It ricocheted against his knife, rotating the knife back to him with a slice on the center of his palms. The guy was absolutely shocked as to where the tray came from.

Realizing the knife plunging into his palms, he screamed in pain as his blood trickled out of it. Meanwhile, the guard and the employee found a loop to tackle and shackle them just in time for the cops to arrive.

Chester and Grayson were in awe as they witnessed Kendall’s spot-on hit. Their jaws dropped with astonishment as they couldn’t believe the surprise this girl brought to them.

“Awesome. Shit, that was cool!” Chester’s mouth gaped, while Grayson’s face was utterly flabbergasted.

Kendall then walked away from the scene. She ambled back with Grayson and Chester to the parking lot where Anton and Will were waiting.

While walking, Grayson couldn’t help but comment. “It’s a good thing that you didn’t interfere with the fight, considering how nosy you are."

Kendall scoffed, saying, “There are guards there, so why would I?”

“Yeah. But what you did was totally cool, Hailey.” Chester nodded.

When they got back to the parking lot, Anton and Will asked why they had gone back to which Chester immediately replied with something regarding Kendall’s impressive skills.

The two didn't ask again as they were already pretty worn out from what happened. With that, the group decided to hit it home as it was evidently late.

However, before they parted ways, Grayson shared something with Kendall. “Oh, by the way, since you are part of this squad now, I need to tell you about our rules."

Her brows raised with curiosity. “Rules? What rules?"

A devious smirk escaped from his lips. “You will still have to undergo an initiation where you’ll be our slave for two months.”

“What initiation? I didn’t know your group is in some kind of fraternity.” Kendall’s ears rang in objection as she fiercely opposed the idea of being the group’s slave.

She looked back at Anton and Will and there was no reaction from them. Chester, however, felt her protest that he couldn't help but butt in. “Oh, it doesn’t have to be all of us. This is just Grayson’s idea! So, just be his slave..."

Kendall bit her lips trying to contemplate it. She thought and realized that if this was the only way to get leads from Grayson, then she had no choice but to do it.

She then crossed her arms and retorted. “Alright, fine! I agree! But just with Grayson!”

Chester rebutted. “Yep, just him, Hailey.”

Little did she know, Grayson was already brewing an evil idea. In his mind, he thought that Kendall was trying to terrorize the group so she could be the leader. Of course, with him being the leader, he didn’t want that to happen, so he swore to make things difficult for Kendall until she quit being part of the group.

...

After that night, Kendall went with her best friend, Charlotte, to buy clothes for her to use in her undercover as a university student. While strolling around different boutiques, looking for cute and stylish clothes, Kendall’s phone suddenly rang.

“Someone’s calling you on the weekend?” Charlotte asked.

She sighed, getting it out of her jeans. “Apparently. Anyway, let me answer this first.”

A deep, familiar voice blared from the speaker of her phone. “Be here at my house on three. I need you to do something for me.”

“What? It’s the weekend, Grayson,” she objected.

There was a pause for a moment. “Did you forget that you agreed to become my slave for two months? You've gotta do your duty, Hailey.”

Then, it struck her that this would be an opportunity for her to know more about Grayson so she could get some information out of him.

Exhaling a deep breath, she surrendered. “Fine.”

Looking dejectedly, she turned her gaze back at Charlotte and sadly informed her, “I have to go, Char. It's from work.”

Stunned, Charlotte asked briskly, “What? Where are you going? Don’t leave me here with your things!”

She walked away while responding to her with her front facing away from her. “You can drop it at my flat, Char. Thanks!”

Charlotte immediately groaned with frustration. “I will not! Remember, I’m not you damn servant, Kels!”

Kendall couldn’t believe how enormous Grayson’s place was. His residence looked like an entire village itself, with everything accessible in just a few minutes' radius. She knew he was rich; however, she didn’t expect that he was exorbitantly rich.

'Whoa! Is this even a house or a palace? How do they even constantly meet with each other?' she thought in amazement as she glanced around the whole area.

Then, she went to the stairs to knock on the front door. A few minutes after waiting, a maid came to greet Kendall.

“Hi! Sir Grayson will be here in a minute. Would you like some refreshment first?” the middle-aged maid asked.

Kendall sat on the brown leather couch in the waiting area. Smiling, she replied. “Sure! Thanks!”

The maid walked back to the kitchen while Kendall was left alone in the foyer. Later on, she saw Grayson marching out of the elevator near the stairs. Simultaneously, the maid came back with a tray of orange juice for her.

However, before she could give it to Kendall, Grayson said, “There’s no need to give her that.”

“O-okay, sir.” The maid didn’t know what to do with it as she was hesitant to go back to the kitchen.

It was a good thing that Kendall noticed her uncertainty as she decided to grab the juice and drink it.

Grayson’s eyes were raised in incredulity.

“What? She made it for me. It will be a waste if I don't drink it.” she contended while returning the glass back to the tray.

Then, Kendall's lips curled into a soft grin. “Thanks again.”

The maid just nodded at her with a smile and later went back to do her job.

Afterward, Grayson moved towards her, gesturing with his hand with a wave. “Follow me.”

She didn’t ask him a question and just automatically followed Grayson into the room. They went downstairs to the garage area and were greeted by a queue of collection cars. Kendall was astounded by the number of his car collections. It looked like she was at a high-end exclusive car show. Her mouth instantly dropped as she couldn’t help but be amazed.

“Wow! This is all yours? How do you drive all of them?” she queried as she still couldn’t believe it.

Grayson gave her a smug look. “Yes. The Bugatti is the one I frequently use. As for the Porsche and Mazda, I only use them on special occasions. As for the Ferrari GTO, I rarely use it.”

'Damn rich kids flexing their entire posh collection like it’s just nothing.' Kendall pondered.

He then walked into the center while she kept on following him. As they passed multiple cars, Kendall instinctively touched one of them.

“Whoa, this still looks new and unused,” she muttered unconsciously.

Unfortunately, Grayson saw it and reprimanded her. “Hey, don’t touch it! That car cost more than your life.”

She rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Alright, sorry.” 'Looks like this has more health insurance than I do.'

Eventually, Kendall noticed Grayson had stopped at his Bugatti. It was the same car he used when she challenged him in a drag race. Immediately, he turned around and threw the keys to Kendall.

“Pick up my girlfriend,” he ordered.

Confused, her brows dipped in confusion. “Who among them? I see you a lot with girls. I don’t know which one.”

“My real girlfriend.” He crossed his arms, giving her nothing but a blank face.

She hadn’t met his real girlfriend, Abigail. Kendall only knew her through the case profile that was given to her by the chief, but that was only that.

Kendall replied with a nod. “Okay, what car am I using? Can I use the Ferrari? Because that would be dope!” A glee of excitement was clearly perceived in her voice.

He took a short pause before exhaling. “No, Ferrari is off-limits, Hailey. You’ll be using the Bugatti.”

'Okay, not bad. I’ve never driven a Bugatti before, so this is the first. I mean, geez, I’m just going to drive a car that costs about twenty million,' she said to herself.

She shrugged while keeping her cool in place.

“Sure! Right away, sir.” Kendall was about to enter the car when another question popped into her mind. “Anyway, where will I pick her up?”

“I’ve messaged you the address,” he said.

Kendall didn’t respond as she went inside the car and drove off to Abigail’s place.

...

When she reached the location, Kendall saw Grayson's girlfriend, Abigail, walking to the car. As she had expected, she looked nothing like the photo that was in the folder. She was taller, slimmer, and prettier in real life. She thought that anyone who accidentally passed by Abigail would surely be starstruck by her beauty.

After a couple of seconds, Abigail entered the car with bewilderment. She scooted over to the center of the passage seat with her eyes leafing through Kendall.

“Uhm, hi? Where’s Blake?”

Kendall averted her gaze from the windshield to Abigail. “He told me to pick you up.” Offering her hand to her, she added. “Anyway, I’m Hailey. New member of their squad.”

She then nodded back and forth. “Oh, alright. I’m Abigail. Why didn’t he come?” She grabbed her hand and lightly swung it.

Shaking her hand, Kendall felt that Abigail was genuinely pleasant compared to the usual women she saw Grayson dallying with.

“He didn’t tell me the reason and just told me to get you.” Kendall felt unsure of her answer.

Abigail’s face turned sour. “Oh, okay.”

Upon seeing her reaction, Kendall couldn’t help but comment a reaffirmation. “He was a bit preoccupied when I went to his house, you know. That git is quite busy.”

She instantly chuckled as soon as she heard Kendall’s response. “Yeah! He always is.”

Kendall noticed Abigail’s openness to her. She was very amiable and affable to talk with, unlike Grayson. For Kendall, it was like she was just talking with her friend Charlotte, where she could be at ease with herself. With this, she couldn’t comprehend how on earth Grayson got a well-mannered and genteel girlfriend.

Thereafter, Abigail perched her hands on the back seat where Kendall was sitting. “Um, Hailey, can I have a favor?”

“Yeah sure. What is it?” Kendall asked right away.

Biting her lower lips, she answered, “Is it okay if I can have your number?”

Kendall’s brows creased with confusion. “I mean, yeah sure. But, why?”

She let out a huge sigh. “I couldn’t contact Blake sometimes. I was just wondering if you could help me watch over him? You know how girls easily get close to him. I just wanted to make sure that he won’t be entertaining them.”

“Umh, y-yeah, sure.” Kendall could almost feel the tightness in her airway as though she wasn’t sure how to answer Abigail’s favor.

The corners of Abigail’s lips curled upward. “Super thanks, Hailey.”

She gently coughed. “Of-Of course!’ Clearing her throat, she added, “So, do you need to go somewhere first before we head to Grayson’s place?”

She shook her head. “No, we can go directly there.”

Releasing a smile, she turned away from her and focused on the forefront. “Great. Let’s go.”

...

After a while, they went back to Grayson’s residence without a glitch. Kendall parked the car on the side of the concrete pavement. She then followed Abigail inside the mansion.

Abigail greeted Grayson happily as soon as they met. She quickly hugged Grayson and gave him a peck on his cheeks.

“Hey, babe!”

Grayson responded with eagerness when he slipped his arms around her waist. Kissing her on the lips, he replied. “It’s good to see you too babe.”

Kendall was shocked to see him very casual and open to Abigail. His always aloof personality with her was completely different from when he was with her. It was then she thought how good the git was at playing a doted and affectionate boyfriend. God, if only Abigail knew about his womanizing escapades.

“So...” Kendall mumbled as she watched them being mushy and loving at each other.

While gazing at them, Kendall thought her duty was done as she already planned on ditching off. However, as soon as Grayson saw her giving his keys back, he refrained her from leaving.

“You’re not going yet,” he commanded.

Getting irritated, Kendall stared daggers at him. “What? You only said to pick her up, so I’m leaving. I’ve done my job, sir. So, may I go now?” she sarcastically replied.

Chuckling with hilarity, Grayson replied, “Hailey, you’re not going anywhere. Your job is not yet done.”

“What do you mean? You only said to pick up Abigail!” Kendall contested.

On the other hand, Abigail only watched them banter with each other.

“You’re not yet done.” He gave the car keys back.

She miffed. “This is a bit too much, Grayson.”

He then crossed his arms. “You’re complaining, eh? Didn’t you agree with my terms?”

Kendall was left speechless. She didn’t answer him and just seized the keys back.

“You’ll be coming to drive us there.” He added while moving back to Hailey. Grayson then propped his arms on her shoulder to pull her closer.

Kendall wanted to protest again, but she was left tongue-tied as she suddenly remembered her mission. Kendall knew she should not screw this up, as this might make or break her career. Without saying anything to him, she walked back to where the car was.

Meanwhile, Grayson was slightly confused by her reaction, as he expected her remonstrations. However, he hadn’t expected her to just give up and comply with his whims. Having this thought, he didn’t know what to do again to make her leave the group.

...

As soon as they went back to the car, she immediately asked Grayson where they would be going. With Abigail beside him, the thrilled expression on her face couldn’t be hidden.

“Where are we going?” She shifted gears.

“South Hills Plaza.”

Then, Abigail interfered. “Glad you can join us, Hailey!”

She only gave her a smile through the reflection of the rear mirror.

However, despite Abigail’s warm and inviting statement, Kendall couldn’t help but get back at Grayson. With this in mind, she moved her gaze to Abigail to say something that would make the git aggravated.

“You know Abigail, you should pick a guy that is as kind as you. You deserve someone who’s really real and authentic.” A sardonic, yet suggestive voice stated.

Abigail was about to reply when Grayson shot back. “And you mean that I’m not?”

Kendall shrugged. “Are you? I mean, shouldn’t you know that, Grayson?”

His girlfriend then intervened happily. “Grayson may be an ass, but I know he cares for me.”

As soon as she said that, he reached for her hand and grabbed it.

Kendall flicked her eyes as she witnessed his feign devotion to her. “It was just an advice, Abigail. You know—I think you should pick a guy who will equally reciprocate your love for him.”

Infuriated by her, Grayson couldn’t help but kicked her under the seat as he glared at her through the mirror. He then simpered a smile to Abigail while holding her arms. “Don’t mind her babe, she’s just a little jelly.”

Kendall ignored him by adding another comment. “Also, not someone who thinks they’re tough but in reality, are too, touchy, and oversensitive.”

Abigail opened her mouth when Grayson retorted again. “Uh-uh, yeah, and you should also mind your own business, right, Hailey?”

The corner of his lips plastered a condescending grin.

“Are you guys okay?” Abigail finally was able to get in between them, seemingly concerned about their banter.

But Kendall didn’t stop as she stated again, “Also, Abigail, get someone who’s a bit more mature in the future—”

“Red light! There’s a red light!” Grayson hurriedly said.

Distracted, Kendall went back in front and noticed the red light. However, she realized that she couldn’t stop as she was already in the middle of the intersection. The cars she crossed with beeped as she tried to enter the pathway. She then quickly shifted to the left side and stopped at the corner when she saw the signal of the traffic enforcer.

“Ha! Karma got back on you, Hailey. You deserved it! Deal with it yourself!” He mocked while laughing so hard.

Meanwhile, Kendall stormed out of the car and talked to the officer. “Apologies, officer. I was in a hurry.”

Thankfully, the guy knew her back then when she helped him with a speeding violation. “Oh, it’s you, Officer Whitlock!” He was about to salute when Kendall made him stop.

“I’m on duty,” she muttered.

The guy understood it quickly and let her go. “Got it, officer. Have a nice day!”

She replied swiftly, “Thanks again, bro!”

Kendall then went back to the car, and she noticed Grayson’s smirk fading. He then looked at the enforcer and then back to her with sudden curiosity.

“That’s it? Not even a ticket violation or confiscation of license?” he asked.

“Yup,” she replied, giving more emphasis to the last letter.

“God, these cops are so incompetent that they don’t do their job right. Their work should be abolished, as they don’t take their job seriously,” he remarked with disdain.

Of course, Kendall, being a cop, rebuffed back to Grayson, “Wait. What did you say?”

"They’re a bunch of idiots who can’t do their work right. They’re practically useless,” he snided.

She then glared at him. “Those people worked to their bones more than you can ever imagine, Hoffman! If you think their work is easy, then reevaluate that!”

“Why are you so prickly? I’m just saying the truth. Besides, most of them really have it easy! Are your parents’ cops or something?!" he retorted.

Then, Kendall paused as his response blasted her. She then realized that what she had just done might backfire on her mission. It almost blew her cover off if she stooped down to his caprices. Grasping the situation, she held back and took a deep breath.

Grayson waited for her answer, but she stopped talking and just followed them silently throughout their date.

...

When the night came, Kendall and Grayson dropped Abigail off first at her house. Before she went inside, Abigail looked back at Kendall with worry.

“Are you okay, Hailey? You were silent the whole day,” she asked.

Giving her the best smile she could possibly give, she said, “Yeah, no worries, Abigail. I’m fine.”

“Don’t mind it, babe. It’s her job as a new member of the group,” Grayson explained while his hands were hidden in his pockets.

Abigail looked like she was about to object when she suddenly deviated from her original response. “Oh, okay, but don’t be too harsh on her, Grayson. I like Hailey and I think she’s great.”

Kendall felt her heart wrench from Abigail’s thoughts about her.

Nonetheless, Grayson brushed it off. “She has to go through the rite of our group’s initiation or else she won’t be an official member. It’s to test her loyalty to the group, babe.”

Sighing with dejection, she riposted, “But don’t you think it’s too much for her? I mean, she went with us even if she wasn’t supposed to.”

“Don’t worry about it, babe. Hailey can handle it more than you think. That woman is worse than Godzilla!”

“Fine... just please be careful on your way back,” she requested with concern. Averting back to Kendall, she uttered, “Oh, and it’s nice to meet you again, Hailey!”

Kendall only gave her a nod and a smile.

Grayson added, “We will, babe. Have a good night.”

Abigail gave him a peck on his cheeks and later nodded at him. Afterward, she went back inside as both Kendall and Grayson stood on the porch of her house.

With silence once again surrounding them, Kendall drove to Grayson’s place. Glancing at him, she recognized that the git even looked amused and delighted.

'Fucking asshole.' Kendall couldn’t help but be infuriated at him.

Eventually, they got back to his place in no time. Before Grayson could say anything else, she gave him back his keys.

“Here. I’m going home,” she replied in resentment.

“Wait, you still have another thing to do."

Clinking her tongue, her eyes titled up with vexation. “It’s late, Grayson. I’ve done my job. What else could you have wanted me to do?”

“Don’t move. I’ll just grab it in my room.” He friskily ran upstairs and came back after a couple of minutes with a thick blue binder.

'Oh, fuck me!' Kendall’s jaw fell in an instant.

Grayson then gave it to her. “Here.”

She hesitatingly took it from him. “What the hell is this, Grayson?”

Shoving his hands back into his jeans, he explained. “Summarize all the chapters I have highlighted and bookmarked. I will be reporting that tomorrow, so you should have it finished by then.”

Kendall was about to contest when Grayson added, “If you don’t want to do it, then you can say goodbye to the group. Easy as that.”

She just heaved a deep breath while putting on a disapproving smile. Kendall didn’t say anything to him as she just walked away with the binder in her hand.

'I’m really going to skin this git alive after the mission!' She thought while letting her temper cool down.

At this point, she couldn’t help but think about her situation. It had become a joke! She didn’t expect this—being a servant to an eighteen-year-old brat! Where was the action? The raids, the chase, and the covert operations that she had waited for so long? She didn’t train so damn hard in an academy to be dealing with a spoiled git like Grayson Hoffman.

Damn, that brat was really getting on her nerves!