May 28th, 11:00 PM – Mt. San Antonio summit parking lot
Mt. San Antonio, the highest peak in the greater LA area, was usually crawling with tourists by day. Tonight it had turned into something else entirely.
The massive parking lot was packed wall-to-wall with gleaming sports cars and luxury rides. Bonfires roared, music thumped, and hundreds of young men and women laughed, drank, and showed off. The air smelled of gasoline, weed, and pure chaos.
Not everyone could handle an environment like this.
Megan Kelly, the gorgeous blonde anchor who lived for breaking big stories, stood at the edge of the crowd with her arms crossed, looking thoroughly unimpressed.
"Franklin, are you sure there's actual news here? It just looks like a giant frat party."
Franklin, blending perfectly into the night, patted his chest with total confidence.
"It's real. Underground street race starts at midnight."
"Here?" Megan stared at him in disbelief.
Mt. San Antonio sat at nearly ten thousand feet. Even the parking lot wasn't at the absolute peak, but racing down these roads was insanely dangerous. A story like this was pure headline gold.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner? I could've brought Michael!"
"Megan, please. At Michael's age he can't handle this kind of thrill. Truth is… I didn't tell you because I'm racing tonight too. You're not gonna leak this, right?"
Franklin looked genuinely nervous. If word got out, he'd almost certainly lose his job.
Megan didn't give a damn about the legality of underground racing. She just wanted the scoop.
"Of course not! Can I ride shotgun and experience it myself?"
"Uh… rules do allow one passenger, but this race is seriously dangerous. You sure?"
"Being in the media is a dangerous profession to begin with. If I was scared of danger, I wouldn't have chosen this career. Tell me everything you know. I'm recording."
Megan raised her camcorder, ready to capture the entire night.
"Got it. Just blur my face, okay?"
While Megan interviewed Franklin, a convoy of high-end sports cars rolled into the lot, led by a flashy Porsche 911.
"Megan, look! They're here!"
A handsome, dark-haired young man stepped out of the Porsche, surrounded by several stone-faced men in black suits. The entourage alone screamed power.
"Franklin, who is that?"
"Don't ask. If it's none of your business, don't ask. It's for your own good."
Franklin had never looked more serious. Megan reluctantly backed off and kept filming.
Right then, a purple Dodge Viper SRT-10 parked directly in front of her. She watched a young, strikingly handsome Asian guy and a tall, thick Nordic woman step out.
"Huh? Why are you here?"
Lawson recognized Megan instantly. That Charlize Theron face was impossible to forget.
Megan looked at him, puzzled. He seemed familiar, but she couldn't place him. The last time they'd crossed paths he'd been wearing a disguise and looked years older.
"Who are you?"
Seeing her confusion, Lawson quickly recovered.
"You must be Megan Kelly! I'm a huge fan of your show!"
Megan's suspicion only grew. She'd definitely heard that line before.
Luckily, Svafa walked over at that exact moment and wrapped herself around Lawson's arm, pressing it deep between her massive assets.
"Lawson, who are you talking to?"
Megan glanced at Svafa's overwhelming figure, then unconsciously compared it to her own. She instantly felt a surge of insecurity.
Svafa was on another level entirely.
"Cough! Nothing, just bumped into an acquaintance. Linsey, have you seen Dom anywhere?"
"You mean Toretto? He's right over there."
Dom spotted Lawson and started walking over, Letty at his side.
"Hey Lawson, you're late! Come on, let me introduce you to some people."
When Dom noticed Svafa standing so intimately with Lawson, he looked visibly surprised.
"Ms. Svafa? What are you doing here?"
"An event this big? Of course I had to show up."
Dom's gaze flicked suspiciously between the two of them until Svafa cleared things up with a smile.
"Truth is, I'm Lawson's sponsor."
That made perfect sense to Dom. Top drivers often needed rich backers, and the dynamic between Lawson and Svafa definitely looked… intimate. But Dom didn't overthink it. The status gap between them was simply too massive.
"Come on, Lawson. There are some guys you need to meet."
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