“Hey, girl.” Ruka holds up his fist for Millie to bump.
“She was talking to me.” I nudge him in the gut with my elbow.
“Mmm, she was looking at me.” Ruka winks at Millie, which causes her to giggle.
“Stop flirting with my wife, Ruka!” Jessica shouts from the other side of the van, where she must be tinkering with the drone.
Ruka walks backwards towards the gas station, his arms spread out. “She started it!”
“And I’ll finish it,” Jessica calls out to him.
The big smile on my face fades when Evan, the leader of the Twisted Trackers, strolls from his vehicle towards me. He’s flanked by two of his guys.
I hold up my hand to stop him before he gets too close. “I’d rather not waste time talking to you, Evan. We both know you’re going to ask me what cell we’re going to chase, and I’m not telling you. Figure it out on your own.”
His hand flies to his chest, feigning that he is hurt. “Aw, what? Can’t stand a little competition?”
I snort, crossing my arms over my chest. “I think it’s you who can’t stand it.”
Evan Miller. The founder of the Twisted Trackers. He has been my nemesis since college, and every day that passes, I hate him a little more. He has always tried to cheat his way to the top. When Evan is around, my hackles rise. I wouldn’t put it past him to sabotage our vehicles or figure out a way to steal our data. He’s done it before to our older cars, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he did it again.
Not only is our team better and smarter, but it kills him that a team of girls has taken the spotlight he thinks he has a right to. If anything moves me forward in this business, it’s the pure rage I feel towards him to make sure he will never have the top spot in storm chasing history.
That will always belong to the Dust Bunnies.
Evan narrows his eyes at me, his ass kissers trying to get him to go back to their vehicles. The creaky door of the gas stationopens, the bell ringing, and Ruka is biting into a beef stick with a plastic bag in his hand full of everyone’s favorite snacks.
That’s his ritual before every chase. He grabs our favorite drinks and snacks for the entire team, then we head out.
“Is there a problem?” Ruka stands next to me, ripping another bite off the beef stick.
“Need big brother to fight your battles, Nariko?” Evan and his group of pathetic friends laugh.
I glance around, noticing a crowd of people in their plastic rain ponchos who are holding up their phones to record the interaction.
“You’d prefer that, seeing how you’re so threatened by me and my team, Evan. Take your insecurity elsewhere. We have a storm to chase. Maybe you should do the same.”
Ruka takes another bite of his snack and shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t have to fight her battles when it comes to you, Evan. She seems to hold her own just fine.” Ruka shoos Evan away. “Go on. Before you embarrass yourself any further.” My brother wraps a protective arm around my shoulder and guides me to the other side of the van, where Evan can’t see us.
The van door is open, allowing us to see the radar on the screens while Jessica tinkers with her drone as she sits on the floor. Millie is in the driver’s seat, her legs tucked under her, and she grins with a cute, excited wave.
“I can’t stand that guy,” I mumble, doing my best not to look over at Evan.
“No one can. Everyone here is rooting for us, not them. Let’s just think about our success. It’s the one the Trackers wish they had,” Jessica explains, never looking up from her drone. “I’m about ready. I wanted to give a few updates to Dusty.” She gives the drone a soft pat. “He’s ready.”
“Perfect. Reina. How are we looking on the radars?”
Reina rolls the small stool from one side of the van to the other so she can see me through the open door. “Good. There are a few cells that we can run after if we want, but I think our money is on this one.” She points to the screen, tapping it. “I think this one will give us the action we are looking for.”
“Well, let’s load up and go. Here.” Ruka hands over the goodies he got for everyone. “Fuel for the day.”
“You’re so nice, Ruka,” Millie beams, catching a bottle of her favorite sweet tea.
Jessica lifts her head and narrows her brown eyes at my brother. “Zip it, Ruka. Don’t even think about flirting with my wife for the second time today. Once a day is your limit, remember?”
Ruka bends down and takes Jessica’s hand in his, kissing the tops of her knuckles. “Why would I flirt with her when I have you?” He bats his eyelashes at her, and she rolls her eyes, tossing her long locs over her shoulder.
There are gold charms clipped through her hair, sparkling under the darkening sky.
