Chapter 3 The Kiss That Shouldn't Have Happened

• YULIA
• “This is it?” I asked, glancing around the parking lot, which was filled with cars.
• “Yes.” Kendrick parked his car and turned to me. “Ever been to a street race?”
• I shook my head wildly, all of a sudden speechless.
• His expression barely changed, but his eyes said otherwise. “Then prepare yourself. You’re in for a treat.”
• Kendrick climbed out of the car and then walked over to my side to open the door for me. I sat still, not attempting to move.
• “We’re gonna miss everything if you don’t hurry.” He leaned into the car and reached over to unbuckle my seatbelt. My breath caught instantly.
• “You smell good.” He declared, pulling back and holding out his hand to me.
• “Uh… Thank you.” I blushed and grabbed his hand, causing a tingle, like a shock, to run through me.
• Kendrick led me through the cars to where everyone was. The sound of loud music and the crowd's chatter blared ahead.
• “We’re really at a street race right now?” I asked, causing him to look over his shoulder at me with a crooked grin.
• “Yeah… You’ll see.”
• He led me through the parking lot, weaving between people and cars like he belonged there more than anywhere else in the world.
• Loud music pulsed through the air. Laughter. Engines revving. The atmosphere felt alive in a way I wasn’t used to.
• “This is insane,” I gushed, eyes wide, trying to keep up with him.
• “You’ll get used to it.”
• “I don’t think I want to get used to this.”
• “That’s what they all say.”
• We stopped near a group of people standing around a blacked-out car.
• “Well… look who finally decided to show up,” a guy called out.
• Kendrick gave him a nod. “Victor.”
• Victor’s gaze shifted to me immediately, curious. “And you must be the house guest.”
• I blinked. “That sounds worse than it is.”
• He laughed. “I’m Victor.”
• “Yulia.”
• “About time, Ken.” A tall guy in a racing jacket approached, grinning like he owned the entire night.
• “This is Damon,” Kendrick said calmly beside me. “Damon, meet Yulia.”
• “You two together?” Damon asked us.
• “Oh no!” I responded quickly. “We’re…” I glanced at Kendrick, who was amused. “We’re step-siblings.”
• “Oh… Interesting.” Damon’s brows furrowed, and his eyes bounced between us. “Since when?”
• Victor snorted, and Kendrick shook his head. “We’ll discuss that later.”
• Damon pulled a girl forward beside him. She was beautiful in a way that didn’t quite match the chaos around us, but she looked completely comfortable anyway.
• “This is Sophie.”
• Sophie smiled at me warmly. “Hi. Ignore him; he exaggerates everything.”
• I laughed. “Good to know I’m not the only one confused.”
• That broke the ice immediately.
• Within minutes, Sophie and I were talking as if we had known each other for longer than five seconds. She explained the races, the cars, the ridiculous competitiveness between the drivers while I listened, half in shock, half fascinated.
• “So Kendrick doesn’t race?” I probed, glancing toward him.
• Sophie followed my gaze. “Oh, he does. He just doesn’t do it often.”
• “Why not?”
• She shrugged. “He says it’s distracting.”
• Before I could ask more, a loud engine roared in the distance. The crowd shifted instantly. Excitement surged through everyone like electricity.
• “They’re starting!” someone shouted.
• We all moved closer to the track. Two cars lined up at the starting point. Engines revving. Lights flashing, then… the race began.
• The sound was deafening. Cars shot forward like bullets, tires screeching against asphalt, smoke trailing behind them.
• My heart raced, and I felt excited. “That’s Damon?” I asked, eyes wide.
• “Yeah,” Sophie beamed. “And he’s winning.”
• They were neck and neck for most of the race, but Damon’s car pulled ahead near the final stretch. The crowd erupted the moment he crossed the finish line.
• I didn’t even realize I was smiling until Sophie bumped my shoulder excitedly.
• “He won!” She shrieked.
• “I can see that!”
• People rushed immediately toward the finishing area. Sophie excused herself quickly. “I’ll go check in with him.”
• I nodded, still trying to process everything happening around me. Kendrick appeared beside me again. I hadn’t even noticed him leaving earlier.
• “Enjoying yourself?” he asked.
• I looked up at him. “Actually… yes.”
• A faint hum left him. “Didn’t expect that.”
• “Why?”
• “You looked like you were about to run the second we arrived.”
• I rolled my eyes. “I considered it.”
• That earned him a low chuckle from him. The wind picked up slightly, making me shiver as I rubbed my arms. Without a word, Kendrick slipped off his jacket and placed it over my shoulders.
• I stiffened slightly before murmuring, “Thanks.” He nodded, eyes lingering a second too long before he looked away. The jacket smelled like him, and that was distracting in a way I didn’t want to admit.
• We stood there for a while, watching as the crowd celebrated Damon’s win.
• Sophie returned briefly, smiling. “Are you staying long with Kendrick?”
• “Just… three weeks.”
• “Oh?” She glanced between us. “Why so short?”
• “Family situation,” I uttered.
• Kendrick didn’t interrupt, but Sophie smiled knowingly. “Cool… we’ll be seeing each other often!”
• “Of course.”
• Damon called her name from a distance, and she waved. “Duty calls,” she said quickly. “See you guys!”
• The energy slowly died down as people began to leave the area.
• Victor stretched his arms. “I’m heading out.”
• Damon gave a wave from his car. “Same. Good night, siblings!”
• Kendrick groaned and cut his eyes my way. “Ready to go?”
• “Yeah.”
• By the time we arrived, the house was quiet again. Kendrick parked and stepped out first, walking around to open my door again.
• “You don’t have to keep doing that,” I said.
• “I know,” he stated, but still held the door for me.
• We walked inside together, silence stretching between us as the staff had already gone to bed.
• At the stairs, I paused and turned. “Goodnight, Kendrick.”
• Kendrick nodded, hands tucked in his pockets, out of habit. “Goodnight.”
• I turned to go upstairs, but he called out. “Yulia.”
• I stopped again and looked back. He was closer than I expected. I barely had time to react before he leaned slightly forward and pressed a soft kiss to my cheek.
• “Goodnight, Yulia.” He repeated calmly, as if nothing had happened at all. Then he went on his way, his scent lingering behind.
• I stood there… completely stiff. I forgot how to breathe properly.
• That kiss was unexpected! And today was just day two!
• God help me…