People used to say:
Eastern women were gentle and faithful, while Western women were fiery and passionate.
In his past life, crushed under the "Three Mountains" of modern debt and social pressure, Hunter never had the chance to appreciate either.
But now, less than a month into his new life, he had experienced that Western fire firsthand.
"Mmm..."
A lazy, contented hum broke his train of thought.
Hunter had been awake for a while, quietly admiring the mixed-race beauty sleeping in his arms.
He watched her long eyelashes flutter, signaling that the girl who had nearly driven him crazy until the early hours of the morning was finally waking up.
He couldn't resist. He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead.
Mia's large, enchanting eyes opened slowly.
Reflected in her amber irises was Hunter's handsome, smiling face.
"Morning, Mia."
"Morning, Hunter," she replied naturally, leaning up to peck him on the forehead.
There was no regret in her eyes. Just satisfaction.
But the moment she tried to sit up, her body betrayed her. Her limbs went soft, and she fell back against the pillows.
Last night had been... intense. Teenage hormones and newfound intimacy were a dangerous combination.
A fresh blush spread across her cheeks. Seeing the smug grin on Hunter's face, she playfully punched him in the chest.
"You're in trouble," she mumbled, her voice raspy and lazy.
"Dom is going to kill you."
"No," she corrected herself. "Vince is going to kill you."
Mia didn't know what had come over her last night.
It was like her soul had been snatched away. Not only did she stay out all night, but she had given her virginity to a guy she had only met a handful of times.
But she didn't regret it. Not one bit.
He was handsome. He could cook. And judging by the marathon sessions last night and this morning... his stamina was inhuman.
Comparing it to the sounds she sometimes overheard from Dom and Letty's room... Hunter was definitely in a league of his own.
He really is boyfriend material, she thought.
Hunter's gaze swept over her exposed curves as she sat up, his eyes darkening with renewed heat. He dismissed her worries with a wave of his hand.
"Let them come," he said confidently. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."
When he first arrived, he might have been wary of Dom and Vince.
But now? After grinding over a dozen skills and boosting his stats way past human limits?
He didn't fear the Kings of the LA underground racing scene.
Even if they pressured Old Parker to fire him, so what?
Yesterday, when they stopped by an ATM near the beach, Hunter checked his balance. There was an extra $20,000 in his account.
Parker had paid him the bonus for the dangerous modification job.
Hunter knew Parker's game. The old man worked with Dom, sure, but he had his own side hustles. Even if Dom forced him to fire Hunter publicly, Parker would happily keep him on the payroll for black market jobs in secret.
Besides, with Lv 4 Mechanics and Lv 2 Cooking, Hunter could find work anywhere.
Dom's reign wasn't going to last forever anyway. The only downside to a fallout would be making it harder to insert himself into the main Fast plotline.
Mia watched him, puzzled by his confidence.
She recalled last night. In the heat of the moment, Dom had called repeatedly. Annoyed by the interruption, she had simply grabbed her phone and smashed it against the wall before diving back into Hunter's arms.
Now, hearing his bravado, she worried he was delusional.
He doesn't know how scary Dom really is.
Dom tried to shield her from his life as a highway hijacker, but Mia wasn't stupid. Living under the same roof, seeing the news reports, recognizing the cars... she knew everything.
Dom wasn't just a racer. He was a criminal mastermind who had robbed dozens of trucks.
And while they claimed to be non-violent during heists, Mia had seen the armory.
Dom and Vince didn't just race. They spent their weekends at the shooting range.
If Dom actually snapped...
"Hunter," Mia said seriously, trying to douse his confidence with a bucket of reality.
"I'll go back and explain everything to Dom. You need to lay low and protect yourself."
"As for Vince... I'll figure something out."
Thinking of Vince made her headache return.
He was Dom's right hand, her "childhood friend," and the bane of her existence. She didn't understand why he suddenly became obsessed with her in high school. He was possessive, arrogant, and violent.
And Dom let it happen. It felt like Dom was silently pushing them together to keep the "family" tight.
Mia felt trapped. A bird in a cage built by her own brother.
She glanced at the window. The sun was high.
She had stayed out all night. She had destroyed her phone. Dom was probably tearing the city apart right now.
She had to go.
She struggled to stand up. Instantly, her legs buckled.
A wave of exhaustion—and a lingering, pleasurable ache—washed over her. She stumbled, barely catching herself before hitting the floor.
She hurriedly gathered her clothes, which were scattered all over the room like confetti from a parade.
Hunter watched with an amused smile but didn't stop her. He knew she really had to leave.
Mia caught his laugh and glared at him, though there was no real heat in it.
Holding onto the wall for support, she made her way out of the apartment.
It wasn't until she painfully descended the stairs and sat in her car that she let out a long breath.
"How am I going to explain this to Dom?" she whispered to herself.
"Maybe I should go to Letty's place. Hide out for a few days."
As the engine roared to life, the soreness in her body reminded her of the wild night she just had.
A blush crept up her neck again.
She put the car in gear and drove toward Letty's house, hoping for sanctuary.
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