Serena scoffed. "If I was the one who lost the race today, do you think Isabella and Anna would have shown me mercy?"
"No," Douglas answered without hesitation. "They would have eaten you alive."
"Exactly," Serena's voice was frigid. "Neither will I. I don't waste my sympathy on people who want me dead."
Douglas laughed out loud.
He looked at her with pure admiration.
Ruthless and decisive.
That was the true blood of the Vinton family.
"I like your style," Douglas mused, resting his chin on his hand as his dark eyes locked onto her.
Suddenly, he raised an eyebrow, changing the subject with a deepening smirk. "But Skye... you really are incredible. The undisputed king of the track from four years ago."
He narrowed his dark eyes. "Four years ago... you weren't even sixteen yet, were you?"
Serena didn't miss a beat. "I had a license, and the international association approved my entry."
"So skilled at such a young age." Douglas rubbed his chin. "Is that why you were so good at kicking my bodyguards across the garage and swiping my chip at the underground auction?"
Serena was silent.
Why was the conversation back on the chip again?
This time, she didn't bother denying it.
She pulled the car over, hit the brakes, and turned to look at the man beside her.
Douglas instinctively tensed his muscles, assuming she was about to lash out in embarrassment and attack him.
Instead, Serena reached into her pocket, pulled out the black card she had just won from Augus, and shoved it directly into the open collar of Douglas's shirt.
The cold card slid against his firm chest.
"Here," Serena tapped the card through his shirt. "Hush money."
Douglas paused, looking down at the card fucked into his collar. He pulled it out and waved it at her. "A hundred million dollars to keep my mouth shup? Serena that chip was worth a billion."
"Not my fault," Serena said, putting the car back in gear and driving off, looking entirely justified. "You were outskilled. Even if I hadn't taken it, someone else would"
wave Why let a
stranger profit when your own
family could?"
"Consider the billion dollars an expensive lesson."
Douglas was at a loss for words, then laughed again in disbelief.
It was the first time in his life someone had so bluntly told him he was outmatched.
And the first time he had ever been looked down upon like this.
Yet, he couldn't even argue.
During their clash in the garage, he truly hadn't gained the upper hand against her.
He was simultaneously annoyed and highly amused.
He tucked the card into his pocket, raising an eyebrow as he closely studied Serena's strikingly young, gorgeous profile.
"I'm curious, though. How does a girl raised in the countryside get moves like that? There aren't many people, in this world who can snatch this something from Rex and walk away without a scratch."
He had fought his way to the top in the States.
He relied on his fists and sheer ruthlessness.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be the new king of the underworld here.
But his niece's combat skills were clearly above his own.
Douglas rubbed his chin, his calculating eyes sparkling with amusement. "Speaking
of which, I heard an interesting rumor."
"That chip belonged to the Ghost Alliance."