Wands and Wheels

Rio De Janeiro

Severa couldn't help but smile as she rolled down the window, the wind blowing in her hair as Dom sped down the mostly empty road. If this was getting fresh air—speeding down a road with the wind in her hair and the man she liked driving—this wasn't going to be the last time.

The roar of the engine was a thrilling soundtrack to their escape from the mundane. Dom glanced over at her, a grin on his face. "Enjoying yourself?" he shouted over the wind.

"More than I expected," she replied, laughing. "I didn't realize how much I needed this."

Dom's eyes sparkled with a mix of amusement and something deeper. "Sometimes, you just need to let go," he said, shifting gears and accelerating even more. "Forget about everything else."

Severa's heart pounded with each surge of speed. She could feel the road beneath them, the vibrations of the car merging with her own pulse. Her hair whipped wildly, and she felt a sense of freedom she hadn't known she was missing.

"So, where are we heading?" she asked, her voice catching with excitement.

Dom pointed ahead. "There."

Her eyes followed where he was pointing, and she could hear the faint sound of music and laughter, see the flicker of lights and the shadows of people mingling around cars. As they drew closer, the details became clearer—a pop-up street party, alive with energy. Rows of sleek cars lined the sides of an open lot, their hoods up, engines gleaming under the streetlights. The smell of grilled food wafted through the air, mixing with the scent of gasoline and burnt rubber.

Severa felt her heart quicken, a thrill of anticipation running through her. "A street meet?" she guessed, glancing back at Dom with a knowing smile.

Dom nodded, his grin never fading. "Figured you might like it. Plus, it's been a while since I've shown my face at one of these."

As they pulled into the lot, heads turned, and a few people waved in recognition. Dom maneuvered the car into a spot, his hand steady on the wheel, clearly at ease in this environment. The music grew louder as he cut the engine, and Severa could feel the thumping bass in her chest.

He leaned closer, his voice low. "You up for it?"

Severa chuckled, feeling a surge of excitement. "What exactly are you asking?"

Dom's smile widened. "I'm asking if you want to race. For old times' sake."

Severa hesitated for only a moment, remembering the thrill of the chase, the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Her eyes scanned the crowd, then landed back on Dom. "Another time," she replied, her smile growing against her will. "We should get out and stop Roman from getting himself slapped."

Dom chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Knowing Roman, he's probably already halfway to causing a scene."

They stepped out of the car, the warm night air wrapping around them like a blanket. Severa could already hear Roman's voice—loud, teasing, and unmistakably on the verge of trouble. Her eyes scanned the crowds, looking at groups of people clustered around cars, each one a mini-celebration of speed and style.

It didn't take long to spot Roman. He was flirting shamelessly with a woman who looked less than impressed. Her arms were crossed, her foot tapping impatiently against the asphalt, her expression a mix of irritation and amusement.

"Come on, I'm just saying, you look like you could use a little fun," Roman was saying, flashing his most charming grin.

The woman's eyebrows shot up. "And you think you're the one to provide that, huh?"

Severa rolled her eyes, exchanging a knowing look with Dom. "How much you wanna bet she's about three seconds away from slapping him?"

Dom smirked. "Nah, I'd give it two."

Just as the woman opened her mouth, clearly ready to give Roman a piece of her mind, Severa called out, "Roman! Thought you'd learned your lesson after the last times"

Roman turned, his grin widening when he saw them. "Just in time to save me from—" he turned back to the woman with a sheepish smile, "—miscommunication."

Dom laughed, clapping Roman on the back. "Yeah, sure, miscommunication. Let's call it that."

The woman, sensing she was outnumbered, shook her head with a small frown. "Good luck with him," she said to Severa, before turning on her heel and walking away.

Severa smirked, watching her go. "You really know how to charm them, Roman."

Roman grinned, unfazed. "What can I say? Not everyone can handle this much personality."

Dom shook his head, amused. "Maybe try turning it down a notch, huh?"

Roman scoffed. "Where's the fun in that?" He glanced around, noticing the crowd gathering near the starting line. "So, are we racing, or what?" Before Dom could reply, two girls came up and started flirting with Roman, who was more than pleased.

Severa smirked and turned to see Dom lean against his car, looking like a guy out of those Hot Wizards of the Month calendars Theadosia used to buy in 6th year. The streetlights cast a soft glow on his body, accentuating the muscles of his arms and the handsome smile on his face. His arms were crossed over his chest, muscles flexed just enough to draw a few glances from the crowd.

Severa felt a flutter in her chest, a mix of amusement and something deeper. She couldn't help but appreciate the view, even if she'd never admit it out loud. "You know," she began, sidling up to him, "if you keep standing there like that, you're gonna have a fan club forming around you."

Dom chuckled, his eyes never leaving hers. "Jealous?" he teased, one eyebrow raised.

Severa rolled her eyes, but her smirk betrayed her. "Of you? Please. I just don't want to deal with another group of girls fainting at your feet. I got enough on our plate with Roman and Tej already."

Dom laughed, a deep, genuine sound that sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. "Fair enough," he said, uncrossing his arms and pushing himself off the car. He pulled her closer, just enough that she could catch the faint scent of his cologne mingling with the night air. "But I wouldn't mind if you decided to join my fan club."

Severa's breath caught for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest. She quickly recovered, though, and shot him a playful glare. "I think you've got enough fans as it is, Toretto. Good and Bad."

Dom's grin widened, his eyes never leaving hers. "Maybe. But there's always room for one more, especially if it's you."

Severa felt her cheeks warm, a blush creeping up despite her best efforts to play it cool. She quickly shifted her gaze, focusing on the commotion surrounding Roman, who was now entertaining the two girls with an exaggerated story about his latest racing exploits.

Before she could open her mouth to say something back, a voice shouted out his name.

"Hey, Toretto!"

Her eyes landed on a big man decked out in tactical gear, with more men behind him dressed the same. She quickly recognized the man's face from Tej's computer—Agent L. Hobbs.

The man stepped forward as one of the men behind him tightened his grip on his gun. "You're under arrest."

Severa's heart pounded as she watched Dom turn around, his face blank and his body relaxed. "Arrest? I don't feel like I'm under arrest." He turned to look at Brian. "How 'bout you, Brian?"

Brian, who was sitting on the hood of his car, shook his head with a casual smile. "Nah, not a bit."

She saw the flash of annoyance in Hobbs' eyes, a vein in his temple twitching as he piped up. "Oh, just give it a minute. It'll sink in."

Severa felt her muscles tighten, her instincts screaming at her to be ready for anything. She heard Brian and Hobbs continue their exchange, but her focus remained on Dom, sensing the tension in his stance, the way his shoulders squared ever so slightly. Her eyes drifted over to Hobbs again, watching how his gaze narrowed, zeroing in on Dom like a predator about to pounce.

"Or some wannabe tough guy who beat a man half to death with a socket wrench," Hobbs continued, his voice thick with challenge.

Severa's breath caught. What? She didn't know this story—in all her memories with Dom, this wasn't one of them. This was something he buried behind his cool demeanor. The mention of it was like a live wire, sparking something in the air around them.

Dom's posture stiffened, his jaw clenching just a fraction. 

Hobbs advanced with a menacing step, his eyes locked onto Dom's. "You turn around and put your hands behind your back."

Severa's gaze flickered to the men standing behind Hobbs, their stances rigid and fingers hovering just above their gun triggers. The adrenaline surged through her, her muscles tensed and ready for action.

Dom took a step forward, his defiant calm unwavering. "I don't think so."

She watched Hobbs's posture tighten and his eyes flash with irritation. "Your mistake was thinkin' you had a goddamn choice, boy." As Hobbs moved closer to Dom, his men raised their guns, all aimed directly at him.

Dom's eyes briefly scanned the armed men before returning to Hobbs. "And your mistake? Thinkin' you're in America." He tilted his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "You're a long way from home."

He spread his arms wide, as if to showcase the situation. Around them, more people emerged, their guns trained on Hobbs and his crew. "This is Brazil!" The imbalance in numbers was clear, and one of Hobbs's men stepped forward, urging Hobbs to reconsider.

Severa noticed a barely perceptible twitch in Hobbs's eye as he spoke, "I'll see you soon, Toretto." With one last hostile glance, he turned and led his men away.

As Hobbs and his team disappeared into the distance, Severa's breath came in sharp, uneven gasps. The tension in the air was palpable, a stark contrast to the adrenaline-fueled excitement of moments before. Her eyes followed the retreating figures of Hobbs and his men, her heart still racing from the confrontation.

Dom turned to Severa, his expression hard. "Stay here, I gotta go," he said, his voice low but steady.

Before she could finish her sentence, Dom had already jumped back into his car and sped away, leaving her standing there, bewildered and alone as the rest of the team began to disperse.

Brian gently grabbed her arm. "Come on, you can ride with me."

Severa looked at Brian, her mind still racing from the sudden turn of events. She nodded wordlessly, allowing him to lead her toward his car.