Astra_K

Steel Echo
A Novel by Astra K.

Some echoes never fade.... No matter how fast you drive

Zara Voss swore she’d never race again. Not after the night that left her broken, memory fractured, and a world she once ruled turning its back on her. But when a cryptic message lures her back to the underground circuit, she realizes the past isn’t done with her yet.

Two men stand in her way.

Riven “Rev” Calloway—silent, unreadable, and the only racer who ever matched her on the streets. He’s been keeping his distance, but his eyes tell a different story—one filled with secrets too dangerous to uncover.

Cassian “Cass” Laurent—the golden boy turned investigator, the one who picked up her shattered pieces and made her believe she could move on. But beneath his perfect facade lies a truth he’s desperate to keep hidden.

As Zara dives deeper into the shadows of the racing underworld, the echoes of that fateful night grow louder. The streets whisper of betrayal, of rivalries that never died, and of a truth she might not survive knowing.

Because someone doesn’t want her to remember.

And if she does—this time, they’ll make sure she never comes back.

Steel Echo

Zara sat in her dimly lit garage, the scent of motor oil and burning rubber thick in the air. The echoes of the race still pulsed in her veins, but her mind was elsewhere. Jaxon. He wasn't just another racer—he knew something. The way he had blocked her, toyed with her on the track, it wasn't just about winning. It was a message.

Noor sat cross-legged on the workbench, scrolling through her phone. "Jaxon's record is interesting. He only started appearing in major underground circuits last year, but he's climbed fast. Almost too fast."

Kade leaned against the car, arms crossed. "And he's connected to the crash?"

Zara exhaled, dragging a hand through her hair. "Not directly. But his name showed up on a few logs from that night. He might have been there."

Noor tapped on her screen. "Well, if he was, he didn't leave a trail. Nothing obvious, anyway."

Zara clenched her fists. Answers were so close, yet still out of reach. She had spent years trying to erase her past, only to find herself right back where it all started. But this time, she wouldn't let history repeat itself. She needed to confront Jaxon. She needed to know what he knew.

A knock at the garage door startled them. Kade reached for the crowbar leaning against the wall, but Zara waved him off and approached. When she cracked the door open, a small envelope lay on the ground, no sign of who had left it.

She picked it up, flipping it over. No markings. No name. Just a single folded note inside.

"Some echoes never fade."

Her breath hitched. The same phrase scrawled in black ink as the one that haunted her memories. The same words left behind the night of the crash.

Her pulse pounded. Someone was watching. Someone knew.

Kade peered over her shoulder. "What the hell?"

Noor stood, her phone in hand. "This isn't random."

Zara crushed the note in her palm. "No. It's a warning."

That night, sleep didn't come easily. Her dreams were tangled in memories—screeching tires, flashing lights, the sound of metal crushing against asphalt. And that voice, whispering in the back of her mind.

Morning arrived too soon, but Zara had already made up her mind. If Jaxon was involved, she'd get the truth out of him. One way or another.

By the time the sun rose over the city, she was already behind the wheel, headed straight for the next race. Because if the past was chasing her, she was done running.

The underground race location was different tonight, nestled deep within the industrial district where the roar of engines blended with the city's restless hum. Warehouse doors loomed over the lot, shadows pooling beneath flickering streetlights. The crowd was bigger, the stakes higher. Money exchanged hands in hushed murmurs, but Zara wasn't here for the winnings.

She spotted Jaxon near the starting line, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets. He had the look of someone who belonged in this world—too confident, too relaxed. But Zara knew better. She knew there was more beneath the surface.

As she approached, he smirked. "Didn't think you'd come back so soon."

Zara folded her arms. "Cut the crap, Jaxon. What do you know?"

"Don't play dumb," she snapped. "The night of the crash. The note."

Jaxon let out a low whistle. "Looks like you've been doing your homework."

Her patience thinned. "Tell me what you know."

Instead of answering, he leaned in slightly, voice dropping just above a whisper. "You think the past is dead, Zara? Think again."

Before she could respond, an announcement blared over the speakers. The next race was about to start. Jaxon stepped back, tossing her a lazy salute before heading toward his car.

Zara clenched her jaw. She didn't get the answers she wanted—but she'd get them. One way or another, this wasn't over.

Unfinished Business