33. Skylar
CHAPTER 33
SKYLAR
“ J esus, Skylar, put on a shirt. The marks on your back look like you were attacked by a cat,” Alek scoffs behind me.
I wipe my hands as I turn away from the engine and lean against my car. “Not a cat, but a brat. I wear them proudly.”
“Christ,” Noah mutters as he walks over, crossing his arms. “I’d be more worried about his face. You finished getting beat up now?”
“I followed the rules,” I mutter, but my smile can’t be dimmed, especially as I remember the way my boy kissed every single wound this morning.
He rolls his eyes, and we all turn as Mackie shuffles past. Sunglasses cover his pale face, and his shirt is on backwards. He waves at us absentmindedly and slumps into the kitchen table.
“Speaking of, did you have a good night, old man?” I tease.
Noah ignores me for a minute, frowning at Mackie, so I nudge him, and he turns his glare on me. “I was taking care of a member of our team.”
“Oh, I bet you took care of him. He can’t really walk today?—”
“I will add another black eye to your bruises,” Noah warns, pointing to my face. “Don’t say this to Mackie.”
He’s deadly serious.
“Why? Worried it will hurt him?” I retort, not backing down. This man needs to recognize his feelings before it’s too late. He has to stop pushing Mackie away and pretending he’s nothing more than his boss or Mackie will give up, and Noah will lose his shot at happiness. Noah is so sure about putting everyone else first and protecting this garage, he doesn’t even consider his own feelings. Usually, I wouldn’t care, but I like Noah a lot, I respect him, and Mackie is my friend. I want them to be happy.
“Skylar, I’m warning you.” His voice drops an octave, and his face closes down.
I simply smile. “So you can get angry when it comes to your boy.” Clapping his shoulder, I chuckle. “Just making sure.”
Noah sighs and looks to Alek for help, but he just shrugs. “I have been trying to shut him up since I met him. Nothing has worked, so don’t look at me.”
“My boy can. He does this thing with his—” I wince when Noah slaps the back of my head.
“Focus on your work,” he mutters as he and Alek walks off, grumbling about me being annoying.
Grinning, I turn back to my engine, grabbing my rag before my smile fades as I look at my arms.
As I eye the bruises, I recall what happened last night and pick up my phone, heading outside. I promised Bones and Noah I wouldn’t fight, but that doesn’t mean I’ll let them get away with this.
Not to mention, they tried to hurt my boy.
No, I might not have as much power as some people around me, but I think they forgot who I am.
I’m Skylar fucking Warren, and these streets and that boy are mine.
I wait for him to answer, but I don’t let him speak.
“It was a stupid fucking move you made last night.”
“Who is this?” he asks, the sound of springs moving in the background indicating he’s still in bed.
“Who the fuck do you think? You tried to take something away from me last night, and you tried to hurt me.”
“Skylar?” he mutters.
“The one and fucking only.” I know my voice is dark and dangerous. It’s a place I never wanted to go to again, the person I had to become to survive, but if it keeps my boy safe, I will do anything.
“Look, man, fair is fair?—”
I cut him off. I don’t want his bullshit. He made a stupid move, and he should know the price.
“If you ever so much as come near me or him again, I will destroy you. Is that understood? We both know I can. Forget the races or payback, I will make your life a living hell. Did you get my note this morning?”
“How the hell do you know where I live, man?” he snarls.
“That’s not all I know. I know your mother’s address. I know your girlfriend’s address. I know where you hide your illegal shit. One move from you and I will send it all to the police and get you locked up for life. I know enough about you to make it happen,” I warn.
“You turning rat now, Skylar?” he hisses.
“I’ll be whatever I have to be to keep my boy safe. Remember that. Don’t think I’ve gone soft just because I straightened out. I have more money and connections now than I ever did, and I will use every single one to burn your world to the ground. This started on the streets, but it will end in a body bag. Understood?”
“Fuck, fine, understood. I’ll let it go. I don’t care that much. You aren’t even running the street anymore, so I can earn my title back.”
“Good boy,” I praise. “You do that, and we won’t have any issues, but if you don’t . . . well, I’ll be seeing you soon.” I hang up and take a deep breath, then I let the anger go. When I turn back and head into the garage, I’m smiling Skylar again.
“Why are you both in my office? What sin did I commit in a previous life?” Noah mutters as he eyes Alek and me.
“We are here for a sacrifice?—”
“An intervention,” Alek supplies helpfully.
“Right, an intervention. It isn’t about Mackie, don’t worry. I scheduled that one for next week. No, this one is serious.” My smile drops. “These accidents are getting worse. You can’t look me in the eye and tell me we’re not being sabotaged. Someone is targeting us.”
“I know.” He sighs, and I blink. “They are trying to make us pull from the championship, which is why I haven’t said anything. I don’t want their scare tactics to work.”
“People are getting hurt,” Alek mutters. “I know we’ve spoken about this, but we have to do something.”
“You don’t think I am?” Noah retorts. “You think I’ve just been sitting back, watching my people get hurt, and doing nothing?” We both share a look, and Noah curses. “I’ve been working in the background. I won’t let them get away with this. I’ll stop them before anything else happens, but I need you to focus on your jobs and keeping the team excited and happy. I can’t do that and this. I need you to support me. The best way to end this is to show them we aren’t scared and to win that title.”
“Noah, this is serious?—”
“I know.” He cuts Alek off, rubbing his face, and it’s only then I realize how exhausted he looks. “I’ve spoken to the police and installed new cameras, alarms, and safety features. I’m trying the best I can, but I promise I won’t let whoever this is get away with it.”
“We all know who it is,” Alek mutters. “One of those other top three fuckers are scared after the qualifiers and don’t want to lose. Let us help you, Noah.”
“You will, just give me a little bit of time, okay? I have something I’m working on in the background, just . . . trust me, alright?”
Alek and I share a look, but we nod and stand. “Okay then. Enough seriousness, it’s cramping my style. It’s time for coffee.” I wave goodbye and head out, joining Mackie, who is nursing a mug of coffee. I pour one, leaning back as I eye him.
“Had a good night, did you?”
“I drank way too much. It was dumb,” he admits, his eyes still shielded by his sunglasses. “I ended up at Noah’s,” he says quietly so no one else hears. “He tucked me in like I was a kid.”
“Maybe he’s into that. Maybe it’s his kink,” I comment, and Mackie flips me off as I laugh. “You’re getting to him, just keep trying.”
“Maybe I should give up. It obviously isn’t happening,” he says, staring down at his coffee.
“Do you want to? If you do, I don’t think you’re the man Noah or I think you are. Mackie, you don’t back down from anything, so why start now?”
“Great pep talk. Maybe we can have this again later when the room stops spinning,” he grumbles, making me laugh.
I chuckle. “Okay, okay, later. You need to fix your hair though. You look like a fucking tumbleweed.”
“My hair? Look at yours. It’s in a man bun,” Mackie mutters. “You need a haircut.”
“Nah, I’m growing it for my boy. He likes to pull it.” I duck under the spray of coffee Mackie spits out and grin as I sit back and sip mine.
“I’m too hungover for this,” he says.
“Funny, that’s what he sounded like when?—”
I hit the floor as my chair is kicked from under me by a passing Alek, but I can’t stop laughing.
“You’re such a loser when you’re in love,” he mutters as he watches me.
“Absolutely.” I grin up at him from the floor. “I’m his loser.”
The garage fills with groans that only make me laugh harder.