20. Dane
20
DANE
Ol’ Reliable crosses over the crudely chalked finish line, bringing a smirk to my mouth as a green vehicle screeches to a halt moments later. I barely take my helmet off when Wally jumps out of his car and charges over to mine.
“Come out and face me, Old News!” he snarls. “You fucking cheated.”
Scoffing, I roll down my window an inch and pucker my lips at him. “Baby, if you want to get your ass handed to you again, just ask.”
His fist connects against the glass, and my grin drops.
I don’t like people fucking with what’s mine, so when his arm’s mid-swing, I roughly shove my door open and let it smack into him. He’s sent sprawling backward, sneering as he staggers to his feet.
“Baby, if you want to get your ass kicked, just ask.” With one foot on the ground, I’m about to slide out and knock some sense into that brain-dead head of his when I hear it.
Sirens squawking in the near distance.
Fucking hell .
The local PD has been trying to bust these meets, which is why false information is always floating around and why consecutive races are never held at the same place.
I can hear them closing in on us, and since I don’t want to risk getting my ass hauled off to jail, I know I need to get out of here. Fast .
The last thing I need is my old man catching wind of this.
Without hesitation, I shut the door and take off, instinctively keeping an ear out for any signs of trouble. I know I have to be smart about this. It’s not the first time I’ve had to shake the cops off.
Hopefully, it won’t be too much of a challenge. My plate’s bogus, and my car blends into the night, making it easier for me to evade them. I take a sharp right onto a narrow side street and then drop my speed to the posted limit.
For several seconds, it’s just me cruising down the stretch of road. Then a pair of headlights appears in my rearview mirror and causes my mouth to curl.
Maintaining speed, I turn onto another side street and scowl when the cop car follows. The next intersection I come across, I take a left and suck in a sharp breath when it leads me through a residential area.
I’m going to be fucked if this turns into a dead end. My concern ebbs when I see a busy intersection just a few blocks ahead.
Steeling myself, I don’t waste another moment. I gun it and blow through countless stop signs at breakneck speed, setting off numerous alarms. Sirens and flashing lights commence, and my pulse flares. My priority shifts to what’s in front of me.
Traffic is heavy, granting me a small window of escape with a gap just wide enough for me to squeeze through. Gripping my hand brake, I tightly drift onto the main street and pray I didn’t fuck up any of my tires when white smoke billows behind me.
Ol’ Reliable whips around another corner, and I floor it . I don’t see the squad car behind me, but I’m not taking any chances. Then I grit my teeth when I hit a pothole. Since I don’t want to ruin my suspension, I slow down. Scanning the surrounding area, I take notice of a familiar run-down apartment and immediately pull into its parking lot.
Stashing my vehicle underneath a random carport, I throw a cover over it with feigned nonchalance and do one last cursory glance before I book it. Halfway toward the back, I let out a rough exhalation when my peripheral vision catches the cop car slowly coming into view.
Fuck. If they turn in here, I might have truly screwed myself over.
“Dane?”
I’d recognize that voice anywhere. I almost stop short as my line of sight shifts to Reese. She’s holding a small bag to her chest, and her dark eyes are wide as she stares at me.
“What are you doing here?”
I could be honest with her, but I’m smart enough to know better.
“Still wanted to see if you’re with the tool.” It’s not a complete lie. It’s been a couple of days since I’ve last seen her. The radio silence has been a notch below excruciating.
She squints. “Are you messing with me?”
I shoot her a frown as I duck behind the building, then look back when I hear the distinct whoop of a siren. Sure enough, there’s a police vehicle going at a speed of one mile per hour.
“You think I am?” I ask lightly, and my muscles tense when the cruiser slows to a stop. Right in front of the gate. Fuck .
The only response I get is pspspsps . Bewildered, I cast a glance over my shoulder. Reese sweeps her long hair behind her ear as she crouches low and pours a small mountain of kibble near the dumpster. Probably to feed that chunky alleycat she brought up once.
I’m defenseless against my smirk. It would have been a losing battle.
She peeks over, and I don’t miss the slight frown forming above her eyes. “You are, and I don’t appreciate it.”
“Aw, Reese’s Pieces. I swear to you, I’m not.” My attention pivots back to the street, and a sigh of relief breaks free when the squad car finally takes off. Thank fucking God .
“Were you hiding from them?” Accusation rings in her tone as she shifts closer, and I wince.
“Not a fan of cops.”
“I see.” Her expression is nothing short of impassive, and I know I’m not doing myself any favors here with how dodgy I’m acting.
“I came here for you,” I tack on smoothly, and she glances sideways at me.
Reservation sketches across her features, along with a gleam of hurt she can’t quite mask. The wounded look gathering behind her eyes brings a crease to my forehead.
“Quit it,” she whispers. “I know you like to mess with me, but I don’t appreciate it right now.” Her bottom lip pulls between her teeth. “ Please .”
“What’s going on?”
She refuses to meet my gaze. “I… don’t think I can handle it. Not right now. If you’re going to pull something on me, you can leave.”
“Why would you even think that?” It hits me just then. “You thought I was lying to you at the Halloween party? Is that it?”
She doesn’t say a word. She doesn’t have to. Even though we’re standing under the dim moonlight, I can see her cheeks erupting in a deep shade of red.
“Reese. I wasn’t lying to you.” The edge of my mouth slants upward. “If you want, I can show you how much I want you right now.”
Flustered, she lets out a cough, then another. “What? You? What ?”
Something bold ignites in my chest as I step toward her, and her eyes widen.
“Caleb?” she squeaks.
I halt and level her with a frown. “What about Blue Balls?”
“Weren’t you supposed to help me get with him?” she stammers.
“Why would I do that when you can have me instead?”
Her throat works with a rough swallow. “If you’re messing with me?—”
“Oh, Reese.” I bridge the distance between us, and she drops the bag of cat food in surprise.
Within seconds, her back thumps against the side of the apartment building. Her rib cage heaves with her accelerating breath. Her lips part around a quiet gasp when I find myself between her legs.
Propping a forearm over her head, I have her small frame trapped beneath me and her hair in my other hand. Slowly, I wind the lock until the strands are taut and the curve of her neck is exposed, holding her gaze the entire time.
She goes utterly still before me, and I wait for a smile that never comes. Her confused little frown doesn’t let up, either.
Well. If she doesn’t believe me, then fuck it. I’ll show her.
I lean in when her palm splays against my chest and her head turns to the side.
“You’re taking this too far,” she breathes.
I huff out a wry chuckle as I bring my face closer to hers. “I’m taking what’s mine.”
Since I tower over her, my options are limited. Either I bend my neck and back down extremely while she remains firmly on her feet, or I hoist her up. The latter won’t end with me pulling a muscle. Clearly the superior option.
A startled yelp escapes her when she finds herself lifted, and her body is all but shaking as she clings to me.
Her legs instinctively wrap around my hips. My grip tightens on her thighs.
“If this is a joke?—”
“Does it feel like I’m joking?” I grind against her, and she barely stifles her gasp as she peeks down at the point of contact between our bodies.
Her wide eyes broadcast her every thought. “Oh my God.”
“If that’s how you’re reacting to my cock now,” I murmur, and I can feel the hitch of her breath as her fingertips dig into my shoulder blades. “I can’t wait to see how you’ll react with my cock inside you.”
Her mouth falls agape. “ Caleb ,” she strangles, and I almost scoff.
“The name’s Dane ,” I remind her with a gruff note in my tone. “Memorize it as it’ll be the only name coming out of your lips when you’re getting thoroughly fucked.”
Her voice gets all raspy. “I—I think I’m with Caleb? I’ve—I’ve been going out with him?”
“Easy solution. Dump the tool.”
“For a guy who chases skirts?”
“For a guy chasing you .”
Something shifts in her features. It’s barely perceptible but enough to elicit a startling pang in my chest.
“Tell me you’re not messing with me.”
“ Reese .” I readjust my grip, my blunt nails digging into her flesh. “I’m going to give you five minutes to dump the tool because I know it’ll eat you up when I do whatever it takes for you to get the message loud and clear. I’m not messing with you .”
To emphasize my point, I rock my hips up into the space between her thighs with an agonizing slowness. It takes every fiber of my being not to do it again. Especially when she drags in a ragged breath.
“Don’t be presumptuous,” she stammers. “I’m not breaking up with him because you told me to.”
“If you want to cheat on the guy,” I say bluntly, “then that’s your call.”
She recoils, offended. Hurt steals across her profile, and I wince as a sharp twinge of guilt slices through me. My gut reaction has made it clear time and time again that I don’t like seeing her this way. I don’t want to be the dumbass who makes her unhappy, either.
“Sorry, I’m being an asshole,” I mutter, and she gives me a stiff nod while her bottom lip wobbles. “I’ll give you a week to figure out who you truly want.”
My hands are gentle as I set her down on her feet. Already, I miss the heat of her body and the scent of her skin.
“The tool with the shit music taste who has never made a move on you,” I go on roughly. “Or me. And you know where to find me when you’ve made your decision. I know you’ll make the right choice.”
Her eyes leap to mine, imploring. Searching. “Th-this isn’t a weird ploy to help me get Caleb?”
I give her an incredulous look. “What do you think, Reese’s Pieces?”
Stunned, she peers at me as I back away, surprise registering across her face when I pick up the bag of kibble and tip my head to the side. She says nothing as I escort her back to her apartment.
Her chest rises and falls as she holds my gaze. Her lips part when I shift closer, and she goes still when I pass the cat food to her, letting my hand linger on her knuckles for as long as I dare.
“You know where to find me,” I repeat, a gruff edge to my voice. “When you make the right choice and pick the right guy.”
Before I do something reckless, like stepping inside the apartment, caging her against the wall, and kissing her until Caleb is nothing but a distant memory, I offer her a half-smile and force myself to walk away.