Chapter 5
FIVE
KEEP YOU SAFE
Adrienne
“Great run,” Rowan says as I climb out of my car and step away. We’ve been running tests for weeks to optimize performance before the next big race.
“Thanks,” I reply with a smile for one of my favorite crew members.
Looking at her, it’s hard to believe that less than a year ago, Rowan was boosting cars for illegal street races in the Midwest. She’s one of the most capable people we have on the team, and I also love having another woman around.
She helps me keep the testosterone in check.
Of course, she’s also sleeping with the competition.
Not that I blame her, I just prefer not to shit where I eat.
I hand her my helmet and pull the cap off my head.
Sweat drips down my face, and I wipe it away with a towel.
Relief washes over me when I unzip my fire suit and shimmy out of the sleeves, tying them around my waist. It’s hot as hell in the cars, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
Besides, we still have a lot more work to do here today, so I might as well settle in.
“Now, let’s talk about drag,” I start, ready to dig in and fine tune now that we have a few runs under our belts for today.
“Sure thing, boss,” she says brightly. “But first, your dad wants you in the main office.”
“Really?” I laugh. “He probably just wants to know what our lunch order is for the day. French dips and fries, or rolled tacos?”
“I don’t think that’s it—” she starts, but I don’t let her finish.
“Wait! No.” I chuckle, already walking away. “Rolled tacos. I love the way that stand down the road covers them with shredded lettuce and cheese.”
The sooner I can talk to my dad, the sooner I can get back on the track. I do have a company to win, after all, and that’s going to start with winning next week’s race.
I smile as I make my way up the stairs and down the hall toward the offices.
I wave to Garrison and one of the main admins, farther down the hallway, then barge into my dad’s office without knocking or thinking.
Both are things I should do more of because when I shove open the door, I do not immediately notice the room is filled to the brim with ridiculously handsome bad asses.
“Hey, Dad. Rowan said you wanted to see m—” I stop short like a cartoon character.
I practically stumble into the room where he’s seated at the conference table with three other men.
All of them look like they fell straight from the pages of He-Man or some other GI Joe shit. “Oh, sorry. I’ll come back later.”
I turn around to leave, but my dad jumps up to stop me. “No, no. I do want to see you. How was the last run?”
“Awesome,” I say. I can’t help my huge smile. It really was an incredible run.
“Come meet everyone,” Dad tells me.
Self-consciousness rolls over me. It’s not like this isn’t how I spend every day, but if I’d known we had an important meeting with a small arms militia, I would have showered and slapped on a little makeup.
Instead, I’m sweaty, stinky, and gross-looking with my sticky hair slipping free from its plait down my back.
“This is Gabe, Manny, and Eli.”
“Hi,” I say shyly. And just to further prove what a dork I am around these guys, I toss a girly-pop wave. Shit.
“This is my daughter, Adrienne,” Dad says proudly to the room. “Here, have a seat.”
I drop into the chair next to him and sit on the edge of my seat with my hands neatly folded in my lap.
I might be a badass driver, but my mom was determined to raise a lady with manners and makeup.
I had no idea how handy it would become until much later, when the press decided I was the sexiest driver of the year.
“So,” I start. “What’s all this about?”
“Mr. Navarro—” Dad starts, but the tall drink of water—with golden eyes that seem to see everything and anything—stops him.
“Just Gabe,” the mountain of dark skin and muscles says.
“Right,” Dad replies, and there’s an overly bright note to his voice I do not trust. “Gabe owns Stonegate Security.”
“That’s… uh… nice,” I finish lamely. I mean, what else am I supposed to say?
“How are Shipwreck and the other GI Joes?” Oh my God, I was closer to the mark than I realized.
That is insane. And what could they possibly be doing here?
“Well, if that’s all, I’ll just be making my way back down to the track. ”
“No, Addie,” Dad says softly.
The sad look on his face has all the oxygen in my lungs whooshing back out.
“Dad?”
“Everything’s fine,” he assures firmly. “Everything is going to be just fine.”
“I don’t understand—”
“What your dad is failing to explain is that you’re in danger,” Gabe says, and where I’d originally thought my panties would combust at the sight of him, I take it back. Because when the man speaks, he is an absolute asshole.
“Excuse me?” I narrow my eyes at him, and the other two men chuckle. What they could possibly find amusing right now, I have no earthly idea.
“You are in danger,” he says again, rolling his eyes like I’m an idiot. “Your dad hired my firm to keep you safe.”
“What?”
“I don’t like repeating myself, fresa,” he says, his voice low. “So pay attention.”
“Excuse me?” I repeat, snapping. But this time, my dad is there trying to smooth things over.
“There have been some… threats,” Dad says lamely.
“What kind of threats?” I ask.
“The kind where someone wants you hurt or dead,” Gabe rumbles.
“I wasn’t talking to you,” I spit out. The nerve of this man. I can’t believe I thought he was even a little bit attractive.
“He’s right,” my dad inserts. “But it’s okay. Gabe is going to keep you safe.”
“Correction,” Gabe says. “Gabe’s men are going to keep you safe. Gabe has a company to run.”
“No,” Dad replies quickly. He sounds scared, and I don’t like it. “I need the best. I need you.”
“My company is the best,” he says. “Eli will keep her safe. He’ll report to me directly.”
“No,” Dad repeats. “You don’t understand. Adrienne is my whole world.”
Something I can’t describe washes across the man’s face, and dread coils deep in my belly. It’s there one minute, but gone the next. Whatever it is, it hurts just to look at. I can’t imagine what the man has felt himself.
“Dad,” I say softly. He’s breaking my heart. “It’ll be okay.”
“It will be because we’ll have the best to watch over you,” he states firmly, his gaze never wavering from Gabe as they stay locked in a dangerous challenge.
“I don’t do the bodyguard gig anymore,” he says firmly.
“I’ll double your fee,” Dad offers, but Gabe just shakes his head. Dad knows how to win, he won’t give up so easily. “I’ll triple it.”
“Fine,” he agrees reluctantly before shaking Dad’s hand. “Everything will be fine as long as you do exactly what I say.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here,” I say, holding up my hands, palms out. “I like to do my own thing.”
“Not anymore,” he says firmly.
“Uh, yes, I do.” No man is going to change that. Ever. Especially one as hot as Gabe. Jesus they’re all hot. I’m not sure where to look.
“Not if you want to stay alive,” he adds.
I grit my teeth, because this guy is not going to come in here and tell me how to live my life.
“Addie,” Dad says quietly. “He’s going to keep you safe. Let him do his job.”
I want to hold onto my anger and frustration that this man. He thinks he’s going to parachute into my world and lay waste to all my carefully laid plans when I need everything to go as smoothly as it can right now. But there’s something about the way my dad is asking that I can’t say no to.
“Dad, everything is hanging on next week’s race,” I beg. “I can’t be thrown off my game now.”
“And you won’t be,” he says quickly—too quickly.
On one hand, I feel like I’m only getting bits and pieces of the truth right now. But on the other hand, I have so much on my plate I can’t take on anything else.
I have to take what they’re willing to give me at face value… for now. This is serious. I let out a heavy sigh. “Okay.”
“Thank you, darlin’.”
“Can I get back to the track now?” I ask.
“Yes,” Dad agrees at the same time Gabe denies.
“No.”
I glare at him, feeling like he’s telling me no just to be argumentative.
However long this lasts, it’s going to be a test of wills between me and Gabe.
He’s probably used to women saying “Yes, sir” and rolling over like good little puppies to do his bidding.
Well, he’s going to be surprised if he thinks I’m just another lap dog.
“What now?” I ask. I want to stomp my feet like a baby. I want to scream and shout, but being a brat won’t earn me a company to run and a legacy to lead. I need to be a boss.
“I’ll escort you down while Manny and your dad iron out the contract,” he tells me.
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” I reply hesitantly. “Surely, I’m safe here with all the security these companies have on site. The cars are worth way more than me.”
“I do,” he says firmly, and I press my lips together to keep from fighting.
Something about his body language, the way he’s holding himself back—just barely—that tells me he’s been pushed enough for one day. So I concede and let him walk me back to the track.
But I won’t be his doormat for the duration of this situation either.
It’s always been my inclination to rise to the challenge, to pick up a gauntlet that’s been thrown, to fight. I want to yell back, but I’ve also learned that sometimes the better strategy is to be quiet and step back.
Not retreat but regroup.
“All right,” I reply softly.
He doesn’t respond verbally. Instead, he nods, taking his point.
He turns to follow me. Only he follows very closely.
The heat from his hand is a specter that haunts me at the small of my back, just above my ass and I like it.
I like the heat he radiates, and I want to feel it all over.
Tension snaps between us like a live wire.
I want him, and I don’t want to do that at all.
The need to put a little distance between me and my moody bodyguard has me double-timing it down the steps toward the track.
I hightail it through the pit and to one of the garage bays we use here.
I think I hear a little growl coming from Gabe, but I can’t be sure, because alarm bells are busy sounding in my ears.
“Addie?” Rowan calls out, and I can hear the amusement behind her voice.
“It wasn’t lunch,” I call out as I practically run by. I snatch up my package of watermelon candy ribbons and stuff one in my mouth. “I’ll explain later!”
This beautiful man and I are going to come to blows.
In a perfect world, it would be naked and in bed…
or against a wall. He looks strong enough for that kind of physical activity.
I bet he could give good wall sex. But alas, it’s not meant to be.
The disgust in his eyes when he looks at me says this is going to get ugly.