Chapter Twenty-Three
I kept my eyes on Oasis, the engine of my Silvia rumbling in the parking spot as I rubbed my finger over my mouth. Sighing, a leaned down further into my seat, spreading my knees as anxiety and fear tore me apart from the inside out. I’d been out here for the last hour, needing to clear my head.
After making love to Nik, promising her that we’d go anywhere together, that we’d fight together, I held her, staring at the loft ceiling.
Eventually, we got off the floor and went into the kitchen, sharing a quiet meal together, followed by a shower. When that was done, I told her I needed to take a drive, and without question, she let me go.
She fucking trusted me.
I drove to my house, checked the security room, and then shot a text to the boys. Collin and Jer were still dealing with Ivan’s body and the meeting had been pushed an hour.
Which gave me time to fucking think.
The Devils Den was in Seattle, and until a year ago, it was hidden from the public eye. Then Collin teamed up with the FBI, searching for members of The Red List. It was a list of high-profile individuals directly involved in the sex trafficking rings the former Italian Mafia leader ran.
My eyes flicked over to Nik’s Mazda as she entered the parking lot, soaring across the asphalt. I watched in awe as she drove in the sunlight, her windows down, silk ribbons of her hair flying all around her, one hand on the wheel, sunglasses on her face. The parking lot was empty, and she took this opportunity to fly across it, her engine roaring, heading straight for the track behind Oasis. My lips twitched as my hand slowly fell, finding its way to the gear stick, while the other rested on top of the steering wheel.
My clover girl swung her car wide before lining up at the starting line.
Slowly, her beautiful head turned, and her shades landed on my car. A second later, my phone started ringing. Not taking my eyes from hers, I brought the device to my ear.
“Clover,” I greeted, my voice low.
“Babe,” she purred.
My cock twitched in my jeans.
“She still sticking in third?” I asked, referring to her yellow Mazda.
“No.”
I nodded, the layout of her engine flashing in my mind.
“Thank you, by the way,” she said. She’d already thanked me for fixing the car. Confusion hit me.
“For what?”
“For taking care of me even when I didn’t want it,” she said softly.
I huffed a short laugh. “Well then, right back at ya, baby.”
We stared at each other for a moment, and when she spoke again, my heart started pounding. “Race me.”
On instinct, I revved my engine. “Yeah?”
Nik giggled, the sound slamming into me, warmth spreading across my skin. “Unless you’re too afraid…Daddy.”
My lips tugged up as a wicked smirk spread across my face, my fist wrapping around the top of the gear shift. I hung up the phone and shifted the car into drive, slowly making my way to her. When I lined up beside her, the sun setting in front of us, I closed my eyes behind my sunglasses, taking a moment.
Racing off into the sunset with my lucky charm.
This was my happy ending.
Opening my eyes, I turned my head to look at her, finding her smiling at me.
Oh, yeah. This was my happy fucking ending.
Even if my story wasn’t over, I could give myself this. I was allowed to feel happy, even if it was only for a day.
She revved her engine as her passenger window rolled down. “You sure you wanna do this? We could just make out until the Fam Bam gets here.”
My lips twitched. “Fam Bam?” I parroted.
She laughed. “Cleo calls all of us the Fam Bam.”
Fam Bam is it then.
I nodded, chuckling. “As much as I want to taste you, there is nothing else I’d rather do right now than race the woman of my dreams.” Her laughter faded, her body freezing in her driver’s seat as she looked at me.
Fuck, she was too beautiful for words. I revved my engine. “Ready?”
Blinking, she recovered from my words and focused straight ahead. “Ready.”
“Four laps, Clover.”
She nodded, grinning. “Okay.”
“On three, gorgeous,” I told her softly as my hand tightened on the steering wheel.
“One,” she called, looking straight ahead.
“Two,” I said back, my eyes still on her as I witnessed her change before me. She raised her chin slightly, confident in not only herself, but her car. I saw her eyes sparking behind her shades, the silk of her hair falling down her shoulders like a waterfall, her skin golden in the sun, her pink lips twitching with excitement.
She was in her element.
Dominique Wells was everything a racer should be.
When I was knocking on death’s door, this would be the memory I’d come back to.
“Three!” she screamed out, laughing.
My body reacted on its own, and the car surged forward at the same time as hers.
Gaining speed, I shifted before putting my foot back on the gas as both of us flew down the stretch of the track, heading straight into the sun. We both fought for first place, a tug of war for power. We flew past Oasis and within the next second, the other side of the parking lot was beside us. I looked over at her, expected to find her serious, but she wasn’t.
She was laughing, her white teeth gleaming. In that moment, I loathed the sound of our engines. I didn’t want to hear their power. I wanted to hear her laughter. My chest ached and I looked ahead, noting the first turn was coming up. We were side by side now, RPMs rising.
Because I couldn’t fucking help it, I looked back over to her and found her glee replaced by that same addictive confidence she had before.
Fucking hell.
I was going to lose this race if I didn’t get my shit together.
I shifted again, slowing up a bit as she took the turn, drifting wider than I expected her too. A low chuckle rumbled up from my chest. “Too wide, baby,” I muttered, taking the opportunity and going into a drift on the inside of the turn.
I passed her and came out of the turn smoothly, straightening my Silvia. My eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror just in time to see her straightening out from the turn, her hair flying around her. She jerked her wheel, and a second later, she was up beside me. I looked over to her to find her looking at me. Shifting again, I shot her wink before taking off ahead of her again. I completed the second stretch before her and drifted the second turn. When I straightened out, ready to fly over the starting line, I saw a flash of yellow fly by me.
My clover girl.
It was a battle between us for the next two laps, and I was so impressed by her driving. She’d proved herself to the racing community and to me. She’d done that all on her own, all in order to help me.
Fuck, but I loved this woman.
I’ve loved her since the first time I saw her coloring on her driveway. All the days before that were fuzzy. My life didn’t really start until she raced into it, full speed.
On the final lap, the battle continued, and she’d learned her lesson with the turns. She was taking them tighter now—cleaner. We came to the first turn, and she took it, gliding over the pavement like butter. Her long hair was flying out of her window, her hand on the steering wheel, head turned to focus on the turn, but right before she straightened out, she twisted her head and blew me a kiss.
My jaw tightened, and I came out of the turn, coming up behind her. “Alight, baby,” I muttered, “I’ve let you have your fun.”
I sped up, racing by her, and when I was a good length ahead of her, I looked over my shoulder, pulling the e-brake, spinning the wheel by the palm of my hand, controlling the gear stick with the other. My Silvia did a 180, and I was facing her. Panic coated her beauty, and she braked, slowing down.
I didn’t give her the chance to hit me, jerking the car into reverse and flooring it.
I shot her a smirk and held my hand out the window, giving her the bird as I flew backwards.
She recovered quickly, gaining speed as she returned the gesture. I laughed again, shaking my head as I brought my hand back in, and looked over my shoulder. I slid over to the outside of the track before turning the car back around, my tires screeching. I put the car into drive, lurching the beast forward before going into the turn. She was right on my tail, and when we both came out of the turn, she was right beside me, our cars inching back and forth as the engines roared.
My head turned to her, my chest heaving. She looked at me, pulling her sunglasses off, enhancing my favorite view in the entire world.
“Keep looking at me,” I whispered, holding her stare as I shifted for the last time.
She followed suit, her arm moving as she slid her hand from the top of the steering wheel to the side. The world around us was a blur as our speedometers climbed, Oasis fading in the background. She leaned her head back, a smile tugging at her lips. My jaw jumped as I scanned every inch of her, wanting to store this memory in a safe place where I could return to if things went to shit.
Her lips moved as she mouthed, “Wherever you go, I go.”
There wasn’t a place in the world I could go without her following me, I knew now, and I would do the same for her. She would never see me walk away from her again. I vowed to her that I would never hurt her again. As long as my heart was beating, I would protect her. I would continue to love her even after it stopped. My love for her wouldn’t die with me.
As we soared over the finish line, I mouthed, “I love you.”
I didn’t even care who won.
I pulled up my Silvia beside her in front of Oasis just in time to see Dontell’s electric blue Porsche fly inside the building, Leon’s red R-35 following close behind. I folded myself out of my car, looking over the roof of it to see Nik getting out of her car.
Her eyes met mine, her brow furrowed as uncertainty shined within them. “How do you want to play this?” she asked, her voice small suddenly.
Slowly, I came around the back of the car, walking between our doors. I didn’t have time to answer her question. There was something else on my mind, something I had to do so I could fucking think again. She looked to Oasis and then back to me as I prowled towards her.
“If you don’t want to tell them right now, we don’t have to,” she rambled on, sadness in her voice. It irritated the fuck out of me. “I just figured—”
Her words were cut off when my hand shot out, wrapping around the back of her neck before yanking her to me. My head came down as hers tilted up, giving my lips the perfect angle. Our mouths collided in a harsh kiss as my other hand snapped to her hip. My tongue stroked her lips, urging her to open for me, and oh, how she did.
A whimper escaped her as the hand on the back of her neck came to the front, cupping her face as my thumb caressed her jaw. I drank from her then, kissing her with a slow, heavy passion. Her hands that had landed on my chest snaked up around my neck, and I pulled her closer, our chests pressed against one another. My hand dipped to her ass, taking a greedy handful and squeezing it.
She pulled away, gasping.
I growled, turning her away from Oasis before I slammed her against my Silvia, claiming her lips once again. I pressed my hips to hers, letting her feel me. Half a second later, her fingers weaved into my hair, gripping it tight. Sucking her bottom lip in between my teeth, I nibbled as my hand dropped down to the front of her throat. I pushed her away gently as I let go of her lip, our breathing the only sound I could hear as my heart drummed inside my chest. “Wherever you go,” I began.
“I go,” she finished.
“I’m coming for you full throttle, clover. I’ll always come for you, no matter what.”
She nodded rapidly. “Full throttle,” she repeated, returning the promise.
My thumb swiped over her bottom lip slowly as I leaned my forehead against hers. “Fucking love you,” I murmured on a grunt.
“Fucking love you, too,” she whispered back on a soft laugh.
My fingers flexed on her throat, and my eyes held hers as I pulled back a few inches.
“We don’t have to do this,” she told me.
I looked at Oasis. “There’s no other option. The only way we’ll get Kavi—”
I felt her hand on my face, and then she guided me back to look at her. “I meant telling everyone about us,” she whispered, cutting me off as her eyes dropped to my lips. “They don’t have to know.”
Instantly, my jaw hardened as my brows came together. “You aren’t some dirty little secret, Nik.”
“I know that. I just—”
“Quiet,” I ordered, gripping her jaw now as her eyes lifted back up to mine. “We’re going in there in front of our fucking family and I’m claiming you. Everyone at that table is going to know who you belong to, whose protection you have. That understood?”
Her eyes dilated at the same time her lips parted, a flush rising in her cheeks.
My eyes were hooded as I tilted my head to the side. “You like that, baby?” I murmured; my voice rough now.
She nodded.
“You like belonging to me? Knowing that everyone in this city—in this world—is going to know you belong to me?” I pressed.
Her answer came out breathy. “Yes. All I’ve ever wanted was to be yours.”
I closed my eyes as her words struck true, hitting me right in the soul. “Fucking hell,” I muttered as I moved my hands, wrapping my arms around her. She rested her head on my shoulder for a few moments, the fruity scent of her shampoo filling my nostrils. “Gonna have to stop saying the sweet shit, baby, or I’m bending you over my hood,” I warned.
Her body tightened in my arms as she lifted her head. “Please,” she rasped.
I blinked.
Her eyes widened. “N-not now, of course,” she stammered. “We have a meeting and shit to do, but you know…later.”
I blinked again. “You want me to bend you over the hood of my car?”
She bit her lip, nodding slowly.
My cock twitched again. “Jesus, Nik.”
She read me, and a slow smile spread across her face as she rose up to her toes, her lips finding my ear. “I’ve been fantasizing about that for years, Cain. Help a girl out and make her dream come true.”
My hands dropped to her ass, holding her to me as I growled. “You’re not going to be able to stand halfway through. I’m gonna have to hold you up by the hips and fuck you until I fill you.”
She whimpered.
“Gonna have to use that needy cunt, baby. You sure you want that?”
She nodded against me, her nails digging into my shoulders now through my shirt.
My phone dinged, and I knew it was one of the boys telling me the meeting was starting. I bit down, grinding my teeth together as I tried to get my dick to calm down. I didn’t have time to fuck her again, and that was a fucking shame.
My hand moved on its own, spanking her hard through her jeans. She gasped, pulling away from me. “What was that for?”
“For turning me on before this fucking meeting,” I growled, frustrated I couldn’t take her here. “I can’t walk into a Mafia meet with a fucking hard-on, you little brat.”
She pressed her lips together as her eyes dropped to the front of my jeans. Grunting, I turned her away from me, slapping her ass again. “Get your shit from the car,” I ordered.
As she walked away from me, I pinched the bridge of my nose and bent my head, needing to get into the right head space. A few seconds later, Nik called my name, and when I raised my head again, I was ready.
Sex was the last thing on my mind now, but that didn’t stop me from holding my woman’s hand as we walked into Oasis.
As always, we were greeted with the sheer grandeur of the building. The garage was quiet, the bar unmanned as the dying glow of the sunset outside peered through the high windows. Jer and Collin were in the showroom talking with Dean Connors, who had his back to us. Leon and Dontell were standing by Leon’s Audi, which was currently in bay one of the garage, talking to Collin’s wife, Kay. Amara and Mina were at the table, standing with Casey, talking about something serious given the look on their faces. Sullie and Dom were sitting at the table, one on their phone and the other cleaning his gun.
The metal door slammed closed behind us, and all heads snapped to us.
Then all eyes dropped down to our conjoined hands.
Before anyone could say anything, I said, “Nik is mine and I’m hers. That clear?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nik look up at me, and I could feel the heat of her gaze. Jer was the first one to break the silence that followed my declaration. “Crystal,” he said as Dean moved to the side, revealing the Oasis leader completely. His arms were folded over his chest, his eyes flicking back and forth between us. “I assume that means she’s under your protection.”
Always had been, ever since she stepped foot into this city. I gave him a single nod. “Anyone who fucks with her fucks with me.”
“And vice versa,” Nik added.
I looked down to her, my nostrils flaring.
“Fucking hell.”
We both looked back to our family to find Dean pulling out his wallet as he walked over to Leon, slapping a few bills into the street racer’s open hand. Dontell muttered something, doing the same. When that was done, Leon counted the bills with a look of satisfaction in his eyes.
“Pleasure, gentlemen,” he muttered as he tucked the money into his wallet before putting it in his back pocket.
“You bet on us?” Nik asked in disbelief, her voice soft.
His eyes landed on hers. “From the minute you rode into Oasis, sweetheart.” Then his eyes landed on me, and he gave me a single nod.
That’s all he had to do.
He understood me, and I, him.
Dontell moved then, coming up to Nik. She held his dark gaze for a few seconds, still holding my hand. “That’s not all the protection you have now. Remember that, Nikki,” he told her, his voice soft but firm.
He was talking about Oasis and the Crew.
“I know,” she rasped. “Right back at ya.”
D’s face transformed as he gave her a wide smile before looking at me. “You have our protection too, pretty boy, but if you hurt my girl, I get to break that handsome face.”
I nodded, concealing my smirk. “Understood.”
He shot us both a wink as Mina came to join him. She looked at Nik for a second before focusing on me, her cinnamon eyes gleaming with pride. “You couldn’t help yourself, could you?”
I raised a brow and tipped my head to her man. “You’re one to talk.”
She smiled and looked at Nik, jerking her thumb to me. “I’m happy he got his head out of his ass.”
My clover girl started laughing, Mina joining her. Dontell and I shared a look.
“Don’t fucking ask me,” he muttered, turning her to the table.
My hand tightened around Nik’s, and we followed.
There was no turning back now.