Chapter Two
I throw the keys to my Barracuda to Jake who catches them with one hand and climbs into the driver’s seat, pulling away from the track so he can park it at the garage for the night while I head to the pop-up bar for a damn stiff drink. I won the race of course, but racing doesn’t help me anymore.
Ever since the fire I haven’t been able to rest. The flames may have been extinguished but it only continues to burn inside of me, and the scars on my body only remind me of that fact.
Lana, Jake’s sister works at the bar with her fiancé and grabs my order before I’ve even made it there. I take the shot first, letting the burn of the vodka work down my throat and into my stomach before I snatch up the beer and head toward the benches opposite the bonfire currently blazing at the edge of the track.
I rest my elbows to my knees and dangle the dark bottle from my fingers as I watch everyone around me. A new race is about to begin, and a makeshift dance floor has been set up now that night is upon us. It’s like this every night, crowded, loud, no matter the weather, come rain or shine, this place is always busy.
The thing about this community is that we are all close, we all know each other and while it’s not unusual for newcomers to come and go, there are a few that stand out. Just like the two girls wandering onto my track.
I’d usually pay them no mind; they’d be gone by the end of the night but there’s something about the blonde that has my attention. It’s not the fact that she’s gorgeous, the type of gorgeous you don’t see round here, tanned skin, blonde hair that looks like silk and a body begging to be explored, it’s more than that. I know her face, I know it only because of who her brother is.
She doesn’t belong here.
But here she is, a lamb in a wolf den. She has no idea how much trouble she’s just gotten herself into.
Jake throws himself down onto the bench beside me.
“Sick race, bro,” He downs half his beer in one go, “Thought I had you.”
I scoff, eyes still on the girl. Little Marly Winchester. She’s a good girl, or so I’ve heard, always following the rules, nothing but smiles and manners for anyone who comes her way. West Rocks precious sweetheart is certainly a long way from home.
“You weren’t even close,” I grumble to my friend, watching as a couple guys head toward her and her friend, a brunette who looks just as expensive, but I couldn’t give a shit about her.
Marly blinks at the guys, eyes wide and she looks to her friend for guidance. Holy shit, she really is out of her element.
“Who’s that?” Jake leans forward having seen my attention is elsewhere. “I don’t recognize her.”
Of course he doesn’t know who she is, why would he? It’s not like any of us pay attention to what happens up town, we read about the parties and the politics in the newspaper but they’re just a bunch of faces to us which is how it should be, it used to be like that for me too.
Until my brother died.
No one knows how the fire happened, but I do, and I’ve been holding onto that secret this whole time. Not out of choice but survival. Jake understands it was no accident, and he knows it has something to do with the Winchester’s.
“New around here,” I mumble. It’s not quite a lie, especially since I doubt this girl has ever stepped foot on this side of the tracks. “Perhaps we should go introduce ourselves.” I suggest.
“Looks like Ricky got there first,” Jake stands with me, draining the rest of his beer before he throws the bottle into the trash.
“Ricky can fuck off,” I take my drink with me as I push through the crowd, not stopping even when I’m spoken to. I ignore the pain in my scarring, I haven’t taken any pain meds since last night as they make me a little drowsy and I refuse to drive while on them. I’m feeling the lack of them now though.
Marly’s friend is talking when we finally make it over, but Marly is just wide-eyed, quiet, and looking everywhere all at once. Like a deer caught in headlights, she’s so far out of her depth it’ll be a surprise if she ever makes it back to the surface.
Her wide blue eyes catch on me as I stop at their group, framed by thick lashes and the color of the summer sky. Pretty pink lips part slightly and this close, I notice the light dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose and cheeks. A real beauty.
“Fuck off, Sinclair,” Ricky snaps and my eyes flick to him, smelling the alcohol and cigarette smoke on his breath.
“My track, my rules,” I remind him, “And last I checked, I told you to get gone and stay gone, yet here you are.”
“That was a year ago.” He sneers.
“And I’ve been lenient, but my patience has worn out.”
He curls his lip, and he looks behind me to Jake, but he knows he’s not the only one here who will give him a hand off my property should he choose to kick up a fight.
He steps toward me and bumps my shoulder, “I saw her first.”
“And she saw me,” I grin at him, knowing Marly is still watching.
“Prick.” He grumbles before he storms off, shoving his way out to the makeshift lot behind the track.
Jake has already moved in on Marly’s friend, leaving her wide open for me.
“You look lost,” I hand her my beer which she looks at for a second too long before she accepts it and brings it to her mouth, taking a sip. There’s no hiding the cringe that crosses her face before she hands it back to me and swallows.
“Not lost,” She finally speaks, “Just never been here.”
“I can tell,” I study her a little closer. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a ponytail, tied together with a blue ribbon and little diamond studs glitter in her ears. She’s dainty, pixie-like but she has legs that go on for days and I can’t help but eat her up. Such a shame about who she is related to.
“What’s your name?” She cocks her head when she asks the question, her voice so quiet it’s almost inaudible against the loud track around us. Car’s rev and tires screech as several cars race behind us and with the roar of the crowd watching and the music playing, it’s a wonder how I managed to hear her.
“River,” I answer.
“I’m Marly,” She shoves her hand out, her nails trimmed and painted the same color as the ribbon in her hair. I take her hand in mine, engulfing her much smaller one and once I have her in my grasp, I give her a gentle tug toward me, closing the gap between us.
Her sweet little gasp is like music to my ears and this close I can smell her perfume, she smells like fucking summer, sweet and floral, delicate like a petal.
“Not sure you made the right choice coming here tonight, princess,” I lean close to her, my words a whisper for only her to hear.
“Why not?” I don’t miss the tremor in her words or the goosebumps rising across her body.
Before I can answer, her friend interrupts us, her brown eyes narrowing on me. I catch Jake’s eye but he just shrugs, “Is he bothering you?” She demands, glaring at me before she checks on her friend. At least one of them has some sense of self preservation and it isn’t Marly.
“I’m okay, Zara,” Marly frowns a little, shaking her head as if coming out of a spell. “We were just talking.”
“We should probably head home,” Zara suggests, glancing at me again. I can see the distrust, especially with the way she positions her body in front of her friend like she needs to protect her. It only makes me want to get to her more. I know just how valuable Marly is.
But more than that, I see how much she wants to live a little. She’s sheltered, and this must be her first taste of freedom.
And that’s something I can use.
“Yeah,” Marly agrees before she looks over to me, “It was nice to meet you.”
I grin at her, “Come find me when you want to live a little, princess, I might even take you for a spin around the track if you ask nicely.”
I don’t stay to revel in the burn of her blush and let her go.
She’ll be back.
I’ve always been a patient man, but these last several months have really proven that and as it turns out, it’s paid off.
I just need to wait a little bit longer and that payment I deserve, it’ll land right in the palm of my hand.