Chapter Fifteen
D arkness falls across the track around nine PM and the flood lights flash on, one by one, illuminating the track I’ve raced hundreds of times. The Plymouth Barracuda sits in the row of cars racing tonight and standing right beside it is Marly.
She texted to say she was here, but I didn’t expect to find her next to my car nor to look as good doing so.
Marly leans on the car while she speaks to Jake and Zara, her long blonde hair pulled into a pony and secured by another damn ribbon. I’m certain those ribbons are trying to end me. I still have her little blue one, it’s tied to my Plymouth keys which are in my pocket and while I watch her, I reach for it, running my thumb down the silk.
She’s dressed in a pair of ripped Levis and a cropped white tee that clings to the shape of her, leaving a slither of skin on show at her naval. She looks fucking good leaning on my car, with her ribbon and her sun warmed cheeks and her radiant smile, and then I’m kicking myself because I shouldn’t notice those damn things.
“Princess,” I purr, immediately drawing her attention. Her cheeks are pink from the sun today, but they darken when she sees me and it’s like a damn shot straight to my dick. She’s an attractive woman, I tell myself, it’s a normal reaction but I can’t name the last woman who had this kind of effect on me because there has never been one. There hasn’t been a single person who can get me hard by a look alone and yet here I am, fighting a fucking semi at the mere sight of a blush on her cheeks.
Shit.
I roll my neck side to side and move for the passenger door, “Race with me.”
Her eyes widen, “What?”
I open my mouth to respond but I’m interrupted when my name is yelled from behind Marly.
“River!”
Lifting my eyes, I see Benji strolling toward us, his grin a little menacing and his body poised to attack. I should have banned that whole entire family. Ricky’s cousin is as scummy as Ricky himself, and the only reason he is here is because he’s likely been called to fight his cousin’s battles.
“I’m taking that crown tonight, boy,” Benji licks his teeth, eyes bouncing between me and Marly before he settles his eyes on her. “I’m taking her too.”
I move my body until I’m covering her, leaning back a little to trap her between me and the Plymouth, “Careful, Benji, wouldn’t want you to end up in the creek.”
He laughs, “Feeling a little sensitive, are we?” His eyes flick to behind me, “You want a real man, sugar? Let me show you a real man,” He spreads his arms and raises his brows, “I can show you a real good time.”
“Get in the car, Marly,” I growl, reaching for the handle of the door to help her inside.
Benji lunges forward, grasping her by her upper arm and yanks her away from me. Something snaps and I don’t think, I just react. My hand grasps his wrist so quickly he can’t counter the move, my fingers digging into the tendons on the underside of his wrist hard enough he automatically let’s go of her arm.
And then I have it twisted, arm behind his back, shoulder jutted out at an awkward angle and his face smashed into the side of my car. He cries out as I apply more pressure, one slight move will snap his arm, and he fucking knows it.
“You don’t fucking touch her,” I bite.
“It was a fucking joke man!” He yells, his voice edged with a tremor.
“Did you find it funny, Marly?” I ask her directly, noting her wide eyes and pale complexion. We’ve gained an audience but that doesn’t bother me, may as well show them all what’ll happen if they touch things that belong to me.
“Did you?” I prompt Marly when she doesn’t answer. Zara steps up to her side, taking her hand.
“No,” She whispers.
“The lady didn’t find it funny, Benji,” I push just a little on his arm and I hear something pop, “You owe her an apology.”
“You’re gonna break my arm!”
“I’ll do worse than that if you don’t apologize,” I warn him.
“Get fucked,” He snaps.
I twist and his cry silences the crowd, the snapping of his bone so damn loud it’s as if the noise itself has come through the speakers. His body crumples to the floor when I let him go but I’m not fucking done with him. Using my foot, I force him onto his front and then my boot is on the back of his neck. “Apologize for touching her without her consent.”
His words are muffled by the dirt beneath his mouth. I ease a fraction, “What was that? I can’t hear you.”
“I’m sorry!” He spits out, “Fuck!”
“Louder,” I demand, “So they can all hear.”
The crowd continues to watch and does nothing to stop me, not even Benji’s friends are helping him. They know better. They all know fucking better.
You don’t come onto my turf and treat my people like shit. You don’t come to this fucking track and touch what doesn’t belong to you. It’s the fucking rules and I’ve no problem teaching people a damn lesson when I need to.
“I’m sorry!”
I lift my foot, releasing him, “Good job. Now leave.”
I jerk my head to his friends, giving them silent instruction to get his ass off my property and they move to pick him up, dragging him away as snot and drool drip down his face. I turn back to Marly who doesn’t seem to have moved an inch.
“Get in the car,” I tell her gently.
“I – you broke his arm,” She stutters out.
“Yes,” I place a hand on the base of her spine, “You getting in?”
She appears to move as if she’s in some kind of trance and allows me to guide her into the passenger seat. Once she’s in, I lean across her, her body so close, I feel her skin whisper against mine and reach for the spare helmet I have in the back.
“Put this on, princess,” I tell her, lifting it.
“Why?”
“Track rules,” I explain.
With a frown, she leans forward as I slip the helmet over her head and then hand her the belt to buckle herself in. After I’ve closed her door I walk around the hood, still feeling everyone’s eyes on me.
“The fuck are you all looking at?” I yell, “Either race or get out the way.”
I lift my helmet off the seat and slip it on before I climb into the driver’s seat, locking us both inside.
“What are we doing?” Marly’s voice is muffled beneath the visor.
“We’re going to race, princess,” The engine roars to life and I press on the gas, revving it up, “You ready?”
“What!?”
“Hold on tight,” I’m grinning even though she can’t see me, the adrenaline in my blood making my heart thump like a thousand galloping horses and then I peel the car down the track, throwing Marly back in her seat.
“River!” She yells.
“Live a little, princess,” I laugh, taking the car toward the start line at speed.
“Oh my god, I’m going to die!” She shrieks.
“Nah,” I bring the car to a stop, “I’d never allow it.”
She whips her head to me but where the helmet is a little large and heavy, it makes her head wobble on her shoulders.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” she says, her hands balling into fists against her thighs.
“If you want to get out, Marly, I won’t stop you.” I confirm, “Or you can stay here and trust me that I would never do anything on this track that’ll hurt you.”
“You can’t promise that,” She breathes out shakily.
“Sure, I can,” My hands flex on the wheel, “All you need to do is trust me.”
For a few long seconds, silence settles between us, the engine rumbling is the only sound and I know her eyes are on me, even without seeing them.
“Okay,” She eventually says.
With a grin, I focus back on the track, three cars pulling up to the right of me. The thrill of the race settles into my blood and everything else funnels out, all I feel is the car vibrating beneath me, all I hear is the purr of the engine. One of the guys steps up to the edge of the track holding a red flag high and I begin to count.
At ten, he whips the flag down and my reaction is instinctual, I hit the gas, tires squealing as I pull away from the start line and the race begins.