13. Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Lilli
Spinning in a circle, I finally see the giant, but he’s so far away. When I try to push through the crowd, I end up near the idling race cars. The last race must be over because a new series of vehicles has taken their place.
When I step on a rock and twist my ankle again, I growl and drop to my butt before wrenching on the right boot. Whatever. I’d rather walk barefoot than subject myself to this for any longer.
“What’s this? A pretty girl hiding out behind my car?”
Glancing up, I meet the dark-eyed stare of a guy who must be a few years older than Miriam. His plush lips curve into a smile, revealing a killer dimple in his cheek.
Blinking, I stare dumbly when he holds out his hand before pulling the boot back into place and pushing up on my knees to look over the hood.
Where the hell did the giant go?
My new friend cocks his head but doesn't comment as I take his hand and stumble to my feet, mumbling under my breath, “I can’t stand these shoes.”
“Then why’d you wear them?” He chuckles, shaking his head.
“Long story,” I say, rubbing my forehead.
“Well, unless you plan to ride shotgun, I’m gonna need you to move your pretty little ass over there.”
He points to the side of the track, and I follow his gaze, before glancing at him with confusion. When he points to his car, I smile, and say, “Oh.”
He smirks, the curve of his lip sly. He’s a charmer, this one, and I can’t help my answering grin.
“What’s your name, darlin’?” he asks.
“Lilli,” I say shyly, and his eyes brighten.
“I’m Maddox. Stick around. We can hang afterward.”
I don't respond and he jumps into his car, starting the motor and revving the engine. Before he pulls away, he looks at me with a wide smile and I laugh, when he waggles his brows before stepping to the side.
He pulls up to the line, followed by a series of other cars and I glance around.
Although a pleasant interlude, I still need to figure out what I’m going to do. If I don’t find Wolf, the possible punishment I face when I get home will be for nothing, not to mention Rachel’s money that I can’t pay back.
Laughter brings me around and I spy the girl that was hanging off Wolf the other day. She’s gorgeous with pretty, long dark hair and a trim body encased in tiny shorts and a tank top.
My heart jumps painfully and I look for Wolf, but the crowd is too thick to see and instead, I approach her with jealousy, an angry lump in my throat.
“Yeah, his sister—“ she says, the bracelets on her wrist flashing as she waves her arm.
“Um, excuse me,” I say, raising my chin when she turns to me.
“What do you want?” she asks, looking me up and down before her lip curls into a sneer.
Okay, we’re not going to be besties. Darn.
Pushing aside my irritation, I say, “Um, have you seen Wolf?”
“Who wants to know?” she huffs.
I glance around with wide eyes before looking back at her and saying, “Me?”
“He’s not here,” she snaps but this is my only chance and out of desperation, I grab her arm.
“Please.”
Before I know it, her fist meets my face and I stumble back in shock, grabbing my mouth. “Ow.”
“I don't know what rock you crawled out from under, but I’ma kick your ass if you think to take what’s mine.”
The girl beside her chuckles and she swings around with narrowed eyes. “Cut it out, Melanie. Wolf ain’t yours and you know it.”
Melanie shoves her on the shoulder. “You calling me a liar?”
The other woman shoves her back and bewildered I watch them drop to the ground and roll around.
Still standing over them, I step back when they get too close and say, “So, um. Is that a, no?”
For my efforts, I get no answer, and I suspect these two could be at it for a while. Now what?
At least I can confirm that Wolf’s crew is here because she is. I mean, they all stick together, right? I just need to find someone else I recognize and ask.
Circling the crowd once more, I keep an eye out for the patch I know signifies the Shadow Saints MC.
My feet ache. My head is following suit, and I just want to sit down. Wiping my mouth, I bite back the bitter tang of disappointment and back away. I need to go because the longer I stand here, the stupider I feel.
When I turn, I run into a wall of flesh and lean back when Maddox, whose car I hid behind says, “Hey, you’re still here.”
“Um, hey,” I say, stepping back. Although his warm chest felt good against my chilled skin, I don’t know this man and I need to be cautious.
Glancing at the track, I ask, “How was the race?”
He chuckles and waves over his shoulder. “You didn’t watch?”
“Well, no.”
“Wow.” He clutches his chest and staggers back and I laugh at his silly antics.
He’s cute and funny and lighthearted. Why can’t I feel tingles when he looks at me the way he is right now?
Shoot.
“You wanna party?” he asks.
I don’t sense anything nefarious from this cute guy, but I know I should go home. Except when I glance over his shoulder, I spy some dude gesturing at me lewdly while he licks his lips.
Ugh.
“Yes,” I say and my new friend smiles.
“Cool.”
Wolf
I’m circling the damn track for the fifth time when Joker strolls up. That ridiculous rainbow bright mohawk is hard to hide.
“Anything?” he grunts, and I shake my head.
“Nope.” Frustration boils through me and I swing at the first thing I see which happens to be a damn tree.
My knuckles sting for my efforts but I’m tired of all roads leading to fucking nowhere. What’s the point of having people on the lookout if we can’t get any good intel?
“Yeah,” Joker says, rubbing his chin. “Me neither. It’s like the fuckers know everything we’re doing before we do.”
We share a look, and I mutter, “I’m so fucking tired of this shit.”
“Me too, son,” he says.
Last night, someone intercepted another of our drops. Our guys got out this time and we took another Aces scumbag, but this one was a tough nut to crack.
While I admired his loyalty and sheer determination to withstand Jersey’s torture, I’m disappointed that we got nothing from the asshole.
It’s another fucking dead end.
“I think it’s time we swore in the prospects,” Joker says, and I whip around.
While I know Duke has been chomping at the bit to make this legit, this is a big step when we don’t know who we can trust.
“We need the numbers,” Joker adds.
With a nod, I glance past his shoulder to the track where I know Maddox is participating tonight. Duke couldn’t be here because of Miriam, so we recruited Maddox.
Although people come here to party just as much as watch the race, our cover is easier to swallow if one of our own participates.
That fucker loves the adrenaline rush anyway. He was all too eager to get on that track. Not to mention the pussy thrown his way when he wins.
“I saw Sprocket,” Joker says, and I eye him sideways. For whatever reason, Joker continues to give that fuck nut a chance.
I suspect it’s because Sprocket ain’t all there. Still, he’s a threat if he infringes on our territory.
“Oh?”
“Yep,” Joker continues, his lips curving in a smile.
The back of my neck heats and I silently sigh, waiting for whatever he has to say. I’d die for this man, there’s no doubt but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t annoy the shit out of me sometimes.
The problem is, he’s known me since I was a snot-nosed kid, which means he knows how to push my buttons and spends way too much time trying to protect me.
I get it but there are no innocents in war. Some of us are gonna die and if that’s the price to pay to protect my family, that’s what I’ll do.
“Little shit was talking to a sweet young thing,” he continues, and I zone out.
Whatever sweet young thing that might be, I don’t give a shit unless it was Lilli, but she knows better than to come back here.
With my thoughts turned to the little siren who’s consumed more of my energy than I thought possible considering I’ve never even fucked her, I stalk past him and wave my middle finger over my shoulder.
Joker chuckles and steps in behind me, saying, “Yep. So sweet and she was asking for you.”
A grunt is my only reply until he says, “Looked suspiciously like that pretty one you took up to your room a while ago.”
Pausing, I consider his words before I swing around. The only “pretty one” who's been in my room is Lilli. I don’t fuck anyone in my room. That leads to expectations that I have no plans to fulfill.
“Come again?” I growl, my neck prickling.
Joker’s sly smile returns but I ignore it as I bark, “Where?”