Chapter 2
Pulling Storm’s car in my garage, I already knew what was wrong with it without having to pop the hood.
The smell of burning antifreeze, and the puddle she left in my parking lot told me everything I needed to know.
Once I parked it, I grabbed a box of baking soda and headed back out the door.
Pouring it on the wet spot, I left it to soak, so I could clean it up.
Even though I worked on cars, I hated dirt.
Heading back inside, I popped the hood, and I couldn’t do shit but admire the beauty in front of me.
The engine, cold intakes, and larger throttles and injectors had me impressed.
Seeing she had a nitrous system not only told me Storm put a lot of money into her car, but that she also raced.
I had no idea if she was any good, but I would never turn a racer away knowing something was wrong with their car.
Fighting back the memories that tried to make their way to the surface, I continued to look over the piece of art.
I tried to picture Storm racing, and I was sure she wasn’t any good.
Even though all this stuff was good to have, it was usually to compensate for lack of skill.
Storm definitely sold the look though. The women around here usually went out of their way to look good.
Diamond Cove was often looked at as some hillbilly town, but it drew in crowds from surrounding cities because of the races.
So, the women made sure they were dressed to the nines to prove a point.
Closing the hood on her car, I walked over to my desk and put in an order.
I didn’t want to deal with her longer than I had to, but I didn’t have the reservoir box that her car would need on hand.
Since I was at it, I grabbed a hose as well.
Once I was done with her shit, I went back to working on the cars that was bringing in the money.
Time slipped by, and it was nine pm before I knew it.
Finishing the last thing for the night, I cleaned up and got ready to lock the shop down.
When I walked out the door, I could feel someone walking behind me, so I turned on guard.
Seeing Storm fuming almost caused me to laugh.
“If you weren’t going to fix my car, all you had to do was say that shit. Give me my keys.” Locking my door, I ignored her and her rant. “Dodge!” She yelled my name causing me to look at her.
“You got a lot of mouth for a mufucka that needs my help. If you keep talking, you gone be pushing this bitch to the next town that happens to be about thirty miles from here. Fix your damn face, and your attitude before you piss me off.” I could see her trying to figure out how she wanted to proceed, so I left her to her thoughts and made my way to my car.
“I don’t have anywhere to go, and you’re not telling me anything.” Hearing the desperation in her voice stopped me in my tracks. If she learned to start off this way, she would get a lot further.
“I had to order the parts because I’m not that kind of shop. They should be in tomorrow or Friday, and I’ll fix it. There are no hotels, but it’s a motel about ten miles from here.” I didn’t bother to tell her that it’s where all the prostitutes and drug addicts went because that wasn’t my problem.
“I need to get my bag out the car. I-…” She stopped herself from saying the next part, but I really didn’t give a fuck what she was about to say.
All I wanted to do was go home and go my ass to sleep.
Walking back over to the shop, I unlocked the door and walked inside.
When I opened the door to her Challenger, I looked around until I found the bag she was talking about.
A stack of money fell out causing me to look inside the bag.
There was no way this girl was going to be able to go around town carrying this.
Somebody was definitely going to rob her ass.
Groaning, I walked back out and locked the door.
I threw her the money and continued towards my car.
She stood there looking around like she didn’t know what to do next, and I knew I was about to regret the words that were about to leave my mouth.
“Get in.” I could see the relief on her face, and I hope she saw the disdain in mine.
“Thank you. I know-…” I cut her off by turning my radio up.
I didn’t want to hear the small talk or fake ass appreciation.
This was why I didn’t like outsiders. Everyone else here knew that I liked my space.
Outside of them bringing their cars to the shop, they pretty much left me alone.
The way Storm fidgeted in her seat, I could tell she wanted to ask me something, but I pretended not to notice.
She was lucky I was trying to help her bean head ass.
The least she could do was allow me to do it in silence.
Pulling up to the house, I parked and grabbed a set of keys out of my armrest. When I got out of the car and walked to the door, I got annoyed seeing her still sitting inside.
Turning around, I walked back to the car and tapped on the window.
This slow mufucka rolled the window down instead of catching the hint and getting out of the car.
“If you don’t bring yo lil booty ass on.”
“You didn’t tell me to follow you. I thought you were stopping here before taking me to the motel.
” Storm got out and made sure to slam my door.
Fighting back the urge to trip her ass, I walked back towards the porch.
“Besides, lil booties matter. Everybody can’t have cakes like you.
” Shooting her a look that made her stop laughing, I gave her one last warning and I prayed she took heed.
“You got one more time and your dumb ass gone be sleeping on somebody curb.” Not saying anything else, she shuffled behind me.
Unlocking the door, I took a deep breath before walking inside.
I hadn’t been in here since the night that changed my life forever.
Storm had no idea the price this help came with.
Memories that I had shoved down and tried my best to forget, would now flood my mind.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were bringing me to your house to stay.
I really appreciate it though.” I didn’t respond as she looked around.
“Gah damn! When is the last time you dusted in this mufucka? For your shop to be so clean, you nasty in real life.” When she saw my jawline jumping, she immediately changed her face. “I’m sorry. I’ll clean up for you.”
“Do you ever just shut the fuck up? Let me help you out. When you get a thought and say, hmmm, I should say this to Dodge. Don’t. Matter of fact, don’t say shit to Dodge. Just be grateful and stay the fuck out of Dodge way.”
“The way Dodge speaking in third person, tells me Dodge might have spent some nights in here talking to himself. So, I might not want to talk to his crazy ass anyway. The fuck!” No matter how much this girl tried, she just couldn’t stop herself.
“Bedrooms are in the back; it should be some towels and shit clean. If not, it’s a washer and dryer downstairs. You on your own with the food. You got a couple of hours before shit start closing down. I’ll call you when your car is ready.”
“Wait. You’re not staying?” If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought she was disappointed.
“Naw, I’m going home. I’m sure you will be good.
” Ignoring her inquisitive stare, I walked out without another word.
Being in that house was suffocating me, and I had no idea what I was thinking.
Jumping in my car, I took off fast attempting to put a lot of distance between me and that house.
No matter how far I had gotten, the thoughts slowly crept their way inside.
“You see this clown ass nigga? I know he not dumb enough to be trying to race The King.” My brother, Chevy, looked at the car next to us at the light.
The driver of the car was revving his engine causing me to laugh.
More than likely, he was here for the big race at the tracks.
It was no way he was from around here or any surrounding cities.
If he was, he would know who I was and know that it was nothing he could do with me.
On the streets, the tracks, or even in his dreams. It wasn’t a soul that came to the line that could beat me, and everyone knew it.
Hence, why I was the king. I had won every medal and trophy that could be given to a racer.
My status and reputation proceeded me everywhere I went.
Which is why it was funny as hell this nigga was even trying me.
“Let his ass make it. Obviously the lil homie don’t know any better. He thinks that lil ass motor gone get him somewhere. Car gone fuck around and blow up by the time he hit the next block.” I wasn’t a showoff, but Chevy loved to stunt. Even if it was off my name.
“Mannnn, fuck that! Yo ass always trying to let these mufuckas save face. If they want to lose all they shit, why not let em? I ain’t never seen a king not want the throne.
” I laughed and was about to drive off, but the clown next to me blew his horn trying to get my attention.
When I looked over, he motioned for me to let my window down.
I could feel Chevy’s eyes on me, so I said fuck it and decided to entertain him for a few.
Letting my window down, I gave him a look that let him know I wanted him to speak.
“They told me you was the king, not some bitch ass nigga ducking smoke. You racing or you running?”
“I race on the tracks. See me tomorrow.”
“Just as I thought. You need a crowd, huh? Look, I thought you racers went by a code. Mufucka call you out, you gotta race or automatically give up your whip. So, again. You ducking or we racing?”
“You got a lot of mouth for a nigga in a raggedy ass hooptie. My dick got more juice in it than your car. Drive off while I’m giving you the chance.” Chevy immediately got pissed.
“Dust this nigga, Dodge. Teach these mufuckas to stop playing with you.” I let my window up and was about to drive off when something smacked against my window.
Seeing it was a cup of liquor I shook my head.
Mufuckas didn’t know how to let sleeping beasts lie.
Letting my window back down, I set the rules.
“When I win, I’m not only taking the lil key chain car you got, but everything in your pocket and on your body. Everything down to yo socks,” I said the last part letting him know he was leaving with nothing.
“Damn! You gone take the nigga’s shitty ass draws too?” Chevy said trying to instigate.
“Hoe ass gone be shivering and crying walking home.” The clown next to me began revving his engine again letting me know he was ready.
“One mile. Main street is the finish line.” Once I let him know where we were ending, I let my window up and waited for the light to turn back green.
You can see the excitement oozing off Chevy because he already knew how this was going to go.
It wasn’t the first time, and it wouldn’t be the last some lil nigga thought he could take my crown.
The light turned green, and he took off fast damn near spinning out of control.
His hood was fish tailing, and I shook my head at him.
Most people didn’t realize that a big part of racing was being able to control your emotions.
Usually, when they took off like that, they didn’t know how to control the car or their emotions.
Finally ready to show his goofy ass, I took off with precision.
Allowing my speed to gradually build, I waited until I got right behind him and hit the NOS.
As soon as I shot past him, Chevy got to screaming.
“That’s what the fuck I’m talking about.
” I looked over at him and couldn’t help but smile with him, until I saw his face expression change.
I looked back in front of me just in time to see a car running the light.
The only way to avoid impact was to turn off.
When I jerked the wheel right, I couldn’t avoid the impact.
I was going too fast to slow down or avoid it, and my car smacked the light pole.
Looking over at Chevy, I knew immediately that he was gone.
Hearing a horn blowing brought me out of my thoughts.
Driving off slowly through the light, I wiped the tears that had somehow found their way down my eyes.
Pissed that I allowed myself to go back here mentally, I almost drove back to Chevy’s house and dragged Storm’s ass out the door.
Shaking my head, I continued to drive with one thought constantly crossing my mind. No good deed goes unpunished.