by Leigh Allen
It sounded offensive, but I knew he was coming from a good place. He was concerned. From the stories I had heard passed around the Raven’s Boy Clubhouse, some of these guys bet hundreds and thousands of dollars on the racers. We both knew I didn’t have that kind of money, but I sure hoped to leave tonight with some.
Chapter 5
Mia
After work, I rushed home to shower before Seth and Grace showed up to get me. I had thought about the races all day and I had managed to freak myself out.
I stood underneath the warm water and allowed it to cascade down my body, rinsing away the worry and dread that had consumed me all day. The only thing keeping me sane right now was the thought of seeing Seth soon.
When I finished, I stepped out of the shower and into my closet. I selected a pair of jeans, red Converse sneakers, and a black halter top. I may not feel ready to attend these races, but at least I look the part.
Just as I finish tying my shoes, I hear the familiar roar of Seth’s motorcycle. A smile spreads over my lips as I peek out my bedroom window and spot Seth parking his bike in my driveway. Isaac is at his night class, so thankfully, I don’t have to explain myself tonight.
I race out of my room and down to the front door just as Seth opens it and appears inside my house.
“Hey beautiful,” he says, as I jump into his arms.
He holds me as he plants a kiss to my lips, instantly taking away any worry I had once felt. “You look hot,” Seth says, his eyes drinking me in.
“Thanks,” I say, my cheeks blushing from the way he is looking at me. I will never get tired of the way his eyes seem to say so much.
“Do we have time?” Seth asks, winking as he insinuates going up to my room.
As much as I would love to go be alone with him, I know Grace will be here soon.
“Not now, but maybe later,” I tease.
“Definitely later,” Seth agrees.
Just then, we hear Grace pull up and we both groan. I slide down Seth’s body, feeling every inch of his chiseled chest and arms. I can’t help but feel a little guilty wishing my best friend wasn’t here, but I need to just get over it.
“Mia? Seth? Grace calls out, as she opens the front door.
I quickly straighten out my clothes as she rounds the corner to where we are. A knowing look crosses her face and she smiles. “What were you all doing?” she teases.
“Nothing,” I say.
“Yeah, thanks to you,” Seth jabs back.
Grace just rolls her eyes and I take a moment to check out her outfit. She has on skin tight jeans, tall black boots, and a blood red tank top. I guess like me, she decided to dress for the occasion.
“Come on, we need to go or we will be late,” Seth orders, as he places his hand on the small of my back.
He leads us outside and to my black Range Rover. He takes my keys and gets into the driver's seat. I sit next to him in the passenger's seat and Grace gets in the back. We make the short drive across town to where the Raven’s Boys Clubhouse and bar is located. I never come over here and as the sky grows dark and I see all the wild people crowding around, I remember why.
Seth parks my car under a street light and I grow nervous. Taking my hand, he leads us into the bar where we are instantly gawked at. I mean, we are high school kids. Sure, this place is used to underage guys hanging around, but I am sure Grace and I stick out like a sore thumb.
“Seth, people are looking at us,” I whisper next to him.
“Don’t worry, Brody is here. Besides, these people know me,” Seth says with confidence.
We continue to walk through the crowded bar until we reach the back door. A guy with dark hair nods to Seth and I recognize him as Brody. Seth has shown me pictures of them together over the years.
“Hey, you must be Mia,” Brody says, offering me his hand.
I shake it and smile.
“Yes, and you must be Brody,” I say.
“Yep, the one and only,” he laughs.
Slapping Seth on the shoulder he grins and I notice Seth looks a bit red in the cheeks. I wonder if he talks about me to Brody?
“I’m glad you all came to watch me race. Seth has spent a lot of time helping me to get ready,” Brody says.
“Yeah, well it better pay off,” Seth says, and I feel my stomach drop.
I am quickly brought back down to reality that we are here so Seth can bet on the races. My anxiety begins to race and I suddenly want to be anywhere else but here.
“It will,” Brody says, ignoring me freaking out next to Seth.
I hear a loud noise outside and Brody smiles. “Looks like the races are about to start,” Seth says.
Brody opens the back door and everyone inside makes their way out and to a back alley. I spot two mustangs parked side by side and about a hundred more people eagerly waiting for the races to begin. To my left, a group of guys are huddled in a circle and I see a scrawny guy with blonde hair taking money as he writes something down on a small notepad.
“Wait right here and don’t move,” Seth orders. He walks Grace and I over to the wall of the building where a bright light is shining. “I will be right back,” he says, before jogging over to the guys.
My heart is beating like a wild drum and I want to tell him not to leave, but I don’t. “What is he doing?” Grace nervously asks next to me.
“Betting on the races,” I say through my teeth.
We both watch as Seth talks to the scrawny guy and then hands over some money. I don’t like this. Not at all.
After a few minutes, I spot Brody getting into one of the cars as Seth makes his way back over to me.
“The race is starting, come on, I want to watch,” Seth says, taking my hand once again.
The night air is cool, but it does nothing to warm the fire inside of me. There are so many people watching, it is hard to get a good glimpse of the race.
“Where will they race?” I ask.
“Down the alley. The first guy to the street wins,” Seth tells us.
A woman in a tight, short skit walks to the front of both vehicles as I hear engines roaring and men whistling. She lifts her hand in the air and smiles at both drivers. My heart accelerates into overdrive as I sense Seth getting nervous too. He has put money on this race and if Brody doesn’t win, he will lose.
The woman drops her hands and like magic, both cars are off. A black smoke trails behind them as I watch on with a strange fascination.
Chapter 6
Seth
I throw my hands up in the air as I watch Brody race. My heart is beating like crazy and I have never been this filled with adrenaline before. I can’t take my eyes off the two cars speeding down the alleyway, hoping that Brody brings me some money tonight.
I swear, it’s like my heart stops beating while the cars fly past me in a blur. All I hear is screaming in my head telling me that tonight, I am going to win big.
And, I do.
As Brody crosses the finish line, I jump into the air with my arms flailing about wildly.
“Hell yeah,” I scream, as I look at Mia.
She is standing there, so beautiful and strong, and all I can think about how this is all for her. I want to tell her that, but right now isn’t the time.
“Did Brody win?” Mia asks, and I see Grace roll her eyes at her best friend.
“Duh, of course he won,” Grace says, popping gum in her mouth. She’s been watching a few of the guys who came to watch the races and I already know she is about to go saunter off to find one.
I walk over to Mia and wrap my hands around her tiny waist and pull her close to me. Her body is cool to the touch from the night air, but I know she’s about to warm up when I start trailing light kisses down her neck. That always does the trick.
“Baby, I won big. Let me go collect my winnings, then we can get out of here,” I say, before crashing my lips down on hers.
She moans, a slight sound escaping her lips and it is almost my undoing. I still don’t know how
I managed to score such an amazing girl, but I will do everything in my power to keep her.
After a minute, I release Mia and I almost laugh as she stumbles back. Damn, that is so hot how my kisses affect her that much. “Don’t go anywhere,” I smirk.
Mia just stands there and smiles at me while nodding her head ok. I make my way through the heavy crowd to where the guy I met earlier is standing. He’s yelling at people to back up as the winners approach.
I feel a vibration coming from my pocket and pull out my phone while I wait my turn in line.
Brody: Hey man, did you see my epic win?
Me: Hell yeah. You made me $1000!
Brody: Glad to help. I’m meeting some buddies at the Raven Clubhouse if you want to join me.
Me: Nah, I’ve got other plans
Brody: AKA Mia
Me: See you later and great race
I laugh to myself as I stuff my phone back inside my pocket. Any other time I would have jumped at the chance to go to the Raven’s Clubhouse. Hell, anything Raven I would kill to be part of. But now, my priorities have shifted a bit. Being with Mia far exceeds any want or desire to be with the Raven Boys. I guess my love for her is greater than any love I could have for that club.
I finally made my way up to the front of the line and when the guy handed me an envelope with a thick wad of cash inside, I swear I almost passed out.
He merely nods my way, then gestures for me to move on. To him, this is just another business transaction, but for me, this is a life changing moment. I’ve never held this much money in my hands before. It almost feels surreal.
As I turn to make my way back to Mia, I see a text from Grace.
Grace: Hey Mia and Seth. I met a new friend, he’s going to give me a ride home. Don't wait for me!
I chuckle to myself as I see three little dots forming from Mia. I’m sure she’s going into protective mode, but I am beyond ecstatic that Grace won’t be the third wheel tonight. I have plans with Mia and only Mia.
I take a deep breath as I stuff the large wad of money in the envelope inside my jacket pocket. Then, I grab Mia and we head to the one spot in the world that is just ours.
****
Twenty-minutes later and we are nestled together on a flat spot by the pond. The moon creates a soft glow above and a light breeze adds just enough cold to make it comfortable when we cuddle together. With Mia wrapped in my arms, and money to take care of her within my pocket, I feel like I could conquer the world.
Moving a piece of loose hair out of her face, I turn and look at the beauty lying next to me. The moon lights up her face and it almost takes my breath away.
Seeing me staring at her, Mia smiles at me. “What are you doing?” she questions with a giggle in her voice.
I lean down and kiss her gently before I dare respond. Her lips were beckoning to me and I just had to get a taste. “I just can’t get over how beautiful you are,” I say, as I grab her hand and lace our fingers together.
She goes to look down, a habit she has when she feels embarrassed, but I stop her. “Don’t look away. Own the fact that you are insanely gorgeous,” I say.
“You are crazy,” she laughs, but I can see on her face that my words mean a lot to her.
“Crazy about you,” I tease back.
Mia curves her body into mine and it’s like we become one. I wish more than anything that we could just lay like this forever.
“Hey, I have an idea,” I state, not daring to move either of us right now.
“Yeah, you have a lot of ideas,” she laughs.
She’s right, but this one feels right. “How about you come over tomorrow and meet my mom. She has been dying to finally meet you,” I add.
Mia looks up at me with wide eyes. “Seriously?” she asks, her voice rising another octave. It is cute and sexy all at once.
“Yes, I need my two favorite girls in the world to become besties,” I laugh.
“Besties?” Mia mocks. “Yes, I would love to come over tomorrow. Seth Parker, you never cease to amaze me,” she says, before leaning down and captures my lips with hers. She tastes so sweet and delicate and all I want to do is remember her kiss forever.
Chapter 7
Mia
I pull up outside of Seth’s house and spot him instantly.
He’s hunched over a metallic blue camaro, a paint gun in one hand as he carefully crafts a design. However, that is not what catches my eyes. No, it is the fact that he is dressed in only a pair of loose fitting jeans that hang low on his hips. His ripped chest sparkles in the afternoon sunlight as sweat glistens down his abs.
I lick my lips at the sight. Damn, I am so lucky to have such a hot boyfriend.
Noticing my stare, Seth smirks as he continues working. He knows that I am checking him out and he loves it.
“Maybe I should start charging for the show,” he says, his cockiness on high alert.
I roll my eyes as I smile. “You would be a millionaire by Monday,” I tease.
Seth laughs as he turns off the paint gun and struts over to me. Wrapping his hands around my waist, he pulls me in for a kiss. I squeal as his sweaty body rubs up against mine, but who am I kidding? I love it. I only just left him a few hours ago, but when we are apart, it feels like an eternity.
“I want to show you something,” Seth says, taking my hand and leading me into his small garage.
Seth lives with just his mom and their house is modest, yet has a very warm and welcoming feel to it. A tiny pain of hurt registers in my heart as I am reminded of the very fact that Seth has yet to introduce me to his mom. I mean, we are in love and he has met my brother, but that is still a part of him that he has hidden from me.
I follow next to him and stop when Seth pulls out a small box.
“What is that?” I ask.
“I got you something,” he smiles.
I take the box and open it, only to find a beautiful black diamond necklace. The diamonds are in the shape of a heart. It is absolutely perfect.
I gasp, tears stinging my eyes. “This is beautiful,” I cry out.
“I bought it this morning. I took some of the money I won last night,” he beams.
“I never asked, how much did you win?” I ask, staring at the beautiful gift.
Seth takes the necklace from me and places it around my neck. “Over a thousand,” he says, his voice filled with excitement.
“Wow,” I breathe.
“Yeah. I plan on saving most of it so I can hopefully soon put down a deposit on a building so I can start my own business after high school,” he says.
“That is incredible,” I say, kissing him.
Suddenly, the front door opens and a woman steps out. “Seth, are you out there?”
Seth’s eyes meet mine and a glint of happiness fills him. “Come here, I want you to meet my mom,” he says.
And just like that, this moment went from great to fantastic.
I follow him around to the front door and I grow nervous with every step I take. What if she doesn’t like me? Do I look good enough? I’m only in jeans and a t-shirt, I didn’t prepare for this.
When we stop on the small concrete porch, the woman smiles at me. She looks a lot like Seth, with dark eyes and hair. She is average height and a little bit heavier, but she has a caring smile.
“Mom, I want you to meet Mia,” Seth says, smiling down at me.
His mom reaches out and pulls me in for a hug. “Oh Mia, I have heard so much about you. I am so glad Seth finally let me meet you,” she says, enveloping me in a huge hug.
I revel in the moment, allowing her to comfort me in a way only moms can do. It has been so long since I have been hugged by a mom, I almost forgot how great it is.
She pulls back and looks me over. “You are even prettier than Seth described,” she says.
I blush, hating the compliment but feeling proud too. “Thanks,” I say.
“Mia loves my gift,” Seth gushes, showing his mom my necklace.
“I’m
so glad. This boy was a nervous wreck when he bought it.”
I smile, not daring to tell her how he earned the money for such a beautiful gift. Instead, I just accept it and remain grateful for the moment.
Seth’s mom invites us in and we spend the afternoon talking and sharing stories of our childhoods. I laugh, cry, and smile as I feel like for the first time in a very long time, that I am part of a family.
Chapter 8
Seth
I walk through the halls of Hollow Cove High feeling like a new man. I’ve got more money in my pocket than I have ever seen before, my mom and Mia hit it off great, and for once in my life, my future is looking bright.
“Hey man, where were you yesterday?”
I turn and spot Brody running to catch up with me. I wave at him as I stop. “I spent the day with Mia and my mom and then relaxed,” I say.
I knew Mia wasn’t thrilled that I was betting on Brody’s races, but I had plans to take her to our spot this weekend and give her a picnic dinner. I saw it in one of the cheesy movies she loves and thought it might work to cheer her up. She hadn’t said she was upset, but I had read it off her body language.
“Ok, well don’t forget about your meeting with a few of the guys at the Raven Boys’s Clubhouse tonight,” Brody reminds me.
I had been so caught up with everything else, I had almost forgotten about my biggest dream of all-- a in with the Raven’s Boys. Somehow, Brody had talked me up to a few of the guys and I was going to get some pretty sweet custom orders.
“I won’t miss it,” I say.
Brody nods before turning and making his way to his first class of the day. I make my way into my class and pull out of my phone. I sent a quick text to Mia.
Me: Hey beautiful
I smile when she responds instantly.
Mia: Hey!
Me: Don’t make any plans for Saturday
Mia: Why not?
Me: I have a surprise
Mia: I don’t like surprises
I chuckle at her response. She is so sassy and stubborn.
