Chapter 33
Nolan
As we make our way down the hallway of the hospital following Xavier’s father James, I think back to this morning. I’ve made a complete fool of myself when I met Izzy’s friend from California. When I answered the door, I didn’t know what to do for the first time in my life.
Her sun kissed skin glistened in the morning light, her blonde hair pulled up in a messy bun made me want to pull on it as I made her scream my name in ecstasy. I want Ashley’s long legs wrapped around my waist squeezing me hard as she found her release, her nails digging in my back, marking me forever.
Then I had to go and make myself look like an idiot. Instead of being smooth and charming, like I normally am, I tripped over my own damn feet and landed on my ass when she smiled at me. She took my breath away and I lost all rational thoughts. My brain forgot how to function. That’s never happened to me before.
A hand slaps me on the back, bringing me out of my memories. I shake my head and look at Xavier, my best friend and brother. I look around and realize we’re already outside and everyone is looking at me, waiting for an answer.
“What?" I ask.
He shakes his head, his black hair moving in the breeze. His blue eyes are studying me, giving me a knowing assessment.
“My dad asked if everything was going all right in your investigation.” Xavier responds.
Oh, yeah. The reason we’re out here. If any moment was a Homer Simpson moment, this would be it. I’d slap my forehead if I could. Fuck, I need to get my shit together and keep a blonde hair beauty out of my head.
“It’s not looking too good for Calabrese. He’s lost control over Marie and has no idea what she is doing. Christian and I paid him a visit this morning and caught him off guard. I know I was supposed to wait until tomorrow, but I couldn’t. He was pissed I showed up and showed him everything Marie has done. I started from five years ago, which he knew about, to Austin’s accident, the break in at Izzy’s house and finally the incident’s last night. To say he was pissed was an understatement. He told me he would take care of her, but I don’t buy it."
“Neither do I.” Christian agrees. “He looked pissed, but it’s his daughter. He lets her get away with whatever she wants. She is just as psychotic as he is."
“Has anyone said anything about Austin’s accident?" James asks.
“Yes.” Christian answers. “I received a call this morning and the forensic team concluded his car was definitely tampered with. Someone took a joint off his braking system, before his heat and the dirt and grime from the night caused his brakes not to work. I looked over the tapes and there was a car that bumped him before he hit the wall. It belonged to the same guy you sent me Xavier, Craig Williams. The same guy who tried taking Izzy out of her first race.”
My heart starts beating fast in my chest, I’m light headed and need to sit down. I can’t breathe as everything starts to click into place. They still don’t know what I know.
“Nolan, what’s wrong?" Xavier asks me, concern in his voice.
I swallow hard, bracing myself for Xavier’s outrage when I tell him what I know. He’s going to be so pissed.
“I went and checked him out that night of Izzy’s race. He was all over Marie when I found him. He was raving mad Izzy was back and Marie said something to him about not losing his cool on the track, that he needed to keep his temper in check, so no one would suspect anything. They’re in on it together. I will bet my life he’s our guy.”
Christian pulls out his phone and walks away. I don’t hear who he is calling, my focus is on what we just figured out. James put his hand gently on my shoulder.
“Nolan.” he says. I look up to him and see the determination in his eyes. “Keep them safe tonight."
I nod my head. I hear the doors open and spot Izzy, Mia and Ashley walking out and head straight for us. I finally have the balls to look at Xavier. He’s pissed, but with Izzy coming towards us, he’s masking it the best he can.
“Are we telling them?" I ask.
“No. Izzy doesn’t need to worry about what’s going on. Christian will make sure Craig stays detained and we will watch for Marie since she’s in hiding. Stay with Izzy when I can’t, please.” Xavier pleads. I watch Ashley as she walks towards us, a smirk on her face.
“You got it bro.” I tell Xavier before they reach us.
Christian ends his call and puts his phone in his pocket. He gives us a subtle nod and release a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. One less person I have to watch for and take out if necessary. I crack my neck and stand up. I paste a smile on my face when the girls reach us, but my head is running through everything I need to do before tonight. I’m determined to make this race the best for Izzy and Xavier. They’ve worked hard to be where they’re at and don’t need to worry about anything but the track.
Ashley catches my eye and I can’t help but to appraise her body. She makes my blood boil and lust roar through my veins. I’m distracted from the way her sundress hugs her curves and when I make my way up to her face, her light brown eyes are watching me knowingly. She cocks an eyebrow at me.
“See something you like?" Ashley asks.
Oh boy am I in trouble. If she only knew the dirty thoughts running through my head, all the ways I want to make her scream, she’d be running in the other direction.
I give her a wink. “If you only knew, sweet thing."
Her face turns a dark shade of red and she turns away huffing some comment under her breath I didn’t quite catch. Hmm, that’s interesting. I’ll have to consider that later.
Right now, I need to focus on the race and not the hot, blond-haired woman with a killer body, legs that go on for miles, and a smile that takes my breath away. I shake my head out of my thoughts again and see everyone walking towards the cars. James went back inside, and I didn’t even know it. God, what the hell am I doing? People are counting on me to protect them and I can’t even focus long enough right now to do that.
I get up from the bench and jog to my car, watching Ashley’s ass in that sundress. Dirty, dirty thoughts of what I could do to that ass fogs my brain. I reach for my keys in my pocket and realize I don’t have them. Xavier is standing next to me with a raised brow.
“Are you going to sit on my lap when I drive home?" Xavier asks.
“Why would I sit on your lap?” I ask giving him a questioning look. He rolls his eyes at me and jingles the keys in front of my face.
“Bro, you gave me the keys to your car, remember?"
Realization dawns on me as I watch Ashley again. She’s giggling at me from the back door of my car and my mind wanders again to the things I want to do to make that giggle into a moan.
“Fuck." I groan, running my hands through my hair. This isn’t good.
“What’s the matter big boy? You afraid to come out of the closet?" Ashley teases me.
I shake my head and stick my tongue out at her. Childish? Yeah, I know. It’s all I got right now. She scrambles my brain cells and I can’t think around her. Fuck, I’m so screwed.
“Nah, I’m not in any closet. I can show you what it’s like to sit in my lap though,” I wink at her, her giggle suddenly stops, and she swallows hard.
I give her my trademark smile that has all women dropping their panties at my feet and get into the back seat of my car. Xavier takes the driver’s seat and Izzy takes the passenger seat. I’m in no mindset to drive. I wait for Ashley to get in next to me, but I see her walking in a rapid pace towards Christian and Mia. Mia raises an eyebrow at her and she nods in my direction. Her sweet ass is facing me, teasing me with the sway of her hips. I can’t see the look on her face.
What the fuck was that about? Oh, well. I need to worry about other shit than about hurting her feelings.
Izzy turns to me with narrowed eyes and I let out a groan. With as much as I love Izzy as a sister, she really needs to lay off the mama bear act.
“What the fuck, Nolan?" Izzy asks me.
I have
no fucking clue what happened with Ashley. One minute we’re flirting, the next she gets pissed and walks off. Izzy’s still glaring at me as Xavier drives off.
“What the fuck did I do?" I ask.
“I have no idea, but you must have done something to make her want to ride with Mia." Izzy answers. I shrug my shoulders.
“I have no fucking idea. She’s a chick, they do crazy things sometimes. Maybe she does want to ride my lap and I caught her off guard.” I respond.
“Is that all you think about is getting some?" Izzy asks me.
Oh, if she only knew the shit running in my head, I revert back to my smart-ass ways.
“Well, when it’s been a while because all these women want me to settle down, then yeah. Fucking is the only thing on my mind.” I lie to her.
She doesn’t need to know about the demon lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce. Izzy turns back around, thankfully. We arrive back at Xavier’s house in silence, each of us thinking about different things. I’m lost in my own head as I get out of the car. This time it isn’t about a leggy, blond-haired woman. My training is kicking in and I’m going through a mental checklist of things that need to be done before tonight’s race and there isn’t much time left before we need to get to the track. This race is the one that makes me worried the most. There’s going to be a lot of spectators and a lot of drivers to watch over. I just need to maintain focus, but I have a gut feeling something is going to go wrong.
Chapter 34
Xavier
We arrive at the race track at five o’clock. Izzy has been abnormally quiet and it’s starting to worry me. I’m driving my black Dodge diesel, hauling our cars behind it. I pull in the dirt driveway and park it in our designated spot.
It’s been our spot since we were little and would come here with our dads. I turn my truck off and shift my body so I’m facing Izzy sitting in the passenger seat. It’s just the two of us here, everyone else is driving their own cars and will be here shortly. I take my hand and rest it on Izzy’s knee giving it a gentle squeeze.
“Are you OK?" I ask.
Izzy nods her head. Some of her hair falls from her ponytail and I tuck it behind her ear, so I can see her face. Her voice is strong when she answers.
“Yes. I’m fine. Just a little nervous." I turn her head, so she is facing me. Her voice might be strong, but Izzy’s green eyes are filled with worry and I want to comfort her.
“It’s going to be fine. You’re going to do great tonight. Just breath and do what you love to do.” I tell her and move closer.
“I will, thank you.” she says breathlessly. Something catch’s her eye and she focuses on it, her jaw set hard, anger radiating through her body. “Are you fucking kidding me.” Izzy growls.
She bursts out of the door of the pickup like her ass is on fire. Before I have any idea of what’s going on she’s behind the trailer. I get out of the pickup, trying to catch up with her.
Izzy is arguing with someone, but I can’t hear what they’re saying. Just as I reach the back of the trailer, Izzy swings her fist. I hear bones crunching and the person she just hit falls to the ground.
“Stay the fuck away." Izzy growls at the girl crumbled on the ground.
I look down at who Izzy is screaming at and see Lisa. The bitch who tried to ruin everything for us years ago. The same one Izzy hit the night she gave me a chance at winning her over. Lisa was supposed to be banned from the track for life. Blood is pouring from her nose. I grab Izzy from behind and haul her away from the sobbing girl on the ground before she hits her again. Tears are in Izzy’s eyes as she stops struggling.
“What the actual fuck is she doing here?" Izzy cries.
I pull her to me, soothing her. “Hey, it’s Ok B. I got you. Can you tell me what that was all about?" I ask her.
She gives me a look like I’m stupid. If she was an eye roller, I’m sure she would have rolled them at my question.
“Duh, she deserved that from years ago. She knew I was here with you, that’s why she did what she did.”
“What did she do?" I ask still confused on what set her off.
Izzy lets out a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. “As soon as we pulled in, the nasty skank slithered her way over here, licking her lips, watching you. She made eye contact with me and flipped me off. When I reached her, before I hit her she told me that you’re only with me for pity and she’d fuck you again tonight. I lost it and hit her. I’m sorry my temper got the best of me X, but she’s had that shit coming again."
My girl is possessive, and it turns me the fuck on like you wouldn’t believe. I kiss her hard, taking her breath away. She moans into my mouth and my cock is straining to get out and play. I nip her bottom lip, bringing her up against me so she can feel what she does to me.
“Woman, you’re driving me crazy.” I say breathlessly against her lips.
Izzy wraps her hands around the back of my neck and tugs my head back to her lips, her fingers running through my hair, pulling it. I groan against her lips, before kissing her again. A throat clears behind us and I reluctantly pull my lips away from hers. I turn my head at the intruder and see a couple of track officials standing behind us with an officer with them. I raise my brow at them.
“Can I help you?" I ask. The track official gives me a stern look.
“Mr. Sweeney, why is there a girl behind your trailer bleeding and crying that Miss Jones hit her?" I shrug my shoulders and Izzy speaks up.
“The skank tripped over my foot, while she was walking by and ran into my fist. She should’ve watched where she was going." I smirk at Izzy’s statement. God her smart mouth is really turning me on.
“Why is Lisa even here?" I ask. “She was supposed to be banned for life five years ago, when she started a fight with Izzy for no reason.” I give a pointed look at the official. His face flushes.
“I’ll check into that for you, Mr. Sweeney.” he tells me. The track official turns to the cop with him. “Officer please escort the woman out and make sure she doesn’t come back."
The cop nods his head and walks away. I can hear Lisa causing a scene behind us, yelling vulgar things to Izzy. Izzy turns and gives Lisa a wave with her left hand, her engagement ring catching the sun and that sets Lisa off again. The cop is restraining her and dragging her away.
“Very well then.” The track official says. “I hope we don’t have any more tripping and fists tonight. Good luck out there Miss Jones, Mr. Sweeney.” With that the official walks away leaving us alone again.
“Now, where were we?" I growl in Izzy’s ear, causing shivers to run down her body.
A deep voice from behind us interrupts us. “Mr. Sweeney? We need to talk."
I let out a deep sigh and turn around. Why can’t people leave us alone for just a few minutes? When I turn around, I see a tall man dressed in a designer suit standing behind me. He has two bodyguards on each side of him, their muscles are straining against their black t-shirts. They have on aviator sunglasses and I can’t see their eyes. His brown hair slicked back, and his dress shoes are polished to perfection.
I keep Izzy behind me to protect her from the man standing there. There’s something about him that sets me off. My feet are shoulder width apart, tension is running through my veins. I’m on high alert for anything to happen.
“Yes, that’s me.” I answer. “Who the fuck are you?"
“That language isn’t necessary.” he says with a raised brow.
“Keep pissing me off and my fucking language won’t be the worst of it.” I respond. “Now who the fuck are you?"
His bodyguards take on a defensive stance as he approaches Izzy and I at my threat.
“Bobby Calabrese.” the man says. “I believe you have had a run in with my daughter Marie."
My heart beats hard in my chest at the mentioning of that psychotic bitch. My muscles tense up and I keep my eyes and ears alert.
“What the fuck do you want?" I spit out.
Calabrese is right in fr
ont of me now. Izzy is still standing behind me, her hand on my lower back. His bodyguards are right behind him, ready to strike at any sign of danger.
“I had a visit this morning from a friend of yours. I told him I’d take care of Marie. I wanted to make sure my point was clear. I will not tolerate anyone doing anything to her. She is my responsibility. I will deal with her.” I don’t miss the low and deadly calm sound of his voice. I scoff at him.
“If you’re psychotic daughter comes anywhere near Izzy or me again, you bet your fucking life I won’t wait for you to take care of it. You want to deal with her, then she better fucking stay away, Mr. Calabrese.” I say, spitting out his name. He smirks at me.
“Very well then, consider this a warning. If anything happens to her, you’ll deal with me personally.” Calabrese says, his dark eyes shine with violence.
I shrug my shoulders like I don’t have a care in the world, but inside I’m fighting myself on keeping my temper in check.
“Keep her away and we won’t have a problem. After what she did to me years ago and what she is doing now, I won’t guarantee her safety if I see her here or anywhere.” I respond, just as low and just as deadly. “Consider that your warning." Red clouds my vision, zeroing in on the stupid fucker in front of me.
Calabrese takes a small step back and straightens his suit jacket. “I’m not a man to fuck with Mr. Sweeney. Remember that.” I watch as he turns and walks away, his bodyguards flanking him as they make their way down the pits. Izzy’s hands are shaking as she’s hanging onto the back of my t-shirt. I turn around and pull her into my arms.
“Why did he come here?" Izzy asks.
“I don’t know, unless he knows something we don’t.” Izzy holds onto me tight, her arms wrapped around my waist.
“What if she’s here?” Izzy asks quietly. I pull back a little so I can look into her eyes.
Racing Dirty Page 21
