Classic (Adrenaline Series Book 1)

by Xavier Neal

  “Merrick, of all the girls you could fall in love with you, you fall for the commissioner's daughter. Now is that because you can't help but get yourself into trouble or because you like to see the veins in Madden's neck knot up? Personally, I'm hoping it's the neck thing.”

  Did you tell her?

  “How―”

  “Oh come on Merrick, I'm not a fucking moron, unlike the rest of the McCoys in this apartment. I saw the look on your face when Madden tore into you. It was too late. You were already gone.”

  “So far gone Knoxie...”

  “And you're just...you're a different pain in the ass since you've met her. I've noticed. I just wanna know if it's worth it. Does she feel as strongly about you as you do her, Merrick? Because if she doesn't you're gonna need to cut her loose.” She raises her eyebrows. “For your safety as much as hers.”

  Grabbing my keys off my bed I approach her slowly. “She does Knox.”

  “You're sure?”

  “As I live and breathe.” The comment makes me smile faintly. “I'd give it all up for her Knoxie. All of it.”

  “It's like that?”

  “It's like that,” I echo.

  “Be careful with love like that, Merrick. That shit's more dangerous than any race you could find yourself in,” she warns. “Trust me.”

  Not possible. Love can't kill you.

  “I hear you. Now, if you'll excuse me. I have a date.”

  Knoxie scoots to the side, so I can close my freshly straightened bedroom. “A date? I thought you were going to the races.”

  “I am.”

  With an eye roll she says, “You're taking her to the races? Does stupidity have to run so strongly in all of your genetics?”

  Unsure of how to respond I open my mouth and close it. Better prepared I say,” She's not gonna turn us in.”

  “Well no shit,” she snaps. “I'm talking about the flock of females you've fucked that fly around waiting to be fucked again. No girl deserves to be subjected to that any more than she should have to listen to one nightstands scream their heads off to the one man you can't ever call your own.”

  Was that a confession? Did you just hear that shit too?

  “Knoxie―”

  She sternly points at me. “You didn't hear a fucking thing.”

  “But―”

  “You want me to rat you out?”

  “I heard nothing,” I cave.

  “Good.” She pushes her light brown hair behind her ear. “We'll see you later at Olympus?”

  “Probably.” Our conversation ends as Madden walks through the front door with a to-go bag of food.

  “You headed out?” He tosses his head my direction, eyes briefly soaking in Knoxie's choice of lounge wear of stretch shorts and one of his old shirts from high school.

  She's been around a very long time. Every now and again I swear she's got more McCoy blood in her than the rest of us. Well. Other than Madden.

  “Yup. Time to see that beauty bloom now that she has plates and papers.”

  Madden grunts in disapproval.

  He hates when I take The Devil's cars out to play. Hates us having any extra interaction with him.

  “I brought you a burger,” he says to Knoxie.

  “Trying to bloat me up before I squeeze into a pair of leather shorts? That's rude.”

  “Maybe you shouldn't wear the leather shorts.” Madden drops the bag on the table. “Maybe half the club shouldn't see your ass hanging out.”

  “I have a nice ass.”

  “I didn't say you didn't.”

  “That's because you know it would be a fucking lie if you did.”

  “Look,” his voice deepens. “All I'm saying is maybe you shouldn't wear something so revealing.”

  “Maybe half the club shouldn't see the hard on you pop from watching the trash in the cages, but they do anyway,” her response is definitely my cue to leave.

  In a low whisper I remark, “Enjoy your night...”

  Over his shoulder Madden demands, “Keep you and Ben's asses off the radar. Got it?”

  “Always,” I assure and shut the door with me on the other side of it.

  Downstairs I hop in the white Lotus and back out of the garage to where Ben is parked close by waiting to follow me to pick up the girls. The two of us obey most of the traffic laws on our journey to pick up Jovi and Hayli from Hayli's apartment.

  Like a gentleman, I get out of the car, head up the stairs and knock to let them know we've arrived. There's a sound of shuffling around in the apartment before Hayli opens the door wearing the appropriate attire for where we're headed. A black mini skirt and matching white see through halter top.

  It's not that Hayli's not hot. She's just not hot enough. She's not hot for me. She's not dipped in mocha and curves like a Hershey kiss waiting to melt on my fucking tongue.

  “You look good,” I compliment her. “You're gonna ride with my cousin Ben since my car's a two seater.”

  “No it's not.” She drops a hand on her hip. “You drive a Camaro. There's a little one.”

  “Not tonight. Tonight I'm driving what I plan to race and it's a two door.” Hayli raises her eyebrows and I promise, “It'll be fine. Ben's cool and if he gives you any trouble I give you full permission to kick him in the nuts before I beat the shit out of him. Deal?”

  Accepting she says, “Deal.”

  Anxious that I haven't see my girlfriend yet I ask, “Jovi ready?”

  “She is,” Hayli hums. “But fair warning. If you break it, you buy it, and it ain't cheap...”

  Such a strange thing to say.

  Before I have another chance to comment, she scoots out of the way and I see Jovi exiting a bedroom in the short tight orange dress that barely leaves room for her curves that are being caressed. With a swollen tongue, my jaw drops grasping for a chance to make room for it.

  “I thought since you liked it so much the first time you saw me in it, you might wanna show me off in it.” She giggles strutting over to me. Gently pushing me out of the way so Hayli can lock the door, she drops her voice to a sultry level. “Was I wrong?”

  My eyes do their best to absorb every angle, every arch, as she pushes her body against mine bringing the perfectly painted picture to life. Unconsciously my hands snake around her hips while our lips mesh together, sucking the air between us out of the equation.

  This brings an entirely new depth to speechless.

  With aggressive pushes of my tongue, I pour out every praise for an outfit well done that my brain couldn't seem to pop out. Jovi whimpers and withers in my grip, clutching the bottom of my shirt for leverage in an attempt to withstand what I’m demanding her to succumb to.

  “Don't we have somewhere to be?” Hayli's whining pulls my mouth off Jovi's abruptly. “Aren't there cars to be raced and crimes to be committed?”

  Glancing around Jovi I give her a smirk. “Excited?”

  “To stop watching you two swap spit and meet someone I can do the same thing with? Uh...yes.” The response causes me to shake my head before folding my fingers with Jovi's. “Now...can we go? Is your cousin cute?”

  “You don't want him. Trust me.”

  “Ugo?” Hayli nods like she understands.

  “Not at all.” I point dead ahead at the end of the stairs where Ben is lightly leaned against the hood of his car. Her jaw cracks open and I add, “He's just more of a hit it and quit it kind of guy.”

  “Good,” she answers. “Because I'm not looking for forever...”

  “Match made in heaven,” Jovi sarcastically says following behind Hayli who has taken off down the steps. With my girlfriend pulling me I'm given a perfect shot of her open back dress that stops right above her ass hinting me in on all sort of secrets that have my dick stirring.

  Stopping her half way down the steps with a gentle tug, I lean over her shoulder and whisper in her ear, “No bra?”

  Slowly she shakes her head and turns around to whisper in return, “No panties.”


  Fucking....A....how am I supposed to race like this?

  “So underneath it all...you're...” The word gets caught in my esophagus.

  “Naked,” Jovi states slowly, each letter feeling like a stroke of my dick. My mouth bobs and she follows it up with, “Have to keep your attention somehow.”

  “Baby, you always have my attention,” I say in a serious tone. “Never worry about that.”

  “Good.” She smiles and starts down the stairs again. “Now come on...”

  I wet my lips at the sight of my girlfriend rocking a dress in what I'm going to declare is her signature color, completely commando, and in heels.

  She looks like fucking art and if I get a chance to see that canvas stripped later I will be the happiest fucking man alive.

  Approaching, Ben whistles out, “Goddamn you ladies look fine.”

  “Keep your eyes off my girlfriend or lose them,” I threaten opening Jovi's door.

  Jovi adds, “Keep your hands off my best friend or lose them.”

  “Isn't it a little early to be threatening the removal of body parts?” Ben playfully says opening Hayli's door. “That usually comes after a few shots and at least one good drink.”

  “We're gonna get along just fine,” Hayli insists sliding in the seat.

  Ben cocks a smirk like he's got her in the bag.

  We've both met Hayli. You know damn well that girl isn't as easy as she looks.

  Jovi follows her best friend's action and I shut the door before sliding into the driver seat. She buckles at the same time she comments, “This car is beautiful.”

  “Almost competes with the other remarkable piece of artwork I've picked up this evening.” I wiggle my eyebrows at her. She giggles and rolls her eyes in response. “This is a Lotus and tonight baby, we're gonna make her bloom.”

  “She yours?”

  Knowing now is not a good time to get into another involving The Devil, I reply, “Tonight she is. Hold on tight.”

  Jovi braces herself as I back out of the parking space and take off down the road, speed limits acting immediately as more a minimum than a maximum. With the help of Destin's custom made cop detector pumping through the radio I know the exact route to take to avoid cameras, cops, and any other commotion that might try to cock block the evening.

  Occasionally I glance over, catching Jovi biting her bottom lip from the rumbling of the vehicle beneath her.

  If she were wearing panties they would be soaking wet. It's what happens when you're in something this powerful. Doesn't matter how hard you try to fight it, your pussy just knows to shift gears too. I've had enough girls in this position to know. Believe me.

  Arriving at one of the designated location for the evening, I slowly pull into the crowd that parts. Once I park at the end of the row that Vinnie designates for me, I kill the engine and look over at Jovi.

  “Baby, are you sure you wanna do this?” I cautiously ask one more time.

  Truth is, I love her being here. Yeah, it's nerve wracking as shit to have her here in my world surrounded by pricks who are gonna have their eyes on her tits, and chicks who are gonna be jealous they aren't her, but if she can accept this part of me, it gives me hope she might be more understanding about the other things I'm keeping from her.

  “Definitely,” she squeaks excitement clear in her voice.

  Relieved, I lean over, wrap my hand around the back of her neck and fuse our mouths together needing one final taste of her before we exit. This time it's Jovi's tongue that dominates clearly marking her territory with sharp pushes and rolls until my dick threatens to try to drive.

  Pulling away I grumble, “I'm gonna need a fucking minute after that.”

  She giggles proudly and waits, observing the passing people out of the vehicle.

  Finally I prepare to get out, but say, “Don't move. I'm gonna open your door.”

  “Is this some sort of weird, animalistic way to tell all the others I'm spoken for?”

  “It's not the animal planet baby. I'm just trying to be a gentleman.”

  “Oh...” she tries to her embarrassment.

  Even that's fucking hot.

  Outside the car, I greet a couple of acquaintances with hand tosses as Ben backs in next to me, Hayli's expression of excitement very similar to Jovi's. Opening my girlfriend's door, I extend my hand to help her out, her legs framed by her black heels stopping many onlookers.

  As soon as she's out of the car, I shut the door, and press a firm but brief kiss on her lips. Afterwards I grin, “That's how I tell others you're spoken for.”

  Our hands clasp together at the same time Vinnie approaches with a smug smirk.

  Smug fucking bastard did this one on purpose. He wanted me to fill in for a race last week and instead I took Jovi to play mini golf. Dickhead. Vinnie's like The Devil in the sense his moves are very calculated. However, unlike my boss, he's got a heart. He'd never try to really hurt me or he'd be out more than just a racer and bank roll.

  “You...look...lickable...” Vinnie's compliment cause my fist to curl all on it's own.

  “Think about it again and I'll lay you out,” I threaten.

  “Chill Merrick. I'm not dumb enough to ever go after a McCoy's girl.” He laughs lightly. “I just enjoy watching your punk ass squirm.”

  “I didn't squirm.”

  “You totally squirmed,” Jovi agrees.

  “Tensed up like he was gonna swing.” Vinnie chuckles again.

  “I did not.”

  “Swing fast and hard,” Jovi's statement has me, yanking her into my side.

  “And just whose side are you on?”

  “The one that wins. Is that how these things work?” her playful joke is followed with a kiss on the cheek. “Now lighten up and show me some shit.”

  “Bossy.”

  “Pussy.”

  “I'll show you mine if you show me yours.” I waggle my eyebrows. She giggles and nudges me in the side.

  “You're up twenty. Front lines.” Vinnie announces, his phone chiming in his pocket. He checks the message then says sweetly, “Jovi, I'll see you there. You can watch with me.” Before I can contend he smartly says, “Don't worry Merrick. I won't be licking her or even thinking about it.” With one more dickhead smirk, he winks and answers his phone. “Speak.”

  While watching him walk away Jovi states, “I like him.”

  She means like a friend right? I'd hate to have to kill him.

  In annoyance I grunt and say, “Don't.”

  Vinnie may be my boy, but nothing and no one should ever go after my girl.

  Hayli rushes over, from where I'm not exactly sure, and asks, “Who is that?” Pointing at the back corner to a male with dark brown skin leaned against the trunk of a black Mustang with music blaring from it, she questions again, “Do you know him?”

  “That's J Money. He's the D.J. at Olympus on Saturday nights. DJ's at the races on Fridays. One of my other best friends,” I explain as two chicks glue themselves to Ben's sides. A blonde in an all white outfit and girl with black hair in an all black outfit.

  Like some weird ass salt and pepper duo.

  With a disapproving look his direction, I continue to talk to her, “Why?”

  “Can we meet him?” She eagerly asks.

  Ben shrugs and kisses one of the girl's cheeks.

  “Sure...” I agree following behind her slowly.

  Well this isn't exactly how I saw this whole thing panning out, but I can't say I'm not relieved. I'm not sure I want my cousin hooking up with my girl's best friend. Not sure that would end well.

  After popping my hood and locking the doors to the Lotus, the three of us head towards J Money, my eyes wandering along the way at the popped hoods of the parked cars while Jovi clearly drinks in the atmosphere. Tonight's base is set up at an old parking garage with pillars flooded with graffiti.

  Not the artistic kind.

  It's been decked out in neon lights, that compliments the under glow of some of the cars, speakers
for J Money's skills to be heard through with designated areas that resemble a nightclub. Down below is focused mostly on the showcasing, chicks picking up guys for their cars, minor bets being exchanged, trash being talked, while the upper levels are like Olympus away from Olympus with more open spaces and no alcohol.