The Tower (The Tarot Series Book 1)

by Rhylee Davidson

  “No! As a matter of fact, I didn’t. Not only did I not get rid of it, but I had it taken out of storage a week ago and trailered down here. It’s sitting in my garage as we speak.”

  “Are you shitting me?”

  “Nope! And on top of that, Derrick taught me to race. At first I only wanted to learn because of him, but I loved doing it and knew my father wouldn’t approve, so as a bonus, I continued doing it to get even with my dad. He didn’t know I raced, but for me, it was a way of giving him the middle finger for always expecting me to be the perfect little daughter and for trying to run my life. Anyway, I’m really not joking about that bad girl comment. I know it sounds crazy, but I’ve had the car and all of Derrick’s tools brought down here so I could get it running again and race it. Will you help me?”

  “Hell yes…I’ll help you. Besides, I think it’s damn sexy that you want to race. So when do you want to get started?”

  “Tonight?”

  “You’ve got it. I’ll come by your place around seven. Does that work for you?”

  “That’s perfect! Thanks, Tony.”

  Giving her a peck on the cheek, Tony walks her to her car and they part ways until later.

  Chapter Eleven

  Tony shows up right on time. Kat grabs a few cold beers out of the refrigerator and they head into the four-car garage. Parked in the third bay, opposite her Porsche is the Camaro with a car cover flung over it. As Tony and Kat remove the cover, the sound of ecstasy escapes from his lips.

  “God, I’ve always loved this car.”

  “I know… me too,” Kat marvels.

  “Alright, you ready to get dirty?” he asks in a suggestive tone.

  “Nice double entendre. You’re so bad, Tony…and yes, I’m ready.”

  Tony fists his hands in the hair at the nape of her neck, lifting her face towards his and crushing his mouth down hard on hers for a hot, wet kiss. “I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t have done that, but damn I’ve wanted to do that since you showed up at my front door a few weeks ago, Kat.”

  Shocked and tingling all over from the kiss Tony just inflicted on her, Kat moans. “Mmm, that feels really good, but we can’t do this right now or we’ll never get the car ready in time.” We can’t do this right now? Holy shit Kat! What are you thinking? He is your best friend’s little brother! Christ, how am I going to get under the hood of a car with him tonight with this raging furnace he turned on in my body and that kiss that turned my panties wet?

  “Sorry Kat. I’ll be good.”

  Of that I have no doubt. Hell I’m gonna need a date with B.O.B. later, thinking about that kiss tonight.

  After four hours and a six-pack of beer, the engine is stripped down, tranny’s pulled, tires and rims removed, and brakes are out.

  “Tomorrow, we’ll pull the rear end and clutch. Then figure out what we need and start putting her back together.”

  “Thanks Tony! I know this is asking a lot, but do you think we could have the car ready to race by this Friday?”

  In awe, Tony looks down at her. “You’re really into this aren’t you?”

  “Yeah, I guess I am.”

  “Well, as long as we don’t need a new engine block or come across any unforeseen problems…then… yeah, I think we can get it done by then. If I have to, I’ll call a few friends so we can have a couple of extra pair of hands over here to help.”

  Placing a kiss on his cheek, Kat whispers, “You’re wonderful.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Tony and Kat arrive at Bradenton Motorsports Park trailering both of their street rods on Tony’s double hauler. They jump out of the truck and head to the office to register their rides for the Friday Night Street Kaos drag races. Once they’ve unloaded the cars, Kat pulls a white grease stick from her purse and throws it over to Tony so he can paint quarter mile times on the side windows of their cars.

  “You ready to do this?” he asks.

  “Ready! I can’t wait. I need some excitement in my life.”

  Walking up to her, he whispers in her ear, “I’d like to be that excitement when you’re ready, Kat.” She shivers.

  Waiting in her car for her number to be called, Katrina thinks back over her life. The resentment of always being the good girl, always being the center of her father’s dog and pony show for his political ambitions, and the feeling of being so weak that she let other people run her life, came crashing down on her. Stirring her emotions and feeding her anger, she thinks back on the person she used to be, the person she is now, and the person she wants to become.

  “I am no longer that person, the weak little girl Katrina Jameson; Daddy’s little princess, Katrina the perfect, the professional ballerina, song writer, and piano player. Nope, those days are gone! I’m Kat Saunders now. Strong and independent! Living life by my own rules, and hell yes… a bit of a bad girl! No one is going to run my life from now on, except me!”

  Over the loud speaker, her number is called, number eighteen because it’s always been her favorite number. Kat maneuvers the car to the line. Revving the engine, she lights up the tires for the customary burn out, which warms up the rubber so the car gains traction and sticks to the track during the run.

  At the line, she watches the racing lights apparatus, called a Christmas tree, intently. Every nerve ending is like a live wire keeping her reflexes sharp. The tree lights up, showing her the pre-stage position. Then another light flashes, showing that the car is now staged.

  Pulse pounding…the first yellow light on the tree lights up.

  A half second later…hands become restless on the wheel... the first light goes out and the second yellow light is lit. Another half second tics by…her heart is pounding so loudly that the sound of blood rushing in her ears drowns out all other sound…the second light goes out and the third and final yellow light flashes on. Finally, the third yellow light goes out and the green light on the Christmas tree lights up. Without a thought, Kat slams down on the gas while hitting the clutch, hand at the ready to shift from first gear to second. Just before the tac redlines, she hits the clutch and shifts from second to third, engine screaming, a shift from third to fourth, a full car length ahead of the Dodge Charger next to her. Her opponent surges forward and begins to pull ahead. That son of a bitch hit his NOS…well dude, two can play at that game and you hit it too early! Holding her thumb over the toggle switch on the dashboard, Kat takes a deep breath and while letting it out, presses the button, releasing the nitrous into her engine. In seconds, she blows by her opponent, crossing the finish line as the winner!

  I won! Holy shit…I really won!

  Slowing the car and bringing it around to the pit area where Tony is waiting for her, Kat shuts it down and climbs out of the car through the window, shaking her head to clear it so she can hear again. Tony is striding towards her. Kat runs up to meet him, jumping into his open arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. She kisses him.

  Spinning her around, he smiles, “Congrats, you did it, you won!”

  “I won, I won! I can’t believe it! What a rush! I can’t wait to go again!”

  “Well, you know you run until you get knocked out, so you’ll be up again soon,” Tony is grinning from ear to ear.

  Walking back towards his truck, Tony says, “Come on, grab a cold drink from the cooler and we’ll get the cars ready to go again. Luckily, your car has a four tank NOS system so we don’t have to worry about trying to change out a tank.”

  Giving Kat a tight squeeze, he gently places her down. It feels so good to hold her like that, but I can’t tell her because she is my sister’s best friend. I don’t have time to think about the feelings she’s stirring up in me right now.

  On the other side of the track, the bike racers are lined up, leaning against their motorcycles. Since they run first, their heats are already finished and those still hanging around are watching the street drags.

  Leaning against his bike, sucking up the female attention that is always thr
own at him, Gage is enjoying the knowledge that he won it all tonight. He is bringing home a nice wad of cash and with any luck, one or two of the race groupies hanging all over him.

  Life is good for a guy who looks like Gage. Tall, lean, and muscular, he has a body every woman itches to run her hands over. Long, dark hair that sits two inches above his shoulders, a handsome face with chiseled features, full soft lips, and light green eyes with gold flecks sprinkled throughout. He looks like a god and his animal magnetism doesn’t hurt much, either.

  Tearing his eyes away from the blonde and the redhead rubbing up against him, Gage watches the next race. This should be interesting, a Mopar against a Chevy? Both cars look to be in great shape. At the line is a ’69 Dodge Charger going up against a ’68 Chevy Camaro Super Sport with hideaway headlights. Nice! Being a Chevy fan, Gage is anxious to see what the number 18 Camaro can do.

  Watching the race, he’s impressed. The Camaro sounds great and wins the heat easily. Gage knows a win isn’t just about the car, although that is important, it’s also about the driver. If the driver doesn’t know what they’re doing, it doesn’t matter if they’ve got the fastest car in the world, they’ll lose.

  Since Gage has never seen this car out here before and the run was flawless, he walks towards the pits as the car slows and pulls onto pit row. He wants to get a good look at the Camaro and congratulate the driver before its next heat.

  His eyes fixate on the driver climbing out of the car. He’s surprised to see the sexy sleek body of a woman emerge. She’s dressed in a short white leather jacket with a deep blue tank top underneath and a matching pair of leather pants that lace up the back, showcasing her fine, round ass. As he gets closer, he can see the deep blue swish on the white leather Nike sneakers that finish off the look.

  “Mmmm, now that is hot.”

  By the time Gage pries his wandering eyes away from her fit body to look up at her face she turns and runs down the track and into the arms of another man. She jumps into his arms and wraps her legs around him, burying her face into his neck. The guy easily catches her spinning her around, but just before she plants a passionate kiss on the guy; she raises her head finally giving Gage a good look at her face. His eyes narrow and his breath hitches. “What the fuck?” he growls. “That’s Katrina Jameson!”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Angry and feeling the need to get some answers, Gage stalks up to the Camaro, intent on grabbing Katrina by the shoulders and shaking the shit out of her until she tells him what the hell she’s doing here. The closer he gets the more pissed off he becomes. Just then, Katrina looks up and their eyes meet. For a split second, Gage forgets why he’s there. His pulse quickens and the feeling of recognition draws him to her like a magnet. An overwhelming need to reach for her…touch her… possess her takes over. He lifts his hand to grab her, but Tony turns around at that very moment. Recognizing Gage, he takes his hand and starts shaking it. “Hey Gage, how’s it goin,’ man?”

  Blinking twice in an effort to clear his head, Gage focuses on the man before him. Relief courses through him as he realizes he knows him. It’s Tony…Tony Moretti. He knows him from the track and the club, The Pit.

  Returning the handshake and thinking fast, he says, “Hi Tony. I just wanted to come by and congratulate you on your run. The Cobra’s looking good. Think you can take it all tonight?”

  “Yeah, she’s running perfectly. I think my chances are good.”

  “I’d tend to agree. So far, the only car I see out here that can give you a run for your money is this Camaro in front of us. It had a great run. Is it yours too?”

  “Thanks man…and no, the Camaro’s not mine. It belongs to Kat. I just helped her get it ready to race.” Realizing introductions were in order, Tony says “Gage, let me introduce you to Kat…Kat Saunders. She’s an old family friend who’s just relocated to the area. Kat, this is Gage. He’s the best racer here, on a bike. We hang out at a lot of the same places.”

  Extending her hand, she takes his and shakes, “Pleasure to meet you, Gage.”

  Sparks fly as they touch. The skin-to-skin contact sends electrical currents shooting through her body. Her skin ignites under his touch, as an aching need flickers to life deep inside. She yearns to lean into him, feel his arms around her, stroke his long dark hair, press her body against his….

  Kat’s reaction to him shocks her, leaving her speechless. Staring into his eyes, she wonders if he’s feeling the same thing she is. The longer they stand looking at each other speechless, the more sure she becomes that he is.

  Breaking the contact and pulling away, he utters, “Nice to meet you too, Kat,” in a thick voice. “You had a great run out there tonight. Have you been racing long?”

  Finally able to speak again, Kat answers, “N..No, this was my first real race. I was taught to race a few years ago, but it was always just street racing for fun.”

  “Aw shit, I’m up, they just called my number and I haven’t had a chance to go through your car yet, Kat. Gage, can you help Kat switch over her NOS tanks and give the car a quick once over before her next run?” Tony asks.

  Wanting to get as far away from Kat and what just happened between them as possible, Gage swears under his breath before he answers, “Sure man, no problem.”

  Doing his best to ignore Kat, Gage works silently, climbing into the driver’s seat of the Camaro, turning around to lift a metal door, and turn the valve to switch over to a full tank of nitrous. Turning back around, he starts the car, hitting the gas a few times. Everything seems fine from inside the car.

  Letting it idle, Gage climbs out to check under the hood. To his surprise, he reaches the front quarter panel to find Kat leaning into the engine compartment and the finest ass in leather pants he’s ever seen sticking out at him. Rubbing his finger along the side of his jaw, he grins while standing back to admire the view. How he’d love to step up behind her, place his hands on each cheek and give a tight squeeze just before he pressed his hard cock against her.

  Rubbing his now sweaty hands on the leg of his pants, Gage steps up behind her and leans over. “What are you doing under there?” he asks, knowing he is making her uncomfortable.

  God he was so close, his breath was brushing against her neck and it was making it difficult for her to get the words out...“Just checking for strange sounds and odd smells.”

  Feeling his hips leaning against her bottom, she thinks…two can play at that game. To get him off of her, she thrusts her ass out, bumping it into his crotch.

  Surprised at the unexpected contact, Gage sucks in a breath and holds back a groan of pleasure. He backs off, moving beside her even though all his instincts are screaming for him to grab her by the hips, hold his erection against her, and claim her as his own.

  Staring into each other’s eyes, it’s as if they’re playing a game of who’ll blink first. Well, it isn’t going to be me. Giving him a devilish grin, Kat slowly licks her lips while making a guttural moaning sound.

  That worked!

  Gage clears his throat, “I just need to check the motor out before your next race. If you’ll step aside or go around to the other side of the car, I can get it done in just a few minutes.”

  Still feeling like messing with him for what he did, Kat nods her head in confirmation, “Oh, sure. I’ll get out of your way.” Enjoying the thought of making him as uncomfortable as he made her, she reaches out and drags a finger along his back as she walks by.

  Gage is not amused. He wants her, but keeps his concentration on the car. Once his check is completed, he quickly disappears before he does something stupid.

  Their night at the track is finished. Tony won all of his heats and so did Kat. They are both going home with cash in their pockets.

  “Thanks Tony! This was so much fun. I can’t wait until next week.”

  “Neither can I. Maybe we’ll get to race each other next time. Hey, if you’re feeling up to it, maybe we can get in touch with Bre and hit The Pit later?”


  “Sounds great. Since we’re done racing and my car’s street legal, I’ll drive it home to save time. Call me in a little while?”

  “Alright!”

  “And Tony,” Kat breathes, leaning in and giving him a kiss on the cheek, “Thanks again for all your help and hard work getting my car ready for tonight.”

  Returning to the track after dropping off his bike, Gage watches what is going on between Kat and Tony from across the infield. Noticing they seem a little too friendly with all the hugging and touching that was going on earlier, the kiss he just witnessed sparks a chord of jealousy.

  What the hell is she doing? Just a little while ago she was flirting with me. And now, after not dating since her fiancés death, she relocates, changes her name and has already found someone? Is she sleeping with Tony Moretti? And if she is, why the hell do I care? He snorts at the thought.

  Snap out of it! It’s time to find out where she’s staying.

  From up in the stands, a pair of smoldering eyes studies the group at the track with intense interest.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Gage stays far enough behind Kat so as not to be seen, as he follows her from the track out to the beach. Driving along Gulf Boulevard and skirting the sandy white beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, Katrina pulls into a garage attached to a large, elegant, beach house. Waiting for the garage door to close, Gage slowly drives by, committing the address to memory.

  Arriving home, he pulls out his laptop and begins researching real estate records for the address where Kat now resides. He needs to know how she was able to disappear so completely, at least on paper. To his surprise, he discovers the house is not deeded to her, but instead, in the name of a living trust. With further research, he finds the trust was established by Katrina’s grandmother, prior to her death. After hacking into the State of Florida’s computer system, he is able to pull up a copy of her grandmother’s will. Reading through it, he discovers that among other assets, the beach house was left to her, but for some reason, she never put the property in her own name. Finding out all he can for now, he switches off the computer.