by Nicole Dykes
I shake my head, “You’re sixteen.”
“You were fifteen. It wasn’t even legal for you to be driving a car when you started racing them.”
“You aren’t racing. End of story,” Brooke says as she places something in the oven.
“Why not?” Michael questions in a pissy tone.
“Because you are way too smart. You’ll bust your head open and then what?” I answer for Brooke.
“You didn’t,” Michael says easily.
I laugh bitterly at that. “Almost nine months ago, I tore my body all to hell. And besides, you are way smarter than me, Brainiac.”
He folds his arms in frustration. “This is bullshit!”
“Watch your mouth,” Brooke interjects.
Michael just looks at me, his eyes pleading. “That’s the point. I don’t just want to be the nerdy Monroe. In case you all haven’t noticed, I don’t wear glasses anymore, I’ve had girlfriends, I’m almost taller than Dylan and you.” He gestures toward me, angrily.
“That shit doesn’t make you a man. You’re a kid. Enjoy it while you can,” Dylan says, backing up Brooke, which isn’t surprising in the slightest.
Michael ignores him and looks to me “Please? Wouldn’t it be better if I had Adam Shriller coaching me?”
I don’t mention that I’m a fucking pussy who can’t get near a track. “Look, man, maybe in a couple of years.”
He pushes the chair back and stands up with fury. “Fuck this, I should have known you’d all gang up on me. I’ll do this one way or another.” He slams the chair toward the table. “None of you can stop it.”
He storms out and Jax looks as surprised as the rest of us when he says, “Fuck.”
Dylan doesn’t look too worried, but Brooke does. She turns to me. “You should talk to him. Tell him how dangerous it is.”
I nod my head in obedience. I’m in no position to argue for so many reasons. “I’ll do my best.”
“You know, he’s in between girls right now. He’ll move on to the next thing when he finds another chick,” Jax offers.
I nod, “That’s probably true.”
“It wasn’t for you,” she shoots back at me.
Damn she’s got me there.
“Brooke, the door wasn’t locked. I’m here to borrow that shirt!” Alex’s voice suddenly comes from the living room and I swear time stops. I’m not ready to face her.
Chapter 6
Alex
I
fold my arms in my best bitchy pose, but really I’m feeling vulnerable and shocked at the sight of Shriller in Brooke’s kitchen. “What the hell are you doing here?”
He looks good. Of course he does, because guys like Shriller never have to answer to karma. Karma must be a woman. Just another poor chick whose panties were soaked by his charm. So, he just gets a free pass for life. Of course, he was in a pretty serious accident not even a year ago. Guess she doesn’t love him that much.
He’s bulked up a little since I’ve seen him. His hair is still perfectly styled and trimmed, and there are no casts or bumps and bruises to speak of. He leans against the counter with a cool confidence that makes me want to slap him. “Visiting for Christmas.”
“And New Year’s,” Jax adds from the kitchen table.
“That’s a long visit. You sure you can be away that long?” My tone is cold and angry and even I hate the way I sound.
“I’m making up for some lost time. Gonna hang with the kids.”
Asshole. “Oh, I’m sure that’ll make them totally forget you abandoning them for half a year,” I bite out.
Shriller just absorbs it but Jax says firmly, “It’s a start.”
I roll my eyes at that, but dismiss him. “Whatever.” I turn my focus to Brooke and say, “I’m in a hurry. Can I get that shirt please? I don’t want to keep Chris waiting.”
She nods and starts to head out of the room, “Come with me.”
I force myself not to give Shriller another glance as I follow Brooke to her bedroom. When we’re inside and she starts searching through her closet I ask, “So that’s why Jax really went to California? To bring Shriller back?”
Brooke is inside her walk-in closet and I hear her slightly muffled answer, “That was part of it, but he did check up on the business too.”
“Why? He’s just gonna leave again.”
Brooke pokes her head out to look at me, “You don’t know that. Jesus, he did something really bad, didn’t he?”
I fold my arms going back to my previous stance.
She rolls her eyes at me. “Are you ever gonna tell me what happened? Did he reject you? Sleep with someone else? What?”
I shake my head again, still not sure why I don’t just tell her already. My best guess is, I don’t want to think about it.
She sighs and goes back to rummaging.
“So that’s it then? You all just forgive him?” I ask.
“He’s family and he went through some really rough shit. And since I don’t know exactly what he did to you, I figure he deserves at least one chance. I did threaten to stab him with a knife though.”
I laugh. “Good.”
She pops out of the closet with a black concert tee in her hand and gives it to me. “Who are you guys going to see again?”
“Just some local rock bands at a bar downtown. You sure you and Dylan don’t want to come?” I ask slipping the tee on over my long-sleeved t shirt and then pulling my coat back on.
“Thanks, but I have to get up early tomorrow. You guys have fun. How’s it going with you two by the way?”
I smile, “Good. He’s incredible. He’s not a jealous jackass, but he’s no pansy either.”
“That’s perfect. You remember that guy, Tony, you dated in college? Another guy couldn’t even breathe the same air as you without him freaking out.”
She plops down on the end of her bed and I nod in agreement thinking about that prick. “Yeah, and then there was Stephen, who didn’t care enough,” I say sadly.
“Well now you found your balance. The sex any good?”
I grin. “Hell yeah. He knows what he’s doing.”
“Shriller good?”
My smile fades. I don’t want to compare them. “Better.”
That’s a lie and I know it. Chris is good, but there was just something about sex with Shriller that I can’t put my finger on. Some magical spark that I wish I could forget.
“Thank you for letting me borrow the shirt. I gotta go,” I say as I walk out of the room and say a quick goodbye to her before pulling the door open and walking toward my car.
I pull my keys out and then hear Shriller’s voice. “Alex, wait.”
Shit. I should just get into my car and leave, but I’m not a coward. I won’t run away like he did. I turn slowly to face him. “What do you want?”
He looks taken aback by my attitude, but then gives me his right back. “I want to know what the fuck your problem is. Why are you being so fucking hostile?”
“Are you joking?” I ask.
“No. I’m completely serious. It’s not like you were the one who was fucking rejected.”
I stare at him blankly. No way in hell am I letting him play the victim. “Rejected? Are you crazy? All I did was do exactly what you told me to do, and you already had your bags packed. You left! Not me.”
His Adams apple bobs up and down when he swallows hard, with pain written on his face that I try to ignore. “I had to.”
“For almost six fucking months? I don’t care that you left me. That’s fine. But you swore you wouldn’t hurt those kids. You left me here to see their sad, abandoned faces. I had to face our fuckup every time I saw any of my friends or the kids.”
“I’m trying to make up for it.”
I scoff at that. “Yeah it’s going to take more than a movie to make up for missing six months of their lives.” I feel my phone vibrating in my coat pocket and I pull it out to see it’s Chris. I look at Shriller, “I have to go. I have a date with a grown-
ass man.”
I don’t give him a chance to come back with a snarky comment. I get in my car and drive away as quickly as I can.
I will not run. If he wants to be a part of the family again, I will just have to find a way to be in the same area as him. I can find a way to ignore him, but there is no way I’m letting those kids get hurt again.
Chapter 7
Shriller
“D
amn, Luke. You did a hell of a job,” I say as I admire his latest project. I hung out with Michael and Gabby all day yesterday and the day before that, so I figured I would come and spend some time with Luke today.
I had a blast with the kids. Even if I had to watch the latest preteen flick at the movies and listen to Michael try to sell me on teaching him to race almost the entire time. They’re damn good kids, and although I spent the last six months trying to numb myself to it, I missed the hell out of them.
“What can I say? I’m fucking skilled,” Luke says. Cocky little shithead.
“Hard to argue with that when he has the proof right there, huh?” Dylan says as he walks out of Luke’s garage.
“No shit. It must be infuriating,” I say as I follow behind him to the front part of the shop where they greet the potential customers.
Luke stays behind and Dylan greets his secretary. After taking a message from her and reading it, he looks at me. “Oh yeah, I wanted to talk to you about this Michael racing thing.”
I hold up my hands I surrender. “Don’t worry, I stuck to the plan. I won’t teach him.”
Dylan shakes his head. “Actually, I was going to say I don’t think it would be the worst thing.”
I stare at him dumbfounded. I swear that was the last thing I expected him to say. “Going against the missus? That’s ballsy.”
“Nah. Look, Brooke has known him since he was a scrawny ten-year-old kid. She’s thinking about this like a mom.”
“And you? You’re his big brother.”
“Exactly. He’s a Monroe, he’s going to do whatever the fuck he wants. I’d rather he does it the right way, with someone who knows what he’s doing teaching him.”
I run my hand through my hair. Who knows if I’m ever going to get back on the track myself, let alone mentor Michael. “I’ll think about it man. It’s winter now, give it time. I’m sure he will move on.”
Dylan grins. “Yeah. I don’t think so.” His grin disappears and he looks almost freaked out all of the sudden. “Shit.”
I turn around to see what he’s looking at and my chest clenches when I see Alex walking up to the glass front door with some tatted-up dude with his arm around her waist.
Fuck. When she said she had a date the other night, it took everything I had not to react. I wanted to ask who the fuck she was dating and for how long, but I didn’t.
They walk through the door, both with dopey wide-eyed smiles on their faces, and I realize I’ve seen this guy before. Shit. It’s the guy Brooke set her up with when I was staying with her. The tattoo artist.
Alex sees me standing with Dylan, and that happy grin leaves her pretty face instantly. Good. Except it’s been replaced with rage. I still don’t get what the fuck she’s so pissed about. So, I left? She didn’t fucking want me any way.
The guy seems oblivious. He nods a greeting to Dylan and then turns to me. “Hey, Chris Adamson. Have we met before? You look familiar.” the douchebag says as he holds out his hand for me.
Damn it. He has a cocky arrogance about him. He’ll fit right in. Why can’t he be another nerd like Stephen? I shake his hand and answer, “Nah, we haven’t met. Adam Shriller.”
He nods his head as if he suddenly knows who I am. “Adam Shriller? Holy shit, that’s where I know you from. You probably know my brothers.”
That wasn’t what I expected. “Your brothers?”
He nods, “Yeah, Phillip and Levi Adamson.”
“Oh shit. Yeah I do know them.” I’ve raced with them for years. Even gone to clubs with them afterward.
He nods his head like he already knew that and I’m a step behind. “Yeah, small world.” He turns to Alex with clear confusion on his face, “I told you about my family. You didn’t tell me you know Shriller the Thriller?”
Alex shrugs and then locks her cold eyes on me when she says, “He’s not a big part of my life.”
He nods his head slowly still obviously lost, but it isn’t my fucking place to set him straight.
“So, you didn’t go into racing?” I ask Chris and Alex glares at me for furthering the conversation. She’s probably uncomfortable. Not my fucking problem.
He smiles and turns back to me. “Nah, I’m kinda of the black sheep of the family. Dad used to race. One of my sister’s is a sports newscaster and the other does promo for the track here.”
Yeah, I know the sister that’s a sports chick on the news in L.A. too. “And you do tattoos?”
He laughs. “Yep,” he answers with absolutely no apology. Fuck it’s already hard to hate him.
“He’s incredibly talented,.” Alex says as she opens her coat, turns around and pulls the collar of her shirt over to show off a small tattoo on the back of her shoulder. It’s the word love in cursive letters, but the “v” is a pair of scissors, the type she uses to cut hair. Damn that’s fucking sexy. It pisses me off, but he fucking nailed it. There isn’t much Alex loves more than her salon.
She rights her shirt and coat and turns back around, staring at me defiantly as if she knows that got to me.
I look at Chris. “Not bad.”
“Yeah well if you are ever looking for new ink let me know.”
“He did work for Jake Christen and Andy Keller. They were the ones that told Jax about him,” Dylan says.
I run my fingers through my hair. “Really fucking small world.” Jake and Andy are two guys I race with and who I referred to Tricked to get their bikes customized. So essentially, I set the whole thing in motion for Alex to date this guy three fucking years ago.
He nods his head and asks, “So how do you know the Monroes?”
I smirk over at Alex before focusing back on her little boyfriend. “I dated Brooke in high school and reconnected with her a few years back. Been friends with Jax and Dylan ever since.” Telling him all that info kinda fucks with Alex saying that I’m not a big part of her life, doesn’t it? If this guy has any brains whatsoever, he can put two and two together.
Dylan laughs and smacks me in the back, but grips my shoulder. He must not approve of me fucking with Alex. “Yeah, can’t seem to get rid of him,” he says to Chris as he holds my shoulder in a vice grip. Then looks at me saying, “You know, I think Luke wanted your opinion on something.”
“He didn’t say anything when I was back there earlier,” I say, not wanting to take his not so subtle hint to get the fuck out of here
“He’s modest,” he says.
I scoff at that, but decide not to stir up any more trouble. I turn to Chris, “It was nice meeting ya.”
“You too.”
Dylan finally releases my shoulder and I start to walk away and stop. Fuck it. Maybe one more thing. I turn back around and say, “I’m sure I’ll see ya for Christmas dinner. I never miss it and neither does Alex.”
Alex is staring daggers at me, and Chris is wearing a look of confusion and maybe a hint of irritation. I consider it a small victory and leave.
I’m probably going to pay for that.
Chapter 8
Alex
I
’m going to kill Shriller. He was obviously trying to fuck with me for when I said he’s not a big part of my life. Well, that wasn’t entirely a lie. I didn’t hear a peep from him for almost six months.
Chris and I arrive back at my place after leaving Tricked, and I’m slightly worried because he hasn’t said much since we left.
I walk into the kitchen and call to him in my living room, “Want something to drink? I have wine.”
“Sure. Sounds good,” he replies and I grab the bottle of red
wine from my fridge and two glasses before joining him in the living room.
I sit next to him on the couch and pour us each a glass. When I hand him his, he takes it and immediately places it on my coffee table. “You gonna tell me about Shriller?”
Damn. Usually I love that he’s straight to the point and doesn’t play games, but not today. “What do you mean?”
“Come on, Alex. You said he’s not a big part of your life, but he dated Brooke. Brooke’s been your best friend since what, junior high? You’ve known him for a while.”
“Okay, what I meant is, I don’t like him so I try to ignore that he’s in my life.”
He grins at that. “You don’t like him?”
I shake my head and take a drink of my wine. “He’s a cocky asshole.”
Chris laughs at that and takes a drink of his own. “Well, if you don’t like that, I’m kinda fucked.”
I don’t want him comparing himself to Shriller. I can’t handle that shit right now. “You’re different. You’re reliable. Shriller is a selfish prick.”
Chris is studying me intensely now, and I shift uncomfortably on my couch.
“So, nothing happened with you two? You really seem to hate him.”
“No, never.” Shit. Why is my first instinct to lie to him about Shriller?
He nods, still searching my eyes with his intense bright blue ones. “Okay. Just don’t lie to me okay? I can’t stand secrets or fucking lying.”
I swear I just did a cartoon like, ridiculous gulp. Way to start a relationship, Alex. “I won’t,” I say and take another drink praying this conversation is over. I decide to do my best at changing the subject. “Do you want to go to dinner with me at Brooke and Dylan’s on Christmas?”
He looks slightly surprised, but I think it’s pleasantly surprised. “Yeah. That’d be great. I have to stop by my mom’s for a bit, but after I can.”
I smile and kiss his lips softly, but then quickly up the intensity and straddle his strong thighs and wrap my arms around his neck. I want to forget about today. I want to forget about Shriller and flat out lying to Chris.
