PowerShift: Skid Row Kings Series, #2

by Winter Travers

  “That seems fair, but then it doesn’t,” I laughed.

  “It all comes down to how bad you want it. If you want that money, you’ll make it to all of the races.”

  I grabbed the colander from under the cabinet and put it in the sink. I dumped the huge pot of potatoes into it, and the steam billowed up, giving me a facial. “How many races do you make it to?”

  “At least three-quarters of them, if not more.”

  “How many times have you won the whole thing?” I peeked into the oven, checking the cookies, seeing they only had a couple of minutes left until they were done.

  “Three times I’ve won it, and Kurt has won it twice.”

  “Three times,” I gasped. “That’s thirty thousand dollars you’ve won!”

  “Yeah, except in street racing, it’s not hard to blow ten grand on a new engine or blower.”

  “Really? The way I spend money, it would take me six months to spend that much money.”

  “Street racing isn’t cheap, Scarlett. You gotta spend big to win big.”

  I thought about Mitch’s words, and I guess that rang true in everything. You really didn’t get anything in life for free.

  I pulled the sheet of cookies out of the oven and set it on the stove. The second I slipped the oven mitt off of my hand, Mitch wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to his chest. “Time's up,” he growled in my ear.

  “Ten minutes is all you need?”

  “No, but I know that’s all you’re going to give me.” He swung me up into his arms, spun around and set me on the counter. His mouth assaulted my lips as his hands tugged up my shirt and pulled it over my head.

  “Mitch, what if Levi wakes up?” I crossed my arms over my chest and looked down the hallway.

  “This is the exact reason why you need your own bed, but for now, we’re going to have to improvise.” His hands went to the zipper on his jeans and tugged it down.

  I licked my lips as he pulled his jeans down, and his tented boxers came into view. “I don’t think ten minutes is enough,” I whimpered. He pulled his boxers off and stroked his hard cock.

  “It’s all we have, and I need to be inside of you again. Pants off.”

  I didn’t need to be told twice. I jumped down from the counter, slipped my pants off and wrapped my arms around Mitch’s neck. “I’m assuming you have a plan,” I mumbled into his neck.

  “I’ve always got a plan.” He lifted me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, He walked into the living room, pinning me against the wall. “Just hold on, Sparky.” He lowered me down onto his cock, and I tossed my head back. I bounced up and down on his dick, biting my lips to keep from moaning too loud.

  “Fuck, Scar,” he growled into my ear. He thrust into me, his lips on my neck and his hands roaming all over my body. His hand snaked down my body, and his finger zeroed in on my clit. He circled around it, teasing me with each touch.

  “Mitch,” I whimpered. “More.”

  His finger flicked my clit, giving me exactly what I wanted. “I want you to come all over my dick.” His teeth bit down on my earlobe, and I couldn’t believe that I was ready to come.

  “What the hell are you doing to me?” I moaned as his finger sped up.

  “Reminding you that you’re mine.” He flicked my clit one last time, and my release washed over me. I held onto Mitch, feeling every tremor and wave of pleasure wash over me. “Give it to me, Scar.”

  He pounded into me, and he reared his head back, teeth clench and finally let go. I ran my fingers over his head and tilted his head down to me. I sealed my lips with him, and he moaned into my mouth, thrusting one last time.

  “That was the best ten minutes of my life.”

  “Better get used to it.”

  “I really don’t feel like finishing those cookies now,” I sighed, leaning my head against the wall.

  “Finish those cookies, and I might just reward you.”

  “Is that bribery, Mitch?”

  “No, that’s me wanting homemade cookies from my smoking hot girlfriend.”

  Mitch let go of my legs, and I slid down the wall. “Well, when you put it that way, I guess I can oblige you.” I winked at Mitch and sauntered over to my pile of clothes in the kitchen.

  “How long does Levi usually take a nap for?” Mitch asked.

  “Um, typically an hour. Why?” I shimmied into my underwear and hooked my bra on.

  “I was hoping maybe you could also finish up those cookies naked.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “So a naked Betty Crocker is your ultimate fantasy?” I pulled my shirt over my head and grabbed the bowl of cookie dough. I really needed to get the next batch of cookies in the oven, or we would never make it over to Luke’s in time.

  “I think anything that involves you is my new fantasy, Sparky.”

  “Well, naked Betty Crocker is going to have to wait for another time. Levi typically takes an hour nap, but sometimes it’s crap shoot on how long he’ll be down for.”

  “I guess I’ll just have to make a list for the next time we’re alone.” He pulled his pants on, zipping the fly but leaving the button undone. He walked over to me, hugging me from behind and brushed my hair off of my neck. “I think Frankie is going to earn that pair of shoes she’s been wanting in no time.” I shivered at his words, knowing that Levi was going to be spending more time with Frankie in the weeks to come.

  “Whatever you want, Mitch,” I purred. I scooped more cookies on the pan while Mitch kissed my neck, reminding me why I didn’t mind his pushy ways or his help.

  Things were finally looking up, and I had Mitch to thank for everything.

  ______________

  Chapter 27

  Mitch

  “Did Leelee actually bring a date?”

  “Yeah, Vi said she’s been seeing the guy for a bit.” Luke flipped the burgers on the grill and shut the lid. We were all gathered in the front of the shop where Luke and I had dragged out the picnic table and camping chairs. Kurt was at the store right now picking up a fire pit for the bonfire later. Luke and Kurt had struck some kind of truce, although with Leelee bringing a date, I felt that truce was going to explode.

  “Did you look at that guy? He sure doesn’t look like a guy Leelee would date.” The guy who was standing next to Leelee was a prep with a capital P. “Where the hell did she find this guy?”

  “He came into the shop a couple of weeks ago and apparently they hit it off.”

  “Kurt know she’s got a boyfriend?” I grabbed a beer out of the cooler next to the grill and popped the top.

  “Not sure. If he doesn’t know, I’m not sure how this is going to go when he comes back. He insists he hates her, but Violet doesn’t think so.”

  “Honestly, I think I’d have to agree with Violet. You don’t hate a person that much without a damn good reason.”

  “Hey, Luke!” Levi came running up to us, his Optimus Prime toy in one hand and a soda in the other. “How long until I can eat. Mama and I are starving.”

  “Levi, you’re the one who said you were starving, not me.” Scarlett walked up behind Levi and put her hand on his shoulder.

  “But I’m so hungry,” he moaned.

  “Only five more minutes, bud,” Luke laughed. “Why don’t you get your plate ready and by the time you’re done, the burgers will be ready.”

  “Yes.” He pumped his fist in the air and headed over to the table that was filled with every possible thing you would want to eat.

  “I better go help him.” Scarlett turned to follow Levi, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her into my arms.

  “Not so fast,” I whispered. “I haven’t seen you since we got here.”

  “Between chasing Levi and talking to Leelee and Violet, I haven’t been able to stand still.”

  I reached up and brushed her hair out of her face. “Why don’t you let me take care of Levi, and you go sit with y
our girls.”

  “My girls?”

  “Violet and Leelee.”

  “Oh,” she whispered. “I’ve never had ‘girls’ before.”

  “You do now, Sparky.”

  “I guess you’re right. I have a lot of things now that I never had before.”

  “So, you stay here, and I’ll take care of Levi.” I pressed a quick kiss to her lips, then jogged over to Levi and grabbed his plate that was piled full of chips before it fell to the ground.

  I glanced over my shoulder at Scarlett, who was standing right where I had left her, and she was watching Levi and me. “Mama always watches you.”

  “Huh?” I looked at Levi, and he was looking up at me.

  “Mama watches you like she watches me. Like she doesn’t want to lose you. Don’t let her lose you. Otherwise, she’ll be sad. That’s what she always tells me.” He grabbed the spoon that was in the potato salad and dropped a big glob on his plate. “She said bad men will grab me if I wander away from her.”

  I glanced over my shoulder again. Scarlett was talking to Luke, but she kept glancing at us. “She’s right, bud. You always need to stay by your mama.”

  “You, too, Mitch. Don’t let the bad man get you. Mama will be sad.” He grabbed his plate out of my hand and headed back over to Luke.

  I grabbed a bun out of the bag, knowing Levi hadn’t grabbed one and followed him. So, Levi noticed Scarlett watching me, and he wasn’t upset about it. Hell, the kid had told me to stay by his mom.

  “What were you two talking about?” Scarlett asked, her hands propped on her hips.

  I opened the bun and held the bottom out to Luke, who slid a patty onto it. “Just guy stuff,” I replied.

  “I told him not to let the bad guys get him and that you didn’t want to lose him.” Levi grabbed both halves of the bun out of my hand, set it on his plate and headed over to the picnic table.

  “Um, ah, what?” Scarlett stuttered.

  “I’m gonna just head over here, and um, just go over here.” Luke grabbed his beer off the lid of the cooler and followed Levi.

  “I never told Levi that. Well, I did say not to let the bad guys get him, but I never mentioned anything about you.” She was blushing ten shades of red and twisting her hands together.

  “I know. He just said you watch me like you watch him.”

  “I don’t!” she exclaimed.

  I cocked my eye at her and smiled. “I saw you watching me, Scar. Just now.”

  “No, I was watching Levi making sure he didn’t um, well, spill his plate.”

  “I think you’re full of it.”

  “I’m not, and I don’t watch you.”

  “Scar, why are you getting so mad?” I was just trying to tease her about it, I didn’t want to piss her off.

  “I’m not mad, it’s just I didn’t realize that Levi noticed us like that.”

  “Like what?” What in the hell was she talking about?

  “I guess I never realized that Levi was going to notice you and me together.”

  “Well, we’ve been spending a hell of a lot of time together, Scar. He’s a smart kid. He was bound to notice.”

  She ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head. “I know, it’s just… I don’t know. I'm not sure if I want my four-year-old noticing things like that.” She was damn near losing her mind.

  “What the hell do you think we’re doing here, Scarlett? I kind of thought that you and I were building something here and that thing included me being in your and Levi’s lives.”

  “That’s what I thought, too, but I guess I never really thought about what that means.”

  “What the hell are you trying to say right now, Scar?”

  “I don’t know.” Her eyes darted around the parking lot, and I looked over my shoulder. Everyone had stopped talking and were looking at us. “Can we just talk about this later?” She whispered.

  “Tonight, Scar. After Levi goes to bed, you and I are going to get some things straight.” She nodded her head meekly and headed over to the table that Levi and Frankie were sitting.

  “Calm down, brother. You’re going to send her running.” Luke moved back over to the grill and lifted the lid and started taking the rest of the burgers off.

  “Scaring her off is the last thing I want to do, but fucking hell,” I ran my hand over my head and grabbed my beer from off the cooler.

  “Anything I can help with?” He asked.

  “No. Hell, I don’t even know what the hell I’m going to do to help.”

  “Hang in there. If she’s worth it, everything will work out.” He clapped me on the back, grabbed the plate of burgers and headed over to the table loaded with food.

  I chugged half of my beer and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

  Scarlett was fucking worth it, I just hoped she didn’t run before she realized I was worth it too.

  ______________

  Scarlett

  Shit. Hell. Damn. I messed up. Well, at least I think I did.

  I was sitting around the picnic table with Leelee and Violet while all of the boys were playing football on the side of the shop. Levi had been eagerly awaiting Kurt returning with the fire pit so he could make smores. After the tenth time of asking when Kurt would be back, Luke and Mitch decided playing football would help distract him.

  “Girl, what is going on in that head of yours?” Leelee asked.

  “Who, me?” I mumbled, pointing at my chest.

  “Yes, you. Ever since you and Mitch had your little lovers spat before dinner, you’ve done nothing but push your food around on your plate and look like your dog just died.”

  Crap. I hadn’t realized I looked like that. “It’s nothing.”

  “It sure didn’t look like nothing to me. Luke said Levi told Mitch that you watch him all of the time and then you got all weird. What is going on?” Violet reached over to the cooler next to her and pulled out three beers. She popped the top on one and set it in front of me. “Spill,” she ordered.

  “It’s stupid, really. I guess I never really figured Levi into Mitch and me.”

  “How could you not? Ya’ll do stuff together all of the time. There doesn’t seem to have to be any figuring that needs to be done. You guys just are.” Violet handed Leelee the other beer and opened her own.

  “I just never thought about it before. Now when I stand back and look at everything, I’m scared shitless.” It was as Levi who had said that I didn’t want to lose Mitch, and I realized that Levi probably didn’t want to lose Mitch either. I just felt the pressure fall on me to not mess things up with Mitch because then it would mess things up with Levi and Mitch. “What happens if Mitch and I break up? Not only will he be breaking up with me, but he'll also be breaking up with Levi.”

  “Can I ask a dumb question?” Violet asked as she peeled the label off of her beer. I nodded my head and took a sip off of my own beer. “What makes you think that you and Mitch are going to break up?”

  “Because nothing ever lasts. People always leave. Whether you want them to or not, they leave.”

  “Amen to that, sister.” Leelee reached out and clanked her beer against mine.

  “Leelee shut the hell up,” Violet hissed. “You’re not helping.”

  “I mean, you’re mostly right. Most people do leave, but there’s at least one person we meet that will stay. I withdraw my first statement.”

  “Oh, Lord. Next time leave the pep talks to me, OK?”

  “Aye, aye, captain.” Leelee saluted Violet with her beer and downed the whole bottle.

  “Leelee’s right, in a very straight to the point way. You have to find the one who is worth sticking around for and from what I’ve known of Mitch, he’s worth sticking around for. He loves you and Levi, and I know as long as he can help it, he’s not going to leave.”

  I hung my head and closed my eyes. “I hear what you’re saying, but listening and doing are two different things. It�
��s terrifying thinking of letting go and allowing Mitch into our lives. I thought before that I could do it, but now, when I see that it’s happening, all I want to do is pack up my car and drive as far away from Mitch as fast as I can.”

  “Before you run, just think. Think about your life before Mitch. Is that what you want to go back to?” Violet reached across the table and grabbed my hand. “I know you came from something really bad, Scarlett, and I don’t need to know what it was that you overcame, but ask yourself if you left your old life behind to be alone and afraid of starting something new, or if you left to get what you deserve?”

  Dammit, Violet was right. I had left Manny to find the life I always wanted, and now that I had found it, I was running scared. “You’re right. I’m just scared. Levi taking notice of Mitch and I just blindsided me.”

  “Violet was the same way with Luke. Ya’ll are like two peas in a pod. You just need to pull your head out of your ass, sweetie, and hold onto that Jensen boy.” Leelee eyed Violet and I up, pointing her finger. “The minute you let those boys go, ten girls will be there trying to be the next Scarlett and Violet.”

  “Hey, there’s only one Violet, me,” Violet pointed out.

  “I’m just saying, at least two of these boys woke up and found good women. As for Kurt, Lord knows who he’s going to end up with.” Leelee stood up and walked over to the garbage can at the end of the table and tossed her bottle in.

  “I still think that girl should be you, Leelee, even though you lost your mind and brought that preppy accountant with you today.” Violet rolled her eyes.

  “An accountant, really?” I asked, amazed that straight to the point and in your face Leelee was dating an accountant. Now, there was nothing wrong with being an accountant, but that sure didn’t seem who Leelee would date. I saw her more with someone like Kurt, who could take her attitude but also know how to reel her in.

  “Greg is safe,” Leelee pointed out.

  “Yeah, well, safe and Leelee Perez are not three words that I would put together.”

  “You don’t know what I need, Violet.” Leelee crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot. “I’ve had unsafe and shit my whole life. Safe looks pretty damn good from where I’m standing.”