Me: Don’t freak out. Heading to L.A. Ashley is in trouble.
Will keep you updated.
I hit send and a few seconds later my phone rings with Xavier’s name flashing across the screen. I slide the green button and accept the call.
“X, you didn’t need to call,” I speak into the phone.
“Nolan, what’s going on?” Xavier asks, concern in his voice.
“I don’t know yet. I received a call from Ashley an hour ago. She told me she was in trouble and needed my help so I’m on my way out there.”
“I wish you would have called me. Izzy lived out there with Ashley for five years. She knows a lot of her hangouts. We would have come out there with you." Frustration fills Xavier's voice.
“I appreciate that X, but I don’t know what I’m walking into and I don’t want to put either of you in danger. If I need you, I’ll call.”
“You promise? I’m fully healed, and Izzy can help find her." A few months ago, a crazy stalker named Marie kidnapped Mia and Ashley. I ended Marie’s life, but not before she shot Xavier.
“Yes, I promise,” I tell him.
“Hang on Izzy wants to talk to you." The phone goes quiet for a second and I hear Izzy on the other end.
“Nolan?” Izzy asks quietly.
“Yeah, I’m here,” I respond.
“Ok. Listen up. She has a family friend named Rush. If you can’t locate her, find him. His real name is Dakota Fleming, but everyone calls him Rush. It’s his street name." Izzy’s voice is strong and confident.
“Street name?” My brows scrunch together in confusion.
“Oh shit.” There's a long pause before she continues. “Ashley didn’t tell you?” Izzy asks.
“Tell me what? Izzy, what the hell are you talking about?” I demand, frustrated at her cryptic message. Aggravation clouds my head as I stare out the window at the rising sun. We’re flying above the dark clouds and the snow storm.
“Um, shit. Her family's involved in a racing organization. She’s a badass on the street,” Izzy responds with pride in her voice.
“Izzy, how do you know this?” I ask, cautiously.
“Well,” Izzy hesitates. “Times I was feeling down and miserable, she'd take me. We’d meet up with a bunch of other people and race down a closed-off street." The way she talks about it I can picture her shrugging her shoulders like it’s no big deal.
“You were involved in illegal street racing?” I growl into the phone.
“Yeah. It was a lot of fun. Her people and family are great. If you get to meet them tell them I said hi. I have to go, Xavier’s glaring at me. I have some explaining to do. But Nolan, I’ll be there in a heartbeat. She’s my family." Izzy says, and the line goes dead.
I text Ashton and have him perform a background check on Dakota a.k.a. ‘Rush’ Fleming. I should have answers when I land. I lay back and close my eyes. Images of Ashley run through my mind and I pray I’m there on time.
Chapter 12
Nolan
A few hours later I feel a gentle shake on my shoulder. My eyes fly open and my hand automatically drops to the gun normally strapped to my side. I had to remove it to pass through airport security. The stewardess I told off earlier is leaning over me, so when I wake, the first thing I notice is her chest, trying to pour out of her uniform. Pissed off at her still trying to seduce me I glare at her.
“Mr. Ryan, we’re here,” she says seductively.
“Good.” I stand and stretch my cramped muscles. I catch her watching me again like she wants me, and anger flood my veins. “Oh, and you’re fired and being reported. I told you to use professionalism on my jet and you didn’t want to listen. Good luck finding another job in the airline business. Once I’m finished with you, no one will employ you.”
I make my way off the jet with my go bag clutched tightly in my hand, not looking back. I have no remorse for the stewardess glaring at me from behind. The early morning light and warm air surround me as I enter the airport through a private entrance. I find the car rental area in the busy airport and wait in line.
Iverson made all the arrangements ahead of time, so I didn’t have to wait long to pick up the keys to my rental. I find my way to the parking lot, locate the car and unlock the doors to a brand-new Nissan Altima. I throw my go bag in the backseat and climb into the driver’s side. The air is stuffy from being locked up, so I start the car and roll down the windows.
I send a text to Iverson and then to Xavier letting them know I’ve landed and in the rental car heading to the last area we tracked Ashley too. I also told Iverson to have the stewardess fired that was working on my jet.
The California heat is already rising to well past hot this morning as I put the car in gear and drive down the Westchester Parkway heading toward Palisades Del Rey. I turn and end up next to a chain link fence closing out the small, deserted town from the rest of the city. Parking my car, I get out and look around. Satisfied there's no one around, I pick the locked gate at the entrance. Driving down the small streets, I pass fallen down houses and old, rusty lamp posts. Dirty cracked sidewalks and sand greet me as I make my way down the dirt roads. There's nothing here, and it’s creepy.
With my windows down, I can hear the waves from the ocean crash against the shoreline and a light salty breeze fills my car. Every few minutes, the sonic boom from the airplanes penetrate the silence. I turn down another street deeper in the heart of the town and finally find the house I think Ashley's in.
The front door is wide open and there’s an indiscreet white van sitting out front. My heart drops as I pull my car off the road and tuck it in between two houses. I watch as three men come out of the house. They’re too busy arguing with each other they don’t see me.
One is average height with brown, surfer messy hair and has a vicious as fuck look about him. He has on blue jeans and a black wife beater shirt. I don’t spot any weapons in his hands. The other two look like goons from a mafia movie. Both have on dirty white wife beaters, blue jeans and semi-automatic rifles strapped to their chests.
They make their way to the van and drive off. I crouch down as they pass by hoping they’re still arguing with each other, so they don’t see me. After what seems like forever passes, I sit up and get out of my car quietly. I jog to the house sticking to the dirty, cracked sidewalk in case they circle back and I need to hide.
I stop for a minute to catch my breath as I approach the front yard and survey the area. The California air is dry and hot and it’s hard to breathe. I believe the van isn’t coming back and there is no one else in sight. I enter the house through the open front door. I walk through the dusty living room and check each room thoroughly. The house is deadly silent as I make my way up the filthy stairs. My heart is beating rapidly in my chest and my ears are ringing by the time I reach the top. There's a door right in front of me that's wide open and I walk in. I’m greeted by a massive bay window and a bed off to the side. There are footprints in the dirt on the floor and a butt imprint on the comforter. I’d recognize that butt imprint anywhere.
Quickly checking the other rooms, there's no one here anymore. I know Ashley was in that first room. I pull out my phone and make my way swiftly down the stairs. I dial Ashton and he picks up on the first ring.
“She’s not here.” I bark into the phone before he can say anything.
“I have an idea where you can find her friend, Rush. Go down to San Diego and go to 3083 G Street. That’s the last known address I have for him.” Ashton responds.
I sprint back to my car and start it up. Sweat is beading on my brow and I crank the air conditioner on. The dress slacks and shirt I’m wearing are sticking to my skin and I wish I would have changed on the jet.
“Thanks. I’m on my way. I’ll let you know what I find."
I hang up the phone and pull up the GPS. The little blue icon tells me it’s a two-hour drive from here. I send up a prayer I find this guy and he can tell me where Ashley is before it’s too late.
&nbs
p; Chapter 13
Ashley-Present
My body is sore, and my head is killing me when I open my eyes. I’m greeted with darkness and it takes me a minute to figure out where I am.
I’m lying down on a cold concrete floor in the corner of an abandoned subway station. Musty air fills my nose as I draw a deep breath. This is as far as I could make it before my adrenaline wore off and I collapsed from exhaustion. I sit up and lean against the cool brick wall looking around. Memories from earlier flood my mind.
***************
My adrenaline is wearing off and my body is aching from the hits I took. I can feel a sharp sting on the side of my face from where Shaun punched me earlier knocking me out. I need to close my eyes for just a minute. I slide down the dirty wall and sit on the floor. Relief saturates me about getting ahold of Nolan and knowing he’s on his way. I made the right choice to call him and relax against the wall, falling asleep.
A loud boom in the distance startles me awake and I don’t know how much time has passed. I hear another loud boom and it echoes like a shotgun in the silent air. I move my achy body up the wall and carefully look out the window. The sun is just starting to rise casting an eerie glow across the abandoned town. Now that it’s almost daylight out I can make out old rusty lamp posts lining the dirty, cracked sidewalks. Dirt and grime coat my body and I really need a shower.
I spot Shaun’s van in the distance and my heart starts beating hard. The shotgun sound must have been the van backfiring.
I can’t stay here. He'll find me and if he does, only he knows what will happen next. As the van moves through the community slowly, my adrenaline flows through my veins and I need to get moving.
I run down the filthy stairs and out the back door, forcing the pain away. I’m greeted with sunlight peeking out through the trees blinding me for a second. I run through the backyard and climb the five-foot chain linked fence. My muscles are shaking when I reach the top. My feet land on the ground a few seconds later and I continue to run away from Shaun and his thugs.
Sweat is pouring off me as I make my way out of the community and find the beach. I run up the beach towards the houses in the distance ignoring the looks of shock from the people out for a morning jog. Not wanting to draw any more attention to myself, I round a corner next to a brick stucco styled house. I plaster myself against the side struggling to catch my breath.
There's a black car in the driveway and I listen to hear if anyone inside is up. When it appears quiet, I sneak to the driver’s side of the car and try the handle. The door opens with no alarm and I thank God as I quickly draw my knife out of my boot. I pop the underside of the dashboard and hot-wire the car in record time. It starts with a purr and I close the door. I keep my head down as I back out of the driveway and make my way down Vista Del Mar Freeway towards my secret hiding spot that only Rush knows about.
***************
I shake my head from the memories and recognize where I’m at. If Rush realizes I’m missing he'll know to come here. I look around my secret spot. There's an archway above my head and a set of metal stairs leading to the outside. Dirt and grime coat everything down here. There's a set of broken railroad tracks that lead in and out of the old abandoned underground subway station.
This place has been sealed off since the nineteen fifties when the city built the L.A. Metro Red line next to it. It’s another world down here with old dirty signs dating back to the nineteen twenties. The power is still on for when the city does tours but those are very rare anymore. No one cares about these places and the dark, dank tunnels that used to run from Westlake to downtown L.A. are quiet and abandoned.
I get up off the concrete floor and make my way deeper into the tunnels. Water dripping from the cool wet concrete walls fills the silence. I come to the door I’m looking for and open it. It used to be a maintenance room back in the day. I turn on the light and close the door behind me. I found this room while Rush and I were exploring the tunnels one time and I made this my fail-safe room. I brought clothes, toiletries, bedding and non-perishable foods down here just in case something happens, and I need to go underground.
There's a small cot in the corner and plastic bins next to it. I open one of the plastic bins and my stomach growls when I see the energy bars on top. I grab one and eat it trying to calm the grumble and gain my strength. Once I know I’m going to keep the bar down I close the bin and open another. I grab my toiletries and make my way to the bathroom on the other side.
The city didn’t turn off the water down here either and I strip my dirty, grimy clothes off and turn on the hot water in the small stand up shower. When the steam fills the room, I step inside and let the water beat down on my sore, aching muscles. Dirt and grim swirl around my feet washing away everything that has happened in the last twenty-four hours. The side of my face stings where Shaun hit me as the water beats on it. I gently clean that side of my face with the washcloth. I stand in the steam and rest my forehead against the cool plastic. Once my sore muscles are feeling better and I’m clean again I get out and dry myself off. I put on a pair of black yoga pants and a black tank top.
Cleaning off the condensation, I look at myself in the old mirror. I have a bruise forming on the side of my face and my lips are chapped. My hair is a snarled mess and I try to finger brush it out the best I can. I pull my blonde locks up in a ponytail. I make my way out of the bathroom and lay down on the small cot. My mind wanders to the events of the past couple of months and rage fills my veins. I’m going to kill Shaun when I get my hands on him this time. I don’t care if he showed me what I was missing. After last night’s events, he’s going down.
I drift off to sleep as exhaustion fills my body and my eyelids grow heavy. I dream about Nolan again as he worships my body the last time we were together back in Michigan. Just before I fall asleep I send up a prayer that he makes it safely, and that he finds me again.
Chapter 14
Nolan-present
I arrive at the address Iverson gave me for Rush around eleven a.m. and park my car a few houses away. The neighborhood is quiet this late in the morning on a Saturday. I watch the red stucco style house before making my presence known. There is a sleek gray Nissan GTR sitting in front of the home. From what Izzy told me about illegal street racing this must be the right place.
I grab my go bag from the back seat, climb out of the rental, and quietly close my door. I holster my gun on my side and swiftly make my way up the sidewalk and to the front door. I listen for a few seconds before knocking. There's movement inside as I hear the deadbolt click and chain slide back. The door opens, and I’m greeted by a man who's about the same height as me, with muscles and dark skin. His black eyes narrow at me in my wrinkled suit. He's wearing a black wife beater and low hung jeans. His feet are bare, and he has tattoos that stretch up and down his arms and shoulders. This must be Rush.
“What the fuck do you want?” his deep voice booms.
“I received a call from Ashley last night. Can I come in?” I ask.
Rush moves out of the way and lets me inside. The stucco type home is cozy as we walk into the kitchen. There are stainless steel appliances and a small island in the center with black bar stools pushed up against it. Rush walks over to the coffee pot and turns it on. He shifts around and leans up against the marble counter watching me, crossing his massive arms over his chest.
“You must be Nolan. Krimson didn’t tell me you were a pretty boy.” Rush says.
“Yeah, I’m not a pretty boy. I was working when Ashley called and didn’t even think about changing.”
“What did she say? I haven’t talked to her since yesterday. I was busy all night." His voice sounds worried.
Running a hand down my face and let out a frustrated breath. I don’t have time for this shit. The longer I sit here and yap like a girl, the longer it is until I can find Ashley. My expression must have alerted Rush to my feelings. He stands up straight and apprehension is written all over his face.
He pulls out his phone and dials someone. I watch as he growls in frustration and dials again. Rush slams his fists down on the marble island, shaking the countertop. He dials another number, glaring at me the whole time.
“I’m not the fucking bad guy, so take your glare somewhere else,” I suggest to Rush in a low, deadly voice. Whoever he called must have picked up because he turns his back on me and speaks quietly.
“Get here like twenty minutes ago. We have a problem and call the rest.” Rush growls into the phone and hangs up. He tosses his phone down on the counter.
“Tell me what you know.” his tone is clipped and authoritative.
“I don’t know you, Rush. I didn’t even know you existed until a few hours ago. How do I know I can trust you?” He wants to be an ass then so can I.
“Tell me what she said,” Rush’s voice is low, and deadly.
“Prove I can trust you,” I growl back. Glaring at him, I cross my arms over my chest and wait for his response. After what seems like forever, Rush starts talking.
“We grew up together in L.A. Ashley’s parents and mine were best friends for years. She’s my family. Noah, Redline, Hotflash, Quickshift and I are all she has left.”
My phone chimes in my pocket before I can ask Rush more questions. I pull it out and see it’s from Ashton.
Ashton: Have info on Ashley. You’re not going to like it. Emailing it to you now.
My phone dings with an email. Before opening it, I glare at Rush. He’s pacing back and forth, running his hands through his black hair with blond highlights. His muscles are tight with tension. A look of fear crosses his face. Deciding I can trust him, I tell him what I know.
“Ashley called me this morning. Well, it would've been around three a.m. your time.”
Rush stops pacing, and he turns towards me. My adrenaline is wearing off from running around the last six hours. I’m going to crash soon if I don’t get caffeine.
Racing Dirty, L.A. Page 8
