The guy Marquis has brought in to run the last few races steps out to the middle of the garage. He’s a big guy, not as imposing as Ox, but not far behind. He’s bald with a dark tan that isn’t natural. You know, the one’s body builders have.
He looks down at his watch, then back up. “Your GPS should be loaded with the course. You received a video of it two hours ago. We hope you took the time to watch. Drivers, come forward, it’s time to assign who’s driving for each team,” he calls out.
“Here goes nothing,” I mutter.
Pit places a hand on my back and leads me over to where the other drivers gather. I’m annoyed that I’m not hiding my nerves well. Pit glides his hand to my waist and gives a squeeze. Confirmation that I’m wearing my emotions.
Each team gets to pick one driver for one of the others. When I see the team that’s going to pick for us, I don’t know if I should relax or freak out.
These guys are the one’s Danny warned us about. If they want to win this as bad as Danny says, I’m sure they’ll do anything to sabotage our team. They’ve probably been looking for a weakness to expose.
When it’s their turn to pick for us, I hold my breath as the guy who sponsors their team looks at Pit and then looks at me with a smug grin on his face. Pit gives me another squeeze and it registers that I’m fidgeting.
“Her,” the guy says. His team snickers behind him.
A slow smile comes to my lips. Big mistake. Huge mistake.
To pick Pit would have been like picking a lion to go inside a mouse hole. Picking me, is picking the mouse who’s build a home behind that hole and knows every single nook and cranny.
The last team is assigned a driver and we all head to our cars. I shake my arms out and roll my neck. I can finally relax.
“Can anyone say they’re surprised?” Ox grumbles as we get to my car for the night. “No offense, Skittles, but this is some bullshit. They’re underestimating you.”
“It’s exactly what I was hoping for. No offense, baby, but you suck at drifting,” I say, turning to Pit on the last part.
He rolls his eyes at me. A pensive look comes over his face as he looks back toward the spot we just came from. The race runner has the sponsor who picked me by the shoulder, and they seem to be in a heated conversation.
“What do you think that’s about?” I ask.
“I don’t know. I don’t think them picking you had anything to do with driving. Something tells me they were told to pick you. The hesitation was all for show,” Pit says angrily.
“Yeah, if this goes south it’s bound to get out that I’m involved,” I say.
Pit looks around. “What am I missing?” he mutters.
“I don’t know, but I have a race to win.”
I climb in my car and buckle up. When the engine comes to life, I smile. I built that baby for shit like this. There’s no one in this race with a smoother transmission than mine.
My team of engineers and I built this car to complement itself. Every part was chosen for peak performance and not manufacturing price. I rev the engine and get ready to get into place.
Pit stops me, placing a hand on the roof of the car and gets my attention. I turn to him and he ducks into the driver’s window and grasps my face to kiss the shit out of me.
“Be smart. Drive safe,” he says as he breaks the kiss.
“I’ve got it. This is the easy part.” I wink at him and rev the engine again.
He shakes his head at me, places a kiss on my nose, and backs away. I get focused and shut everything out. I will win this race.
Once lined up with the other cars, I say the prayer I always say before driving in a race. Peace settles in and I see nothing but the course ahead of me. The chick in the orange booty shorts drops the flag and we’re off.
The first corner comes up and I load the car into the corner and hit the throttle hard. I sail right into that bitch. This is why I’m not worried about the others in this race. I’ve mastered this.
Unlike others, I consider my smaller hands an advantage. Working on cars is my workout. I have the strength to whip this car just the way I need to.
“That sounds nasty,” I sing and smile as the sound of someone wiping out somewhere behind me reaches my ears.
I sail into my next drift and come out smoothly. My heart is racing. This space really is too tight for this if you don’t know what you’re doing, like the guy who’s in the lead in front of me.
His car doesn’t come out of the next drift right. He fishtails, he must be fighting for control. I see it happening and only have a split second to come out of my drift and maneuver around him before we both eat the wall.
I clinch my butt cheeks so hard as my car glides past his by mere centimeters. I don’t realize I’m holding my breath until I straighten my car and keep going.
“Woo,” I cheer. “Get it, Ven.”
I load the next turn and hit the throttle super hard to glide this one. It’s the widest turn yet. I sail through it, come out of the drift and floor it for the course that leads to the finish line.
My adrenaline is pumping. I’ll admit I haven’t had a thrill this high in a long time. My excitement fades as three cars come up in my rearview. I guess I’m not the only one that made it through the drifting.
I shift and push forward. My gut twists. Something’s not right.
The three cars behind me speed up and two cross in front of each other. I can’t focus on them as the difficult part of this challenge is ahead. We have to cut through a packed city walk.
It’s in the center of Vander, right next to the university. We’re headed for the city center where the fountain is. Cars aren’t meant to drive through there and only do during parades and exhibitions.
All I hear in my head is Pit’s voice. Drive safe.
However, when the scene around me unfolds and what’s about to happen flashes before my eyes. I know I’m going to do anything but. My heart jumps into my throat.
“No!”
Pit
* * *
This is the part I hate. When we do these street races, we have to watch from cams provided by the race club’s drones and dash cams. Each team has a drone that follows their driver.
My heart has been in my throat as we’ve been following Skittles. This race is dangerous for a number of reasons. If the drifting in that tight ass garage wasn’t enough to make my heart give out, this street race is going to do the job.
We’re headed to the finish line in Rome’s SUV as we watch Skittles head for the city walk. The tension in this car could smother a giant.
“I hate this,” Ox says. “This course feels like a setup.”
“It is. The cams in that area alone are a problem. It’s why I told you to drive,” Rome says from the back seat. “I’m going to black out those cameras.”
“Why though? Why expose us if we’re going to do the drop in the end? This could incriminate every single team and blow back in Marquis’ face.”
“I’ve been asking the same question,” Rome says. “What doesn’t make sense is that they’ve looped every feed on the course except for the city walk.”
“Which means, they’re looking for that footage to use. Dude, how are they doing all of this in Vander?” I hiss.
“That’s the thing. They’re pinging from LA. Their hackers aren’t local. Dude, why is this race in Vander City anyway?”
“Is it me. Does anyone remember the last time they saw Marquis?” I say as the thought pops up in my mind.
“Damn, not since before the races started to change. The bald guy appeared, and everyone took his word that Marquis sent him,” Ox says.
“Rome—”
“I’m multitasking. I’ll have an answer for you as soon as I knock this last cam out,” he says.
I don’t have a good feeling about this. I look at the drone footage. Skittles is right on the entrance of the city center.
The Vander City Circle and the fountain in the middle come into view. It’s lik
e someone has redirected the scope of the cam on the drone. I’m not watching Skittles’ car anymore. The camera has a wider angle aimed at the fountain.
My heart stops.
“No,” I roar.
Skittles
* * *
I would know that stance anywhere, it’s what makes him a little version of his brother. Then there’s the jacket I gave him almost two months ago. I bought him yellow not just because it’s his favorite color, but because it would stand out when he rides.
It’s like a blaring light as I head for him. He’s right in front of the fountain the race has us heading for. Tears run down my face as I look in the rearview mirror.
The cars behind me are herding me like cattle. There’s no time to deliberate this decision. They’re forcing me into this, but they are fucking with the wrong one.
I can drive and I will always choose my family over me. I know what I need to do. The people in the city center begin to scream and scatter.
However, he’s too focused on his phone and he has his headphones on. I hit the horn to get Leo’s attention away from the device in his hand so he can pay attention to his surroundings and what’s headed his way.
If I stop the cars behind me will either slam right into me or zip past me and hit Leo. Something tells me they are aiming for the latter. Leo finally lifts his head, but now he’s stuck like a deer in headlights.
In slow motion he pulls his headphones down. His face twists in confusion. I hit the button for the windows and start to yell.
“Run, Leo run!”
It takes a second for him to unfreeze and get in motion. One of the cars goes to pull around me on my left but I’m already loaded. I start to drift my car to the right.
As Leo runs in the same direction I’m drifting in, I’m the barrier between him and the car aiming for him. I drift the fountain and Leo’s body to keep the other three cars at bay. The boy’s smarts kick in and he jumps into the fountain out of the way.
I’ve cleared the entire fountain by the time I bring my car to a screeching stop, now facing two of the other cars head-on. I draw my brows, wondering where the other car went.
“Skittles,” Leo bellows. I look to my right as lights rush toward me.
I throw my car in reverse, but an SUV rams right into the car. The other two cars race off. It takes me a few seconds to make out the SUV as Roman’s. I sit shaking.
The adrenaline wears off and I collapse face-first into the steering wheel and start to sob. My ears are ringing. My brain can’t even process what just happened.
“Baby, baby, are you okay?”
I lift my head to find Pit reaching in to unfasten me and maneuvering to pull me out. This car doesn’t have hinged doors, so he has to pull me through the window.
I wrap my body around his as he manages to get me out. His hold on me is so tight. I can’t stop shaking. Pit is talking to me, but I can’t stop crying.
“Is she okay?” Leo says in a panicked voice.
“Yeah, bro, I think so, are you?” Pit replies as he rubs my back.
“I’m good. That was insane.”
Pit grunts then leans to whisper in my ear. “This shit is over. You understand? We do this my way now.”
I nod into his neck. Something isn’t right. Everything has changed.
Chapter 35
I Can’t Breathe
Pit
* * *
“You okay?” I ask Leo for the millionth time, shaking his head as I palm it.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Are you sure Skittles is all right?” He swings his gaze in the direction of the upstairs bar apartment Skittles is in.
“She’ll be fine. She’s mentally exhausted.”
“What’s going on?” he asks looking confused.
I know the feeling. I’m trying to wrap my head around when this became a personal attack on me. Why has my brother been targeted? That was a setup tonight. Plain and simple.
“I’m going to find out. You said someone sent you a message through messenger saying it was me and for you to meet me in city center?”
“Yeah, it came through from your profile. I didn’t think anything of it.”
“That’s some simple hacking shit,” Rome says. “Not hard to do. You should change your password though when you get a chance.”
“But how could I not know it was sent from my profile?”
“The way it works is the hacker and the recipient are the only ones who can see the messages. Sometimes the recipient will reply and then you will see their message, but never the hacker’s message from the original user profile,” Rome explains.
“I never replied. I was in the middle of a study group and got distracted before I could. Then at the fountain I was trying to hook up with this girl.
“I’d just finished setting things up with her in a text when I was going to message you to find out what was taking so long. That’s when Skittles and the other’s headlights drew my attention,” Leo says.
I nod and thin my lips. “Listen, I want you and Scarlett to stay with Rhet for now. I need to straighten this out. You guys will be safe with him.”
“What about you? Is Ox going to be all right? I can look at that cut. It didn’t look deep, but I can check it out,” Leo offers.
“Ox is fine. It’s a scratch.”
That big motherfucker is my boy for life. He can count himself a member of the assholes after tonight. I’ll buy Roman a new truck. Ox rammed that bitch right into the guy that was about to slam into Skittles after she literally covered my brother’s ass to keep those bastards from hitting him.
I swallow the lump in my throat. I almost lost two of the most important people in my life tonight. Skittles didn’t think twice, she made sure my brother was okay and put her life in danger to do so.
I love that woman more than my life. It’s time I do what she needs. I’m going to figure this out and get Shawna back within the next forty-eight hours if it’s the last thing I do.
I tug my brother into a hug and nod a thank you to Rhet. His driver tonight was one who wiped out before making it out of the garage, but he still helped with the cleanup after Ox rammed the douche that tried to hit Skittles.
I crack my neck, my own exhaustion kicking in. I look to Roman who’s been trying to untangle this mess from the details we have. I know he’ll be here until he finds answers.
“I’m going to head up and check on Skittles,” I say.
“Do what you need to, bro. I’ll be here.”
I nod and head for the hidden door. Once it’s closed behind me, I jog up the stairs. The main game room area is dark.
I walk through to the bedroom where I left Skittles an hour ago. I find her sitting in the middle of the bed, with her knees pulled into her chest and a pillow between her legs. She’s staring into space and rocking.
I frown as I kick my shoes off and climb onto the bed. Her eyes focus when I pull the pillow from her and set it aside. I open my arms for her, and she scrambles into my lap and wraps herself around me.
I embrace her tightly. I keep seeing that car headed for her. I was so helpless to do anything for her or Leo. I’ve never felt so powerless in my life.
“I don’t understand what’s going on,” Skittles murmurs. “When I saw Leo, I only had seconds to decide what to do. They were pushing me toward him. I… I just reacted. But why was he there? Why were they after him? That one car was going to hit him if I didn’t do something.”
“I’m working to get all those answers, baby. Nothing makes sense,” I say.
She pulls back and looks at me. “This isn’t just about me and Shawna, is it?”
“Apparently not. You’ve been doing everything Danny asked for. This doesn’t make sense. And those teams, the drivers that attacked you guys, what do they gain? What do they have against me?”
She pushes a hand in her hair. “I don’t know. This is crazy. Danny sent the usual pictures tonight as if nothing happened. No mention of the race or anything.”
> She pulls out her phone to show me the new pictures. Shawna still looks sad, but there’s nothing else that jumps out at me. No words to say we fucked up.
“It’s like there are no rules to this game. We’re all just pieces moving on the board. Rome is the best and he’s struggling to figure this out. Yet I swear the answer is in my face,” I muse.
She cups my face as tears linger in her eyes. “I want you to do whatever you have to do. I trust you. Leo means as much to you as Shawna does to me. If something would have happened to him…”
“Shh,” I say and kiss her forehead. “He’s fine. He’s worried about you. I’m worried about you. Since this all started it’s been chipping at you mentally.”
I make a face at myself. That’s one of the biggest things concerning me. Seeing her break down in the car after saving Leo. My baby is at her limit.
Skittles is tougher than this, but if you pile on all she’s going through, it makes sense. Hell, this shit has me ready to lose my mind. I’m being strong for her and Leo. I thought I was going to hurl once I knew they were both safe.
“I’m holding on as best I can, but it is taking its toll,” she admits.
I tighten my hands in the back of her shirt. It’s like an anchor to my sanity. She’s my anchor to life.
“For the first time in my life, I know what it’s like to love someone so much I can’t breathe. I was terrified for Leo, but I knew I wasn’t going to survive losing you,” I breathe against her lips.
She kisses me softly. “I need you,” she whispers.
I need her. There’s nothing I can do at this hour. No strings to pull.
Getting lost in each other seems like all we have. I palm the side of her face and bring her closer to me. When my lips touch hers, it feels like the first time all over again.
So much as happened in two months. Something that’s been building up for years has boiled over and become explosive. She has become my reason.
I pull down the zipper of the jumper she’s still wearing. I shed mine the moment we arrived at the bar. Skittles looks me in the eyes as she pushes the fabric from her shoulders, one arm at a time.
Pit: The A**hole Club Series Page 20
