Текст книги "Let Me Go"
Автор книги: Michelle Lynn
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Текущая страница: 6 (всего у книги 19 страниц)
FUCKING PUNK-ASS XAVIER. If this is what he wants, I’ll give it to him. Hand him five of his guys looking at my taillights until he’s man enough to climb behind the wheel and beat me himself.
First, I’ll make my presence known and race this guy who thinks he’s cool just for having the opportunity to go against me. He’s a punk just like I was years ago. I glance over to him, and his cockiness is admiring. In the deepest part of his heart he believes he can beat me. Which would make him a Goddamn hero around here. Hate to burst his bubble, but he doesn’t stand a chance. He’s way too jumpy on the throttle, but I admit, Daddy bought him a nice car.
“You ready?” Dan peeks into my window and I nod. “You do know your plan might mean you don’t have a car to ride home in.” I gently massage my dash, showing faith in my Stang even if Dan thinks she might not make it through all the races I just stacked.
“I have faith in her, she’ll get me home.”
He taps his palm on the open window frame and walks over to start the race himself. The first race and win will be a telling sign to Xavier and his thugs, stay the fuck away, I’ll ruin you. Xavier never learns and even when I beat him to the finish line tonight, he’ll spout some crap. Lies about that night, and that’s exactly the reason I need to grab Paige and get the fuck out right after I cross the finish line. She can’t hear the shit he’s going to spew. The lies with minuscule truth will have her looking at me differently.
The guy next to me roars his engine, and we inch up to the start line. Dan stands in between us in the cage, glancing both ways. I nod; my feet and hands in position to nail this guy from the start. Dan shoots his hands back and my wheels slide to the right before they grip the pavement. Once they do, I’m out and well into the lead. Since it’s a Nitrous free night, I don’t have to worry about him pressing a button and jetting ahead of me. By the time we pass the line and I ease up on the gas, I’d say the race was too easy.
Circling around, I head down the return road and spot Paige by the fence. She’s smiling and clapping with all the others. This warm sensation encompasses my stomach watching her cheer for me. Swallowing it down, I face forward and screech to a stop. Xavier stands in my way. I swear his red freckles are merging into one. His legs spread apart as he stares me down through the windshield.
I throw the car into park and open the door. Dan and two security guys hike through the grass to reach us, frightened we’re about to start a brawl. I’m not that stupid, it’d be me against five, not to mention Nora would probably pounce on my back too. Nora comes alongside Xavier, and the torment in her eyes isn’t hard to miss. God, seeing her is like a knife in the damn stomach. Especially here, right after I raced. I ignore Xavier and concentrate on her long red hair, just like Carly’s.
“Rob.” Nora goes to step forward, but Xavier stops her, placing his arm across her stomach.
“Asshole. Why the hell are you back in our business?” At this point the crowd’s interest piques and a perimeter begins to form around us.
“Your business?” I cock my head. “Is this your track?” I glance over to Dan who’s holding out to see how this unfolds and goes down before getting heavily involved. “Did he invest in the drag track, Dan?” I sarcastically ask and Dan laughs along with a few others in the crowd.
“You know what the hell I meant. This isn’t your scene anymore, remember?” Does he really believe his wide receiver shoulders are really going to scare me?
“No.” I stay firm. The guilt of what I did to them still lingers inside of me, but Xavier isn’t going to bully me from racing.
“Let’s race for it then,” He plays right in to my hands.
“Perfect.”
“If I beat you, you don’t race again around here.” I contemplate what scene he actually means, but I go with it, asking no questions. Xavier and I were constantly competitive with one another. Attending rivaling schools, the hatred was bred in us from a young age. Add in both of our cocky personalities and neither of us had a chance of overcoming it.
“Fine.” I widen my legs and cross my arms over my chest just like him. “Let’s go.” I back step to my car, laughing inside because he’s so predictable by doing exactly what I knew he would.
“I’ll see you in five minutes.” He walks over to me and I don’t allow the smirk to run off my face. Intimidation is key.
“Don’t do anything illegal to that car of yours, X. You’ve never been good at hiding things.” I drop a dig to him, reminding him of the time in high school when he thought he was being sly and then got his ass kicked for illegal oxide in his car. He should recall how I saved his ass that day when three huge guys were on top of him.
“Fuck off.” He shows how easy it is to get a rise out of him. Never has taken much.
“Let’s just go.” We stare each other down. The same green eyes as Carly is disturbing, but he doesn’t need to know that.
Dan comes up to us and we both give him our attention. “You have a half hour before race time.” He turns to me. “Go back to your garage and you,” He points to Xavier. “Go wherever the fuck you want, but don’t think about starting one damn thing, got it?”
Xavier nods because Dan is intimidating as hell. He’s only about five eleven with a gut and a beard. He just has that exterior, mess with me and your ass will get kicked one way or the other. Since I’ve been coming here the past year, and it’s outside of Xavier’s normal tracks, he’s the outsider this time. Maybe not to the racing community, but to this track he’s the foreigner.
Just as I’m about to climb back into my car, Paige comes alongside of me. I sense her nearness before she appears in my vision. Maybe it’s the hushed crowd of X’s friends. Maybe it was Xavier’s furious eyes, or Nora’s broken ones. It could have been her fruity smell that stirred in the wind. She’s here now and I’m not sure how I explain who Paige is without guaranteeing I’ll get a fist in the face from Xavier.
The small entourage Xavier brought with him from our small town stares over at her and I keep my cool. “Who’s this?” Xavier’s voice practically shakes from the amount of anger I’m sure is boiling through his veins. From the corner of my eye, I spot Nora stepping forward and her eyes are fixed on Paige.
Paige sways into me a little and her hand finds mine, making Nora’s eyes follow and she releases a small gasp. “Robbie?” Nora asks and all I hear is Carly’s voice. My throat constricts and that persona I’ve perfected, begins to crumble. When I don’t reciprocate Paige’s hand holding, she draws it back and crosses her arms over her chest. Fuck. My past and my present are way too close in this moment. “Robbie?” Nora asks her unanswered question again, and my eyes fly up to hers. It’s not resentment or anger; it’s curiosity. Damn, she sounds just like Carly and that thread keeping me together frays more.
“This is Paige.” I finally release the lump in my throat.
I watch Xavier appraise her up and down. As though comparing her to Carly, which she’s Carly’s polar opposite, with the dark curly hair, tall figure with olive skin. He and Nora examine her as Paige’s breathing picks up to a rapid pace. She’s not an idiot, her mind is probably wheeling to figure out the clusterfuck I dragged her to tonight. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have brought her. There’s a reason I never mix my past with my current life.
Reaching over, I link my hand with Paige’s because I can’t stand feeling her anxiety next to me. It was my faulty decision bringing her here. She doesn’t deserve to feel more alone than I’ve already made her feel tonight. “She’s my friend.” I answer the question truthfully.
Leaving out that although your sister haunts me, this girl standing next to me is taking up space in the same heart I gave your sister. To tell Xavier and Nora that I’m scared beyond control that she’s going to make it her own just like their sister did.
Neither speaks a word and I squeeze Paige’s hand to comfort her in this awkward situation. Xavier moves to wrap his arm around Nora’s shoulders. Isn’t this the way it all went down? They found comfort in each other and I was the lone wolf standing in the shadows.
“Let’s go guys. We’re causing a backup. If you want to get to the track, you have to move.” Dan claps his hands and the action wakes everyone back up from the despair I just brought on.
Nora’s eyes flicker alert and she spins around, walking steadily into darkness. Xavier gives Paige and I one more glare and then jogs to catch up to her.
After they’re out of my sight, Dan and his guys descend down the grass and I turn toward Paige. “I have to get my car going. You are welcome to join me in the garage.”
“Rob.” The plea in her voice doesn’t surprise me, but I can’t lose my shit right now. Which is exactly what will happen if I tell her who Xavier and Nora are. That they’re the brother and sister of someone who I have a very twisted past with. Carly and I both hurt each other five years ago and there will be a time when I’ll have no choice but to tell Paige, but tonight isn’t it.
“Please. Not now.” I blink and glare up to her, my own eyes begging her to let this go. If I were her, I’d tell me to fuck off and never speak to me again.
Her hand withdraws from mine and she clenches them at her sides. “Um,” her timid voice crushes me. I brought her here for a night of fun and that’s dredged up my haunted past. “Why don’t I grab us some food and I’ll meet you there?” She tries to smile and act reassured, but her mind is working overtime.
“Great. They have awesome burgers.” I dig in my pocket for my wallet, but she shakes her head.
“I got this one.” Her lips curl just barely.
Not wanting to piss her off, I don’t argue her paying, knowing I can take care of it before she gets to the bar. “Thanks.” There’s a lull and silence between us. For the first time, her presence makes me uncomfortable. She’s finding out too much about me, and I’m thinking I need to shut the gate before I lay it all out for her. “Don’t forget, garage four. If you need me, call, okay?”
She nods. “Don’t worry, I’m not afraid to ask where Wild Card is,” she jokes, lightening the mood between us. “You’ll have to tell me how you got that name.” She begins to leave.
“Would you rather I show you?” I call out to her and she flips around, walking backward.
“Maybe.” She shrugs her shoulders and my hand covers my heart when she circles back around again. I swear the girl knows exactly how to handle me. Just like Carly. My heart pinches and I step forward.
BY THE TIME I’m out of Rob’s view, I can barely breathe. I place my hands on the fence, taking deep breaths in and out. The situation was intense and more than some rivalry on who can be best in a damn drag race. There was an underlying hurt between the three of them and I’m positive it has something to do with whatever haunts Rob every day.
The bar is crowded by the time I make my way there. Standing in line, I wait patiently, acting as though I don’t notice the stares and hushed voices. I just want to crawl into a hole and disappear, but that’s not an option so I act as though I’m holding up just fine. As if I know what everyone else does around here, even if I’m in the corner of a very dark room, facing the wall.
“Hey, are you Wild Card’s girlfriend?” A petite blonde comes up to me and she can’t be more than eighteen.
“No.” She’s barely clothed with her half shirt and shorts that don’t cover her ass. Please don’t tell me this young girl has some sort of past with Rob. I’ll lose all respect for him.
A wide smile encompasses her face and a bubble pops out of her mouth. Snap. “Great. So you don’t mind?”
“Like I said, I’m not his girlfriend.” I interrupt her, hoping she leaves me alone. My eyes catch the guy and girl Rob just had the run in with. The girl stares over at me and I turn my head. There’s more than just them, a whole group of them surround three tables. Girls and guys chatting and laughing except for the girl. A leggy brunette sits in the guy’s lap and he tips his beer to his lips almost lost in thought.
I dodge to the side to know how many more people are in front of me. Two. Doable for me to grab the burgers and get the hell out of this bar. After a little ignoring the girl goes away, probably in search of Rob. He’s not mine; I can’t claim him. I just hope he has higher standards than jail bait.
Finally, I reach the front of the line and a girl takes my order. Then she cocks her head at the order again.
“Cheeseburger with extra cheese, add jalapeños, no lettuce?”
I double-check the order with the text Rob sent me. “Yeah that’s it.” She waves her hand in front of me in recognition of the order.
“For Rob? Wild Card?” Jesus, does anyone in this place not know who he is?
“Yeah.” She smiles, pushing my hand full of money back from the counter.
“He texted Deb and told her he’d come by and pay for it.” She points down and I follow her finger to a middle-aged woman chatting with Dan.
“Please let me pay for it.” I inch forward across the edge, but her head shakes.
“Nope. Deb was clear and we don’t cross Deb.” She cringes as though I should just let it go and continue on my way.
Dan lifts his hand and waves over to me, and Deb glances to find who grabbed his attention. She smiles and they whisper back and forth to each other. Deb does a second peek at me, her smile a little wider as she nods her head at whatever Dan is whispering to her.
“Are they married?” I ask the girl after she finishes announcing my order over the microphone.
“Yep.” The girl peers over my shoulder at the long line.
“Oh, sorry.” I stuff my money back in my purse, grab my number and slide to the side.
“Good luck with Rob, he’s a sweetheart,” she says and I tilt my head.
“Are we talking about the same guy?” I joke and she laughs. Seriously, I was wondering if she was being sarcastic, but I’m not going to bother her with such a long line.
I lean against the wall of the bar, waiting for my number to be called. It’s a cool place and their music choice is spot on. Maybe my dad would enjoy coming here, especially since they play his band along with most of his friends. Before I realize it, I’m singing the lyrics to myself and not paying attention to my surroundings.
“Hi.” The cute redhead from outside stands in front of me.
“Hi.” My eyes veer anywhere but at her.
“I’m Nora. Nora McConnell.” She twists her fingers, weaving them in and out with each other.
“I’m Paige Kensington.” I smile and she studies me for an uncomfortable second.
“I’m Carly McConnell’s sister.” My shoulders slump and this girl believes I should know who she’s talking about.
“I don’t know a Carly. Is she here?” The girl steps back and her eyebrows furrow.
“No. You’re Robbie’s girlfriend, right?” she clarifies and I wish she’d be more forthcoming in exactly what she wants from me.
“I’m his roommate.”
“Oh, I may have spaced out when I saw you. It’s weird seeing him with someone else.” Her words shock me because you’d think maybe she was an ex, but she’s too young. At least I hope so. She peers back to her table of friends and then back to me. “Do you mind meeting me outside after you get your food?” I narrow my eyes at her because I’m slightly terrified she has a secret plan to kill me. Damn that crime show spree I’ve been on recently. Makes my mind go crazy.
“Sure,” I agree. I desperately want more information about Rob and I’m pretty sure this girl’s got the info.
“I’ll be watching you.” Creepy as all hell, but she walks away. Back to the table. When she sits down, no one even notices she was gone, or acknowledges her existence.
Five minutes later, they call my number and the girl behind the counter hands the bag over to me. She leans over the counter and lowers her voice. “Tell Rob, he’s got this.” She winks and I’m wondering how much she knows of Rob. Then again, there’s no jealousy regarding me bringing him food.
“I will.” I hold up the bag in the air. “Thank you.”
When I step away, my eyes automatically flick to the three tables in the back and I find Nora’s seat empty. Why is this some incognito secret mission to talk to me? I’m not even a step out of the bar and I spot her on the side. I follow her down a dark narrow path between two buildings. Not exactly my smartest move now that I think of it. What am I going to do, suffocate her with a hamburger if she attacks me?
She stops at the end, sidestepping so we are desolate from everyone else. My phone dings again, a text from Rob asking where the food is. Hurriedly, I hammer one back to tell him it should be done in about ten.
“Nora, why exactly are you leading me away from everyone?” I try to remain in the sights of anyone walking by so if she does come after me, at least I’m not lying somewhere no one can find me.
“How is Robbie?” Seriously? Is she trying to find out if he’s available?
“Ask him yourself. I’m done with this detective shit.” I begin to flee and she grabs my arm. Spinning around, I get angry. “Why do you want to speak to me?” My voice is cold and stern so she knows I’m done with this game playing.
“I told you, I’m Nora McConnell, Carly’s sister.” She sounds like a scratched CD.
“I don’t know who Carly is. Do you want to enlighten me?” I cross my arms over my chest and the girl’s face drops.
“He never told you?” Her shoulders slump and she kicks the gravel down with her shoe.
“Who? Rob? I told you, I’m his roommate.” I’m hoping this clueless act I’m portraying profits me with more information.
“I know, but you seem close. I mean the way he took your hand. I assume when you said roommate, you meant more.”
“Nope.” I pop the ‘p’ with significance. “Just roommates.” Not like I’m going to tell her that I want to be a fuck roommate with Rob, instead we just share the rent and divvy up chores.
“Oh.” I’m fairly sure by her sad eyes and slumped body, I ruined whatever information she thought she was going to get from me. “Is he happy?”
Her solemn appearance makes me want to find out exactly what is going on here. “Sometimes. Although it may be an act. I’m trying to figure it out.”
“You care about him?” She phrases it more like a statement than a question. But the way her eyes glisten with hope, I can’t in good conscious lie.
“I do, but he doesn’t always make it easy.”
“He never has, but after the accident he really took a giant back step to assholeville.” I spit out a laugh and she joins in.
“What accident?”
“In high school with Carly. He loved her so much.” Her phone rings and she quickly answers it. “I got my damn period, Xavier. You want to come in here and change my tampon? Yeah, didn’t think so. Give me some space.” She clicks the phone off and shoves it in her purse. “I don’t have much time.”
“Before you go, who’s Xavier and why is he so pissed at Rob?” I step closer as though the secret she’s about to tell me can’t be revealed so out in the open.
“Xavier’s my brother. Carly was Rob’s girlfriend.” She inches away from me and I follow her step by step.
“What was the accident? Was Rob involved?” I’m desperate for information, but she shakes her head.
“If he hasn’t told you, I can’t.” She must notice my pleading eyes begging her for the information. “I’m sorry, I really am, but it has to come from him.” She begins to sprint down the narrow opening, but flips around and jogs back to me. “The reason I wanted to talk to you is, take care of him, okay? Carly would want him happy and living life like he always did.” She throws her arms around me and squeezes me lightly. “He needs to let it go,” she whispers, and I’m stunned into silence as her small frame runs down the path.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I startle. Fumbling for my phone, it almost slips from my grip, but I recover it, seeing Rob’s name across the screen. “I’ll be right there.” I snap before he has a chance to speak.
“I thought someone kidnapped you,” he jokes. Little does he know.
“No.” My voice devoid of any sass that usually comes out when talking with him. A longing to tightly wrap my arms around him rushes through me, and I’m fairly certain he can hear the sympathy in my whisper of a voice.
“Paige?” he questions. Damn, he definitely hears it.
I will myself to get over Nora and what she just told me. “Are you done fucking a random chick?” Knowing I need to throw him off in order to not end tonight in the Emergency Room after a huge fight breaks out. Rob doesn’t seem like the guy who understands when others mingle in his business. Nora seeking me out, telling me things he doesn’t want known could very well escalate a fight between him and Xavier.
The line is silent and I bite my lip quickening my steps to reach Garage four. There’s muffling in the background, but I can’t really figure them out. “You are! You’re fucking someone?” Finding my voice.
“Hell no. I might be an asshole, but give me some damn credit. I wouldn’t ask you to come with me and screw someone else.” He sounds angry and I know I just pissed him off. My questions or the fact he’s wondering what took me so long. “Dan’s here. I gotta race. Meet me at the fence, okay? As soon as I win, we’re leaving.” The line clicks and I suck in a deep breath to come to grips with this man.
Going around, I veer over to the fenced-off drag way. Nora is back by Xavier’s friends in the opposite lane as Xavier’s eyes fixate on Rob from his own car. Rob’s car roars up to the start line and the crowd begins forming quickly after word leaks the race is going to start. He never searches me out, which lightly stabs at my heart. I have to remind myself he has something much bigger going on right now. By the time the two cars slowly inch forward, Nora glances up at me and we share a small smile. Dan gets back in the caged area and it’s the same sequence as Rob’s earlier race.
When Dan’s hands throw down, Rob doesn’t start off as strong as Xavier and for a moment they’re inches apart, each one taking a small lead. With the cloud of exhaust, I’m restricted to make out who won. Everyone screams a minute later and I’m not sure if it’s happiness, or anger. I inspect Xavier’s group and they all shake their heads except Nora who’s staring directly at me.
“PAIGE!” Rob screams over to me and I jolt to search for him. He’s on the return road, and he waves me over. Running over to him, the crowd begins to follow me, but as soon as I get in the passenger seat, Rob speeds off.
“Who won?” I ask for clarification.
“Me.” It’s one word and you’d think he’d crack a smile or something, but he doesn’t. Silence fills our trip out of the raceway and down the country road.
