I requested the day off tomorrow a few weeks ago. It’s Brea’s birthday and we always go bowling and have dinner.”
“Call her and tell her you need to postpone it and that we’ll make it up to her this weekend.” I tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I have an idea, sweet cheeks. Trust me?”
She looks away, closes her eyes and nods. I kiss her forehead.
“D, can you make a phone call? Tell the watchdog to tell that dumbass to be at the track tomorrow evening. I have a proposal for him I think he’ll be interested in.”
“Uh, sure man, whatever you need.” Derek crosses his arms and strokes his chin like Santa does his long beard.
“But . . . ?” I know there’s a “but.” I can tell by the look on his face and the way he’s rubbing his chin.
“But, isn’t Sulley going to be pissed if we open the track for personal reasons?”
“He owes me a favor. Plus, I am pretty sure once I explain the situation and my plan, he’ll help us out.” I give them both a smirk.
Derek, Lexi, and I spend the rest of the evening discussing the plan over pizza and a few beers. Just in case the cops are still out looking for me we leave the Hellcat parked in Derek’s garage and Lexi and I will sleep over at her place tonight.
This asshole is going down. I’m done playing.
THE NEXT EVENING the three of us head over to Sulley’s Raceway. We’re high on adrenaline and praying we can pull this thing off. Sulley, the owner and my boss, agreed to allow me to use this place for the night as long as we don’t do anything drastic, and I gave all the maintenance workers the night off, just in case anything goes awry.
Derek is standing at the entrance gate and Lexi and I are on our way up to the press box. When we get to the top I show her where she can sit so she can see everything. She’ll be safer up here, away from everything.
“Coen, I’m not so sure this is going to work.” Lexi stares out the big square windows overlooking the track and down at my Hellcat that is parked in the pit.
“Hey, come here.” I lift her up by the waist, sitting her down on the table in front of me as I stand between her legs and place my hands on either side of her face. “Have I let you down yet, sweet cheeks?” My thumbs gently caress her freckled skin.
“No, but what if—” she starts.
“No buts, no what-ifs. We have to have faith and trust that this will work, Lex. I’ll challenge him. He will lose. He’ll flip his shit and Derek has the cops on speed dial.”
Static comes across the walkie-talkie followed by Derek’s voice.
“You ready to feed this twerp your road dust?”
“Be right there,” I answer back. “Please, stay here, Lex. I’ll have Derek come and get you when it’s safe.”
“Coen.” She grabs my arm as I turn to leave and stops me so I turn around to face her. “Did you mean it?”
“Mean what, babe?”
“When you said you love me.”
I smirk before devouring her in a deep, passionate kiss.
“Baby cakes, you are the spark plugs to my ignition. You are my piston princess, and I never ever say those three words to someone unless I mean them.”
Lexi giggles. God, that’s a beautiful sound.
“I love you too, Coen. Please be careful”
When I get to the track Patrick is waiting at the starting line next to his Porsche. I’m so taking him down.
“What’s up, cousin? Did you decide you want to kiss and make up? I mean, we’re kinda even now, don’t you think? You stole my girl, I stole your aunt—or should I say, my mom.” He starts laughing hysterically and he reeks of alcohol.
I don’t have time for this shit. I’m ready to get this all over with.
“Here’s the deal, ass hat. You and I are going to race. Whoever loses will leave town and never contact Lexi ever again.”
His evil grin turns solemn as he looks at my car and back to his, eyeing up his competition. He’s probably never raced once in his entire life. This is going to be a piece of cake.
“Deal,” he says a few moments later.
“May the best man win.”
We both get inside our cars and strap on our helmets and seatbelts and slowly start easing our way up to the