Grip: A Driven World Novel (The Driven World)

by Lacey Black

  She takes a few hesitant steps my way, the corner of her sweet lips turned upward. “Hi.”

  “Hey,” I reply, my eyes roaming over her from head to toe. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to see you,” she says, her smile faltering just a bit.

  “How did you get back here?” I ask, glancing around and finding my team all busy on my car, paying us no attention.

  Lena giggles the sweetest sound. “Fish kinda helped me,” she says with a blush.

  My fingers twitch to touch her skin, but I hold myself back. I’m not exactly sure why she’s here, though I do take it as a good thing. “Well, I’m glad you came.”

  Her smile is genuine as she slides her hands into her pockets and rocks back on her heels. “So can I ask what you were just talking about with my dad?”

  “Oh, that,” I respond, clearing my throat. “I was just telling him I didn’t renew my contract with CDE.”

  Shock fills her features as her mouth gapes open. “What?”

  “No, it’s okay. I think it’s time to make a change, you know? Maybe settle down a bit? I have Oliver to consider now.”

  “But… you can’t quit, Mack! This is your dream.”

  I take a step forward, invading her personal space. Her familiar scent wraps around me like a warm blanket, soft and alluring. “Actually, it’s not. You’re my dream, Lean.” My hand goes to her face, cupping her cheek. She doesn’t shake me off or tell me to stop, so I move even closer and place my other hand on her lower back. “I want to be where you are.”

  Her eyes fill with tears, but she blinks them away. “What if I’m here? With you? What if that’s where I want to be?” Her hands wrap around my shoulders, her fingers sliding into my hair.

  “Is it?”

  She nods quickly. “Yeah. I don’t need to be in Brenton, Mack. Brenton isn’t my home. My home is where you are. You and Oliver.”

  My lips move fast, claiming hers in a searing kiss. I feel the way her fingers grip my neck, and she opens her mouth, my tongue delving inside to taste her. She’s like a homecoming. Off in the distance, I hear cheering, but don’t have to look to know who it is. My team, the ones who have been beside me from day one. My family.

  With Herculean strength, I pull my lips from hers. “Are you sure, Lean? I mean, really fucking sure? Because if not, we can go back to Brenton, together. I don’t want you to settle for anything less than what you want and deserve.”

  She smiles up at me, her finger swiping away the remnants of whatever lip gloss she was wearing. “The only way I’d be settling is if I went back home without you.”

  Grinning like a loon, I kiss her again, this time, allowing myself to savor the feel of her lips against mine. “I love you,” I whisper, my lips sliding along her full bottom lip and down her chin.

  “I love you too.” She meets my gaze. “And this is where I want to be.”

  I throw my arms around her and pick her up, swinging her around like in those cheesy rom-com movies she used to make me watch. I don’t care how it looks. I have the girl. My girl.

  When I set her down, she gazes up at me. “You better call Colton. Tell him you’ve reconsidered the offer.”

  I laugh and hug her tight. “You sure?”

  “Definitely. We have a championship to win,” she sasses.

  “You two done making out over there?” Fish hollers, drawing everyone’s attention.

  “Not even close,” I tell my best friend before dipping Lena and planting another one on her lips to the echo of cheers around me.

  “We’re just getting started.”

  Epilogue

  Lena

  “You better hurry up or we’re gonna be late,” Mack hollers through the open door of our home in Brenton.

  We actually have two, one in Los Angeles and a beautiful new one back home in Kansas, and we split our time as best we can between the two. During the racing season, we stay close to LA, close to Mack’s team, but in the winter and during breaks, we’re here.

  It’s a Saturday night in July, and since there’s no IndyCar race over the Independence Day weekend, we decided to come home and help Dad at the track. Mack’s going to race Dad’s old car, the one he ran before that fateful call from Colton Donavan.

  As soon as I step into the foyer, I see my guys standing on the opposite side of the door. Both wear matching grins, Oliver’s arms reaching out. “Mama!” he hollers, his toothy little smile melting my heart.

  “Hey, baby boy,” I coo, taking him from his father the moment I step outside. “Ready to go see Pop Pop?” I ask, referring to my dad.

  Mack kisses the side of my head and says, “Let me lock the door.”

  Once Oliver is secured in his seat, we head off to Brenton Speedway, the place where it all began. Mack holds my hand as we drive. We’re not too far away, actually. Mack bought a property five miles down the road. It’s eight acres of timber with our house nestled back in the middle. We didn’t build it, but it was as if it were designed just for us.

  Mack pulls into the driveway for the house and hops out. I work on releasing Oliver from his seat while Mack grabs the stroller and diaper bag. When I meet him at the back of the vehicle, I notice he has another bag too. My camera bag. I smile instantly, happy to still be able to grab photos of the races whenever possible.

  We walk hand in hand across the lawn and toward the racetrack in back. Several familiar faces wave in greeting, a few come over to shake Mack’s hand. We spy my dad near the garage, his head bent over the engine bay. “Everything okay?” Mack asks as we approach.

  Dad turns, his eyes instantly zooming in on Oliver. “Hey, if it isn’t my favorite little driver.” Oliver starts kicking instantly, trying to break free from the restraints of the stroller.

  “Just a second,” I say to the little guy, bending down to remove him. “Here’s Pop Pop.”

  Oliver goes willingly to my dad, who hands him a wrench. “Let’s not put this in our mouth, boy,” Dad says as he turns to show the baby the engine, telling him exactly what he’s doing. Mack joins them under the hood, and I can’t help but grab my camera and snap a few photos.

  When they’re all done and the car is ready, we head to the track. Dad carries Oliver, proudly showing off his grandson. No, we haven’t made anything official, but that doesn’t matter to Dad. Or me. The first time I heard Oliver say Mama, I cried tears of happiness for ten minutes straight.

  Since Dad is serving as Mack’s crew chief tonight, he hands the baby over to me. Oliver isn’t too pleased about it, but the moment I hand him snacks, he settles down in his stroller. When they get the cue to race, Mack kisses me on the lips, tussles his son’s fuzzy little head, and climbs behind the wheel.

  I stay out of the way, off to the side of the track and up the slight hill so we have a great view of the race. This way, we’re not getting a mouth full of dirt all night. Oliver and I cheer as Mack battles for the lead, expertly whipping around the track just the way he did all those years ago. Everyone knows he’s here to win, though any winnings from tonight’s race go to a local charity.

  When there’s five to go, I get up from my chair and watch. Mack’s car is in the lead, but there are two more hot on his heels. It’s close and anyone’s race to win. I check on Oliver, who’s been snoozing in the stroller for an hour under a thin blanket and cross my fingers. It’s not every day the defending IndyCar series champion is racing on a dirt track mid-season. If Coop saw this, I’m sure he’d have a thing or two to say.

  The white flag waves, and the two cars behind Mack really dig in. The dirt is flying as all three drivers fight for the win. Ultimately, it’s Mack who crosses the line first. I’m jumping up and down, clapping and cheering the entire time, right along with the crowd.

  He drives the car to his pit area and gets out of the car. Mack throws his arms in the air, celebrating with the large holiday weekend crowd who came to see a good race. Oliver wakes up, so I scoop him up and we head down to the track. I worm my
way through the group congregating in front of the car, and the moment Mack sees me coming, he hops down and helps make room. The second I’m in front of him, he throws his helmet in the seat, the dirty outline from his goggles on his gorgeous face, and pulls me into his arms.

  Oliver starts to cheer with everyone else, making us both laugh. “Congratulations, Mr. Bigshot race car driver.”

  “I haven’t won yet,” he replies, a big dirty smile on his face.

  I just stare at him, not really sure what he’s meaning. He literally just won…

  He drops to one knee in the middle of the dirty track and pulls a small velvet pouch out of his pocket. Inside, a small diamond ring falls into his palm, and when his eyes meet mine, everything else fades away. The crowd, the noise, the heavy dirt still lingering in the air.

  “Lena, the moment I saw you at this very track, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. You are the best part of me, way better than I deserve.” He stops and looks at Oliver, smiling at our son. “Oliver and I were talking the other night, and he told me without a shadow of a doubt, you are the mother he was destined to have. You are kind and gentle, and he’s kinda hoping to have some little brothers and sisters soon,” he says, making me chuckle. “So, will you do me the honor of being my wife and Oliver’s mom? Lena Christine Stanley, will you marry us?”

  I’m already nodding before he even has the words out. “Yes!” I holler, as he slides the ring on my finger. I’m wrapped in his arms, his son—our son—sandwiched between us and reaching for his dad’s nose.

  “I love you,” he whispers. I can taste the dirt and sweat on his lips.

  “I love you, Mack Cruz.”

  “Thank you for making me the happiest son of a bitch in the world.”

  I laugh and bat my eyelashes at him. “You don’t think I can top this?” I ask sweetly, but I can already tell his mind is headed straight for the gutter.

  “Oh, you can be on top later,” he teases.

  I shake my head and hand him his son. As he holds him in his arms, I help adjust the onesie he’s wearing, the big blue letters now visible to read.

  Mack stops, reading the shirt, before his wide eyes fly back to meet mine. “Holy shit!” he hollers. “You’re…we’re…having a baby?”

  I nod, ignoring the tears sliding down my cheeks.

  He throws his arms around me again and kisses me soundly. “We’re having a baby!” he yells, receiving loud cheers of congratulations from our racing family and friends. He smiles down at me, his arm wrapping firmly around my shoulder. “Okay, you win. You topped it.”

  I pitch up on my tiptoes, so much elation in my chest it practically hurts and whisper, “And I’ll be topping you later tonight.”

  He gives me a wolfish grin, his eyes darker than ever. “I look forward to it, future Mrs. Cruz.”

  THE END

  Want to keep up with all of the other books in K. Bromberg’s Driven World? You can visit us anytime at www.kbworlds.com and the best way to stay up to date on all of our latest releases and sales, is to sign up for our official KB Worlds newsletter HERE.

  Are you interested in reading the bestselling books that inspired the Driven World? You can find them HERE.

  Books Also by Lacey Black

  Rivers Edge series

  Trust Me, Rivers Edge book 1 (Maddox and Avery) – FREE at all retailers

  ~ #1 Bestseller in Contemporary Romance

  Fight Me, Rivers Edge book 2 (Jake and Erin)

  Expect Me, Rivers Edge book 3 (Travis and Josselyn)

  Promise Me: A Novella, Rivers Edge book 3.5 (Jase and Holly)

  Protect Me, Rivers Edge book 4 (Nate and Lia)

  Boss Me, Rivers Edge book 5 (Will and Carmen)

  Trust Us: A Rivers Edge Christmas Novella (Maddox and Avery)

  ~ This novella was originally part of the Christmas Miracles Anthology

  BOX SET – contains all 5 novels, 2 novellas, and a BONUS short story

  With Me, A Rivers Edge Christmas Novella (Brooklyn and Becker)

  Bound Together series

  Submerged, Bound Together book 1 (Blake and Carly)

  ~ An International Bestseller

  Profited, Bound Together book 2 (Reid and Dani)

  ~A Bestseller, reaching Top 100 on 2 e-retailers

  Entwined, Bound Together book 3 (Luke and Sidney)

  Summer Sisters series

  My Kinda Kisses, Summer Sisters book 1 (Jaime and Ryan)

  ~A Bestseller, reaching Top 100 on 2 e-retailers

  My Kinda Night, Summer Sisters book 2 (Payton and Dean)

  My Kinda Song, Summer Sisters book 3 (Abby and Levi)

  My Kinda Mess, Summer Sisters book 4 (Lexi and Linkin)

  My Kinda Player, Summer Sisters book 5 (AJ and Sawyer)

  My Kinda Player, Summer Sisters book 6 (Meghan and Nick)

  My Kinda Wedding, A Summer Sisters Novella book 7 (Meghan and Nick)

  Rockland Falls series

  Love and Pancakes, Rockland Falls book 1

  Love and Lingerie, Rockland Falls book 2

  Love and Landscape, Rockland Falls book 3

  Love and Neckties, Rockland Falls book 4

  Standalone

  Music Notes, a sexy contemporary romance standalone

  A Place To Call Home, a Memorial Day novella

  Exes and Ho Ho Ho’s, a sexy contemporary romance standalone novella

  Pants on Fire, a sexy contemporary romance standalone

  Double Dog Dare You, a new standalone

  Grip, A Driven World Novel

  Co-Written with NYT Bestselling Author, Kaylee Ryan

  It’s Not Over, Fair Lakes book 1

  Just Getting Started, Fair Lakes book 2

  Can’t Get Enough, Fair Lakes book 3

  Acknowledgments

  This book. The moment I heard K. Bromberg was inviting authors to write in two of her series worlds, I knew this was something I wanted to do. A challenge, if you will. The ultimate one, at that. It doesn’t get much better than Colton and Rylee and the incredible stories surrounding them. So, first and foremost, thank you, Kristy, for taking a chance on me and allowing me to enter this world you’ve created. These characters mean so much to so many, and I’m honored to have been chosen to keep their story going.

  This book wouldn’t be what it is without the help of so many. My editing team – and yes, there is a whole team of eagle eyes who assist me. Kara Hildebrand, Joanne Thompson, Sandra Shipman, and Karen Hrdlicka. Thank you for helping me shape this story into something special.

  The cover. Wowza. You can say it. Thank you, Golden, for a brilliant photograph, and to Charlie David for gracing the cover. You’ve both brought my vision of Mack Cruz to life through this photo. Deborah at Tugboat, thank you for designing a cover worthy of being a Driven World cover.

  Brenda of Formatting Done Wright, thank you for always making my books look amazing through format. Valentine PR, thank you for tirelessly promoting my book and the world it’s in.

  Kaylee Ryan, Holly Collins, Lacey’s Ladies, and my ARC team, thank you for listening, for your encouragements, and for your constant support.

  To my husband and kids, thank you for always standing by my side and forgiving me when I submerge myself into my book world. It’s not easy, but we make it work together.

  To all the bloggers and readers, thank you, thank you, thank you. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I loved writing it.

  About the Author

  Lacey Black is a Midwestern girl with a passion for reading, writing, and shopping. She carries her e-reader with her everywhere she goes so she never misses an opportunity to read a few pages. Always looking for a happily ever after, Lacey is passionate about contemporary romance novels and enjoys it further when you mix in a little suspense. She resides in a small town in Illinois with her husband, two children, and three rowdy chickens. Lacey loves watching NASCAR races, shooting guns, and should only consume one mixed drink because she’s a lightwe
ight.

  Email: laceyblackwrites@gmail.com

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlaceyblack

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthLaceyBlack

  Website: www.laceyblackbooks.com

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  ALSO WRITTEN BY K. BROMBERG

  Driven

  Fueled

  Crashed

  Raced

  Aced

  Slow Burn

  Sweet Ache

  Hard Beat

  Down Shift

  UnRaveled

  Sweet Cheeks

  Sweet Rivalry

  The Player

  The Catch

  Cuffed

  Combust

  Cockpit

  Control

  Faking It

  Resist

  Reveal

  Then You Happened

  Hard to Handle