Underground Secrets (The Underground #1)

by S. A. Sproston

  “Yep, there he is!” I say, practically squeaking out the words in excitement.

  “Okay, I’ll admit it, this looks exciting. He races in these things?”

  I sit back down next to Gemma. “Yep. Well, not yet anyways. He said his uncle wouldn’t allow him to do it until he thought he was ready. I am guessing that is his uncle.” I gesture toward the man standing next to Carter.

  “And I am guessing his uncle thinks he’s ready?”

  I shrug, “I guess so.”

  My eyes never leave Carter as I watch him move to his car that is parked alongside all the other racers on the track and get in. They start their engines and let the cars idle. Then a tall, skinny, sickly-looking blonde with hollow eyes and a hollow face, unceremoniously walks towards the front of the cars. She is stumbling and only looks at the ground. I briefly wonder if she is really tanked, but her empty looking face from what I can see suggest it’s most likely drugs or something else. I watch as she fumbles for something in her back pocket and pulls it out. It looks like a large white cloth. She brings it up and holds it above her head. Then the guy, who I now assume is Carter’s uncle, speaks into the mic again. “Easy rules, easy race,” he says scanning the crowd and then over to the cars lined up side by side. “First man to get around this old track ten times is the winner. Other than that, there are no rules.”

  At his statement the crowd goes crazy, whistling, hollering, and throwing their fists up in the air with excitement.

  “Holy shit. Does that mean what I think it means?” Gemma asks, with panic etched into her words.

  I am at a loss for words. Surely they wouldn’t let things get out of control? “I am not sure, Gem. Carter didn’t say.”

  “Well, you think he would have mentioned it.”

  We sit here and watch as the blonde throws down the cloth and the cars take off. It is so thrilling watching them all take off, fishtailing in the rush just to get ahead. And before we know it, Gem and I are standing up screaming and yelling for Carter to get first place. He easily comes into third and is just hair behind being second. I watch in amazement seeing him swerve to avoid being hit.

  Being focused on Carter and wanting him to win, I didn’t pay attention to the crash that had just happened. But I sure as hell heard it, along with gasps from the onlookers. One car is flipped over and the other is kissing a nearby tree. Everyone stays where they are. Not one person comes out to help the two men who had just wrecked. It floors me.

  Suddenly, the guy whose car nose-dived into the tree gets out and rushes over to the driver whose car is flipped over. I sigh in relief, thinking that at least someone is helping, but the relief only lasts for a second as I watch the tree-guy, pull flipped-over-car-guy out and start kicking him while he is on the ground. He just keeps going on and on, kicking and kicking, and not one damn person is doing a thing about it.

  “What the hell is this?” Gemma fumes.

  “I don’t know. Why isn’t anyone stopping him?” I say this out loud for Gemma’s benefit, but honestly, I can’t help but watch. It’s… fascinating, but it should be stopped. Right?

  As if someone was reading my mind, Carter’s uncle comes up and puts a hand on the shoulder of the guy who is beating the ever-loving crap out the other guy. Tree-man flinches, but recovers once he realizes who’s touching him. Carter’s uncle wraps his arm around him and walks away with him, leaving the other guy a bloody mess on the ground. Several minutes go by as I watch the guy’s lifeless-looking body lay there, and everything else continues on like it didn’t happen.

  What the hell?

  Eventually, two big men come over and carry him away, and another guy comes with a fire extinguisher and puts out the small flame forming from the flipped-over car.

  “Is…is he… is he still…alive?” Gemma is now trembling with fear and I have no idea what to say. I just look at her with sad eyes and shrug.

  All of a sudden the crowd erupts into louder cheers and I look back over to the racers to see Carter pulling in at first for the win. For a brief moment, I forget about what I had just witnessed and smile as I watch Carter do a victory burnout and then a doughnut, sending dust and dirt everywhere and forming a huge cloud around him and his car.

  Gem and I don’t speak of the accident. We know that what we just witnessed was horrific and the chances of that guy being okay are slim. I am not sure if I am more disturbed about the fact that it had happened and no one did anything about it or the fact that I am not as bothered about it as I should be.

  We sit on the hood of the truck wordlessly for the next forty-five minutes waiting for the crowd to settle down and clear out, but it never does. If anything, the crowd seems to get louder and more obnoxious as dusk settles into dark. People everywhere are drinking, fighting, and dancing to music blaring through many truck and car speakers, having sex and doing lines of blow off each other and the hoods of their cars. They are all doing this openly and not giving a damn about it. I have never seen anything like this. I am completely in a trance and full of awe watching this all happen right in front of my eyes. Who knew things like this actually existed? You see it in the movies but never in real life.

  Gemma stands up and jumps to the bed of the truck, “Can we please go now, Marlie?”

  “Yeah sure.” I don’t want to leave. I want to witness what may happen, but I know this is making Gemma uncomfortable. So I get up and we hop off the truck and I follow Gemma who is already walking away through the crowd.

  Halfway to my truck, someone grabs my arm. I turn around and see that it’s Carter. I smile this big goofy grin at him, and he returns it.

  “Great race! And you won!” I jump up and hug him as tight as I can.

  “Yep, I knew I would. I was in beast-mode tonight!” he says confidently.

  I laugh and release him from my hug, “But it was your first race. How did you know?”

  His smile falters slightly, “Because this is all I have known since I was little. I have been practicing since I was twelve. My uncle, Olin, would take me out on back roads and show me how to drive. Then as I got the hang of that, he would show me all the good stuff.”

  “That’s awesome! He sounds like a great uncle!”

  He smiles, but it looks like a forced one. “Yeah, he’s definitely something.”

  I am about to question his response, but he sees Gemma and turns his attention to her. “Hey, you came too! What did ya think?”

  At that moment, I know Gemma has had enough with this whole night, because her feistiness comes out, “Which part? This crazy scene?” She waves her hand around towards the partiers, then lets her hand fall back to her side. She steps in closer to Carter, “Or the fact that I’m pretty sure I just witnessed a guy get beat to death?” She says it quietly, but you can’t miss the bitterness in her tone.

  Carter narrows his eyes and steps in even closer to her, lowering his voice to match hers. “Look, you cannot repeat anything you guys saw here tonight, no matter what. I am a nice guy and all, but some of the people here aren’t. I am sorry that you witnessed that and it was…unfortunate.”

  Gemma scoffs, still keeping her voice low, “Unfortunate? That was sick to watch!” She whips her head towards me, “I’ll wait for you in the truck.” She walks away and I turn my attention back to Carter.

  “And what did you think?” he grasps my chin with his fingers and thumb and looks me in the eyes.

  “I… I honestly don’t know. I think I feel fascinated by it all. It kind of scares me that I feel this way.” I cast my eyes to the ground, because I do feel guilty for feeling this way.

  “Look at me, Doll.” I do and I see nothing but joy in his eyes now. Joy that I kind of enjoyed watching what I did? I am not sure. “Don’t feel guilty.”

  I nod my head because I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I am so conflicted about how I do feel and how I should feel about all of this.

  “I have to go. Gemma is waiting for me in my truck. Congrats on your win though and I�
�ll see you later.” I turn to walk away but he grabs me again, spins me around, and then crushes his mouth against mine. It’s unexpected, I thought he’d never kiss me, but I’m definitely not going to complain. He pushes his tongue towards my lips and I part them to accept it.

  My first kiss and it is one hundred times better than I could have ever hoped for.

  After what feels like forever, he pulls away, leaving me completely breathless and dizzy. “I’ll see you later, Doll.” And with that he walks away.

  I am on cloud nine with lust completely filling my chest and… other regions. I am not sure, but I think I officially have my first boyfriend and I am ecstatic.

  ONE

  “WHOOOOHOOOO!” THAT IS THE SOUND OF someone having a good time. Fortunately, for me, that sound is coming from my best friend of twelve years, celebrating her twenty-fifth birthday tonight. We’re in our let’s-get-shit-face-because-we-can mode. Yeah, Gemma Mathews is my girl.

  “Come on Marlie, let’s do another shot!”

  Well, shit. I can already see us now - each of us taking turns holding each other’s hair, while our faces are making love to our porcelain throne for twenty minutes in our Denver apartment. Fuck it. “No, Gem,” I begin to say… Ha! The look she just gave me is priceless!

  “But…” she begins, but I throw up my hand and cut her off.

  “No! Let’s do two more shots!”

  I wave the cute bartender over with alcohol induced excitement. “Four more shots of Patron please!” I shout over the bar counter. I look over at Gemma and see nothing but a look of pure evil beaming from her eyes. Or maybe it’s because she already has an hour head start on me and her eyes just naturally give off that kind of look when she is clearly buzzing.

  “Marlie Edwards! I like your way of thinking! Go big or go home! Right?”

  “That’s right, chick,” I tell her practically screaming over the clank of glasses and rumble of conversation around us, and the deafening music. “It’s your birthday and we are going to do this right!”

  The beats are right, and my body suddenly feels like it’s on fire, the signal I am ready to hit the dance floor and move until my body gives out - or at least until last call and I’m forced to leave. Our shots come and we down them like it’s nothing. The sweet burning feeling of liquor has me even more amped up to burn off these extra calories I’m definitely consuming tonight. Actually, the shots arrived rather quickly given how busy the club’s bar is right now. I have a feeling it’s because one of the bartenders has been staring at Gemma all night, and has been lingering longer than someone should just to collect money and tips for drinks. He isn’t the only one giving steamy looks. Gemma is definitely feeling him too. Eddie, I think his name is. He must be new because I have not seen him in here before. Then again, I don’t really think anyone lasts long here besides maybe a few bartenders and wait staff that have worked here for a year or two.

  Practically jumping out of my barstool, I grab Gemma’s hand and shout, “Let’s go dance!” and we all but sprint towards the dance floor.

  “Hell yeah, let’s do this!” she shoots right back at me while squeezing my hand in affirmation.

  So, with my best Gem right there on the floor with me, we begin to sway our hips and dance to the music.

  Club Evo is one of the hottest clubs in Denver, not too big and not too small either, and definitely a place for single people. I think it’s just perfect with its lights, private booths, and a silver and cream theme. There are two floors; top floor for V.I.P’s and the main level for the general public. It is our go-to place when we go out together or with a group of friends.

  After dancing for what feels like three hours, but was really six songs, I have to pee. Plain and simple. A girl’s got to break that seal sometime. “Gem! I’m going to go use the bathroom!” shouting at her and her new dance partner who tried to sandwich his cheesy, cornball-self between us three songs ago.

  “Alright, me too!” Peeling herself away from the guy, she grabs my hand while I take the lead towards the ladies room.

  “Woo! I’m sweating buckets woman!” she says rubbing the back of her hand across her forehead.

  “Yeah, me too chick. It feels so good though!” It has been a couple of months since I have been out. I really needed it tonight.

  Bumping shoulder to shoulder with other dancers to fight my way to the restroom, and... Oh! Lookie there. A. Freaking. Line. My goodness, I have to pee. Hmmm… that plant over there is looking really nice right about now. Why in the hell there aren’t two different women’s restrooms in this decently-sized club is beyond me. Well, on the main floor at least. There should be one on each side of this place, I think while looking around. Seriously, is every woman in this city using this specific bathroom tonight? Sure the hell looks like it. Conversation, distraction, anything! That’s what I need to get my mind off the dam that is about to burst in my bladder any second now. I look over at Gemma who seems just as desperate to take a pee as I.

  “So, did you see the new cute-as-sin bartender checking you out?” Shit. Am I swaying?

  “Oh hell yeah I did, and he’s blonde and beefy. You know how I like my men extra built.” Which is true, she does. She likes them to look like they lift semis with their bare hands for a living.

  “Then why were you dancing with gold chains over there?” I ask, mentioning the guy who was dancing with her before I took her away to come to the restroom with me. He is most definitely not her type. He looks like he came straight out of a bad eighties mob movie. He had three buttons undone from the top of his silk shirt, gorilla-like chest hair trying to escape from every which way, and at least four gold chains dangling from his neck. Then there was his hair; all slicked back and greasy. I am at least seventy-five percent sure he used actual grease. He smelled like motor oil, that’s for sure.

  “Just having a little fun, Miss Bob Marlie,” she says sweetly to me.

  Yep, she has got to be drunk if she’s calling me that. “I think I’m going to give Eddie my number and see what happens. He’s so amazingly good looking, it’s ridiculous.” She says this with awe in her eyes as she looks over at the bar and smiles. I look with her and he is staring at her too with dreamy chocolate eyes. Good for her.

  “That’s good, Gem. You should go for it. Even after what happened with the last guy. I am positive he’ll be a better match this time.” I giggle at remembering her last take home. Apparently instead of bringing the guy back to our place, which is usually her M.O, she choose to go back to his place because I was sick that night with a nasty stomach bug.

  That guy had nine cats.

  Nine!

  I am all for cats and all, but nine? Nope. I’m good. They all needed to approve of her before he could take it any further. So safe to say, she ran as fast she could away from the crazy cat guy, “Oh ha-ha, Marlie.”

  “What?” clearly trying to pull off the innocent look. She isn’t buying it.

  “You know what! I didn’t know he was some psycho cat lover!”

  I just smile sweetly at her beautiful freckled face while she glares at mine.

  “Finally, bathroom freedom!” I sing, as we enter the ladies room ignoring her continuous glare towards me.

  Getting into the stall, I struggle to pull down my jeans to relieve myself of the three shots, and four mixed drinks, so far. But I am able to get them down eventually. God, it feels so good. After I finally relieve myself, I meet Gem at the sinks to wash my hands and fix up my makeup and hair.

  “You’re looking hot tonight by the way, Marlie.”

  “Thanks, Gem.” She’s right. I did put in an extra effort in tonight to look good. Not because I’m wanting the attention from any male, but because it has been forever since I have been out, and I just wanted to feel good on the outside. I’m not insecure, I know I am pretty. Well, just above average in my opinion. I have long, dark brown, curly hair, and blue eyes. I am 5’7, and have a favoring figure that brings plenty of men’s attention. I’m just not
interested right now.

  AFTER GOING THROUGH MY massive closet earlier, I had decided on my extra tight, red skinny jeans, a cream sleeveless blouse with a see-through lace back and pearl buttons trailing down the middle of it, and my favorite black leather jacket, because it’s April and still cold out. I paired this all with four-inch tall, black pumps. Since my shirt is see-through, I had decided that my hair up in a ponytail was a must while teasing my bangs back into a bump and adding my self-made dangly pearl earrings, silver bangles on my wrist, and more makeup than necessary.

  “I mean it. You look divine. Maybe you’ll find a new man tonight looking like that.”

  I roll my eyes at her ridiculous statement while putting more lipstick on and fixing my bump. “Really doubtful there Gem and you know it.”

  “Okay, okay, I just think it might be time to venture back out into the dating scene.”

  “No!” I snap placing both my hands on the counter. She knows damn well I’m not ready and maybe never will be.

  She just stands there ignoring my little outburst. I know I was wrong to snap. I know the alcohol plays a part in why she is bringing it up, but still. With a sigh, I start to apologize, but she beats me to it.

  “Look, I’m sorry, Mar. You’ve just been so damn busy with our business. I won’t bring it up again.”

  “No, I’m sorry, Gem. I shouldn’t have snapped like that. I know you’re just looking out for me. I am just not ready yet. Okay?”

  “Alright. Anyway, I love, love, love, my new handbag!” She holds it up as she examines it again. I got her a new, not-even-on-the-market designer, black, leather handbag for her birthday. I am glad I did; it pairs well with the skin-tight, olive-green, halter dress and beige faux-fur jacket she’s wearing tonight.

  I smile at her. She so easily drops a subject. We have never really fought except about who gets the last bowl of Special K cereal in the morning and who gets to go buy the next family-sized box.

  “So, when are you going to go and talk to that Eddie guy?”