Racing Dirty, L.A.

by J. Lynn Lombard

“Before the pickup blinded me you were talking in your sleep, mumbling about Marcus and Switch finally finding you and finishing what they started. You were restless and wouldn’t stop thrashing around. I’m so sorry I dragged you into this.” I can hear the pain lacing Ashley’s voice.

  “It’s not your fault. I knew my past would catch up with me, eventually. We need to get out of here though.”

  “It is my fault. If you never met me, you’d still be safe. If my life choices didn’t leave me where I am now, you’d still be safe.” Ashley’s sad voice penetrates my heart, taking my breath away.

  “No, Ash, this isn’t your fault. I wouldn’t change meeting you for anything. You crashed through my walls. I fell in love with you and after everything that happened in my past, I never dreamed that was possible. You gave me a reason to fight, to live, to love.” I whisper against her soft lips.

  “I love you too,” Ashley whispers.

  I kiss her gently, finally able to feel something. Her warm breath fans against my lips, her soft body pressed against mine. I break the kiss and memories of what she told me come flooding back. I fell asleep and woke up to white lights blinding me as someone smashed into the car. Ashley screaming as two men drag me from the car, kicking me over and over. The pain making me pass out. Coming to again and a sharp needle piercing my skin, then everything goes black. It’s all clear as day as the fog lifts and the drug they injected me with leaves my system. We need to get out of here.

  I slowly sit up with the help of Ashley. We stop and listen. The only thing I can hear is Ashley’s heavy breathing and the dripping of water from somewhere. I access the damage done to my body. The pain in my leg has calmed to a dull thud. Thankfully, not broken. My other leg is fine. I roll my ankles, making the blood circulate to them. The pins and needles feeling has subsided through my arms and shoulders. My ribs are bruised, but not cracked. I move my arms and roll my head. No damage there. Something wet trickle from the side of my head down my neck. I wipe it away and smell cooper. I must have hit my head at some point, but no harm there either. I’ve been through enough broken bones and fractures to know when there’s severe damage. The two men tried to inflict suffering, but they didn’t succeed. I stop moving when a wave of dizziness takes over.

  “Slow down, you’ll pass out,” Ashley whispers.

  She kneels so her chest is in my face. She lifts the bottom edge of her tank top and dabs it on the cut. I hiss at the contact.

  “Sorry,” Ashley whispers. She continues to wipe away the blood from my head gently. When she’s satisfied she leans back on her heels.

  “Are you hurt?” I ask her. She shakes her head no, but I need to check for myself.

  I still can’t see her clearly, but my eyes are adjusting to the darkness. I look her over the best I can. The bruise on her face is still there from earlier. She has dried blood on the side of her forehead. Her hair is messy around her face. I move some hair back from her forehead, so I can study the cut better. It’s just at her hairline and if we don’t get it taken care of soon, it will leave a scar on her beautiful forehead. Ashley’s brown eyes are etched with worry and she has dried blood on her split lips.

  Done with the assessment of her face I check the rest of her body. I touch each spot gently, starting at her ankles and moving my way up. Ashley lets out a hiss when I reach her left shoulder. She’s cradling her arm against her chest trying to hold back a cry. Her shoulder is dislocated. I can correct it, but it’ll make her scream when I pop it back into place and that will alert anyone around.

  “Your shoulder is dislocated. I can fix it, but it’s going to be painful. Do you want me to do it now or wait?” I ask.

  “Let’s wait. We need to find a way out of here."

  She stands up and helps me stand too. Another wave of dizziness invades my vision and spots form behind my eyes. I brace myself against the concrete wall until the dizziness passes. I roll my head on my neck, forcing it to pop. When my vision clears, I shuffle around the small room, feeling along the walls. My hands skim over something solid. I discover a doorknob and twist it. It gives away under my hands and slowly creaks open, revealing a dirt road shinning in the moonlight. The fresh air filling my lungs is a reprieve from the dirt and dust smell of the hut.

  “Stay close, keep your hand in my back pocket,” I whisper to Ashley.

  She grabs ahold of my jeans and gives them a tug, telling me she heard me. We quietly make progress down the side of the little hut. My senses are on high alert when we round a corner. The moonlight shines brightly down upon us and I feel like a sitting duck out in the open. There are woods all around us and a single road from the other side of the small hut, leading in and out. It appears we were in a hunting cabin of some sort. I spot the same van that was in front of the house Ashley was in when I first arrived in L.A., next to the road. There’s a man sitting in the driver’s seat. There should be three of them total from what Ashley recalls, but I only notice one. I search around the fields and see no one else. I can take this guy out and steal the van, but with the condition I’m in, that isn’t an option. He could overpower me easily.

  I move back to the door of the hut, sticking close to the walls. The only choice we have is the woods. I turn towards Ashley, really being able to look at her for the first time since I woke up. The moonlight is glowing on her and she still takes my breath away, even with the bruises and blood. I run my fingertips down her cheek and lean in to give her a reassuring kiss. She grips my waist with her good arm and inhales a gasp of relief. I pull away and turn towards the woods. It’s about one hundred yards from here to there, through an open field. My gut is informing me we need to move now. I crouch down and Ashley does the same, still holding onto my back pocket. We gradually make our path through the field, keeping low, until we get to the woods. Once we reach the edge, we stay quiet, being careful to avoid any twigs.

  Once we're far enough away, deep in the woods, I turn towards Ashley. It’s dark in here, the moonlight can’t shine through the towering trees. I hold her close, her heart beating hard against my chest and she’s trying to stifle a sob. Trying to remain strong.

  “Ash, we’re far enough away. We need to figure out our next step. We can continue through the woods or we can hunker down for the rest of the night.” I advise.

  “We need to keep moving. These woods can’t be very big. Also, I need my shoulder reset. It’s starting to make my fingers numb and I need to find my crew.” Ashley says. Her face is expressing vulnerability, but her voice is strong and determined.

  “Let’s set your shoulder here and then find the road. We’ll remain in the woods but keep the road in sight. I’m going to give you my belt and I want you to bite down on it when the pain is too extreme, so you don’t bite your tongue. It’s going to hurt like a mother fucker but will feel better once I’m done.”

  “Let’s do it.” The determination in her big brown eyes is a huge turn on. I shake my head from the erotic thoughts invading my mind as I remove my belt and hand it to her. She braces her good arm against a massive oak tree and rests her head on it. I grab her left arm and pull it back a little, bracing my other hand on her left shoulder. Ashley takes my belt and places it in her mouth to bite down on. When she’s ready, I yank her arm away from her body with all my strength until I hear a popping noise. She lets out a muffled scream of pain, making my heart break, and bites down hard on the belt. Instant relief crosses her face when her shoulder goes back into place. Her forehead is beaded with sweat as she leans against the tree, breathing hard. I remove the belt out of her mouth and make it into a sling. I drape it across her good shoulder and tighten it to prevent movement until I can get her the medical attention she needs.

  “Thank you,” Ashley whispers, looking into my eyes.

  I pull her against my bare chest and her body quivers under my touch. Her good arm wraps around my waist, holding on tight. A breeze blows across us, drying the sweat sticking to my body, producing a shiver. I kiss her on the head. She stares
up at me, our eyes colliding. Ashley licks her lips and a rush of lust invades my veins. Good God, I can’t get enough of this woman. I bring my head down and gently kiss her on the lips. She opens her mouth, allowing me access. Our tongues battle back and forth, teasing and taunting each other. She lets out a whimper from the back of her throat turning me on even more.

  I break the kiss and lean my forehead against hers, breathing hard. With as much as I want to take her right here, right now, I can’t. We need to keep moving. Maybe once all of this is over, we can take a vacation somewhere. See where this goes between us once all the drama and people trying to kill her are done with.

  “Come on, we need to keep moving,” I grumble against her lips. She nods her head in agreement.

  We make our way through the woods, watching for low hanging branches and wildlife. I reflect back to the way we met and how she captured my heart the moment our eyes collided. Her beautiful, sun-kissed skin glowing in the sunlight. Her blonde hair shimmering in the light reminded me of an angel sent to help fight the demons of my past. I tighten my hand wrapped around Ashley’s small one and she squeezes back as we try to find our way out of this mess.

  Chapter 29

  Rush

  Noah, Quickshift and I get back into my Nissan GTR-545 and drive off to another place where I think Redline is. He’s been acting strange lately and this last conversation between Ashley and him set something in motion. I’m not sure what, but when I find him, I will get to the bottom of whatever he’s been doing. We’re supposed to meet with Ian in an hour to figure out what his father is up to.

  I’ve checked three different spots where I think Redline is but came up empty. There's one last place to look. Maybe I should've had Nolan’s men track him down. He’s not answering his phone, sending me right to voicemail. A sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach is making me sick as I swerve in and out of heavy L.A. traffic. I speed down the freeway when my phone chimes in my pocket. I pull it out and hand it to Quickshift.

  “Can you see who that is?” I ask him.

  Quickshift takes my phone and opens it. He clicks on the message icon and I watch his nose scrunch out of the corner of my eye.

  “What is it?” Noah asks, leaning forward from the back seat.

  “It’s Ash, she said she'll meet us at the spot. Something doesn’t feel right, Rush.” Quickshift answers.

  I downshift and turn off the next exit, flying through the red lights towards an empty warehouse. There are cars lined up along the back of the building as I come around the corner. I spot Redlines dark blue Ford Mustang in the middle. I park my car and turn it off. We all pile out and head towards the crowd. Anger and frustration build in my muscles as I draw closer to Redline. The people in the crowd spot me and part as I force my way through with Noah and Quickshift flanking me. My hands are shaking with rage as I spot Redline. He has his arm draped around some skanky blonde, dressed like a hooker. He smiles down at her and she giggles in response. I clear my throat when I get close enough. Redline looks up and his face pales slightly. The blonde looks me up and down, licking her lips. I glare at Redline, anger radiating off me. I ignore the skank and address Redline.

  “We need to have a chat, now,” I demand. Redline swallows hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

  “Go,” he tells the blonde.

  “But I thought you were going to show me a good time,” she whines.

  She’s staring at me when she says this, licking her lips. A shiver of disgust rolls through my body. Ever since meeting Nolan and seeing the way he loves Ashley, then meeting Xavier and watching the way he loves Izzy, I want that. I want that type of relationship where no matter what, they have each other’s backs.

  “Leave now,” I demand, my voice low and deadly.

  The skanky blonde straightens her shoulders, like she’s going to say something, but thinks better of it. She glares at me as she struts away, but I really don’t give a fuck. My family is in trouble and the last thing I need is to worry about pissing off some chick. I turn my attention back to Redline. His face portrays someone who is ashamed and confused. Deciding to go easy on him, I relax my features.

  “What’s going on?” Redline asks.

  “There’s been a change of plans. We’re meeting Krimson at the spot, but something doesn’t feel right.” I answer.

  We move away from the crowd of listening ears and walk into the warehouse. I look around the familiar room and notice the chestnut oak table in the center that seats five people. There’s a light hanging above the table, throwing the rest of the room into darkness. Four chairs are pushed in on each side and the fifth is at the head of the table. Ashley’s spot. We each have the same table in our areas for meetings. Many decisions, good and bad, have been made at this table and it’s strange being here without Hotflash and Ashley. We each sit in our respective seats and I fold my hands on the table, staring at Redline right into his blue eyes.

  “What’s going on with you Redline?” I ask. He shifts uncomfortably in his chair. He’s looking everywhere but at me.

  “I don’t know. Ever since Nolan came into the picture, something feels off. I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something about him that has me on edge.” Redline answers.

  “I know a lot about Nolan. Shit he doesn’t realize I learned, but that’s his story to tell. All I care about is Ashley’s safety and you’re not helping by disappearing. We need to stick together. The heads want Ashley out for working to move us out of the guns and drugs, trying to go as legit as we can. You need to get yourself together and be there for her.” I sit back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest. “Have you ever thought maybe it’s you? That you can’t get past your own issues and actually see he’s good for her?”

  “I know, I’m trying, but there’s something that isn’t sitting right with me. She just accepted him with no questions asked. Why would she do that?” Redline asks.

  “Love,” I answer. “There’s nothing that someone wouldn’t do for love. She loves Nolan, dark secrets, and all. She found her other half. With as much as you wanted that to be you, it isn’t, never has been. She’s not meant to be yours. You need to figure out a way to get that through your head and move on. Ashley is family and family sticks together.” I lean forward again. “We’re all she has left.”

  “I know. It’s still hard though.” Redline says, running his hands through his blonde hair. “I’ll find my way. I’ll be here for her even if it’s just family and nothing more.”

  My phone chimes again with another text. I pull it out of my pocket and read it. My heart drops to my toes.

  “Fuck me.” I groan out.

  “What is it?” Quickshift asks.

  “It’s Nolan’s guy, Ashton. He says they all went out for a quick bite and when they came back to Ashley’s house, her car was gone and nobody's there.”

  “What the fuck?” Noah says. My phone rings and an unknown number lights up my screen. I hit accept and put it up to my ear.

  “Yeah,” I bark into the phone.

  “You want to see the bitch alive again, meet me at Durham Park in two hours. Come alone.” The dark voice answers on the other end and the line goes dead.

  “Son of a bitch," I growl, tossing my phone onto the table. Everyone’s eyes are on me.

  “Who was that?” Noah asks. There’s a tremble in his voice.

  I run my hands through my black hair, ignoring Noah’s question. Maybe if I don’t say it out loud, it won’t come true. I grab the back of my neck and squeeze. I pick up my phone with shaky fingers and dial Ashton’s number. He picks up on the first ring.

  “Rush? What is it?” Ashton says, answering the phone.

  “Ashton, do you have the equipment set up to trace Nolan’s phone like now?” I ask him.

  “Yeah, I’m already on it. Hold on.” I can hear voices in the background talking. One of them is Hotflash. I can hear snips of cursing in Spanish.

  “OK, I’m back. We have a trace on his phone,
Ashley’s too. What’s going on?”

  “I just got a phone call. I didn’t recognize the voice, but they want to meet at Durham Park in two hours. The guy said if I want to see Ashley alive, I need to meet them there, alone.” The line goes silent. I can hear a gasp from somewhere to the side of me.

  “Ashton, you there?” I ask. I pull my phone away from my ear to make sure I didn’t lose the call.

  “Fuck. Yeah, I’m here still. Where’s Durham Park?” Ashton asks.

  I can hear Hotflash in the background. It sounds like she’s right next to Ashton. “Dios Mios. Durham Park? Is he sure?” She asks Ashton.

  “Yes, he’s sure. What do you know?” Ashton asks her.

  “Give me the phone,” Hotflash says. I can hear movement before Hotflash gets on the line. “Rush, Durham Park. Think about it,” she states.

  “Natalia, I don’t have time for this shit. What's so important about Durham Park? Spit it out.” I growl into the phone.

  “Don’t you ever pay attention? Durham Park is neutral territory for all gangs to meet. I’m not just talking about 38th Street, but Tres Seis, Uno Matico, even the worst, Latino Dragons. Mierda, Rush. This isn’t good. If we retaliate on neutral territory, we're all going to meet our makers.” Hotflash’s voice is quiet.

  “Fuck. I knew the bosses wanted her out, but I didn’t think they’d go this far.” I look around the table.

  Redlines face is pale, like he’s going to be sick. Noah is on edge, cracking his knuckles ever few seconds and Quickshift is pacing the room, over and over. I am doing everything I can to keep calm. I need a level head if I want to get us all through this.

  “Give me the phone,” Ashton says to Hotflash. A moment later he’s on the other line. “Rush, I have a location. Nolan’s phone pinged off a signal on the four oh five just south of Mason Park. It’s not moving.”

  “I’ll meet you there. Text me the location. I’m about thirty minutes away.” I stand up and the others follow as I hang up the phone.

  “Nolan’s phone is located off the four oh five. South of Mason Park. It’s not moving, c’mon we need to go.”