by Dena Blake
Drew gave her a sexy smile as she dressed and then took her hand. It was a small gesture, but Sam wanted Drew to know tonight wasn’t only about sex. Sam was letting her back into her life.
They headed up the stairs and rounded the corner just in time to see Faith slip into Brad’s room.
“She must have already tried mine.”
* * *
Drew didn’t know what Sam was thinking, but something wasn’t right. Faith had barely had enough time to make it up the steps, let alone stop at Sam’s room first. She tried to get ahead of her, but Sam had already pushed the door open and jerked to a stop. Drew could see Sam’s eyes following the trail of clothes left from the door to the two naked bodies in the bed.
“Faith?” Sam’s voice sounded surprisingly vulnerable.
The woman was locked in a heated embrace with Brad. Sam’s gaze darted back and forth between them.
“What the hell are you doing?” Brad tossed her to his side, and Drew was immediately aware that it wasn’t Sam’s sister in Brad’s clutches. It was her own sister, Liza.
“You called me,” Liza said, making no attempt at modesty until she made eye contact with Drew. “Oh, fuck.” She pulled the sheet up around her.
“Oh my God,” Sam said.
“Oh my God,” Drew echoed as she stood frozen in place. She didn’t know what to do. She hadn’t been less prepared in her life than she was right now. “What the hell?”
Brad hopped out of bed and pulled on his boxers. “It was all her, Sammy. I swear.”
“You shut up,” Sam said, raising a finger before glancing back at Drew’s sister. “Liza?”
Liza’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry. I had no idea,” she said as she pulled the sheet up tighter around herself.
Drew noticed the glare Sam gave Brad, and she couldn’t read it. Did it express sadness, pain, or contempt? Brad’s blatant infidelity alone would’ve provoked any or all of them, but with Drew’s sister involved, it was so much worse.
“Put some clothes on, man.” Drew swiped a pair of jeans from the chair, squeezed them into a tight wad, and threw them at Brad before pushing by him to sit on the edge of the bed next to Liza. “Did he force you?” she asked softly.
Liza avoided eye contact as she flopped back against the headboard. “No, Drew. He didn’t force me. Not now, not ever.”
“You’ve been here before?” Drew glanced back at Sam and saw her lip quiver. Sam wasn’t just angry. She was hurt. Witnessing her in such turmoil made something tear deep inside Drew.
Sam went full force into Brad, pushing him against the wall. Drew bolted up and grabbed her from behind, holding her back.”
“Listen, Sammy. She came to me,” Brad said, rubbing his neck. “The first time was a mistake. I had a little too much to drink at the sponsor party. She has a nice place, so I crashed there. Thought she was just a rich girl looking for some fun.” His voice lifted in simplistic irony. “I had no idea she was Drew’s sister. That’s just a perk.”
“And I had no idea he was involved with you, Sam.” Liza got up and dressed quickly. “I’m out. No man is worth this mess.” She took off out the door.
“Let’s go, Sam.” Drew took her hand, but she pulled it away. She couldn’t believe Sam was actually listening to this bastard.
“In the dark, a body’s a body.” Brad raised his eyebrows and shot Drew a smile. “Isn’t that right, Thompson?”
“You’re a miserable prick, Brad. You know that?” Drew grasped Brad’s arm and twisted it up behind him before shoving him onto the bed. “Don’t touch her again.” It all made sense now, the reason Sam kept pushing Drew away. She’s never had a normal relationship with anyone. Her anger is the only way she can protect herself.
Brad smiled and laughed as he slid back into bed. “She always comes back for more.”
Sam lunged forward. Drew swung her arm around Sam’s waist, holding her as she tried to break free.
“He’s not worth it, Sam.”
“You can bet I won’t be back this time.” She kicked her feet and pried at Drew’s arms, but she didn’t let her loose. She stopped fighting and collapsed back against Drew.
“Come on, Sam. Let’s go.” After moving her to the door, Drew loosened her grip and pushed her out the door before turning back to Brad. “I will pay you back for this. I promise.”
Chapter Twenty-eight
Brad hopped out of the number forty-four car and threw his helmet off, letting it bounce across the concrete garage floor. “Are you trying to fry me? It’s hotter than hell in there.” He took a bottle of water out of the refrigerator, twisted the top off, and poured it over his head.
Sam opened the hood. “It’d serve you right. I’ll check the firewall. It could have a crack in it,” she shouted, trying to keep her temper at bay.
This wasn’t all Brad’s fault. She’d never cared who he slept with before. But this time was different. This was Drew’s sister. She was supposed to protect her from men like him, abusers who damage a woman’s mind as much as her body. Sam’s anger was mild compared to the guilt that must be eating away at Drew.
“Whatever it is, you’d better get it fixed fast.” He stormed across the garage to the main entrance. “And make sure your girlfriend tests it first next time.”
Ray made a sniffing sound and slid his eyes from side to side. “Is it just me, or does it smell like bacon in here?”
Sam shook her head and laughed. “What would I do without you, Ray?”
“Don’t know, but if I have my way, you’ll never have to find out.”
“Why don’t you take a break?” She put her arm around his shoulder and squeezed. “It’s going to take at least an hour for this engine to cool down enough to get inside it.”
“You want to go over to the snack bar? I’ll buy.”
“That’s okay. You go ahead. I’ll get something later.”
“Tell you what. I’ll bring you back one of those vegetarian wraps you like.”
“Thanks, Ray. That sounds good.”
Sam smiled as she watched him go around the corner before she flopped down onto the stool. She thought she’d worked out all the kinks in that car. Now she was going to have to tear it down to repair, or maybe even replace, the firewall. She slid back off the stool to make a closer inspection.
Brackets secure, bolts tight. She wiggled the metal sheet covering the front of the driving compartment. When she examined it closer she could see someone had cut slits around the edges on both sides, just big enough to let the heat through. At first glance they were unnoticeable.
Sam popped up, hurried to the tool chest, and slid open a drawer. Last night, she’d fixed the fuel line on number fifteen but hadn’t bothered to check number forty-four. Who the hell is doing this?
She slammed the drawer shut and scanned the garage. She didn’t know where to start with all these distractions. Brad’s temper was the least of her troubles. Drew’s life was on the top of her list. She thought she could handle the pressure, but it was too much for her.
Sam had checked the number forty-four car while she waited for the number fifteen to cool. She’d just finished all her adjustments and had left Ray to work on the firewall while she stepped out to eat her wrap in the sunlight. She was checking in with him when she heard the side door clang open. Brad crossed the garage in his usual arrogant manner and took in a deep breath, clearly trying to suppress his anger.
“Did you get it fixed?”
“Workin’ on it.” Glancing up, Ray flipped the protective glasses up onto his head and turned the welding torch off.
“Is your girlfriend’s car working?” Brad asked.
“Yeah, but I want her to take another test run to make sure.”
“Where is she today?”
“I don’t know.” Sam lied. Drew had gone into the city to update her captain on the case. “Maybe Paddy’s got her doing something else.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Maybe she’s gotten a glimpse of that frigid bitc
h you keep locked inside.”
Sam didn’t respond. He wanted a battle, and she refused to give it to him.
“Paddy can’t find her. So I guess I’ll have to take it out and break in the new car. Any problem with that?”
She walked over to the car, pulled the hood down, and let it slam shut. “It’s all yours.”
* * *
Sam heard the sirens and rushed to the track. When she saw the mangled car frame, her vision tunneled, and she felt like she was going to pass out. “No. It can’t be,” she said, out of breath and stumbling. She’d just checked the car a few hours ago. There shouldn’t have been an accident.
“What happened?” Sam sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
Ray scratched the back of his head. “He topped out. The car spun, slid back onto the track, and then another car hit him.”
“Can you take me out there?” Sam knew she should just run out there, but she didn’t feel the same urgency she did when her brother crashed. What was wrong with her? Was Brad right? Has she turned into a cold, unfeeling bitch?
“They’ll be gone before we get there.”
She whirled around and threw herself against Ray’s chest. The car was out of commission, but Brad was hurt badly enough to be taken to the hospital. A sharp tingle of panic shot through her. That could’ve been Drew.
Ray’s arms curled around her. “I’m sure he’ll be okay. It’s just a side hit.”
Paddy pulled the headset from his ears. “He’s probably got some bruised ribs, maybe a broken hip. We’ll know more when he gets to the hospital.”
He wasn’t dead, but he’d come damn close to it. Sam let out a sigh of relief and took off out of the pit.
“Hang on there, Samantha,” Paddy shouted after her.
“I need to go.”
“I’ll take you.” Paddy tossed his headset to Ray. “Take care of the car.”
Paddy slid into the driver’s seat and fired the ignition. “You know this never would’ve happened if you hadn’t been messin’ around with that detective.”
“You’re right.” What Paddy didn’t know was just how right he was. “You should’ve told me who she was. I would’ve steered clear.” That wasn’t true. She would’ve fallen for Drew anyway.
“It wasn’t my choice, Samantha. They’re trying to catch a killer.”
“You mean they’re trying to catch me.”
“I know you didn’t have anything to do with those crashes.” He narrowed his eyes. “You need to stay away from Drew Thompson and let her do her job.”
“I said you’re right, Paddy. Now just leave it alone.” He didn’t know just how right he was.
“What’s gotten into you, Samantha?”
“There’s something wrong with me because I’m agreeing with you?”
“It is a bit unusual.”
She pressed her fingers to her forehead. “I’m just tired of fighting.” Maybe it’s time I realized I’ll never be happy.
“You know what you have to do.”
Her stomach knotted at the thought of what he expected of her. “I have to make things right.”
“That’s my girl.” He reached over and gave her leg a light pat.
* * *
Drew was at the station house when she got word about the accident. She pulled up to the emergency-room entrance and left her Jeep in the red zone, knowing it would be probably be towed before she got back. After rushing through the double doors, she bypassed the desk and started pulling exam-room curtains back.
“Hey! You can’t go back there,” a nurse said, chasing her.
“Race-car driver. Is she here?” Drew asked, ignoring her order and continuing to the next curtain.
“He was brought in a few hours ago.”
“He?”
“Yes. They took him to the fifth floor.”
Relief washed through her. Wilkerson was driving.
She spun around, took off to the elevator, and punched the button repeatedly. The doors opened, and there stood Paddy in the middle of the elevator with a cup of coffee in each hand.
“Well, what would you be doing here, young lady? I thought you’d be checking out the wreckage by now.”
“I thought…”
“You thought what? That it was Samantha.”
“Yeah.”
“She’s safe and sound, upstairs.”
She stepped on to the elevator. “Since I’m here, I need to see how Wilkerson’s doing.”
“I didn’t think you and Brad were friends.”
“We’re not.” She pushed the already lit number-five button. “Maybe he can tell me what happened.”
Paddy rolled his lips together. “You want to see my daughter.”
She nodded. “Is she okay?”
“When these accidents happen, she takes them pretty hard.” Paddy took a swig of coffee. “Always thinking it’s her fault.”
“I’m afraid I haven’t helped matters much in that area.” Drew had only added more to her burden by telling her she was a suspect.
“Aye, but she knows who you are now. You don’t really think she’s the one causing these accidents, do you?” Paddy stepped off the elevator and Drew followed.
“No. I never did.”
“Go on. I’ll let you have a minute alone with her.”
Drew cringed inside when she saw Sam hovering over an unconscious Brad. When Sam glanced up, Drew could see the guilt was tearing her up.
“How’s he doing?”
“He’ll be all right, but he’s out of this race for good now.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“This could’ve been you. He was driving your car.” The tears welled at the bottom of her eyes, slowly spilling out one at a time. “You shouldn’t be here.” Her expression was blank. “And I should have never…This is my fault.” Sam swiped her sleeve across her face and sucked in a ragged breath.
“It’s not your fault.”
“Yes, it is.”
Drew stopped short. Could she have been that wrong about her? Was she about to get a confession from a killer?
“I’m the crew chief and I’ve been distracted.” Sam wouldn’t make eye contact with her, and Drew knew she was talking about her. Her stomach churned. Drew thought she was much more than a distraction to Sam.
“I’m trying very hard to be understanding, Sam. But sooner or later you’re gonna have to make a decision.” Drew watched her stare at Brad, bruised and sedated, as she slid down into the chair next to the bed.
“Go home, Drew.” She picked up Brad’s hand and pressed it to her cheek.
From whatever warped sense of obligation Sam felt, it was clear she felt responsible for this accident and wasn’t going to leave Brad here alone.
Paddy patted Drew on the back. “Go on back to the track. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on her.”
* * *
Drew sat staring into the half-empty water glass in front of her, Sam’s words still ringing in her mind. She didn’t believe it, but Sam had made her decision. It was clear as the crystal goblet she was holding. Sam was going back to Brad.
A sudden sense of loss washed through her. She shouldn’t have pushed. She’d known she was being selfish when she gave her the ultimatum.
“Is everything all right, dear?”
“Everything’s fine, Mom. I’m just not very hungry.”
“Well then, we’ll have the cook wrap it up and put it in the refrigerator for later.”
“Thanks.”
“Are you staying tonight?”
Drew gave her a thankful smile. Her mother knew something was bothering her, but she didn’t pry. She knew she’d come to her when she was ready.
“I’d like to, if that’s okay? I need to get a few good night’s rest before the race.” Hanging around the track, watching Sam cater to Brad was more than Drew could take. She would make herself available for all test runs and the race, but she needed some distance. It probably wouldn’t help much, but a li
ttle time off-track couldn’t hurt.
“Of course. Since your father’s away on business, I’d love the company.” Johanna got up from the table, opened the French doors, and stepped out onto the veranda. After slipping a utility apron around the waist of her white, blended-cotton slacks, she turned back momentarily. “I’m going into the garden to tend to my roses. You’re welcome to join me if you’d like.”
Drew slid out of her chair and followed her.
“How could she believe it was her fault?”
“What, darling?”
“The accident?”
Johanna sat down on a redwood bench and patted the space next to her.
Drew nodded. “Cars fail all the time. It’s not always her fault.”
“You’re speaking of Samantha?”
She nodded again. “I’ve never had this much trouble with a woman before. I don’t know what to do, Mom.”
Johanna took a pair of scissors from her apron, clipped a rose from the bush, and held it up in front of her. “Women are like roses, Drew. We may be beautiful, but we all have our thorns.”
Drew pulled her brows together. She knew her mother was offering her some wisdom but wasn’t sure of her point.
“You have three choices.” She twirled the stem between her fingers. “You either have to learn how to avoid those thorns, wear them down over time, or simply clip them off.” She scraped a few thorns from the stem.
“She doesn’t want me. She wants this guy who’s a total asshole to her.” Drew didn’t understand it. She’d been given strict orders to keep her distance, yet she couldn’t stay away. Drew had put her career on the line for Sam.
“My handsome girl.” Johanna stroked her cheek and smiled. “You’re very experienced at giving heartbreak, but I’m afraid you have a lot to learn about receiving it.”
Drew lowered her eyes. Her mother was right. She’d broken a lot of women’s hearts without ever giving them a second thought.”