by J. N. Pack
Axel: No problem.
I lock my door and make sure it will hold just in case Dad decides I did something when he decides to get up. Hopefully he’ll be gone by morning.
*********************************************************************************
The next morning he is gone, thank God. I get up and put on a pair of white skinny jeans. I don’t usually wear white pants, but it’s all I’ve got clean today. I pull on my black combat boots and an off the shoulder shirt. No makeup and I pull my hair into a ponytail. Down stairs I find Harley in a black micro mini skirt, combat boots, and a tank top. “Think you could get it any shorter?” I ask being a shit because I don’t care what she wears as long as she is dressed and not going to get kicked out of school for wearing it.
“Jealous much?” she asked grinning.
Ignoring her I do my normal morning routine. When Hanna comes out in a belly shirt and a mini skirt, HArley and I both almost lose our shit.
“No fuckin’ way are you wearing that! Change now!” I order.
“Now Hanna!” Harley backs me up.
She growls and whines as she stumps off up the stairs.
“Holy shit! She seriously just tried that!” Harley says laughing.
I look between the two of us and groan, “She’s got some pretty solid romodels.”
“What? This shit is banging!” Harley whines.
“For you, not Hanna. She needs to look like she is going to church, not stealing from our closets.” I say.
Harley laughs and grabs her things walking to the porch while I wait on Hanna to make sure she is decent. When she comes back down the stairs she has on some boot cut jeans with a short sleeve Nike shirt.
“That’s better! So much better.” I tell her.
“If you say so.” she growls.
Chapter 11
The rest of the week goes by fast. Thankfully it also goes by uneventful. When Friday rolls around I am so anxious about the race tonight I can barely stand myself. Harley and Laylin are chatting away as I fidget with my lunch. My nerves are through the fuckin’ roof. I glance across the room at Axel, who is half asleep. I smirk and turn my attention back to shoving my food around my tray. After lunch I try and focus in the rest of my classes, but that is proven quiet difficult with the amount of adrenaline running through my body. I haven’t been this excited in a long time. First race in a new place. New competition. Maybe this movie won't be complete shit after all. From what Laylin told me the guy Zed has heard of me or at least heard of a driver out of Ohio who is supposed to be something else. O I cannot wait to see the look on their faces when they find out I’m a chic. It’s always quite amusing. After mom died her brother, my uncle Jack, helped me rebuild the car she bought to race. He taught me to drive and helped me get into street racing. I live for that shit. The adrenaline gets me. When Uncle Jack died Dad tried to sell my car saying I didn’t need a car. I fought and of course I got my ass beat, but I kept fighting. Uncle Jack left it to me and the title was transferred in my name so Dad can’t sell it. Uncle Jack made sure the insurance was taken care of until I graduate and left a stipend for me to use for the taxes on it each year. He left Hanna and Harley some cash that they don’t get until they graduate high school. He knew Dad was a jackass and he made arrangements to ensure Dad couldn’t touch any of it. He always wanted my sisters to know that if they wanted to go to college they had that option. Me, ha, he knew if I graduated high school he’d be lucky, but he still left a little something for the day I turn eighteen. Back to racing, he was with me for my first three races and in those I made over twenty thousand dollars. He put the money in an account that I keep hidden from my father and all the money I win goes there. I only pull from it when my sisters or I need something and the ass want provide like a father should. I’ve got a nice little stash and if I need to get me and my sisters away from him I can and I’d be fine. I’d rather not take that route, but will if I absolutely have to.
The rest of school flies by and before I know it I’m out the door and headed to my car. Before I get their Moose stops me and says, “You and Harley wanna do something with us tonight?”
I look at him oddly and say, “Like...what?”
“Well, you see there’s this thing that we do on the weekends and we’d like to who you guys around and what it means to be from Anniston.” he says.
“Okay, but what is it?” I ask.
“Street racing.” He says smirking.
O my God. They street race. I should have fuckin’ known by their cars. “Can I drive and meet you there?”
He smiles and says, “Fuck yeah! You girls are going to love this.”
“I’m sure we will.” I say smirking. As he goes to walk away I stop him, “Hey Moose, Do you think Hanna can hang out with Misty until we get home?”
He smiles and says, “Sure, but let's make it a sleep over because we will definitely be late.”
I nod and turn back to my car where Harley and to my dismay Laylin are climbing in. “What the fuck am I? A taxi.”
Harley laughs and says, “Of course! Laylin is going to go with us tonight, you cool with that?”
“I don’t give a shit as long as she knows she is responsible for herself and she didn’t get there with me if she gets grabbed by the cops.” I say bluntly.
“What did Moose want?” Laylin asked.
“Well you see they do this thing on the weekends and they wanted Harley and I to go with them!” I say smirking.
“And what is that?” Harley askes ignorantly.
Laylin busts out laughing and says, “They have no fuckin’ clue do they?”
Harley has a blank look on her face like she was missing something. “Can someone let me in on the secret.”
I laugh and say, “Street Racing Harley street racing. They race and they have no idea that I’m their competition.”
A huge grin spreads across Harley’s face and she says, “Boy do they have a surprise coming! What are we doing with Hanna tonight? She is not going that's for sure, she complained at the last one we took her to til I just left and took her home.”
“Sleepover with Misty.” I tell her turning the music up. I pull into the drive and Dad’s truck is in the drive. He is sitting half in half out of the truck. When we pull up we all climb out at the same time. Harley and Laylin quickly go inside avoiding Dad. Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t quite fast enough.
“Who the fuck is Hanna riding around with?” he yells.
“She’s friends with the neighbor’s kids and she rides with them to and from school.” I say trying to keep my emotions at bay. I can see the blue mustang pulling into the driveway next door in my peripheral.
Dad grabs me by the front of my shirt shoving me against my car, “I didn’t give you permission to let your sister ride with anyone.”
My breathing is becoming harder and harder. I can feel the panic attack coming on stronger and stronger. I don’t say anything and he just keeps yelling. I see his hand fly out and the rest of what happens is a blur. Harley screams, “Dad noooo!” and his hand connects with my cheek. He raises his hand again and before he can hit me again someone grabs his hand and growls, “Enough!”
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Dad yells.
“Axel! My name is Axel and you work for my father.” Axel says angrily.
Dad’s eyes go wide and he turns to walk to his truck, but turns back, “We aren’t finished!”
Axel steps between us and growls, “O but you will be if you lay another hand on her.”
Dad’s eyes widen a little more and he climbs in the truck squealing the tires as he pulls out of the drive.
Axel looks to me and I’m unable to say anything. I’m taking deep breaths and trying to breathe when Harley and Laylin rush to my side. Axel moves closer and lifts my chin so I’m looking at him, but my eyes are glassed over.
Harley says, “She’s having a panic attack. She used to have them all the time when Mom first past away, but it’s
been a long time since she’s had one.”
Axel draws my attention to him and says, “Look at me. I’m going to need you to breathe okay. Can you suck in a deep breath?”
I try and it comes out in short breathes.
He smiles and says, “That’s good, but try to take a bigger breath. Like this,” He sucks in a deep breath and slowly breathes it out.
I do it a couple of times.
Harley says, “It’s working. She’s breathing better.”
Axel looks at me and says, “Better?” I nod.
“Good.” he says leaning in and capturing my lips in a life altering kiss.
I can hear Harley and Laylin snickering, but then the background noise fades away. Just as he starts to deepen the kiss Harley steps forward and pushes between us. “Alright lover boy, she’s breathing and we need to go get ready for this race tonight!”
Our eyes haven’t left each others since she pushed us apart. He finally blinks and reaches up turning my head to the side to inspect my cheek. “Put some ice on that!” Then he turns and hops the fence where Moose is quietly waiting. I have no doubt he saw what happened and if he's anything like Harley he will give Axel shit for what just happened.
Chapter 12
Axel
“What the fuck was that?” Cass asks.
“Yea, what was that?” Moose says snickering.
“What was what?” I ask trying to avoid the thousand questions I knew was coming.
“You just threw Dads name around to keep her from getting her ass kicked by her old man. You fuckin’ hate Dad. Would you really go to him?” Cass asks.
“Oooo you heard that.” I say.
“Loud and clear.” he groans.
I blow out a breath and say, “No I wouldn’t go to Dad, but I would go to Drake. You know how he feels about that sort of thing. I knew that guy worked for Dad and I knew he wouldn’t want to piss Dad off by fuckin’ with one of his kids so I used that to my advantage.”
“Good because I would disown you if you got drug back into that shit. Dad’s a crook and not the kind that’s going to help this place. Not like Drake.” Cass says.
Moose smirks and says, “I wanna know what was up with that kiss?”
“Kiss?” Cass says.
Moose laughs and says, “O yeah. It was pretty hot too. You walked inside and Romeo here stole a kiss from Harlow.”
Cass’s eyes go wide and he starts to say something, but I cut him off. “Do not make a big deal about this shit Cass.” His lips open and close and then he finally says, “Don’t do something you’re going to regret. You are missing the flashing sign over her head that says TROUBLE.”
I have to smirk at that. “We are the sons of the devil himself, I think I can handle a little trouble.”
Moose starts laughing.
********************************************************************************* We pulled out of the drive ten minutes ago heading out to race. I haven’t said much since we got home from school. My adrenaline has worn off since Dad left and I just want to hide somewhere. I know once I race I will feel a thousand times better, but I have to get there without letting the panic in my stomach rise. I was good until the shit with Dad happened today. I’m antsy and anxious. Harley reaches forward and taps my shoulder, “You good Low?”
All I can do is nod. We pull up to a place way off the normal roads. There are cars lining up beside the road and people standing everywhere. Wow, they sure do draw a crowd.
“You’re gonna wanna line up over there to race.” Laylin says.
I do as she says and we climb from the car. The guys and Jessi walk over and and Jessi comes to stand beside me. “You good girl?”
I nod and turn my attention to the track. When they announce Moose versus Ohio I nearly shit a brick. I had to race Moose. What the fuck? I slipped off and climb in my car. I let Moose pull up first and then I ease forward with my car. When I line up against Moose he knows exactly who I am even though my windows are tinted nearly as dark as the paint on my car. He’s seen this car enough in the last couple of weeks to recognize it. His smirk flattens for a moment, but then the corner of his mouth tips up in a grin. He thinks he’s got me.
*********************************************************************************
Cass says, “Ummmm where did you guys move from?”
Harley smirks and says, “Ohio!”
As soon as she says it my eyes fly to the track where Moose is lined up beside Harlow’s sweet ass Nova. “What the fuck?”
Harley grins and says, “Let me guess.. You guys assume Ohio was a Dude? Big mistake. Bigger mistake, assuming this will be an easy win.”
Cass looks at her and back to the track and says, “Is is sad to say this just gave me a boner?”
Everyone busts out laughing and I lightly punch Cass in the shoulder. I should have fuckin’ known. The way she babies that fuckin’ car. Always fiddling with it. Same bimbo from last week struts up between the car trying to see who is in the Nova. I smirk, she’s going to die when she finds out it's a chic.
“This the newbie?” Drake asks waking up beside me.
“Yep.” I say popping the p.
“Nice ride.” he says watching as they prepare.
“Ooo yea.” I say not trying to give the surprise away.
“Think he’s any good?” He asks.
I smirk, “We’re fixing to find out.”
The flagger moves them forward and holds the flag in the air. The engines are revved and when she drops her arms, they are out of there like a streak of lightning. Moose is in the lead, but within seconds she pulls even with him. Within the next second she is pulling ahead of him. Moose tries to keep up, but she pulls ahead and holds the front until the finish line. They slow and pull back to park and people are going wild because the newbie beat the number two driver.
“Damn he’s good.” Drake says.
I laugh and say, “Yeah! Let's go meet this driver.”
We walk over and the door to the Nova pops open and Harley and Laylin are at the door pulling her out. When she stands and everyone sees its a girl they go wild. Moose pulls in next to her and jumps out laughing. He grabs her in a hug and spins her around. “Aren’t you just full of surprises.”
When Drake’s eyes land on her face I swear he turned white. His mouth falls slightly open and he says, “She’s… She’s…”
I smirk and say, “She’s good. Really good. I think I’ve finally got some competition.”
“You know her?” Drake askes.
I nod and say, “Yeah, she’s my neighbor. I didn’t know she was Ohio until they were lining up to race.”
Drake nods, “Well introduce me.”
We walk over and smiling I say, “Harlow, this is Drake, my...my friend.”
He reaches out his hand to shake hers, but she doesn’t take his. He pulls his hand back unphased and says, “I’m Drake King. I have to say you’re good. You give my boy Moose a run for his money.”
She smirks and says, “I did my best.”
“Where are you from?” he asks.
She was a bit uncomfortable, but she didn’t want to be rude so she answered, “A little of everywhere. I grew up in California, but when my mom died, my Dad moved us around a lot.”
Drake nods, “Your parents from around here?”
I notice she’s becoming more and more anxious, but she answers, “My Dad was from California, but my mom was from somewhere here in Alabama. Her and my uncle Jack raced around Alabama until…. Until…”
Drake touches her arm and she looks like she is going to hurl. “It’s ok.” She looks up at him and then to Harley who is watching protectively over her sister. “Our mom got hooked on heroin before she got pregnant with Harlow and Uncle Jack made her stop racing. She OD’d a while back.” Harley says.
Harlow says, “That's enough Harley.” and Harley seals her lips.
Cass throws his arms around Harley and Laylin, “Well are we going to party of what?
”
The girls giggle and I notice Harlow staring at Drake. When Harley and Laylin climb into her car she turns. Moose leans down and says, “You can follow us.” She nods.
They pull out following Moose. Drake pulls me to the side. “I need you to do me a solid kid?”
I lift my eyebrows and say, “What’s that Drake?”
“Find out everything you can find out about her and her family.” Drake says.
I look at him curiously, “Why?”
Drake drops his head and says, “It’s a long story, but I believe that girl might be my daughter.”
I felt floored. “What ...how… but her Dad….”
Drake tenses and says, “What?”
I say “He works for Marcus and he beats the shit out of her. I stepped in to try and help, but I’m pretty sure she takes the beatings for her and her two sisters.”
Anger flashes through Drake’s eyes and he says, “Just find out her mother’s name and let me know. I’ll handle the rest.” He walked away with a purpose.
Chapter 13
“Welcome Ladies!” a guy says answering the door.
Laylin pats his cheek and says, “Stop trying so hard dude!” as she walked by him.
Harley grins at him as she passes and I just make sure to get by without him touching me. Cass and Moose follow us in and we stop while Cass introduces us to the guy, “Harley, Harlow, this is Trad! He throws ninety percent of the parties around here. He’s cool!”
Harley grins and does her flirting thing talking real sweet to the guy. He looks between the two of us and asked, “Which one of you is the badass driver?” Harley laughs and Moose steps forward and says, “Easy there Romeo, she’s spoken for.”
My head flies around and he shrugs as he passes ushering everyone into the kitchen where he proceeds to fix everyone a mixed drink. Cass says, “One rule! Don’t accept drinks from anyone except us if you didn’t see it made.”
Trad nods and says, “Not every guy here is as honest as the ones in this group right here.”
My eyebrow raises and I being the smartass I am, “Oh so we should only trust you guys then huh?”