Redeemed (Dirty Air Series Book 4)

by Lauren Asher

  Maya laughs nervously. “Oh no. Don’t worry about it. We can scratch the vlog and go eat an early dinner instead with Mom and Dad.”

  I lift a brow. “Are you afraid I’ll beat your husband? I know he’s old and all but have a little faith in him.”

  Chloe stares up at me with her lips parted. I’m tempted to kiss the look of surprise off her face, but I refrain. Just because I can’t drive an F1 car anymore doesn’t mean I can’t race against Noah like the old days in a normal sports car like this one. I’ve practiced with similar cars I own over the past couple of years.

  “If you beat me, I’ve clearly lost my touch.” Noah holds out his palm for me to shake.

  “May the best man win.” I grab onto his extended hand and squeeze.

  “I need to go grab my spare camera and car mount! I’ll be right back!” Maya runs off, rambling to herself in Spanish.

  “I’ll grab the keys from the office.” Noah walks off.

  I walk up to the Bandini car and run my finger across the hood. It’s been years since I’ve ridden in this kind of sports car. One meant to break every speed limit and look good doing it.

  My eyes shut as I imagine the purr of the engine, revving as I press down on the throttle. Uneasiness trickles up my spine at the thought of speeding down a track at neck-breaking speeds. My hand falters, slipping on the hood.

  “You didn’t have to save me back there. I could’ve done an interview with your sister.” Chloe places her hand on top of mine. An energizing sensation replaces the coldness from my earlier thoughts.

  “And risk you making up terrible stories about me to old fans? I can imagine the outrage already.”

  “I’d only take it to a certain level.”

  “And what level is that?” My voice drops as I prop my ass against the hood and spread my legs. I grab onto her hips and turn her toward me, securing her in front of me.

  “Oh, I don’t know.” She looks up at the sky. “I’d only reveal a skeleton or two about you.”

  “Please, by all means, share what you had in mind. I’m curious what dirty secrets you’ve picked up on during our few weeks together.”

  “You’re a blanket hog.” She smiles in a way that snatches the oxygen straight from my lungs. Fuck. It’s like my body can’t keep it together around her.

  “Am not.”

  “Are to. I almost froze to death last night. You left me with the smallest corner that could barely keep my feet warm, let alone my body.”

  I chuckle. “Well, that explains why you were cuddled up to me this morning.”

  She shrugs. “I did try to warn you.”

  I nod, failing to hide my smile.

  She scrunches her nose in distaste. “Well, now that we’re here listing flaws—you snore. Loudly, I might add.”

  I throw my head back and laugh. “Now I know you’re just saying that to get a rise out of me.”

  “Is it working?” She places a palm against my shaking chest. The heat of her hand makes me shudder.

  I want to test her touch in a different circumstance, preferably with no one else around.

  “You’ll have to do a lot more than that to get me ruffled.”

  “Oh, I have some ideas—”

  “Ready?” Noah calls out.

  Chloe winces as my hands squeeze her hips. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.” Her voice is nothing but a whisper in the wind.

  I shake my head, hoping to wipe the worry from her eyes. “I was born for this.”

  “I’m going to join Noah in his car. Chloe, if you want to stay in the pit area, we’ll be done quick!” Maya focuses on setting up the camera in my car.

  “Wait, you’re going with him?” Chloe’s eyes bounce between Maya and Noah.

  “Of course! It’s so much fun.” My sister beams.

  “Oh.” Chloe looks up at me with bright eyes, making something in my chest tighten like a coil. “Can I go with you? If you don’t mind that is?”

  “Sure.”

  Except I’m very unsure about the whole thing once I take a seat in the car. The fresh leather smell does little to calm my racing heart, and my stomach churns at the purr of the engine starting up. Chloe tugs her helmet on before securing herself in a protective harness.

  I stare at the steering wheel, my fist tightening around the leather to stop my hands from trembling. My breaths become shallower as thoughts plague my head.

  What if I lose control?

  What if I crash and hurt Chloe in the process?

  What if I—

  “What do you think of us placing a bet?” Chloe grabs onto my clenched hand and releases my fingers one by one from the wheel. She links our hands, holding mine hostage.

  I focus on her touch rather than the panic building up inside of me, settling deep within my bones. “A bet?” I croak.

  “A bet. I bet Noah beats you.”

  “You’re betting against me?” The audacity of this woman. To think I invited her to a weekend of torture and free alcohol.

  “Of course. Noah is the reigning champion and all.” She smiles tauntingly.

  “What do you win if I lose to my brother-in-law?”

  “Hmm. If I win, I get to give you a blowjob.”

  The breath I take turns into a fit of coughs. “What?” Maybe it’s worth losing for that prize alone. But Noah would gloat for days, and I’m not sure any blowjob is worth that special kind of torment.

  “Did you hear me okay or are you woozy from the blood relocating itself from your brain to your dick?”

  What is it about this girl that has me constantly breaking out deep belly laughs?

  She squeezes my hand. “So, is that a yes?”

  “Sure, Chloe.”

  “And what do you want? If you win that is?”

  I want to wipe that smug grin off her face. “When I win, I get to go down on you whenever I want.”

  “Whenever?” She wheezes.

  “Whenever I want. Whichever way I want. What do you say? Let’s make a bet.”

  “Deal.” She shakes our already clasped hands up and down.

  I push aside my worries because I have a new goal. Beating Noah wasn’t enough. Beating Noah while securing a hookup with Chloe has my skin buzzing with a different kind of excitement. One I allow to feed my adrenaline rush.

  This is just like driving your other cars. You’ve practiced these exact moves with your leg before.

  Noah and I drive up to the checkered line.

  My sister lowers her window and waves from the passenger seat. She presses a button on a remote, and the red light from the camera on our dashboard flashes on and off. “The camera is filming. The first person past the finish line after ten laps wins.”

  “Good luck,” Noah calls out.

  “See you in my rearview mirror.” I rev the engine once, letting the rumbling soak into me. Energy crackles around me as my confidence grows.

  And at the end of Maya’s countdown, I surge down the racetrack with Chloe screaming beside me. Tires squeal in protest as Noah and I rush side by side across the pavement. My heart threatens to pop out of my chest, and my hands tremble from the fresh rush of adrenaline.

  “Oh my fucking God, this is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done!” Chloe cries out.

  “Oh, Chloe. If this is the stupidest, you’re clearly not living.” I look over at her, smiling at her.

  She’s always been beautiful. But her by my side while I battle my demons? It’s a look that can’t compare.

  “Focus on the damn road!”

  “I’m confused. Did you expect me to go slow?” I push against the accelerator, surging past Noah’s car and cutting him off. I press my foot on the brake and smoke billows from the tires.

  “Oh, God. I’m sorry I don’t pray to you enough, but now is the best time. Please don’t let me die.” She presses her palms together.

  I chuckle, switching gears to match the curves and straights of the track. “You’ll only die when my tongue is fuckin
g you into oblivion. I promise.”

  “We are on camera!” Chloe’s waves at my sister’s vlog gear.

  “Don’t worry. My sister has someone who edits her videos.”

  “How is that a good excuse?”

  I laugh, ignoring her.

  Noah zooms past my car at the next straight, pushing me to outsmart him. Back and forth, we fight for first place within the second lap of the race. Every muscle in my body tightens as I force the car to its limit.

  I don’t have time to second-guess myself, let alone worry about crashing at high speeds.

  “I hate you!” Chloe screams again as I turn sharply, the car’s tires locking in submission. We drift, leaving behind another plume of smoke.

  Laughter explodes out of me. “Have fun with me.”

  “I’ll have fun once you lose this damn race!” she shrieks.

  “Is that a challenge?”

  “It’s a fact.”

  “Cute little Chloe taunting me.” I press on the accelerator, forcing Noah into second place as I pass him once again.

  She looks away, failing at hiding her smile. Interesting. She is enjoying herself. The little criminal is a pretty good faker after all.

  After a few laps, Chloe’s squeals shift from fear to enjoyment. Her reactions push me harder to drift at curbs and force the car to a new breaking point.

  It hits me out of nowhere that I’m having fun. For the first time in the longest time, I’m enjoying myself while driving. It’s such a damn good time, I don’t avoid hitting almost one-hundred and seventy miles per hour. It’s the fastest I’ve gone since I was in an F1 car racing.

  The real deal feels intoxicating. I forgot how much I was obsessed with the speed and adrenaline. It’s like a shot of excitement to the veins, with my heart pumping fast in my chest. Anything I’ve done since my accident to replace this feeling is only a cheap imitation. I love it. I miss it. And I absolutely want more of it.

  Racing today didn’t diminish my need, it created a new one. I cross the finish line with the biggest grin plastered across my face.

  “You won!” She lifts her arms in the air and laughs.

  “Fuck yeah!” I smack my palm into the steering wheel, grinning as I stop the car.

  She laughs as she removes her helmet. Her dark hair is a mess of waves and loose strands.

  I tug on a piece. “You shouldn’t have doubted me.”

  “I never did.”

  “Then why make a bet in the first place?”

  “Because how can you focus on being anxious if you’re too focused on winning something you want?”

  My gaze darkens as I focus on her lips. “I won more than a race today.”

  She winks. “And don’t you forget it.”

  If I didn’t already know I liked this girl, today would’ve sealed the deal.

  27

  Chloe

  “Good morning.” Santiago’s rough voice greets me as I exit the room. He sits on the hotel room’s couch, shirtless while reading on an iPad.

  How does he always wake up way before me?

  I scan his upper body, my eyes getting stuck on ridges of muscles across his stomach. Good God. I’ve never met a guy who actually looks like he belongs on a magazine cover until now. I cough, recovering from my perusal. “Did your shirt get lost somewhere?”

  He chuckles. “I don’t sleep with one.”

  “Well, you can always wake up with one.”

  His smile expands. “And miss the look on your face as you check me out? What kind of man do you take me for?”

  “Are you sure you want to hear my answer?”

  He laughs. “Maybe it’s best I don’t.”

  “Good choice.” I grin.

  “So, I have a surprise.”

  My smile disappears. “No.”

  “Hear me out.”

  “I don’t do surprises. Ever.”

  “How about if it involves shopping?”

  “Especially if it involves shopping.”

  He dares to laugh. “I’m sorry then. Really I am. But my sister and mom want to take you shopping for a dress for the gala tonight.”

  “Ugh.” I throw myself dramatically on the couch. My legs flop over his thighs, and he secures them to his lap.

  “I tried to talk them out of the plan, but they’re pretty dead set on it.”

  “You’re throwing me to the wolves on day two!”

  “I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t think you could handle it.”

  “Right. And let me guess. You’re not coming with.”

  He frowns. “I could if you want me to. It’s just that I never go shopping with them, and they seem excited to have some time alone with you.”

  “This is a disaster in the making. They’ll figure out our ruse in an hour or less.”

  Santiago shakes his head, trying to hide his smug grin. “No. They’ll be focused on you and shopping that they won’t notice anything amiss.”

  “Anything I make up about you in front of your family is your own fault.”

  “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. The more outrageous, the better.”

  “Oh, I plan on it. I’ll start with how you secretly love frilly bath bombs.” I smirk.

  “If they ask, please only recommend the kind that smell like lavender or citrus. Anything else makes my skin itchy.”

  While the grumpy version of him was tolerable, a joking Santiago is rather addictive. One so beautifully toxic, I wouldn’t mind overdosing from the experience.

  I feel like the biggest fraud, clutching a glass of champagne as we walk through a luxurious store with a name I can’t pronounce. My scuffed-up sneakers squeak every time I move across the marble flooring.

  We’ve bounced between stores, with Santiago’s mom, who asked me to call her Daniela. She spent the whole morning sharing funny stories about her son while Maya talked him up like a contestant on a love show. It’s not as if I need someone to convince me Santiago is a standup guy. I’ve seen it with my own two eyes and it’s not exactly something I’ll forget anytime soon.

  “What about this one?” Maya hands me a silky dress. The material feels lush and unlike anything I own.

  I sneak a peek at the price tag and nearly have a stroke. This dress is worth more than my rent for a month.

  “Do you not like it?” Maya’s smile drops.

  Why does she have to be this wonderful and kind? Can’t she have a flaw that would make it easier to run out the door and never look back?

  I stutter. “Uhm...no. It looks gorgeous, don’t get me wrong, but…”

  “Is it the price? Don’t worry about it. Santiago slipped me his Amex before we left the hotel.”

  “He did what?” The first lines of Pretty Woman blast in my head as my stomach twists into a tight knot.

  “He said to pick out the prettiest dress for you or else he won’t attend the gala tonight. I took it as a challenge.”

  “That’s so...sweet,” I choke out.

  “I don’t think I’ve seen my son this enamored by someone before.” Santiago’s mom winks at me. Her brown eyes have a lightness to them I can’t ignore.

  Either we’re amazing at faking this relationship or everyone wants to desperately believe Santiago is genuinely happy.

  “Oh.” That’s all I can muster up. The guy offered to pay for my dress for God’s sake and all I can say is oh. I’m slipping into extremely dangerous territory around him. It’s the kind of treacherous waters a girl can drown in if she’s not careful.

  A dress on the mannequin at the front of the store window catches my eye. The black material shines under the spotlights, making thousands of crystals appear like they’re moving. Long sleeves balance the severity of the open back. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a piece of clothing as stunning as that. It’s as if the designer captured an illusion of moonlight reflecting off the glittering ocean at midnight.

  “Oh, just look at your eyes light up!” Maya calls out to the employee who helps us. “We need
that dress, please.”

  “What? I like the one you picked out!” I stumble over my words.

  “But you love that one.” Maya waggles her brows.

  Based on the how dress is part of the storefront display, it must cost way more than the one I hold in my shaky hand. It makes me sick to purchase something like that on someone else’s dime. I don’t even see a price tag on it which only means one thing.

  “Don’t bother saying no. When my daughter sets her mind on something, come hell or high water, she is getting her way,” Santiago’s mom offers.

  Maya plucks the dress she chose from my hands. She gently pushes me into a dressing room and the store attendant passes me the black dress.

  I can’t walk out of the store with this. How could I live with myself when I was barely making enough to cover my rent last month?

  I pull out my phone and text Santiago.

  Me: Please tell me you didn’t tell your sister that you wouldn’t go to the gala if she didn’t buy me a pretty dress.

  Santiago: Can I plead the fifth?

  Me: Seeing as you’re not American and you don’t follow the Constitution, the answer is no!

  Me: Seriously. I can’t let you pay for something this expensive. Tell your sister to take me to a Zara or something a little more on par with my budget.

  Santiago: But I’m scared of her. Why don’t you tell her since you’re the one opposing this in the first place?

  Me: You’re afraid of your sister? I wish I could choke you through the phone.

  Santiago: Is that your kink? You really are quite the surprise.

  I snort.

  Santiago: And yes I’m afraid of my sister. She might be small but she’s scrappy. I wouldn’t mess with her. The one time I tried, she shaved my head in the middle of the night as payback.

  Me: You’re the most infuriating person I’ve ever met.

  Santiago: Replace infuriating with kindest and you have yourself a compliment. Try it with me. Things like this take practice.