Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Epilogue
Books by Victoria Ashley
Acknowledgments
About the Author
To Lindsey King for believing in Easton and
Dakota’s story from the very beginning. Thank
you.
“Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi
“I Found” by Amber Run
“Oceans” by Seafret
“Waves” by Dean Lewis
“No Answers” by Amber Run
“Mercy” by Brett Young
“Scars” by James Bay
“Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol
“Sex on Fire” by Kings of Leon
“No One’s Going to Love You” by Band Of Horses
“Hold Back the River” by James Bay
“The Other Side” by Ruelle
“Love Someone” by Lukas Graham
“Believe” by Mumford & Sons
“Enter Sandman” by Metallica
“Fade” by Lewis Capaldi
Dakota
The heat in the room is suffocating me, making it
nearly impossible to fully concentrate on the task in
front of me.
With every single move, I feel the sweat
pouring down my body, making me more
uncomfortable and irritable with each passing
second. I’m close to losing it. This jumpsuit has to
go. I’ve tried, but I just can’t do it. I won’t
anymore.
Stepping away from the Yamaha I’ve been
working on, I fight for air and begin stripping the
hot fabric from my body as if it’s on fire.
I feel two sets of eyes burn into me as soon as
the ugly brown suit hits the floor. I kick it out of the
way with a relieved breath.
I’ve been working here at Brooks’ Garage for
three years now. It’s my family’s business, and as
one could guess, I’m the only female mechanic in a
shop full of dirty, sweaty men.
Eyes wander my way eighty percent of the
time, which is exactly why my father is
continuously asking me to keep that heat-stroke-
waiting-to-happen uniform on to keep them
focused on their duties. He claims that me not
wearing it slows them down and things don’t get
done to the best of their abilities.
Seeing Talon and Mitch both staring extra hard
at me now that I’m down to my jeans and old tank
top, I can’t argue that.
“Stop staring at my ass.” I call them both out
without even bothering to look. “It’s because of
you perverts I’m stuck wearing that hideous thing
to begin with.”
“I agree.” Reese’s voice comes from behind
me, making me jump, scaring me a little. “It’s one
hundred percent our faults and not yours at all for
wearing something that fits you so… good.” He
steps to my side to watch me work, looking a bit
flustered. “I definitely agree with your father’s
order to keep the jumpsuit on, Dakota. Maybe you
should listen.”
I look up at Reese’s red face as he waits to see
what crazy crap will come out of my mouth today.
Those dimples need to stop being so cute. They
almost make me want to break my rules of no
dating my father’s mechanics. Normally, a guy like
Reese—short, blond hair, perfectly shaven face,
well dressed—would be too clean cut and pretty for
my taste, but covered in grease and looking rough
and dirty, he’s pretty cute; even I have to admit.
“I’m mad at you too then. I hate that thing so
you guys will just have to learn to stop staring.” I
stop what I’m doing and look up at him watching
me. “You just came from the office. The old man
still here? It’s late.”
“Yeah. Asked me to tell you to stop by before
you leave.” His blue eyes look me over with
admiration, but as usual, he doesn’t say anything to
give away what he’s thinking. “I think you’re in
trouble, again. That’s what… the third time this
week?”
“Possibly.” I toss the torque wrench into the
toolbox and stand up, cleaning my hands off on my
ripped-up jeans. “How much trouble?” I question
with a small smile.
“Can’t tell this time.” His focus lowers to my
breasts when I turn back around to face him. He’s
quick to pull his gaze away, afraid of me catching
him. “Might want to put your jumpsuit back on,
though, Dakota. Like you said… we can’t control
our staring. I’m not trying to get into trouble like
the others.”
Stepping up to him, I grab the back of his head
and pull it down so I can whisper in his ear. He
always gets nervous when we’re this close, afraid
of pissing my father off. It’s kind of cute and fun.
“That’s a shame. I like them bad, Reese. You
should try to break the rules once in a while. You
might like it.”
“Dakota!” My father’s tired voice booms over
the speaker, causing Reese to jerk away from me
and put some space between us. “I need you in my
office.”
My stomach drops from the tone in his voice.
He’s in one of his moods.
“You should really stop being such a rebel,
Dakota.” Talon laughs from his spot in front of his
Yamaha R1 he’s been working on all day, before
bringing his attention over to Reese. “And you
really need to grow a fucking pair. You jumped
away from her as if your dick was on fire the
second you heard Kevin’s voice.”
“Fuck off,” Reese mumbles, while walking
away. “It’s been a long day. I don’t want to listen to
your crap.”
Leaving the boys to work out their bickering, I
exit the room and make a right down the hallway,
toward my father’s office.
The second I step inside, he looks up from a
stack of invoices and gives me a stern look.
“Dammit, Dakota. Is that why my guys are working
slow? Where’s the new jumpsuit I ordered you? I’m
not paying them to stand around and stare at my
daughter all day.”
“I was about to die from a heatstroke, so I took
it off. Besides, I’m done for the day. It’s ten past
seven.” I shut the door and sit down in the chair
across from him, reaching under the desk for my
leather boots. “Is that why you called me in here?
Or does it have to do with that fancy stack of
invoices you’re throwing around?” I ask while
changing into them.
He tosses one in front of me and releases a
frustrated breath. I just hope he makes this short,
because I’m already running late to watch the race.
“You gave a twenty percent discount on a two-
grand job without asking me first. This is a business.
We don’t just hand out discounts to our friends. I
thought we’ve been over this. It has to stop,
Dakota.”
“It wasn’t a friend,” I point out, prepared to
defend my actions. “It was Ms. Rogers. She came
in to fix up her late husband’s bike to give to her
son Zeke. It needed a lot more work than I
originally told her, and she barely had the money to
pay it.”
My chest tightens just thinking about Ms.
Rogers’ face when she thought she wouldn’t be
able to afford the bill. That bike meant a lot to her,
and I could feel it with every word that left her
mouth that day. She was close to breaking down. “I
wasn’t about to let her spend money she couldn’t
afford to spare, and there was no way I was
keeping the bike as collateral until she paid. I’ll pay
the twenty percent out of my own pocket. I made
the decision, so it’s on me.”
My father’s blue eyes soften, and I can tell right
away he’s thinking about Quinn and how he did
everything in his power to honor her after she died.
It’s been three years since we lost my sister, but not
a day goes by we don’t all miss her. Losing
someone you love is never easy. There’s an ache in
my chest—this void—that will never go away.
“No. I’m not going to make you pay for it out
of pocket.” He tosses the receipts into a drawer and
then runs his hands through his blond hair. I can tell
he’s torn on how to handle me now. “Next time just
tell me, please. That’s all I ask.” He looks up at me,
his jaw tight. “I hate being so hard on you, but you
haven’t followed the rules since you were a little
girl in pigtails. I need to know you’re not just
throwing money away. The business depends on it.”
“I’m not.” I stand up and reach for my leather
jacket, ready to get out of this stuffy office and
unwind. “Sorry I didn’t tell you. I did what I
thought was right at the time. Then I got busy and
forgot.”
“You may put up the biggest wall out of all my
children, but I know your heart, Dakota. It’s in the
right place.” He nods his head and stands up,
reaching for the keys to his Chopper. “I need to
hurry home. Your mother has dinner waiting and
you know she’ll have my ass if it gets cold. You
sure you don’t want to join us? Your brother can’t
make it, so it’ll just be your mother and me. We
could use the company.”
I shake my head and reach for my phone as it
goes off in my back pocket. It’s Hope, as expected,
so I send her a quick text to let her know I’m on the
way. “Can’t. Busy. Roman will be there too and
I’m already running late.”
He tiredly ushers me out of the office and locks
it up behind us. “Right. Oh, and I forgot to tell you,
I have a new mechanic starting on Monday.” He
gives me a pleading look and I know what’s coming
next. “Promise me you won’t give him a hard time.
I have enough shit to deal with.”
“I’ll think about it,” I respond, while walking in
the opposite direction. “Maybe.”
“Dakota,” he scolds.
“Maybe is a good thing from me. You should
know this by now.” I smile and turn away, slipping
my favorite leather jacket on. “Tell Mom I love her,
and I’ll come to dinner one night next week. Cross
my heart.”
Dad mumbles something from behind me, but I
keep on walking until I’m out the back door,
heading toward my motorcycle.
Less than fifteen minutes later, I pull up at
Myers’ Speedway and park my bike in the first
available spot. The parking lot is already full of cars
and bikes as expected. I’m the last person to show
up, which sucks for me and my wallet.
While taking my helmet off, I spot Roman
leaning against his black GMC Yukon, looking chill
and relaxed, as if he’s not in a hurry to get to the
bleachers when I know damn well he is. He always
is.
He nods his head at me in his cool Roman
fashion and flicks his cigarette on the ground,
before reaching on his hood for a stack of pizza
boxes.
“A little late, baby sis. Looks like you’re the
pizza bitch next time.”
I grin and grab the top four boxes from the
stack. Apparently, he was late last time, which
made him the pizza bitch tonight. “Had a lot of
work to do at the garage today. But I’m here and
ready to see a race. Please tell me we have some
decent riders this time. Is Ben racing?”
“Yup.” My brother is the one grinning now,
flashing me his handsome smile as he passes me
and begins walking backward. “Looks like Ben will
have some competition this time. Sort of a secret
weapon. There will be nothing boring about this
fucking night. Trust me.”
My heart races with adrenaline as we hurry
through the gates and drop the pizza off in section
A, before rushing over to section B where everyone
is seated, talking about the racers.
“Secret weapon, huh?” I brush past my brother
and take a seat in row two. “Who is it? You can’t
just say that and not give me a name.”
“You’ll see. All you need to know is he’s good
and he’s going to win tonight.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
The five riders are getting some practice rounds
in, so I focus my attention on Ben Logan for the
next twenty minutes. My brother may be bragging
about this secret weapon that’s racing tonight, but
it’s been years since I’ve seen anyone as good as
Ben Logan.
Hope pops up from behind us and squeezes in
between my bother at I. “Excuse me. Make room
for me.”
Roman lifts a brow and pats his lap. “You
could’ve had the best seat in the house. Maybe
next time.” He stands up and starts stepping
through people to get up to the fifth row.
Hope’s eyes follow him all the way up, until he
takes a seat with his group of friends and winks
down at her.
I’ve been friends with Hope since we were ten.
Even though Roman won’t admit it, I know he has
a thing for her. His occasional flirting gives him
away. But he believes that dating each other’s
friends complicates things.
Not sure I disagree. Therefore, I stay away
from his friends. Not that any of them interest me.
Not anymore, anyway.
I can’t say the same about my friends wanting
to stay away from my brother. Every girl wants
Roman Brooks. I’ve yet to meet a girl who doesn’t.
“Would it be wrong for me to tell you how your
brother looks completely hot in those worn-out
jeans?” Hope bumps my arm and laughs when I roll
my eyes in disapproval. “Sorry, but it’s true. He has
the perfect ass, and he’s just so, I don’t know…”
She shrugs. “Cool. Without even trying.”
Hope’s family owns the racetrack, so we’ve
gotten away with holding races after hours here for
amateur drivers looking to have a little fun in
between the professional races. They used to get on
us about them and even break them up, but they
eventually gave up and learned to trust us.
It’s an excuse for us to get together and watch
each other get dirty and roughed up. No
professionals. Just young, wild, adrenaline junkies
looking for a good time.
I find racing to be so damn hot.
Sexy, mysterious men speeding past me on
powerful bikes, risking their safety for the rush.
Regardless of what’s under the helmet, I always
imagine they’re sexy when they’re racing.
Truthfully, only a small group of them live up to
my imagination once the helmets come off.
Still… it’s exciting. There’s no denying that.
“Who are you going for?” Roman asks from
behind me now. I swear, he’s all over the place at
these races. He can’t sit still for longer than two
minutes. It’s as if he has to talk to every single
person, and truthfully, every single person wants
him to. “I already know but want to check anyway.
Just in case you want to change your mind and go
for my guy.”
“Who do you think? I’m all up for mystery
men, but I have my doubts when it comes to racing
against Ben. You and I both know he’s the best.” I
stand up and watch the five racers, trying to figure
out who this mystery guy is. “Give me a hint. There
are two new bikes this month. Which one is your
guy?”
“The one on the black Ducati. He’s going to
smoke Ben. Your awesome as hell brother is never
wrong. You should remember that.”
“I guess we’ll see. He hasn’t lost in over twenty
races and I’m betting he won’t tonight. Your guy
has nothing on him. Just admit it.”
To be honest, I hadn’t even been paying
attention to the guy on the Ducati until now. I
watch him carefully as he makes a turn, his knees
and elbows almost scraping against the track. He’s
smooth in that sexy he knows what he’s doing type
of way.
You can see the confidence in the way he rides,
and it almost has me reconsidering my pick for the
night. Almost.
“Well I’m with you, Dakota. I say Ben has it
again.” Hope claps and screams at the top of her
lungs. “You got this, Logan!”
People begin cheering and screaming in
excitement as the practice rounds end and the
riders start lining up, ready for the real thrill.
Since we don’t get any fancy lights to tell us
when to go, we have to count on the announcer to
kick it off. Which is Stiles Hall with a megaphone
and flashlight. He loves that thing way too much
and refuses to hand it off to anyone else.
“Are we ready?” he screams. “Hell yeah, we’re
ready! Don’t know why my ass even bothers
asking. We’ve been waiting two weeks for this
night. Fourteen damn days of boring shit and
jerking off alone to video games, waiting for a thrill.
Well, the wait is over! We’re here tonight…”
My patience begins to wear off as Stiles goes on
and on, making everyone in the crowd boo and yell
for him to stop running his big mouth.
Make this crowd wait for too long and they’ll
start to get hostile. I’ve seen it happen before, but
apparently, Stiles hasn’t learned his lesson.
“I’ll be back.” Jumping to my feet, I rush over
to Stiles and tackle the megaphone out of his hand
before anyone else can.
“Oh, come on!” He throws his tattoo-covered
hands up and gives me a crooked smile. “I was just
getting started, babe.”
“You’re lucky it was me and not one of the
guys. Everyone is about to kill you. I’m doing your
ass a favor. You owe me.” I hold the megaphone to
my lips and turn it back on, keeping my eyes on the
five racers eagerly waiting for the countdown.
They’re all looking Stiles’ direction, revving their
engines. Probably not a very good sign for him.
I snatch the flashlight from Stiles and push him
out of the way with my hip. Holding it up with the
light end facing the racers, I begin the countdown.
“On your mark, get set, go!” Satisfied, I flash the
light and toss Stiles’ toys at him. “You’re
welcome.”
The racers take off and an instant rush of
excitement courses through me as I hurry back over
to my seat, while keeping my eyes on the track.
Hope hits my arm in anticipation as soon as I sit
back down beside her. “Did you see the way your
brother’s mystery racer took off? Holy shit! Ben
might have some competition after all. This is
exciting.”
“Yeah,” I whisper, while watching Mr.
Mysterious take the lead.
I’m completely intrigued by this man and
somewhat turned on. I don’t even know what he
looks like, but the confidence exuding from him is
completely breathtaking and enthralling.
He’s not dressed in racing leathers like the
other four guys. Instead, he’s wearing a black
leather jacket and a pair of faded jeans with boots.
Getting hurt is the last thing on his mind.
Five laps down and Ben is finally back in the
lead again, but it’s neck and neck. Stiles shoves a
slice of pizza in front of my face, but I push it out
of the way, before walking up to the fence and
wrapping my fingers in it.
I’ve never watched a race so hard in my life,
and my heart has never beat so fast during one.
The other three racers don’t even exist in the
same world as Ben and Roman’s mysterious racer.
They’re the only two I see, and I don’t want to miss
a second.
The fence rattles beside me, before I hear my
brother cheer on his secret weapon. “Fuck yes! You
got this! Go!” He shakes the fence and then looks
at me with raised brows. “Still going for Ben? I
won’t tell anyone if you change your mind.”
I turn my attention back to the track to see Ben
is back in second place and isn’t riding as confident
as usual.
But like I said, I like to see a grown man sweat.
Plus, I don’t want to give my brother the pleasure
of going with his guy after he’s been so cocky.
“Yeah. I’m sticking with Ben.”
The closer we get to the end of the last lap, the
crazier and more spread out the crowd gets, until I
can feel bodies enclosing me against the fence.
“Go, Ben!” I scream at the top of my lungs.
“Come on!”
My adrenaline is pumping to the point that I
can’t stand still. My whole body is pulling me
closer to the action. I push my way through the
crowd and over to the opening in the fence just in
time to see my brother’s guy win the race.
Fifteen laps and he somehow managed to stay
in front for at least nine of them. I’m completely
impressed, and on the edge to see this man take his
helmet off.
My brother is the first one to rush onto the
track to congratulate the winner, so I follow behind,
taking heavy breaths as the guy on the black Ducati
reaches for his helmet and slides it off his head with
a confident smirk.
My breath hitches in my throat and it feels like
my windpipe is closing on me the second I see who
the mystery guy is.
Easton Crews.
The person that took off and left without so
much as a goodbye after my sister died.
He wasn’t only my brother’s best friend. He
was the one person he’d trusted since they were
eight. Easton was family. To all of us. He was my
friend too.
To me, that meant he was supposed to stick
around and be there for us in a time of hardship.
Not just up and move, leaving his best friend
without someone to lean on at his hardest time. I’ll
never forget how much that fucked with my
brother’s head and made it hard for him to let
people in who wanted to be there for him.
My breathing picks up as he moves into the
light and climbs off his bike, letting Roman take it
from him.
His amber eyes land directly on mine as he
slowly takes his jacket off and walks toward me
with that confidence he always possesses.
Without meaning to, I take my time checking
out his muscled body, as if I somehow have no
power over my actions at the moment.
The white thermal shirt he’s wearing shows off
his broad shoulders and muscular arms as he runs a
hand through his dark messy hair.
He has his sleeves pushed up past his elbows,
displaying his armful of tattoos he didn’t have when
he left, which I can’t help but notice.
Breathing heavily, my gaze slowly moves up to
his full lips, focusing on the black ring as he speaks.
“Hi, Kota.”
Easton
Considering the fact I took off almost three years
ago without so much as a goodbye, the look of
anger and confusion on Dakota’s face doesn’t
surprise me one bit.
She’s looking at me as if she wants to rip my
beating heart out with her bare hands… as if my
very presence both pains and angers her.
Would it be wrong to admit that seeing so much
emotion and hatred from her makes her completely
fucking beautiful in this moment?
Her lips purse as her gaze meets mine again.
Those intense gray eyes burn into my soul,
scorching me as she speaks. “Really? It’s been
three years, Easton. Three damn years since we lost
Quinn and you took off without even saying
goodbye. Hi doesn’t even begin to make up for it.
You should’ve just stayed gone.”
Guilt washes over me as Dakota pushes past me
with force and disappears through the crowd
without even giving me a chance to speak.
My eyes fight to keep sight of her, but it’s no
use. Everyone around me are cheering and
congratulating me, excited to see me after so long,
making it impossible.
Yet, the rush and excitement of winning doesn’t
come close to the adrenaline I feel coursing through
my veins right now. The feeling I have in this very
moment after not seeing her for so long will haunt
me forever, reminding me why I left to begin with.
Dakota may find it hard to believe, but I had
my reasons for leaving when and how I did. Even if
it did pain me. And it did. More than I could ever
put into words.
Her older brother Roman was my closest friend.
One of the only people I could fully trust other than
Dakota. Taking off was one of the hardest things
I’d ever done.
Roman pulls up beside me and jumps off my
bike, distracting me from my thoughts. “Shit. I
can’t believe you’re back. Happy to have you,
brother.” He admires my Ducati, completely
unaware that my head is somewhere else right now.
“This bike is sick. Ben didn’t stand a chance
tonight.”
“Happy to be back, man. You have no idea.” I
pound his fist, before turning back to the crowd in
just enough time to see Dakota rush over to a
Harley and straddle it.
cycek77
Arkusze
E-book english 
Wreck My World Copyright © 2019 Victoria Ashley All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means such as electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author of this book. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. Photographer—Wander Aguiar Cover model—Forest Harrison Cover Artist—Jay Aheer Editor—Charisse Spiers Formatter—Champagne Book Design
Contents Dedication Playlist Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25
Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Epilogue Books by Victoria Ashley Acknowledgments About the Author
To Lindsey King for believing in Easton and Dakota’s story from the very beginning. Thank you.
“Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi “I Found” by Amber Run “Oceans” by Seafret “Waves” by Dean Lewis “No Answers” by Amber Run “Mercy” by Brett Young “Scars” by James Bay “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol “Sex on Fire” by Kings of Leon “No One’s Going to Love You” by Band Of Horses “Hold Back the River” by James Bay “The Other Side” by Ruelle “Love Someone” by Lukas Graham “Believe” by Mumford & Sons “Enter Sandman” by Metallica “Fade” by Lewis Capaldi
Dakota The heat in the room is suffocating me, making it nearly impossible to fully concentrate on the task in front of me. With every single move, I feel the sweat pouring down my body, making me more uncomfortable and irritable with each passing second. I’m close to losing it. This jumpsuit has to go. I’ve tried, but I just can’t do it. I won’t anymore. Stepping away from the Yamaha I’ve been working on, I fight for air and begin stripping the hot fabric from my body as if it’s on fire. I feel two sets of eyes burn into me as soon as the ugly brown suit hits the floor. I kick it out of the way with a relieved breath. I’ve been working here at Brooks’ Garage for three years now. It’s my family’s business, and as one could guess, I’m the only female mechanic in a shop full of dirty, sweaty men.
Eyes wander my way eighty percent of the time, which is exactly why my father is continuously asking me to keep that heat-stroke- waiting-to-happen uniform on to keep them focused on their duties. He claims that me not wearing it slows them down and things don’t get done to the best of their abilities. Seeing Talon and Mitch both staring extra hard at me now that I’m down to my jeans and old tank top, I can’t argue that. “Stop staring at my ass.” I call them both out without even bothering to look. “It’s because of you perverts I’m stuck wearing that hideous thing to begin with.” “I agree.” Reese’s voice comes from behind me, making me jump, scaring me a little. “It’s one hundred percent our faults and not yours at all for wearing something that fits you so… good.” He steps to my side to watch me work, looking a bit flustered. “I definitely agree with your father’s order to keep the jumpsuit on, Dakota. Maybe you should listen.” I look up at Reese’s red face as he waits to see what crazy crap will come out of my mouth today. Those dimples need to stop being so cute. They almost make me want to break my rules of no dating my father’s mechanics. Normally, a guy like Reese—short, blond hair, perfectly shaven face, well dressed—would be too clean cut and pretty for
my taste, but covered in grease and looking rough and dirty, he’s pretty cute; even I have to admit. “I’m mad at you too then. I hate that thing so you guys will just have to learn to stop staring.” I stop what I’m doing and look up at him watching me. “You just came from the office. The old man still here? It’s late.” “Yeah. Asked me to tell you to stop by before you leave.” His blue eyes look me over with admiration, but as usual, he doesn’t say anything to give away what he’s thinking. “I think you’re in trouble, again. That’s what… the third time this week?” “Possibly.” I toss the torque wrench into the toolbox and stand up, cleaning my hands off on my ripped-up jeans. “How much trouble?” I question with a small smile. “Can’t tell this time.” His focus lowers to my breasts when I turn back around to face him. He’s quick to pull his gaze away, afraid of me catching him. “Might want to put your jumpsuit back on, though, Dakota. Like you said… we can’t control our staring. I’m not trying to get into trouble like the others.” Stepping up to him, I grab the back of his head and pull it down so I can whisper in his ear. He always gets nervous when we’re this close, afraid of pissing my father off. It’s kind of cute and fun. “That’s a shame. I like them bad, Reese. You
should try to break the rules once in a while. You might like it.” “Dakota!” My father’s tired voice booms over the speaker, causing Reese to jerk away from me and put some space between us. “I need you in my office.” My stomach drops from the tone in his voice. He’s in one of his moods. “You should really stop being such a rebel, Dakota.” Talon laughs from his spot in front of his Yamaha R1 he’s been working on all day, before bringing his attention over to Reese. “And you really need to grow a fucking pair. You jumped away from her as if your dick was on fire the second you heard Kevin’s voice.” “Fuck off,” Reese mumbles, while walking away. “It’s been a long day. I don’t want to listen to your crap.” Leaving the boys to work out their bickering, I exit the room and make a right down the hallway, toward my father’s office. The second I step inside, he looks up from a stack of invoices and gives me a stern look. “Dammit, Dakota. Is that why my guys are working slow? Where’s the new jumpsuit I ordered you? I’m not paying them to stand around and stare at my daughter all day.” “I was about to die from a heatstroke, so I took it off. Besides, I’m done for the day. It’s ten past
seven.” I shut the door and sit down in the chair across from him, reaching under the desk for my leather boots. “Is that why you called me in here? Or does it have to do with that fancy stack of invoices you’re throwing around?” I ask while changing into them. He tosses one in front of me and releases a frustrated breath. I just hope he makes this short, because I’m already running late to watch the race. “You gave a twenty percent discount on a two- grand job without asking me first. This is a business. We don’t just hand out discounts to our friends. I thought we’ve been over this. It has to stop, Dakota.” “It wasn’t a friend,” I point out, prepared to defend my actions. “It was Ms. Rogers. She came in to fix up her late husband’s bike to give to her son Zeke. It needed a lot more work than I originally told her, and she barely had the money to pay it.” My chest tightens just thinking about Ms. Rogers’ face when she thought she wouldn’t be able to afford the bill. That bike meant a lot to her, and I could feel it with every word that left her mouth that day. She was close to breaking down. “I wasn’t about to let her spend money she couldn’t afford to spare, and there was no way I was keeping the bike as collateral until she paid. I’ll pay the twenty percent out of my own pocket. I made
the decision, so it’s on me.” My father’s blue eyes soften, and I can tell right away he’s thinking about Quinn and how he did everything in his power to honor her after she died. It’s been three years since we lost my sister, but not a day goes by we don’t all miss her. Losing someone you love is never easy. There’s an ache in my chest—this void—that will never go away. “No. I’m not going to make you pay for it out of pocket.” He tosses the receipts into a drawer and then runs his hands through his blond hair. I can tell he’s torn on how to handle me now. “Next time just tell me, please. That’s all I ask.” He looks up at me, his jaw tight. “I hate being so hard on you, but you haven’t followed the rules since you were a little girl in pigtails. I need to know you’re not just throwing money away. The business depends on it.” “I’m not.” I stand up and reach for my leather jacket, ready to get out of this stuffy office and unwind. “Sorry I didn’t tell you. I did what I thought was right at the time. Then I got busy and forgot.” “You may put up the biggest wall out of all my children, but I know your heart, Dakota. It’s in the right place.” He nods his head and stands up, reaching for the keys to his Chopper. “I need to hurry home. Your mother has dinner waiting and you know she’ll have my ass if it gets cold. You sure you don’t want to join us? Your brother can’t
make it, so it’ll just be your mother and me. We could use the company.” I shake my head and reach for my phone as it goes off in my back pocket. It’s Hope, as expected, so I send her a quick text to let her know I’m on the way. “Can’t. Busy. Roman will be there too and I’m already running late.” He tiredly ushers me out of the office and locks it up behind us. “Right. Oh, and I forgot to tell you, I have a new mechanic starting on Monday.” He gives me a pleading look and I know what’s coming next. “Promise me you won’t give him a hard time. I have enough shit to deal with.” “I’ll think about it,” I respond, while walking in the opposite direction. “Maybe.” “Dakota,” he scolds. “Maybe is a good thing from me. You should know this by now.” I smile and turn away, slipping my favorite leather jacket on. “Tell Mom I love her, and I’ll come to dinner one night next week. Cross my heart.” Dad mumbles something from behind me, but I keep on walking until I’m out the back door, heading toward my motorcycle. Less than fifteen minutes later, I pull up at Myers’ Speedway and park my bike in the first available spot. The parking lot is already full of cars and bikes as expected. I’m the last person to show up, which sucks for me and my wallet.
While taking my helmet off, I spot Roman leaning against his black GMC Yukon, looking chill and relaxed, as if he’s not in a hurry to get to the bleachers when I know damn well he is. He always is. He nods his head at me in his cool Roman fashion and flicks his cigarette on the ground, before reaching on his hood for a stack of pizza boxes. “A little late, baby sis. Looks like you’re the pizza bitch next time.” I grin and grab the top four boxes from the stack. Apparently, he was late last time, which made him the pizza bitch tonight. “Had a lot of work to do at the garage today. But I’m here and ready to see a race. Please tell me we have some decent riders this time. Is Ben racing?” “Yup.” My brother is the one grinning now, flashing me his handsome smile as he passes me and begins walking backward. “Looks like Ben will have some competition this time. Sort of a secret weapon. There will be nothing boring about this fucking night. Trust me.” My heart races with adrenaline as we hurry through the gates and drop the pizza off in section A, before rushing over to section B where everyone is seated, talking about the racers. “Secret weapon, huh?” I brush past my brother and take a seat in row two. “Who is it? You can’t
just say that and not give me a name.” “You’ll see. All you need to know is he’s good and he’s going to win tonight.” “I’ll believe it when I see it.” The five riders are getting some practice rounds in, so I focus my attention on Ben Logan for the next twenty minutes. My brother may be bragging about this secret weapon that’s racing tonight, but it’s been years since I’ve seen anyone as good as Ben Logan. Hope pops up from behind us and squeezes in between my bother at I. “Excuse me. Make room for me.” Roman lifts a brow and pats his lap. “You could’ve had the best seat in the house. Maybe next time.” He stands up and starts stepping through people to get up to the fifth row. Hope’s eyes follow him all the way up, until he takes a seat with his group of friends and winks down at her. I’ve been friends with Hope since we were ten. Even though Roman won’t admit it, I know he has a thing for her. His occasional flirting gives him away. But he believes that dating each other’s friends complicates things. Not sure I disagree. Therefore, I stay away from his friends. Not that any of them interest me. Not anymore, anyway. I can’t say the same about my friends wanting
to stay away from my brother. Every girl wants Roman Brooks. I’ve yet to meet a girl who doesn’t. “Would it be wrong for me to tell you how your brother looks completely hot in those worn-out jeans?” Hope bumps my arm and laughs when I roll my eyes in disapproval. “Sorry, but it’s true. He has the perfect ass, and he’s just so, I don’t know…” She shrugs. “Cool. Without even trying.” Hope’s family owns the racetrack, so we’ve gotten away with holding races after hours here for amateur drivers looking to have a little fun in between the professional races. They used to get on us about them and even break them up, but they eventually gave up and learned to trust us. It’s an excuse for us to get together and watch each other get dirty and roughed up. No professionals. Just young, wild, adrenaline junkies looking for a good time. I find racing to be so damn hot. Sexy, mysterious men speeding past me on powerful bikes, risking their safety for the rush. Regardless of what’s under the helmet, I always imagine they’re sexy when they’re racing. Truthfully, only a small group of them live up to my imagination once the helmets come off. Still… it’s exciting. There’s no denying that. “Who are you going for?” Roman asks from behind me now. I swear, he’s all over the place at these races. He can’t sit still for longer than two
minutes. It’s as if he has to talk to every single person, and truthfully, every single person wants him to. “I already know but want to check anyway. Just in case you want to change your mind and go for my guy.” “Who do you think? I’m all up for mystery men, but I have my doubts when it comes to racing against Ben. You and I both know he’s the best.” I stand up and watch the five racers, trying to figure out who this mystery guy is. “Give me a hint. There are two new bikes this month. Which one is your guy?” “The one on the black Ducati. He’s going to smoke Ben. Your awesome as hell brother is never wrong. You should remember that.” “I guess we’ll see. He hasn’t lost in over twenty races and I’m betting he won’t tonight. Your guy has nothing on him. Just admit it.” To be honest, I hadn’t even been paying attention to the guy on the Ducati until now. I watch him carefully as he makes a turn, his knees and elbows almost scraping against the track. He’s smooth in that sexy he knows what he’s doing type of way. You can see the confidence in the way he rides, and it almost has me reconsidering my pick for the night. Almost. “Well I’m with you, Dakota. I say Ben has it again.” Hope claps and screams at the top of her
lungs. “You got this, Logan!” People begin cheering and screaming in excitement as the practice rounds end and the riders start lining up, ready for the real thrill. Since we don’t get any fancy lights to tell us when to go, we have to count on the announcer to kick it off. Which is Stiles Hall with a megaphone and flashlight. He loves that thing way too much and refuses to hand it off to anyone else. “Are we ready?” he screams. “Hell yeah, we’re ready! Don’t know why my ass even bothers asking. We’ve been waiting two weeks for this night. Fourteen damn days of boring shit and jerking off alone to video games, waiting for a thrill. Well, the wait is over! We’re here tonight…” My patience begins to wear off as Stiles goes on and on, making everyone in the crowd boo and yell for him to stop running his big mouth. Make this crowd wait for too long and they’ll start to get hostile. I’ve seen it happen before, but apparently, Stiles hasn’t learned his lesson. “I’ll be back.” Jumping to my feet, I rush over to Stiles and tackle the megaphone out of his hand before anyone else can. “Oh, come on!” He throws his tattoo-covered hands up and gives me a crooked smile. “I was just getting started, babe.” “You’re lucky it was me and not one of the guys. Everyone is about to kill you. I’m doing your
ass a favor. You owe me.” I hold the megaphone to my lips and turn it back on, keeping my eyes on the five racers eagerly waiting for the countdown. They’re all looking Stiles’ direction, revving their engines. Probably not a very good sign for him. I snatch the flashlight from Stiles and push him out of the way with my hip. Holding it up with the light end facing the racers, I begin the countdown. “On your mark, get set, go!” Satisfied, I flash the light and toss Stiles’ toys at him. “You’re welcome.” The racers take off and an instant rush of excitement courses through me as I hurry back over to my seat, while keeping my eyes on the track. Hope hits my arm in anticipation as soon as I sit back down beside her. “Did you see the way your brother’s mystery racer took off? Holy shit! Ben might have some competition after all. This is exciting.” “Yeah,” I whisper, while watching Mr. Mysterious take the lead. I’m completely intrigued by this man and somewhat turned on. I don’t even know what he looks like, but the confidence exuding from him is completely breathtaking and enthralling. He’s not dressed in racing leathers like the other four guys. Instead, he’s wearing a black leather jacket and a pair of faded jeans with boots. Getting hurt is the last thing on his mind.
Five laps down and Ben is finally back in the lead again, but it’s neck and neck. Stiles shoves a slice of pizza in front of my face, but I push it out of the way, before walking up to the fence and wrapping my fingers in it. I’ve never watched a race so hard in my life, and my heart has never beat so fast during one. The other three racers don’t even exist in the same world as Ben and Roman’s mysterious racer. They’re the only two I see, and I don’t want to miss a second. The fence rattles beside me, before I hear my brother cheer on his secret weapon. “Fuck yes! You got this! Go!” He shakes the fence and then looks at me with raised brows. “Still going for Ben? I won’t tell anyone if you change your mind.” I turn my attention back to the track to see Ben is back in second place and isn’t riding as confident as usual. But like I said, I like to see a grown man sweat. Plus, I don’t want to give my brother the pleasure of going with his guy after he’s been so cocky. “Yeah. I’m sticking with Ben.” The closer we get to the end of the last lap, the crazier and more spread out the crowd gets, until I can feel bodies enclosing me against the fence. “Go, Ben!” I scream at the top of my lungs. “Come on!” My adrenaline is pumping to the point that I
can’t stand still. My whole body is pulling me closer to the action. I push my way through the crowd and over to the opening in the fence just in time to see my brother’s guy win the race. Fifteen laps and he somehow managed to stay in front for at least nine of them. I’m completely impressed, and on the edge to see this man take his helmet off. My brother is the first one to rush onto the track to congratulate the winner, so I follow behind, taking heavy breaths as the guy on the black Ducati reaches for his helmet and slides it off his head with a confident smirk. My breath hitches in my throat and it feels like my windpipe is closing on me the second I see who the mystery guy is. Easton Crews. The person that took off and left without so much as a goodbye after my sister died. He wasn’t only my brother’s best friend. He was the one person he’d trusted since they were eight. Easton was family. To all of us. He was my friend too. To me, that meant he was supposed to stick around and be there for us in a time of hardship. Not just up and move, leaving his best friend without someone to lean on at his hardest time. I’ll never forget how much that fucked with my brother’s head and made it hard for him to let
people in who wanted to be there for him. My breathing picks up as he moves into the light and climbs off his bike, letting Roman take it from him. His amber eyes land directly on mine as he slowly takes his jacket off and walks toward me with that confidence he always possesses. Without meaning to, I take my time checking out his muscled body, as if I somehow have no power over my actions at the moment. The white thermal shirt he’s wearing shows off his broad shoulders and muscular arms as he runs a hand through his dark messy hair. He has his sleeves pushed up past his elbows, displaying his armful of tattoos he didn’t have when he left, which I can’t help but notice. Breathing heavily, my gaze slowly moves up to his full lips, focusing on the black ring as he speaks. “Hi, Kota.”
Easton Considering the fact I took off almost three years ago without so much as a goodbye, the look of anger and confusion on Dakota’s face doesn’t surprise me one bit. She’s looking at me as if she wants to rip my beating heart out with her bare hands… as if my very presence both pains and angers her. Would it be wrong to admit that seeing so much emotion and hatred from her makes her completely fucking beautiful in this moment? Her lips purse as her gaze meets mine again. Those intense gray eyes burn into my soul, scorching me as she speaks. “Really? It’s been three years, Easton. Three damn years since we lost Quinn and you took off without even saying goodbye. Hi doesn’t even begin to make up for it. You should’ve just stayed gone.” Guilt washes over me as Dakota pushes past me with force and disappears through the crowd
without even giving me a chance to speak. My eyes fight to keep sight of her, but it’s no use. Everyone around me are cheering and congratulating me, excited to see me after so long, making it impossible. Yet, the rush and excitement of winning doesn’t come close to the adrenaline I feel coursing through my veins right now. The feeling I have in this very moment after not seeing her for so long will haunt me forever, reminding me why I left to begin with. Dakota may find it hard to believe, but I had my reasons for leaving when and how I did. Even if it did pain me. And it did. More than I could ever put into words. Her older brother Roman was my closest friend. One of the only people I could fully trust other than Dakota. Taking off was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. Roman pulls up beside me and jumps off my bike, distracting me from my thoughts. “Shit. I can’t believe you’re back. Happy to have you, brother.” He admires my Ducati, completely unaware that my head is somewhere else right now. “This bike is sick. Ben didn’t stand a chance tonight.” “Happy to be back, man. You have no idea.” I pound his fist, before turning back to the crowd in just enough time to see Dakota rush over to a Harley and straddle it.