Page 104 of Racing Dirty Trilogy Box Set

Epilogue

“Hurry! It’s time to go,” Ashley shouts from the bottom of the stairs.

I throw on a pair of jeans and a clean T-shirt. I grab my wallet off the dresser and shove it into my back pocket.

“Nolan! Come on, we’re going to miss it,” Ashley shouts again.

I open the bedroom door and run down the stairs.

I almost stumble into Ashley, but right myself at the last second.

“Ready?” She asks. There’s excitement in her eyes.

I pause for a second and watch her. She turns away from me and bends down so she’s at eye level with our little boy.

“OK, Sherwood, where we are going is a special place to see some important people. Are you ready to be on your best behavior?”

Our little boy nods his head in excitement and she hugs him tight.

It was quite a trial and error getting used to him being here with me, with us, but we managed.

I thought Ashley wouldn’t be able to do this, but she’s stuck by both of us and she loves that little boy like he’s her own.

I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.

After we left New York City, Ashley and I took Sherwood back to Michigan.

We promised Izzy and Xavier we’d stay and help them until after she had the baby, and then we’d leave for Los Angeles.

Sherwood suffered from nightmares the first two weeks here, but Ashley was there to soothe him and help him get past all the pain and torture he endured by giving him love, something he never had before.

I’ve been trying to convince Xavier and Izzy to come with us to L.A.

, but they don’t want to leave their families right now and I don’t blame them.

They need love and stability to get through the mess Switch and Wrath created.

With no sign of Marcus, we all breathed a little easier these last six months.

Izzy and Xavier are doing great and so is Sherwood.

Things have settled down and we’re normal for once.

Ashley tried dirt track racing a few months ago, and she did great, but it’s different from street racing.

All summer long I raced, and she watched and afterward, I just thanked God for soundproof rooms because the noises she made set my skin on fire.

I adjust myself thinking about all the different ways I make her body come to life.

“Nolan, are you ready yet?” Ashley asks with a smirk on her lips. She knows what I’ve been thinking about. “We have to go or we will be late.”

“Yup, I’m ready. And, if I remember correctly, it’s your fault we’re late.

” I wiggle my eyebrows at Ashley and her face turns red.

She couldn’t keep her hands off me this morning or several times last night after my race.

Ashley leans against me, her soft curves pressed against my hard ones, her lips inches from mine.

There’s a glint in her eyes and I have the urge to say fuck this and take her upstairs, again.

“Well, if you didn’t look so good in that car, I wouldn’t be tempted to wrap my lips,” she nips the bottom of my ear with her teeth.

“And body around yours.” She soothes the nip with her tongue and my body lights with fire.

Ashley turns away and I adjust myself in my jeans which just became too tight.

Just words from this woman drive me crazy with lust.

Shaking my head, I hold out my hand, and Sherwood’s tiny grip clutches onto my big one. My heart melts from the sight of his familiar brown eyes gazing up at me like I hang the world. “Come on little guy, let’s go meet the new member of our family.”

We make it to the hospital in record time with Ashley driving.

We hurry into the elevator and I let Sherwood push the button for the third floor.

He’s a smart little guy and is adjusting to his new life really well.

The doors whoosh open and I look down at him.

He’s holding onto my hand and his gaze lands on mine.

I watch him swallow hard and walk out of the elevator with his head held high and shoulders pushed back.

I stop before we open the doors and bend down, so we’re at eye level.

“I know this is new and scary for you but remember Ashley and I are right here with you. We’re not going anywhere and after we’ll go get ice cream. How does that sound?”

His eyes widen and he nods his head so hard, his teeth rattle. Ice cream does it every time. I laugh, and he returns it. Before I stand up to walk into the maternity ward, Sherwood wraps his little arms around my neck and gives me a big hug.

“Thank you, dad,” his small voice echoing in my ears. Tears form in my eyes, it’s the first time he’s called me dad and my heart soars hearing it.

“You’re welcome, son.” Emotions clog my throat and I blink back tears.

Ashley lays her hand on my shoulder, rubbing it soothingly.

I peek up at her from the little arms wrapped around me and she wipes a tear trailing down her cheek and a huge smile on her face. “Come on, let’s meet your new cousin.”

Sherwood releases my neck and I stand up.

He grabs my hand again and I take Ashley’s other hand.

Together the three of us walk into the Maternity Ward as a family.

No matter where life takes us, what dangers are lurking in the shadows, we have each other.

We have a tight bond no one will ever break.

That’s what family does. Through the thick and thin, we are in this together and will come out on the other side better and stronger than ever.