Page 11 of Racing Dirty Trilogy Box Set

“Izzy, wait. There is something I have to tell you,” I blurt out.

She stops at her door and turns. Whoever is at the door isn't giving up as they bang on the door again.

I reach into my pocket and pull out Officer Iverson’s card with shaking hands. Preparing myself for her blowback, I take a deep breath.

“I was going to tell you about this earlier, but there wasn't enough time. It seems like we can never catch a break. This cop wants to talk to you about the accident.”

Izzy watches me intently as I cross her room in three quick strides and she takes the card.

“What about it?”

“He doesn't think it was an accident. I don't have any details yet and he wants to talk to you. I was going to tell you, I swear. But after your flight, the stress of last night, I didn't have the heart to drop this on you."

She looks the card over and instead of anger, there are tears in her eyes.

“He thinks someone tried to kill my dad?” she asks quietly.

I take her in my arms again. “Yes. I swear I was going to tell you when we woke up."

She sniffs her nose. The person at the front door bangs again and I let out a deep groan. Izzy goes stiff and clutches onto my arm tight.

“What if that isn't the cops?” she asked frightened.

“Stay behind me,” I tell her as I open her bedroom door and make my way down the stairs.

Izzy is clutching onto my t-shirt, her hands are trembling as we approach the little window next to the front door. I push the white curtain back a little and peer out. I don't see the driveway from this angle. There is another bang and it makes me jump while Izzy releases a squeal.

A loud familiar, smartass voice booms through the door, “C’mon fucker. Open the door. I can hear you.” The voice sings the last part.

Izzy relaxes her grip on my shirt as I throw the door open and come face to face with my best friend Nolan Ryan, his eyes are alight with mischief.

Nolan has been my best friend since we were in our senior year in high school and he has always been a smartass. Some guys grow out of middle school syndrome when they reach adulthood, but not Nolan. Unless it’s something serious he is always making jokes.

My smartass best friend is smirking at me.

“What's up fuckhead?” He asks me.

He pushes his way into the foyer and walks to Izzy. Nolan gives her a bear hug making her giggle. If I didn't know any better, I'd be beating his ass for touching my girl. He sets Izzy down.

“Damn, you're a welcome sight, Izz," he says while running his hands through his chestnut brown hair, his brown eyes are alive with mischief. He is a little bit taller than me, so Izzy’s head is at Nolan’s shoulders. He doesn’t have as much muscle as I do, but if you piss him off, he packs a hell of a punch.

“Hey Nolan, it's good to see you, bad timing like always, but still good to see you,” Izzy says. I watch her as she turns and heads toward the kitchen. “I'm going to start a pot of coffee, obviously we're not getting any sleep,” she says, throwing a glare at Nolan.

He raises his hands with mock innocence. “How was I supposed to know you were going to sleep, Izz? I saw Xavier’s car out front and thought you would be up."

He winks at Izzy and she rolls her eyes at him, mumbling something under her breath about a jackass, and walks to the kitchen.

I punch him in the arm as we walk into the living room.

“Fucker. Are you kidding me?” I ask him, exasperated. He grins a white toothy grin at me.

“I knew it,” Nolan says rubbing his arm. “You're back together."

“Yes. No. Fuck! I don't know. I know we're both miserable when we're apart.

With all this shit going on with Austin and her just getting back in a few hours ago, we haven't had time to talk about it.” I say rubbing my hands down my face.

I sit on the couch, fatigue overtaking me.

I can feel the stubble growing on my face from not shaving yet.

Izzy walks into the living room carrying two coffee cups. Sitting next to me on the couch, she hands me a cup of coffee and takes a sip from hers.

“Where’s mine?” Nolan asks with a fake pout.

Izzy raises an eyebrow at him. “In the kitchen.

You want to bang on my front door like that, scaring the shit out of me, you can get your own damn coffee.

" She smiles at Nolan. She never takes his shit and I love her for it.

He gives her another fake pout and walks into the kitchen to get his cup of coffee, and a smile on his face.

I can hear him banging around and I know I won't have much time before he comes back. Setting my cup down on the coffee table, I turn my body and look at her.

“Izzy, I’m sorry I didn't tell you about what the cop said."

“It's OK. I understand." She sets her cup on the coffee table next to mine and turns “X, I don't know what I'm doing." I take her hand and pull her next to me, our lips inches apart.

“You're going to kiss me before fuckhead comes back in here. Then when he leaves, we're gonna finish what we started upstairs.” I watch her eyes as she decides her next step.

“I’m not ready to go there, just yet,” she says.

Her eyes zone onto my lips as she licks hers and I let out a low groan from the back of my throat. Her voice is telling me no, but I know her body. Her body wants to say yes, it’s just a matter of time before I can convince her we are meant to be together.

Izzy leans into me and I cup the back of her head, our lips finally connect.

Lust roars through my veins. I press my tongue against her lips, asking her for entrance.

She opens her mouth, without hesitation, allowing me in and I kiss her hard and deeply, with such passion and hunger, that it leaves me breathless.

I don't know how I survived these last five years without her taste.

Izzy lets out a little whimper from the back of her throat and my jeans instantly get tighter, my hips seeking her warm wet heat.

She pulls away breathing hard just as Nolan walks into the living room.

He sits in Austin's chair with his cup of coffee, oblivious to the heat and sexual frustration we both are radiating.

Izzy curls against my side and lets out a yawn. She looks up at me with tired eyes.

“If I fall asleep, just push me off,” she mumbles. I let out a deep laugh.

“Yeah, that won't happen. You can sleep on me all day long."

Nolan turns to us in the chair, one of his long legs dangling from the side. “How is your dad, Izzy?” He asks seriously.

This part of him doesn’t show up often, but I’m thankful for it right now. Izzy tenses at the question and I wrap my arms around her, comforting her. She relaxes against me and snuggles deep against my chest. She looks at me again with tired eyes, a yawn escaping her lips.

“You can tell him, X, tell him everything.” Exhaustion takes her over and she falls asleep almost instantly, her breathing evening out. I look at Nolan trying to convey the seriousness of the situation.

“The cops think someone sabotaged Austin’s car.

I talked to Officer Iverson last night at the track before I picked Izzy up from the airport.

He said that Austin’s car was tampered with, but that is all he would say.

I’m telling you this because I trust you with my life and I’m trusting you with Izzy’s too.

It’s better to have more eyes on us and I know you will protect her.

" Nolan’s brown eyes grow wide at my confession.

“Wow. That’s unbelievable. Who would want to hurt Austin? He is a great guy and is always looking out for everyone.” He shakes his head in disbelief.

“I know. I’ve been trying to think who at the track has been acting weird, but no one comes to mind right away. There are some new drivers, but none of them seem off. I haven’t talked to a lot of them."

Nolan takes a drink of his coffee, thinking about what I told him. “I can ask around, keep alert. I’m going over there today anyway.”

“What happened after I left?” I ask.

“They shut the fucking track down. I’ve never seen them do that.

After they got Austin out of his car, something set them off and they told everyone to park their cars and not fucking move.

They questioned each of us, asking if we knew Austin, how we knew him when the last time was, we spoke to him.

When we were done, they escorted us out of the track and told us to come back today and get our cars and trailers.

Now I know why. Damn it.” He says anger radiating from his body. He finally sees how serious this is.

“We’re going to go over to the track today after we visit Austin. They moved him to ICU this morning and he’s in a coma. That was the hardest thing I ever had to see. The man I looked up to my whole life, looking so helpless lying in that bed.”

“I’ll tell you what, why don’t you take her upstairs and both of you get some sleep.

I’ll stay down here and keep an eye on things in case whoever did this tries to come here.

You look exhausted and if I know you, you won’t sleep if you don’t feel she is safe.

” Relief fills me that Nolan wanting to help.

“Thanks, bro. Now I won’t have to kill you for what you did earlier,” I joke.

Nolan lets out a deep laugh as I carefully remove Izzy from my side and stand up to stretch. I pick her up and cradle her to my chest. She snuggles against me, still asleep.

“Hey, Xavier.” A serious tone in Nolan’s voice makes me turn towards him.

“Yeah?"

He hesitates for a second before continuing. “I’m glad she’s home. I can see it in your eyes that you are too.”

I look down at Izzy sleeping against my chest before I answer. “Yeah, I am. I will not fuck this up again."

“I know, and I’ll kick your ass this time if you start having doubts.

Take care of her heart fucker, you both need each other.

" Nolan knows what I went through after Izzy left.

He was the only one besides Mia that stuck out my temper and rage, my sadness and loss.

He stayed by my side, keeping me from the dark, and helped me stay focused on racing.

Now he’s willing to put himself at risk to keep us safe.

He might be a smartass, but he’s also someone who is loyal and will protect those he cares about.

He’s never opened up about his past, but I’ve come to accept that’s who he is.

I appreciate his protection and loyalty now more than ever before.

I turn and carry Izzy up the stairs into her room.

I kick her door closed, knowing we’re safe right now with Nolan downstairs.

I gently lay her down on her bed, remove my jeans and t-shirt so I’m just in my boxers, and lay down next to her.

As soon as I lay on my back, she moves towards me, seeking me out.

She’s still asleep as she rests her head on my shoulder, using it as a pillow.

Her arm is across my chest and she throws her leg over my waist. I stifle a groan at having her body wrapped around me tightly.

I stare up at the ceiling and notice she has little quotes up there. I can’t make them out as my eyes grow heavy, exhaustion settling in. I fall asleep holding onto the love of my life tightly. I’m never letting her go.