Page 32 of Racing Dirty Trilogy Box Set

Xavier

It’s been over a week since Izzy’s house was broken into and a month since she came back into my life.

I haven’t been this happy in a long time.

Everything feels so right when we’re together.

We have her place all cleaned up, but she has been staying with me at my house.

Every day we go to the hospital and sit with Austin.

He’s still in a coma and it’s starting to stress her out. She isn’t sleeping, barely eating and she has lost a lot of weight. Izzy’s curves she had when she first came into town are disappearing and I’m getting worried about her health.

She has bags under her eyes from waking up with nightmares almost every night and she refuses to talk about them.

The sparkle is missing in her beautiful emerald gaze and the only time I see it is when she is racing or we’re making love.

She is making a name for herself on the track, but I can tell she’s sad.

I’m sitting in a chair outside of Austin’s hospital room giving Izzy some time alone with him. The beeping of monitors fills my ears as I scroll through my phone looking at Facebook.

I’m in a racing group on there and a post catches my attention. It’s from someone who barely comes to the track. He went missing from the racing circuit for a few years and recently he’s come back.

His name is Craig Williams and his post makes me stop and read it again.

I screenshot it and send it to Christian.

We’re supposed to be racing a big race tomorrow night and I want Christian to check him out.

He wrote that he will be at the track, and no bitch better get in his way or she will regret ever coming back.

The payout for tomorrow night’s race is a big one. It’s the Dirt Track World Championship which has a payout of $100,000. It’s the first time our track has put it on and there will be a lot of drivers there who haven’t raced with us yet.

My paranoia is kicking in and I have to keep Izzy safe. The officials have let it slide with me leaving her car in the trailer, but they won’t tomorrow night. I have to figure something out to do with her car, so it isn’t tampered with.

I stand up as Izzy comes out of Austin’s room, a sad smile on her face. I know that look and it makes my heart hurt to see her suffer. Austin is the only living relative she has left.

My family and I just moved here when Izzy’s mom passed, and I remember being here with her day in and day out. Holding her hand, offering her comfort. She had the same smile then, that she has now. She is trying to be brave, but she doesn’t have to try with me.

I open my arms to her as she approaches me, and she falls into my embrace. Her body’s shaking under my hands and I hold her closer. Her hot tears fall on my black t-shirt as I rub her back soothingly. I hold my tears back and stay strong for my girl. Izzy composes herself and pulls away.

“I’m sorry,” she hiccups. I cup her tear-stained face with my hands.

“No need to be sorry Izzy, it’s OK to cry. I will always be here for you to cry on, to yell at, whatever you need to do. I love you and I will always be here for you."

Tears run down her cheeks onto my hands still holding her face.

“I know, and I love you too, Xavier, but I have a tough time showing weakness. I’m supposed to be strong and independent, but lately, this is taking a toll on me.

I’m sad most of the time, angry the rest of the time and it scares me.

The only time I feel like myself is either on the track or when I’m with you.

You help me forget even just for a little while.

" She takes a deep breath, trying to control her emotions. “I just wish he would wake up and be ok. The doctors say he is fine and is recovering, but what if he doesn’t wake up? Then I’ll be left all alone, Xavier.

I’ll be alone in this world. No parents, no family, nothing.

That scares me more than anything." Her sobs wrack her slender body, as she finally faces what she fears the most. Being alone.

I can’t hold my tears back as I listen to her talk about it.

I pull her back into my arms holding her close.

“B, I’m so sorry you feel that way. Nolan, Mia, myself, and even Christian too, we’re all here for you.

We’re your family, we all love you too much to not be here for you.

Your dad will wake up. When he does, he will kick my ass. Then he will accept what I have done."

Izzy pulls out of my embrace with a questioning look. “Why would he kick your ass?” She asks. I hesitate for a beat, my hands are sweaty, and tears are on my face. I take a deep breath, wipe my face, and pull out the purple crushed velvet box I've had on me for several weeks.

This spot, here in this hallway, brings her so many painful memories, I want to replace some of them with happy ones.

I want to see that beautiful smile that's been missing for a while, to come back. I get down on one knee and hear her gasp in surprise. I’ve had this since the night her house was broken into.

It’s the errand I had to run that day. I was going to ask her that night but didn’t get a chance.

I open the box revealing a simple white gold band, with a two-k diamond sitting on a heart-shaped setting. I take the ring out of the box and take her left hand with trembling fingers. I look Izzy in the eyes.

“Izabella Iris Jones, I’ve loved you since we were kids.

I’ve loved you almost my whole life. You’ve captured my heart with your beautiful green eyes, strong will and heart of gold.

Your ability to forgive, to love with your whole heart.

I want to wake up every morning to your beautiful smile, I want to go to sleep every night with you wrapped around me like you’re wrapped around my heart. I love you, Izzy, will you marry me?”

I wait, peering into her eyes. My heart is beating so hard, it might fall right out of my chest and onto the floor. Sweat forms on my brow and my breathing is ragged. Tears are flowing down her cheeks and she nods her head yes.

“Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you., Izzy cries.

A breath of relief floats through my lips, deflating my lungs.

I slip the ring on her finger and stand up.

I pull her to me and kiss her with so much passion, we’re both breathless when we break apart.

Clapping and whistles surround us as the nurses watch our display.

Izzy’s face burns red with embarrassment.

“I was going to do this last week, but it was never the right time." I kiss her again.

“Let’s go home,” she says.

We arrive back at my house later that day. Night is setting, and Izzy is on me before I even unlock the door making me drop my keys a few times. Her hands are all over my body, her lips on my neck, sucking and biting.

I finally get my key in the door, unlock it, and push it open.

We fall through the door in a mass of legs and arms. I pull myself up off the floor and pick her up.

Izzy wraps her legs around my waist, her hands are in my hair pulling it roughly, sending my body crazy with need.

I kick the door shut and push her up against it.

Izzy lets out a groan as my lips assault her neck. I slide her down my body and unzip her jean shorts, dragging them down her long, toned, sun-kissed legs along with her panties until she is bare in front of me. I remove my clothes and stand naked in front of her.

Izzy’s breathing is coming out in pants, her heavy breasts moving rapidly as she pushes herself away from the door. I grab ahold of her and we stumble our way into the living room.

After we merge together again, Izzy’s muscles are shaking as I carry her up the stairs into my bedroom. I lay her on my bed, her eyes are halfway closed, her body relaxed for the moment. I lay down next to her and pull her back against my front.

“Let’s get some sleep,” I tell Izzy as I kiss her shoulder.

“Ok,” she mumbles. Within a few minutes, her breathing evens out and she is fast asleep. I pray she doesn’t wake up to a nightmare again, she needs a few hours of undisturbed sleep. I drift off holding her tight against me.