Page 37 of Racing Dirty Trilogy Box Set

Xavier

Present time

My heart’s slamming hard against my chest and my hands are shaking.

I swallow back the bile trying to work its way up when I finish telling my story.

Izzy’s sobbing against me. She’s trying to soothe me at the same time.

I’m holding onto her tight, tears rolling down my cheeks, but I don't wipe them away. Mia’s crying and Nolan’s eyes are misted over.

I clear my throat trying to get my bearings.

“I’m so sorry Xavier. You don't know how sorry I am,” Izzy whispers. She wipes away her tears.

“It’s not your fault Izzy. It’s not mine, it’s not yours, it’s not anyone but the psycho bitch’s fault.

We will get through this.” I'm not only trying to reassure her but myself too.

I kiss her gently on the lips and pull her against me.

Izzy deepens the kiss and then pulls away. Shame crosses her face.

“What do we do?" She asks.

“I’m going to pay Calabrese a visit. He is going down along with that psycho daughter of his. He promised me he would keep her away in exchange for keeping my information to myself,” Nolan hisses.

“Not without back up and it’s got to wait until after tomorrow night. I have to work security at the race and I want in on this too.” Christian rests his hand on Nolan’s shoulder. Nolan reluctantly nods his head.

I look down at Izzy curled around me. She’s holding me tight around the waist not letting go. There are bags under her eyes and stress lines on her forehead. She looks dead on her feet.

“Do you want to go to bed?" I ask her.

“Yeah, my adrenaline is wearing off and we have a big race coming up. We have a lot we need to talk about in private." I look at Izzy in surprise.

“You still want to race, even though we were attacked tonight?”

“I’m not letting that crazy bitch get in the way of this race.

If she wants to come at me, then she can bring it.

I’m not afraid of her or anyone for that matter.

” Izzy has a cold hard look in her beautiful green eyes.

It makes my heart skip a beat. She’s never been vengeful or spiteful and I hope she doesn’t take it too far.

“You crashing here?" I ask Nolan.

Mia speaks up first. “We all are."

“You can figure out what rooms you all want. I’m taking Izzy to bed.” I tell them.

I stand up and pull Izzy with me. I lead her down the hallway from the living room and walk up the stairs to my room.

Izzy’s looking at the pictures on the walls as we make our way to my room.

Most of them are of the two of us growing up and the two blissful weeks we were together.

Some are of our parents together, before her mom died.

She stops at the last one with the six of us together. We were about eight years old.

“I love this picture of all of us,” Izzy says, running her hand down her mom’s face.

“I really miss her." Sadness is around us as we stare at the photo.

Her mom had beautiful, long blond hair, piercing hazel eyes and she always wore a smile that lit up her face, no matter how sick, tired, or sad she was.

“I know me too. You remind me so much of her. From the stories Austin would tell me after you left, I felt the heartache he felt at losing her and then you leave. It tore him up and I was responsible for it,” I tell her quietly.

Izzy turns in my arms, so we’re face to face. She’s standing on a step above me and we’re eye level with each other.

“No X, you weren’t responsible for my leaving, I was. It’s my fault I broke his heart and yours too. Now we need to get this bitch and figure out who that man is. We need to stop him before he hurts anyone else.” Izzy says running a hand down my face gently.

Her soft fingers gently caress my cheek and power’s strumming through my veins to know even after everything that’s happened tonight, everything this woman standing in front of me heard, she’s still here by my side. I can take on the world and make anyone who tries to get between us pay.

I stare into Izzy’s eyes and I’m lost. I’m lost to the sensations of her body against mine.

I’m lost to the feel of her heart beating against her chest. I’m lost to the love she’s given me, and I want to stay lost for the rest of my life.

I will love this woman with everything I have and I’m not letting anyone stand in our way ever again.