Page 41 of Racing Dirty Trilogy Box Set

Izzy

I watch as Mia pushes Xavier and Christian out the door.

She is so right when she says we would miss the race.

My heart is empty without Xavier next to me.

His body heat penetrating my skin, his scent invading my senses, makes me weak in the knees.

I love that man more than I’ve loved anything or anyone in my life.

I miss him when he isn’t next to me, holding me, loving me.

Mia clicks her fingers in front of my face, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“Izabella,” She snaps.

Mia turns her head to Ashley, her short, multi-colored hair standing up all over the place.

“See what I mean,” Mia points out to Ashley.

“Izzy, you were gone there for a minute. You had a dreamy look on your face. Were you thinking about Xavier?" Ashley asks.

“Yeah, I was.” My face turns red from being caught daydreaming.

“I see. Do you mind explaining everything to me? The last time I talked to you, you were heartbroken. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this. You’re really happy and I want details from the beginning.” Ashley demands.

I walk over to Xavier’s Keurig machine and start a cup of coffee. Turning around, I lean against the counter. “Do you want the short version or the long one?" I ask.

Ashley shakes her head, her blonde hair in a messy bun. “Girl, I want all the details.”

I grab my coffee, add some sugar and motion to the living room.

I’m on the couch, Ashley right next to me, and Mia’s in the chair.

I take a sip of my coffee before telling her everything, except all the intimate moments we shared.

That is for Xavier and me, no one else. When I finish our story, Ashley has tears in her eyes.

“You mean to tell me, this whole time you were miserable in L.A., he was just as miserable here?" Ashley asks.

“Yeah, it was a big misunderstanding and we lost all those years together because of our stubbornness. Now he has a crazy psycho bitch after him and I have someone trying to sabotage me like they did my dad.”

I grow quiet thinking about my dad. I wish he would wake up soon. There is so much I need from him. I wipe away a tear with my left hand and Ashley’s eyes grow wide.

“Oh, holy shit." She shouts. I look at her in confusion. “You seem to have left a very important detail out,” Ashley says shocked. I give her a questioning look.

“Your hand Izz,” Mia says, wiggling her fingers. Realization dawns on me.

“Oops, I did,” I respond. I look at the ring on my left hand, memories of him asking me floods my mind and a smile creeps onto my lips thinking about it. “Xavier asked me to marry him yesterday,” I tell Ashley. She squeals and pulls me into a tight hug.

“Holy shit. This is real, isn’t it? You’re not coming back to L.A., are you?" She asks sadness in her voice.

“No, I’m not. I’m going to stay here with Xavier and spend the rest of my life doing what my heart’s been wanting. Racing and loving him like he loves me,” I answer.

My phone rings loudly from upstairs. I jump up from the couch and run up to Xavier’s room.

When I finally reach it, it stops ringing.

I recognize the number from the hospital.

My phone chimes in my hand, telling me I have a voicemail.

I sit on the bed, dial my voicemail with shaky hands, and listen to the message.

It’s one of the nurses looking after my dad, asking me to call her back when I can.

I take a deep breath and dial the number.

Just before I hit send, Xavier comes bursting into the room, a look of panic across his face. His eyes land on mine.

“My dad just called, we have to get to the hospital now.” He tells me urgently.

I jump up from the bed and follow Xavier down the stairs. I put my shoes on and Nolan throws Xavier the keys to his car since mine is still at my house and his is smashed.

Fifteen minutes, four red lights, speeding over ninety miles an hour, and six stop signs we blew through later, we pull into the parking lot of the hospital. Normally a half-hour drive, we cut it in half. Christian, Mia, Nolan, and Ashley are right behind us.

Xavier parks Nolan’s car haphazardly in a parking spot and we get out quickly. He takes my hand, trying to calm me down as we make our way quickly through the parking lot. His dad didn’t tell him anything else, except that we needed to get here quickly.

My mind is working overtime, coming up with the worst-case scenarios. We make it to the elevator and Xavier hits the up button. He keeps hitting it repeatedly trying to hurry it up, fear of what we will walk into is clear on his face. I rest my hand on his, making him stop.

“X, I’m scared,” I confess.

Xavier stops punching the elevator button and glances down at me. There’s a look of uncertainty that flickers over his face, but he masks it just as quickly. He puts his arms around me and kisses me on the head. The action is soothing even if it’s just for a minute.

“So am I, B.”

The doors whoosh open and we step inside. The others haven’t made it in yet, so it’s just us in the elevator. I watch us in the elevator's mirror as Xavier holds me tighter and I try to fight off tears and be strong.

“I got you, B,” he whispers in my ear. I turn in his arms and look up at him.

“I know and thank you.” Resting the palm of my hand on his strong jaw.

He swallows hard as he meets my eyes. He leans in and kisses me gently on the lips.

The elevator dings and the doors open. Ana and James are waiting on the other side as we make our way out.

Ana has tears in her eyes and my heart sinks.

James put a hand on Xavier’s shoulder. An unspoken word passes between them and they let us go by.

The smell of antiseptic and bleach makes my knees grow weak and I slow down, memories assault me again of being here when I was a little girl. Xavier slows down with me.

“B, it’s going to be OK. I’m right here.” His voice is reassuring, and his arms are still around my shoulders. I steal my nerves, my heart is beating hard against my chest, my ears are ringing, and we walk again.

I can hear the familiar beeping of monitors as we approach my dad’s room. His door is open, but the curtains around his bed are closed, hiding him from me. I slowly make my way into his room, just as a nurse comes out from behind the curtain, making me jump. She slaps a hand over her heart.

“Oh goodness, you scared me,” she says.

She has on pink scrubs and her brown hair is pulled up in a tight bun. She’s holding a clipboard against her chest. She gives me a small smile.

“Is he OK?" I ask quietly, afraid of what she will say.

I hear a gruff voice from behind the curtain and my heart soars. The nurse pulls the curtain back a little and a pair of familiar green eyes finds mine.

“I’m fine,” my dad croaks out. His voice is raw and scratchy from the tube being in his throat for so long. Relief fills me at the sound of my dad’s voice.

“Thank God," I exclaim, as I cross the room and give him a big hug. “You scared me there for a bit.” Tears are running down my face.

“Hey kiddo, I’m not going anywhere. According to the doctor, I just needed to rest for a few weeks. That guy is a dick,” he says.

I laugh as my dad’s arms tighten around me. He’s still weak from being in a coma so it isn’t as strong as it should be.

“I felt the same way,” I tell him. I pull back from my dad and Xavier shifts behind me, drawing my dad’s eyes to him.

“Xavier,” he says weakly. Xavier crosses the room to stand behind me. He puts his hands on my shoulders and gives them a gentle squeeze. I don’t need to look at him to know how happy he is, his hands on me tell me all I need to know.

“Austin, you don’t need to say anything. Save your voice,” Xavier says. Austin nods his head and lays back down.

“Thank you for saving my life,” Austin says exhaustion crosses his face, ignoring Xavier. Panic sets in when he closes his eyes.

“Dad?” I whisper.

He squeezes my hand gently. “I’m good baby girl, just tired." The nurse approaches me.

“Miss. Jones, your dad will be fine. He just needs to get his energy back and gets tired very easily. Nothing to worry about.” She tells me in a gentle voice.

“How can you be so sure? He’s been in a coma for the last three weeks, how do you know he won’t slip back into one?" I ask, fear lacing my voice.

“Because Austin is a fighter. He won’t give up. I’ll keep a close eye on him for you and if anything changes, I will call you immediately. He needs his rest now though,” the nurse says. A look of admiration crosses her face as she looks at my dad. He squeezes my hand and cracks an eye open.

“Baby girl, I’m not going anywhere. I just need to rest. I’m happy you two found each other again.

" He closes his eyes before continuing. “Nurse Maggie is taking great care of me. Give them hell tonight and no matter what happens, I’m proud of you.” I watch as he drifts off to sleep, the beeping of the monitors and our steady breathing are the only noises in the room.

I lean in and kiss my dad on the cheek. “I love you dad and I’ll make you proud." He turns his head towards me without opening his eyes.

“Love you too, baby girl. You always make me proud, just like your mom." My dad quickly falls asleep, his breathing deep and even.

I wipe away the tears falling down my face and stand up from the bed.

Xavier puts his arm around my shoulders and hugs me close to him.

I stop and turn around, wanting to look at my dad one last time before we leave.

Nurse Maggie is standing next to him, checking his vitals and his IV.

She gives me a knowing smile, the tenderness in her eyes is a huge relief.

“I promise I’ll take great care of him. If you’ll wait in the waiting room, the Doctor will be in shortly to talk to you.”