Page 49 of Racing Dirty Trilogy Box Set

Xavier

We arrive at Izzy’s house. I jump out of Christian’s car before it even stops. Nolan and Christian are hot on my tail as I take her front porch steps two at a time. I fling open the front door, banging it on the wall.

“Izzy," I scream as I run through the house.

“Izzy," I scream again. There is no answer. I can smell her throughout the house as I search it from top to bottom. There is no one here.

“Xavier," Nolan yells from the kitchen. “Come here.”

My shoulders are slumped as I enter the kitchen. “She’s not here,” I tell him, defeat in my voice. I drop my eyes to the ground. I’m fighting back tears when Christian comes up behind me and shakes his head.

“It’s empty,” he says.

“Xavier, she left you a note,” Nolan tells me. I look up and see he’s holding a piece of paper. I take it from him with shaky hands. I take a deep breath before reading it.

X,

I’m so sorry I yelled at you at the track.

I should have trusted you to watch my back, but I was scared.

I was scared that, while you were watching mine, no one was watching yours.

When they tampered with my car again, I lost it.

I lashed out at you and I shouldn’t have.

You can’t keep me safe no matter how hard you try.

We can’t predict what others choose to do.

We can’t predict the crazy in other people.

I love you with my whole heart. I’ve loved you since we were kids.

You have been my entire world, the love of my life.

I need to do the right thing and save Mia and Ashley. Marie took them, and I need to trade myself for their safety. They’re at an old farmhouse about a half-hour away. She wants me, not them. They’re a way to drag me away from you, but I won’t go down without a fight.

If anything happens to me, please, please, move on.

Keep your beautiful heart open for love again.

Keep your head in the race and live your life.

I will always be a piece of you as you are a piece of me.

When I left, five years ago, I lost myself, but these last couple of months made me whole again.

You made me whole again. I need to do this.

You need to have peace and happiness, even if it’s not with me.

Always carry me in your heart but leave enough room for someone else.

I’ll see you on the other side.

Forever yours, B

I wipe the tears from my eyes when I finish reading her letter. It’s her final goodbye. I refuse to accept it, I won’t accept it. I look up at the ceiling and take a deep breath. Christian’s phone rings and he answers it.

“Yeah, what do you have?" He barks into the phone. I watch as he’s pacing the kitchen, back and forth.

“Thanks, man I owe you one." Christian hangs up his phone. “Come on. They tracked Izzy’s cell to an old farmhouse off Nottawa Road.”

Christian runs to the front door. I’m hot on his heels and we all jump into his car. As Christian starts his car and takes off at breakneck speed, Nolan’s phone rings. He answers it quickly.

“Yeah,” he snaps. “Holy shit are you serious? We will be there in less than fifteen minutes." He snaps the phone shut and looks at me. “That was some of my guys. They found Izzy’s jeep. Mia and Ashley were in it, but not Izzy. Mia has some cracked ribs and they both have concussions. Mia is rambling about some crazy woman and some guy. Step on it Christian.” I don’t miss the urgency in Nolan’s voice.

My adrenaline is thrumming through my veins, wreaking havoc on my nerves.

Christian punches the gas harder and we’re climbing over ninety miles an hour, weaving in and out of traffic. Barely avoiding cars and running red lights. Nolan’s guys from the track, Muscle Freaks One and Four, are keeping up with us when we reach the outskirts of town.

“What guy would she be talking about? I thought Williams was in lockup, under heavy guards?" I ask.

“I don’t know.” Christian answers. His teeth are grinding together, and there is a distinct tick in his jaw. The cornfields, houses, and farmlands all fly by me in a blur as we make our way to Izzy’s jeep.

“This isn’t making sense. Why would she let Mia and Ashley go when she should have known they’d find us?" Christian asks.

Rage settles into my bones when a revelation hits me.

“To draw me out. She wants me too and letting them go guarantees I’ll try to rescue Izzy.” I tell them.

I spot Izzy’s jeep parked off the side of the road when we arrive. There’s an ambulance and cops all around them. I get out of the car before it even comes to a stop and run up to Mia on a stretcher. She has an IV in her hand and an EMT looking her over.

“Mia,” I whisper. Her eyes find mine and a small smile plays on her bruised and bloody face.

“Xavier, I knew you’d come. Go help Izzy, please. She needs you to save her from that man,” she mumbles. I grab her small hand, being careful of her IV.

“What man Mia? What man are you talking about?" Her eyes drift shut and snap back open.

“The one who wants her. He’s been obsessed with her since she wouldn’t accept his advances in L.A.,” she tells me and drifts off to sleep. The EMT looks up at me.

“We need to get her to the hospital. I’ve sedated her because of the pain, but she needs an x-ray of her ribs and a doctor to look her over.”

Christian is by my side. “I’ll go with them. You and Nolan get these fuckers."

“Thanks, Christian,” I shake his hand and leave Mia’s side. I walk over to Ashley on the other stretcher. She’s staring into space, her eyes glazed over. Nolan is next to her, gently holding her hand. I hold her other hand and her eyes drift to mine, slowly.

“Ashley, I’m so sorry this happened to you. Is there anything you can tell me?" She slowly shakes her head, wincing from the pain.

“I’m sorry Xavier, I was passed out the whole time,” she whispers.

“I didn’t see who hit me. All I know is that there were two of them.

I saw two sets of feet when they ambushed us at Mia’s house.

" Tears form in her light brown eyes and she shakes her head slowly, trying to clear it, but winces from the pain.

“Please help her. Izzy needs you right now. That woman is fucking crazy.” Ashley says, barely staying awake.

“I know and I am. Mia said something about a guy from L.A. Do you know who that is?" I ask her. She shakes her head again.

“Ouch,” she groans, shifting her head to the side.

“No, she only went on a handful of dates but never felt that spark.

" Ashley stares off into space for a moment before speaking again.

Her eyes grow wide when she realizes something.

“Shit. Now that I think about it, there was a guy that kept hanging around our building. He would be there when we left. He never approached us. Maybe it’s him. "

Nolan still holding her hand gently asks, “Ashley, what did he look like?"

She slowly turns her head to Nolan, wincing from the pain. “He has brown hair and blue eyes. He is tall, about six feet, but skinny. I’ve never talked to him before though.” She doesn’t realize it, but she just described Williams.

“Nolan, call your contacts and make sure Williams is still in jail,” I tell him. He releases Ashley’s hand and pulls his phone out.

“I’m on it.” He speaks.

I squeeze Ashley’s hand while Nolan walks away, talking on his phone.

“These guys will take you to the hospital now. The doctors need to check your head and make sure nothing else is wrong. Just try to stay awake, concussions are nasty and you’re going to feel sick.

I’m sorry this happened to you.” She closes her eyes before speaking again in a soft voice.

“Xavier, I’m happy she found you again." Ashley’s brown eyes open, searching for me. When they finally reach me, she tries to focus through her glossy gaze. “Please help her.” She says before drifting off to sleep. I try to wake her, but the EMT working on Mia approaches me.

“She’ll be OK. I’m going to load her up in the back of my ambulance and take her to the hospital too. The doctors will get a better assessment when she gets there. Is there anyone to call for these two?" he asks.

“Mia’s parents, but I don’t know about Ashley. She just came here from California today.” I tell him. He moves Ashley toward the ambulance when Nolan comes over to me, his body shaking with rage.

“Xavier, we have to go. Somehow Williams escaped, and they can’t track him.”

My heart bottoms out. The noise of the ambulance taking off, and the cops milling around talking, all fade away. I’m diving headfirst, toward the end game, as rage consumes my body. I’m heading to a place where my demons are lurking, ready to take down anyone who stands in my way.