Page 86 of Racing Dirty Trilogy Box Set
Xavier
Drip, drip, drip.
I’m going nuts hearing the sink drip repeatedly.
Handcuffed to the register in the corner of the room, a sense of helplessness fills my body.
My arms and shoulders are stiff and sore from being suspended, and my legs are numb from sitting here for so long, not being able to move.
I lift my pounding head from the wall and peer around the moonlit room.
I can see Izzy tied to a chair, her chin is resting against her chest. Her breathing is even, and there’s a rag covering her beautiful mouth.
She’s been beaten several times by the chick they call Wrath and I’ve had to watch, helpless to do anything.
I’ve tried to get them to channel their anger toward me, but they love taunting and teasing Izzy.
At least they haven’t punched her stomach and for that I’m grateful.
They’ve fed us enough to keep us alive with stale crackers, bread, and water.
A large man with a brown buzz cut and honey-colored eyes has been in charge when Wrath and the other guy with deadly black eyes aren’t here.
He doesn’t act like he wants to be here, but they have something on him.
They keep tormenting him with something about a kidnapping and he does what they say.
He won’t touch either of us though. The two have tried several times to get him to, but he refuses.
If anything, he’s saved Izzy from Wrath several times.
The times Wrath has beat Izzy is because that guy wasn’t here.
There was one time a couple of days ago when Wrath untied Izzy from the chair and made her leave with her and the other guy.
A few hours later, Izzy came back with tears in her green eyes and she shut down.
She won’t speak or look at me. I feel like a failure for letting her get hurt.
I’ve got to find a way to get out of here soon before I lose Izzy for good.
Loud footsteps stomp down the hallway and loud voices follow. I lean my pounding head against the wall and prepare myself for what waits on the other side.
“How could this happen?” Wrath shouts from the other side of the door.
Izzy picks her head up, and a whimper escapes through the rag covering her mouth.
I’m trying to get Izzy to look in my direction, but she won’t.
“You’re a fucking idiot, Switch. We had him in our control and you let him get away.
Now he’s back with her and we’re fucked.
” Locks turn on the door and it slams open.
“I didn’t let shit happen, Wrath. Watch your tone with me. I’m still in charge here.” The guy with cold, black eyes replies as they step into the apartment building. Finally learning his name, Switch, I open my eyes a little and watch them enter.
Switch turns on a light and I try not to wince as the brightness fills the room.
He walks to the kitchen, grabs a beer out of the refrigerator, and takes a long pull from the bottle.
He sets his bottle down on the counter and crosses his arms over his chest, watching Wrath pace back and forth.
Something happened tonight, and she’s pissed.
Her fists are clenching at her sides and rage is rolling off her body in waves.
“Fuck!” Wrath shouts and stomps off into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.
Switch follows her with his eyes and takes a deep breath.
He picks up the bottle and finishes the beer before tossing it into the sink.
He glares in my direction and then Izzy’s.
My body tightens with tension with the way he’s leering at her.
Fuck no, he isn’t touching her. I rattle my handcuffs drawing his attention back to me and a deadly glint is in his eyes.
“You got something to say?” Switch asks.
I don’t answer and glare right back at him.
“Don’t worry. It’ll be all over soon.” He says and walks out of the kitchen toward Izzy.
He squats down in front of her and raises her chin so she’s looking into his eyes and removes the rag from her mouth. “Are you hungry?”
She tries to pull her chin out of his grasp, but he tightens his hold. “I asked if you’re hungry,” he spits out through gritted teeth. Izzy shakes her head, and he trails a finger down her cheek, wiping away a tear. Rage fills my body and I try to get up but fail in my weakened state.
“Motherfucker. Don’t. Touch. Her.” I spit out.
Switch spins around on his heels so he’s facing me, “What are you going to do about it?”
“I’ll fucking kill you,” I answer, low and deadly.
He barks out a laugh and stands up, “Just like Nolan said? Well, I hate to tell you Xavier, but Nolan can’t touch me, and neither can you.” He walks out of the room and into the bedroom Wrath went into.
It’s just Izzy and me in the room. She’s whimpering behind her snarled blonde hair. “Izzy, please look at me.” She shakes her head, keeping it down. “Nothing you have done is your fault. I’m going to get us out of here. Please, have faith we will get out.”
“I can’t, X. I’ve done something I’m not proud of and I almost cost Nolan his life,” she cries.
“Tell me what happened. We can get through this,” I plead.
“I,” she starts and then stops. Her face twists with pain and a low groan escapes her cracked lips. “Shit, X, help me.” She whispers. She curls her chest down toward her legs and whimpers.
“B, take deep breaths and stay with me, please,” I beg. “Tell me what happened.”
Izzy takes a deep breath and sits back up.
Her green eyes are full of unshed tears.
“They made me push him, so they could grab Redline. If it weren’t for Ashton, he would have died.
I was so close to escaping. I could smell freedom all around me, but I couldn’t escape X, I won’t leave you. ” She cries quietly.
“B, if you ever get the chance to escape again, take it. Don’t stay for me.
” She shakes her head back and forth violently.
“Yes, B. I can handle what they do to me, but I can’t handle what they’d do to you.
If you ever get the chance again, take it, please.
This isn’t your fault. You did nothing wrong.
” Tears are burning my eyes and my lungs are burning.
I’m trying to stay strong for her, but I’m close to breaking down, giving in.
“I’m just as bad as they are. I didn’t have to push him in front of that train. I could have said no, but I didn’t. I did what they told me to do.” Izzy sobs. Fuck, I wish I could hold her. I flex my fingers several times, wishing I could run them through her hair. She’s so close, yet so far away.
“B, you have more than yourself to look out for now. You have to do what is best for all of us. If escaping and leaving me here is what you must do, then do it. I won’t fault you or be angry.
I swear B, you’ve got to get out of here if you ever have the chance to, again.
” Emotions clog my throat and I fight back tears threatening to spill.
“Promise me, B. Promise you’ll take the next opportunity. ”
Izzy finally looks me in the eyes and nods her head. “I promise,” she whispers.
“I love you so much, B,” I choke out, keeping eye contact.
“I love you too, X,” her voice is full of sadness, hurt and anger. “I promise.”
The bedroom door yanks open, interrupting our conversation, and Wrath stalks out with Switch hot on her heels.
She stomps over to Izzy and unties her feet.
“If you try anything, bitch. I will drag you back here, torture lover boy, slowly kill him, and make you watch. Got it?” Wrath spits out.
Izzy’s wide eyes fly toward me and nods her head.
“Yes,” Izzy whispers. I mouth I love you, promise me, to Izzy and she nods her head slightly, not taking her eyes off me.
She mouths I love you, back and Wrath stands up, interrupting our silent conversation.
She yanks Izzy up from the chair, throws a zip-up hoodie over her shoulders, and ties her hands in front of her.
“We’re going on a little trip. Don’t try anything or his pain will be front and center in your mind for the rest of your life.” Wrath grits out through clenched teeth.
“Ok,” Izzy says quietly. Tears are glistening in her eyes and she connects with mine again.
I nod my head and she does it back. Relief fills me knowing she will escape when the opportunity arises.
Switch shuts off the light, plunging me into darkness yet again and the three walk out the apartment door.
I lean my head against the wall and let my tears fall.
I’m not a praying man, but right now I pray to God he lets Izzy escape and get help.
Propped against the wall with the constant drip from the kitchen faucet soothing me to sleep this time.