Page 53 of Rear View

Xavier

I stood in the Parc Ferme, the sun setting in the background. The race had ended an hour before, the crowds gone. My back was leaned against the concrete wall as I talked to Ma and eyed my rally car. Mine for about five more minutes, anyway.

“Did you tell her?” Mom asked.

It’d been three hours since Ryah’d left. Since I’d been sent off after the WRC had suspended me pending an internal investigation. Since my world fell to shit.

Stroking the key chain from my girl, I adjusted my phone and cleared my throat.

“Yeah, Ma. I did.” But the look of cold dread in her face when the media’d pounced, it kept ricocheting around my head.

What if she’d changed her mind? What if my life—my trouble—was too fuckin’ much?

I might’ve ignored the idea, shoved it to the back of my mind ’cause Ryah’d said she’d be back.

Problem was, she hadn’t answered one of my calls since.

The empty goddamn tone I used must’ve given things away, ’cause Ma’s voice was strained when she softly said, “Oh, sweetheart.”

Earl had told Alec and me to hang back for a meet ing.

Didn’t have to guess what it was about. I had no clue what’d come next.

What I’d do with my life. I had cash, but I wouldn’t use it.

Not for me. Sean, though, he’d already started getting paid, ’cause whether my girl wanted me or not, I’d still be hunting the prick that was after her.

When I’d handed those original emails to Sean, he’d tracked them to a spoofed IP address, which he claimed was harder to track, so he needed time.

I’d sent the Nolans off thirty minutes earlier. I tried to thank them for stickin’ around and say sorry for everything. They’d pulled me in for a hug, instead, telling me the only thing they cared about was how I treated their daughter. And it might’ve felt good, if only Ryah’d picked up.

My heart barely worked. I’d stared at my phone, hoping for something from my girl. Anything. But I’d scared her, and I’d scared her bad. The terror in those copper eyes nearly gutted me. A look I’d put there.

Christ, I missed her so damn much already.

Ma’s soft sob carried over the line. “This is my fault. I should’ve spoken up. Pushed the police. Your father never should have been yours to deal with. If I’d done something, he never would have fixed on you.”

She should’ve, but then, if she’d done something, I never would’ve gone to juvie. Met Castillo and Earl. Never would’ve met my girl. And as shit as possibly losing Ryah felt, not having her at all, that would’ve been worse. “Stuff happened the way it supposed to, yeah.”

She sniffed. “I’m so sorry, Xavier.”

So was I.

Alec came around the corner.

“I gotta go, Ma. Talk soon.”

“I love you, sweetheart.”

“You too.” The call ended and I shoved the phone away.

Straightening, I met him at the Parc Ferme’s entrance. His expression was flat, so I couldn’t read it when I asked, “How ya doin’?”

He popped a shoulder and ran a hand over his twists. “Been better. You?”

My laugh was dark as hell. “Been better.” I stuffed my fists into my pockets and chucked my chin in Earl’s direction. “You ready?”

“Not even close.” He tugged his coat zipper higher. “Let’s get this over with.”

I headed for the back, and he fell in beside me. When we crossed inside, Earl sat on a couch there, deep creases around his eyes like he was bracing for what came. Castillo occupied a seat in the corner, a forced smile on his face, while Trina leaned against a shelf to the right.

The mood was sour when Alec and I took our seats. Which fit, ’cause everything damn well sucked.

Earl angled forward, his forearms dropping to his knees. “The sponsors are out,” he said, his voice hollow.

“Which ones?” Alec asked.

He scratched his jaw. “After the media coverage of Peter’s scene, all of them.”

Shit. No doubt the footage of me trying to choke him out was a highlight reel on repeat. My chest caved. “And the WRC?”

“They’re citing moral violations,” Castillo said, “but still no official word.”

I rubbed the back of my neck. Christ. I’d known it was comin’, but had still hoped. Not for me. My career was shot. But for the rest of the team…goddammit.

“We can see about getting other sponsors,” Trina cut in.

“I don’t think that’s a viable option,” Earl countered.

“Of course it is. We can just pivot. Racing might be out, but Xavier and Alec are marketable.”

My jaw ground.

Earl rolled his eyes, then drummed his fingers over the coffee table in front of him as he turned her way. “Due to the unfolding circumstances, I think we’ll no longer be needing your services, Trina.”

Thank Christ.

Her head drew back. “Excuse me?”

“You can gather your things and leave, please.”

She scoffed, her gaze darting to me as if I was about to help. Like hell that’d happen. In case she was confused, I shook my head. She scoffed again, grabbed her purse and stormed out.

Several seconds passed before I exhaled, good and slow. “Can you pull in a new driver?”

“Maybe.” Leaning back, he flattened a palm over the couch’s arm and sighed. “I’ll ask around.”

Alec crossed his arms over his chest, throwin’ me a dark glare. “I’m not driving with anyone else. It’s X or bust.”

I stretched my neck. “I’m out, Alec. Ain’t no savin’ me. If there’s a chance for you, then you take it.”

“We’re a package, man. If you’re out, I’m out.”

My brow slammed down. “Don’t be an idiot.”

His hands rolled into fists. “This one’s not your call.”

What the fuck? I angled forward, my chair creaking when I dropped my elbows to my knees. My shoulders bunched and I rolled them.

My phone buzzed. I went rigid. My joints were stiff when I reached into my pocket, desperate as shit to check it. To see her name. ’Cause I could handle anything if I just had her.

Be you, darlin’. Please, be you.

A text from Miles flashed over the screen and I dropped my head. Guy probably wanted to tear me a new asshole for hurting his sister. And I’d earned whatever he threw my way.

I clicked it.

Miles: You got a sec?

My body tensed. “I gotta take this.”

Earl dipped his chin in a nod.

I pushed up and aimed for the door, giving the frame my weight. Selecting Miles’s info, I called.

“Hey, X,” he said. Music pumped while guys laughed in the background. His tone was tight, but decent. No rage, so I’d take it.

“Hey, man. S’up?”

“You’re probably in the middle of stuff right now”—a pause, the sound of shuffling—“but I just got a text from Ry. Came in a while ago, but I was in practice. It’s from that burner phone you got her.”

My spine locked up.

“I think it was meant for you. It’s weird, though. Doesn’t make any sense, but figured I’d let you know.”

“Weird how?”

“I just forwarded you the screenshot.”

Pulling the device from my ear, I brought it up.

Sis: Dinner’s in the fridge, Xavier. I’m going to bed early.

My pulse drummed inside my head. The codes. My ma’s codes! A pain shot through my chest and my hand locked tight on that frame, ’cause my damn knees nearly buckled.

Fuck. Fuck. “FUCK!”

Castillo’s head snapped my way while Alec pushed up and closed in.

“What’s going on?” Miles demanded. “What’s it mean?”

“Ryah’s in trouble.” Don’t let it be him . Don’t let it be him ! But it was. Every instinct in my gut knew it. She wouldn’t have picked that message otherwise. “He’s got her.”

Miles cursed and cursed again while Castillo stiffened.

My head spun as I tried to get my thoughts straight. I needed to figure things out. Find her. “Where is she?”

“Shit! I don’t know, man.”

“Check her place, yeah. Call the cops. Call Zoya. Tell your parents. Get everyone lookin’.”

“I’m on it,” he said. “What’ll you do?”

“Best you don’t know.” I set my shoulders, worked my jaw hard. “We’ll find her,” I promised. We had to, ’cause I couldn’t handle anything else. And when I did, I was gonna end the prick. “Keep me posted.”

“I will.” The call ended and I dialed Ryah. It rang, and rang, and rang. I hung up then tried the burner phone. Same result.

Where are you, dream girl? Where the fuck are you?

Clicking the Shared Location app she’d added herself to, I waited as it tracked her. Her phone pinged a few blocks off the U of E campus.

Alec edged closer. “X?”

My stare locked with Earl’s. “I need the car.” Could’ve taken my Jeep, but I needed something a hell of a lot faster.

“I can’t do that—”

“Give it to him,” Castillo said.

Earl’s stare tracked between his cousin and me. Whatever he saw must’ve convinced him, ’cause he inclined his head. “Take it.”

Castillo closed in and grabbed my shoulders. “Do what you need to do, Xavier.”

And I would. Didn’t have any other choice, ’cause I wasn’t losing her.

I eyed Alec. “Tell Sean to get ready.” I bolted from the office to the garage. Throwing the car open, I jumped in. Turning it over, the rumble-pop of the engine boomed out.

Alec whipped the passenger side wide and launched into the seat.

“Get out,” I told him.

Taking the harness, he looped it over his chest. “No.”

“I ain’t draggin’ you into this one, man. I cost you enough, now get the hell out!”

“Fuck you!” His pissed-as-hell glare fixed on me and he shoved my shoulder hard.

“You didn’t cost me shit, X. I knew what I signed up for.

” He stabbed a hand toward Earl’s office.

“Everyone in that room did. We took a gamble and got unlucky. But we were all in on the game. I know you think you’re alone, but you’re not.

Never have been. I love you, man. You’re my goddamn brother.

I’m here and I ain’t going nowhere.” He shoved my shoulder again. “Now drive the fucking car.”

My chest twisted. I wanted to say something, let him know what his friendship meant. Tell him I loved him too. That he’d been just as much a brother to me as Fallon, but the only word that came out was, “Dick.”

He clipped himself in and stared straight ahead. “Let’s go get your girl.”

I chucked him my phone. “Watch her location. Tell me if it changes.”

A sharp nod.