Page 18 of Ride or Die (The Shores #1)

CHAPTER

EIGHTEEN

DRIVE

LAYLA

“Okay, so, when the RPM gauge revs to 2-2.5, slowly release the clutch, and you’ll feel the gear catch. Release the clutch too early, and the car stalls. You keep trying again and again until you hit the right spot.”

We’re sitting in an empty ‘park and ride’ with Colt trying to teach me how to drive a stick. I have a license only because my dad demanded I get one when I was sixteen so I could drive him whenever he needed a fix. But I don’t drive often, let alone a stick shift.

“You can even hear it in the engine. Eventually you’ll know the sound to listen for when it’s time to press the clutch and move it into the next gear. Try it out.”

I do as he says and actually get the car to drive, even moving it through the gears. He looks over at me, eyes filled with pride. He loves driving manual, so he ordered this car custom just to have it. Says it's the only way he feels like he's really driving.

“Good job, babe. You just need to keep practicing that. Then you can start adding more speed off the line, and I’ll teach you how to spin the tires.

One day I can also teach you how to steal a car.

” My head snaps over to him, and he quickly raises his hands in defense with a chuckle. “Only if you want to, of course.”

He lets me drive for a bit longer, and it’s getting easier, so I take it out to the main road for a few miles.

“Attagirl!” He encourages me as I pull the car off to the side of the road so we can switch spots.

“That was fun,” I say, sitting in the passenger’s seat smiling ear to ear.

“You look so sexy when you drive my car.” He leans over the center console to kiss me. He starts driving, looking sexy as always. It’s ridiculous how aroused by him I am twenty-four seven. I’ve become a slave to my urges.

"I'm pretty sure you look sexier." I eye him up, ogling shamelessly. I want him. I need him. All the fucking time.

Giving in to an impulsive thought, I unbuckle my seat belt and get onto my knees in my seat, leaning over to undo his belt. He looks over at me, then back at the road.

“Uh, what are you doing, babe?” he asks cautiously, but I think it’s pretty fucking obvious.

“I’m giving my man a blow job while he drives his car. One of his greatest passions in life,” I say innocently, using his words from the library against him.

“This could be seriously dangerous,” he says.

“Yeah, so don’t go fast.”

“That’s going to be hard with your mouth wrapped around my dick, distracting me. But I’ll try.” He gives me a naughty smirk as I work to undo his pants and pull them down just enough to release his manhood. He’s already half hard. I love the effect I have on him.

Before I dive in, I stroke him languidly until he’s ready for me.

“This is so hot,” he rasps, watching as I lick my lips.

He swallows audibly, looking straight ahead to watch the road. I lean over him, sucking him into my mouth, delighted by the hiss as I take all of him in, making myself gag.

I’d choke on this dick any day of the week.

I bob up and down on him, withdrawing to the tip and swiftly circling my tongue around the head before sinking back down with enthusiasm.

He bucks in his seat, moaning as he places his hand on the back of my head, gently guiding me by my hair, indicating when he wants me to take him deep and when he wants my tongue to focus on the head.

“Holy fuck, Lay, you’re amazing at this.” He groans as I continue to deep throat his cock while he drives, grunting every time I go deep.

"Fuck, I'm going to lose my mind. I need to pull over." And that's exactly what he does. Slamming the car into park, his hips match my rhythm as he fucks my mouth, groaning loudly.

“Baby, I’m about to come,” he warns. But that’s okay. I want to taste all of him, and I’m ready to take his load.

I continue torturing him, feeling his body tense up, his grip tightening in my hair and his breaths becoming short and shallow.

“Fuuuuck,” he growls as he releases himself down my throat. I suck him dry.

Satisfied, I sit back and giggle about how he had to pull over. Guess he couldn’t handle controlling the car while losing control to my mouth.

“Jesus, that was amazing. You’re a fucking goddess, baby.” He tucks himself back into his pants. Then he pulls me in for a tongue-twisting kiss, not the least bit hesitant about tasting himself in my mouth.

“Do you want to go out to eat tonight? Maybe go to the arcade or something?” I put my seat belt on as he pulls away from the side of the road.

He looks at me with a pained expression. “I’m sorry babe, I can’t. I’ve got to do a job tonight.”

I know what that means. This is the part of him I don’t like. It just makes me uneasy. I hope he actually intends to change.

I look out the window, unable to find anything to say. Like he can sense my discomfort, Colt grabs my hand.

“I know, baby. It should be over soon. I’m going to talk to him tonight. To get out. I promise.” He kisses my knuckles, and we continue our drive in silence.

I would rather not continue talking about it. I just hope he does it.

He pulls up outside my house and looks over at me. “It’ll all be okay. Ax is hosting something afterwards and I have to show face. I’ll sneak into bed with you after I’m done there, okay? It’ll be late.” He looks at me with concern and rubs my cheek.

“Okay. You got the key I gave you?” He nods and shows it to me with a smile.

He was so happy when I gave him the key to my house. It makes it way easier for him to come by for his late-night visits after he finishes with his friends or jobs.

There is nothing like the feel of his warm body slipping into bed behind me, hugging me close and falling back asleep that way. Even though his work makes me uncomfortable, knowing he’s been coming home to me every night since we became official makes it a little better.

When we pull up in front of my house, he gets out and rounds the car to open the door for me. He offers his hand and helps me out, taking me into one of his warm, protective embraces. I breathe him in, appreciating the feel of him wrapped around me.

He kisses my head and whispers, “Thank you for being patient through all of this. I promise I will make it up to you one day.”

I look up at him and he bends down, kissing me so passionately that I get lightheaded. When we separate, our foreheads touch.

“I know, babe.” I drag my hands through his hair and then pull him to me again, always in need of more.

When our lips meet again, our usual fireworks set off. He pushes me up against the car and grabs the side of my face. Our tongues move flawlessly together, his kisses both loving and dominant, soft and hard. Colton has perfect full lips, which makes it even better.

After a brief make-out session, I step out of his embrace and walk to my front door. He never leaves until I’m inside, so I turn around and blow him a kiss before I close the door, locking it behind me. I sigh and lean against it.

I think I’m in love with this guy.

I step into the house to find my dad passed out on the couch with the TV blaring, a mess on the living room table in front of him like he came home and ate everything we had. And he will probably leave all of it for me to clean tomorrow. I stand over him and look down at the sullen-looking man.

He is skinny, his eyes sunken in, huge bags lining them. His graying hair is thinning, but he still manages to comb it over. There’s an almost empty bottle of whiskey on the table, and I can’t help but notice the pipe in his hand. I close my eyes and sigh.

My dad is using again. The man hates his fucking life.

I have faint memories of us being a happy family. Simone and I squealing with laughter as we ran through the sprinkler on the front lawn, Dad chasing us and Mom watching on with love. Then, one day, it was like our life’s aura turned dark. A cloud permanently settled over our family.

Mom and Dad were always fighting, and then we got into the car with barely anything and just took off from our life.

The smiles never returned to my parents’ faces again, and Simone became a super angry teen.

The parties and drinking and drugs cycled through this house as my parents became one with the way of life in The Shores.

I’ve never forgotten the demeaning words and emotional abuse towards Simone and I for draining them.

Often being told this was all our fault, even though we worked all the time as soon as we got jobs.

But the money we gave them was never enough.

They always wanted more. I paid them to keep this roof over our heads while I worked my ass off to get the grants and scholarships to attend university, but they were never thankful.

My world became bleak when our parents succumbed to The Shores. There are two types that live here, the ones that commit crimes, and the ones who were abused by them. Those who just survive, coping by way of substance abuse. And that’s my parents.

As much as I hate my dad, I also pity him.

I really hope Colt doesn’t run into him later. That is not something I want him to see, a protective boyfriend versus a strung-out dad.

I leave him and head upstairs to go to my room. When I pass my parents’ room, I see my mom passed out in bed snoring, her cigarette still billowing smoke in the ashtray beside her. Looks like they had a drunken bender and both passed out. I walk in and put out the cigarette, then go to my room.

I lock my door to keep my family out when I am not home.

They are known for stealing my stuff to sell it.

I installed my own locks on the outside and inside, and any special food I buy gets put in my mini fridge.

Like I live in a dorm, I cook with my own hot plate and toaster oven, doing my best to avoid them.

It’s isolating, but it’s the only way I feel safe in my own home. Having a man like Colt is a security blanket I desperately needed.

I get ready for bed and can’t help but wonder what Colt’s job is tonight. Where is he going? What are they stealing? How do they do it? It interests me, but also makes me anxious, knowing he’s out there risking it all right now.

If anything bad happens to him, I don’t know if I could go back to a life without him.

I take a deep breath to bring myself out of my anxious tailspin. He will be home soon.

After making a can of soup, I decide that the sooner I fall asleep, the faster I’ll see him.