“Yeah, somewhere off Highway 70.”
I look over at Reaper, “Get Trick on the fucking phone and find out where the hell they are and tell them to stay put until we get there.”
We stand up and make our way out to the bikes. Christ, I’m going to make her ass so raw she won’t be able to put those tight jeans on she wears for racing.
“Trick’s not answering, Prez,” Reaper calls out as he jumps on his bike.
“I’ll try Sutton and if she doesn’t answer I can get Hawk to trace their phones.”
Wildcat knows we’ve got something going down tomorrow and need everyone close. Why did she run off without telling me about this race?
Raegan has been up to something this past week and is avoiding my questions about what she’s doing. Her answers are always the same, just doing my job, but then won’t elaborate. I know it’s got to do with something either with her mother or her stepdad. I’m almost tempted to reach out and enlist Ivy if she doesn’t start talking soon. I’m starting to worry.
Tonight, Raegan and I are going to a secret race that’s outside of the city. I know that a lot of money is involved and the winner walks away with a mint. Trick was bragging about Raegan winning last time and that she’ll be hard to beat again if she races like she did weeks ago.
I still will never get use to the fact that quiet little Raegan Walker is a closet speed racer and world class hacker. I guess it goes to show you can’t judge a book by its cover!
Although, I’ve got my own closet of secrets I’m hiding too. I’m in desperate need to make a lot of money to escape this town. I finally broke down and told Raegan I needed money. She offered to give me whatever I needed, but I couldn’t use our friendship like that. When the mention of the race came up, she said it was a sure bet and that I’d have more than enough for what I needed. I’m running out of time. This is my last resort for freedom.
We cross over a wooden bridge and Raegan tells me that this is where she met Havoc and Riot. I’ve learned a lot about Havoc through Raegan and even though they once dated, I don’t feel any jealousy when she tells stories about their time together. They rag on each other pretty hard and don’t let things slide when one is out of line.
We pull up to the race to see a lot of cars and motorcycles lined up along the road. Trick, our keeper, parks next to us and hops off his bike, looking around the crowd of over a hundred. He’s not in his cut to be as discrete as possible without more brothers here.
“You sure Prez is okay with this?” he asks Raegan as she places her helmet on over her wig to conceal her identity. She keeps it locked in a storage unit until race day. There is so much I’ve learned about her and am so thankful we were forced to hang out with each other.
The day after Stone returned her car that her mom and stepdad took back, he surprised her with a new car. Raegan and I had just finished cleaning the kitchen after breakfast when Kane came through the front door. The smile on his face gave everything away. We followed him out the door and in the driveway sat a brand new silver 4x4 Jeep with a large red bow on the hood. The top was down on the four door SUV and Kane had the music blaring some rap song. Raegan was beside herself and was shocked to silence. She inspected every inch of the car as Kane went over the specs. When they were done, he handed her an envelope with papers. They were copies of the bill of sale and proof that he put the car in her name only. He wanted her to know that no one was ever going to take something from her again. Even though she has more than enough money to purchase anything she could ever want, it was the gesture that spoke volumes.
“Of course, Trick,” Raegan responds a little too sweetly, and I’m starting to doubt it myself. But, what could go wrong at a race, right?
With her being so distant lately, I’ve tried to be the friend she’s been to me when I first came back from the mission trip from hell my father shipped me off to. Raegan and Ivy have helped me start finding my voice. I’m so grateful for it.
I’m still trying to figure out everything with Havoc. He’s always around everywhere I turn, wanting to talk about our night together. He’s even enrolled his son, Zane, into my preschool class, but he’s going to have to be patient. I’m leaving to get away from my father and everything that he entails. I’ve got no other choice, which is why I’m here tonight. As much as it’s going to kill me to leave the only home I’ve ever known, I know that I have to and to make sure I don’t involve others into the mess that is my life right now.
Raegan leads us over to a guy named Danny and gives her name. She gets set up for the race along with placing my bet. Trick puts down a couple of grand for Ghost since we know our girl can rock this shit, and then we walk back over to the car so Raegan can get things ready to race.
Trick and I stand over by his bike, out of the way and wait for the racers to cross the finish line. He gave specific instructions to Raegan that if something goes wrong to meet by an old gas station off the road down from here until we can get to her. Apparently, this type of racing is illegal and the cops get called often.
There are a total of six cars racing that are lined up on the road. Raegan is behind the second row next to an orange and black small sports car. We are waiting for the horn to blow and I look back and take the scene in. Both men and women are stretched out along the side of the road cheering with their cameras out, drinking. All different types of music is booming out of each car. Everyone is having a good time waiting for the race to begin. But, Trick tenses beside me, and I try to follow where he’s looking at, but there are so many people I don’t know who he is staring at.
“Everything okay, Trick?” I ask, nervously.
“Not sure, but I don’t have a good feeling about being here all of a sudden,” he says not taking his eyes off the area down the line of spectators.
The horn blows making me almost jump out of my skin as the cars screech out and roar down the road. They leave a large puff of smoke from their tires and it makes me choke. My heart is racing as we wait to see who barrels across first. I never thought something like this could be so much fun. My heart is beating so fast I almost feel giddy at the thought of getting caught. I’ve never been in any type of trouble before, but right now my body is buzzing with excitement.
Off in the distance we hear the sounds of engines and know that the cars are heading back towards us, getting closer to crossing the line. Straining my eyes, I can only make out one car, and it has me jumping up and down with excitement.
“It’s Raegan! It’s Raegan!” I screech grabbing ahold of Trick’s arm. I know he put quite a bit of money down, and from the smile beaming off his face, I can tell he’s just as happy as I am.
Raegan crosses the line, and it seems like forever before the next car comes across. She parks over by us getting out and tossing her helmet somewhere in the car but making sure her wig stays on.
“You won! Oh my gosh, you won!” I bounce over to her and swallow her up in a hug.
We both are giggling like little school girls. Now I know why she loves doing this. The high I feel right now is unbelievable. The crowd is cheering and trying to circle around her as she makes her way over to Danny to collect her prize.
After Danny announces the top three, money is exchanged and collected. The wad of bills in my hand right now could make me pass out. I’ve got more than enough money now that’s going to change my life. On our way back over to the car a large body stops us by putting a hand up in front of us.
“I didn’t realize Stone allowed his bitch to go out without him,” a guy with a snake tattoo and leather cut sneers at us. He looks vaguely familiar.
