Fast and Loaded: A Bad Boy Sports Romance (7 page)

I
believed
Amber when she said that she hadn’t played pool in years, but it must have been like riding a bike for her. She managed to beat me at two separate games before I finally got the upper hand on the third. Now, watching her close to losing, I saw what my competition must see when they looked at her, pure determination. She analyzed everything as if there was a way to win no matter the end result. It was a little intimidating and thrilling at the same time.

“You know, you could just let me win,” I said playfully.

She glared at me. “Not on your life Keys.”

I laughed. “Boy, remind me never to get on your bad side. I bet you are tough as hell.”

“Keep trying to distract me from this shot, and you’ll find out,” she replied with a wink.

I laughed again. The night had started out rough with Luke coming to the bar but in the end, it was shaping up to be a great night.

I was no longer in the mood to drink though. Two beers in and all I could think about was taking Amber back to my place and showing her just how amazing I really thought she was. I knew that it was important to spend time with the crew though and the fact that she saw that right away meant the world to me.

I turned away from her, talking with my wheel mechanic. For the first time in a while, I noticed that Luke wasn’t at his station at the bar, nursing his wounds. I heard Amber yell before I saw Luke standing there next to her.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she screamed at him.

Before I made it to the pool table, Amber had shoved him hard enough to send him flying into the wall. She was not someone anyone wanted to mess with. I knew she could take care of herself, but my protective instinct rose up inside of me.

“Easy baby, I just wanted a little piece of the action,” said Luke, his hands raised up in surrender.

“What happened Amber?” I asked once I made it over to her.

She glared at Luke but didn’t go after him again. “This prick here grabbed my ass!”

“Hey now, I’m just trying to get a piece of what everyone else has gotten. Can’t blame a guy for wanting a bite of the cookie too,” replied Luke with a sinister tone.

“What the hell are you talking about you idiot,” I asked him.

Luke grinned, “Oh man, didn’t you know? Word around the track is your little hottie here only got the gig because she slept with a few of the racing officials. That’s one way to work your way to the top honey.”

I knew he was trying to goad me. Amber had the position because she was the best there was and José had picked her himself. Amber was the best mechanic there was, and Luke was trying to stir the pot with fake rumors to cause a rift.

Unfortunately for him, I did my research before letting someone join my team. José had talked about her father like he was the Lord of cars. I doubted that my regular mechanic, a happily married man with two young kids, would be sleeping with Amber. I also knew that Amber would never do anything like that, she had no reason too. She was the best mechanic I had ever known and that scared Luke.

“That’s bullshit, and you are an idiot for believing it,” I shot back at him, unwilling to give into my anger.

“I didn’t say I believed it,” replied Luke softly, “Hell, I’m the one who started it.”

That was the last straw. All I saw was red as I charged across the pool table for Luke. Amber yelled, and I froze when I felt her hand on my chest, pushing me away from Luke.

I didn’t know why she would be trying to stop me; it was her honor that he was trashing all over the track. Before long, she would beat him to a pulp herself. Maybe she just wanted the first crack at him, and I was more than willing to share.

She pushed me away from him until we were backed into a corner. She was strong but not as strong as me. I let her push me, knowing that I needed to hear what she had to say. Amber was one of the few people I trusted. If she wasn’t okay with me putting Luke in his place, then she had a damn good reason. Still, my temper was hot, and I was ready to level him into the ground.

“What the hell Amber?” I seethed. “Let me kick his lying ass.”

“Desmond!” she said to me, her hand still on my chest. “Luke is only trying to provoke you. Think about it, if you throw a punch at him, you get disqualified. Then he will win, and you will lose. We will all lose, Desmond. Is that what you want?”

I thought about it for several minutes. There would be another shot at the Grand Nevada. It would take a year to arrive, and my spot wouldn’t be guaranteed. If anything, they would argue that I was uncontrollable and shouldn’t be allowed to race again at all.

However, there would be other opportunities to knock Luke into next week. The thought brought a sly smile to my face. He would get what was coming to him. One way or another.

“Desmond,” said Amber. “Do you trust me?”

I didn’t have to think about it; I knew the answer right away. Nodding my head, I smiled at her.

“Amber, I trust you more than I have ever trusted anyone outside of my family and José,” I said softly.

She smiled and put a hand on my cheek before spinning away from me. She stormed over to Luke, a playful smile dancing across her lips.

“You think you’re pretty smart don’t you? Trying to get him to throw a punch?” she hissed.

“Honey, why don’t you join the right team and I will show you just how smart I am. In bed that is,” he replied.

I was stunned by how cool Amber was, his words didn’t faze her at all. She just laughed, “I think you are a chicken-shit.”

Luke stopped laughing, his eyes narrowed.

Amber continued, “I think you are too much of a pussy to settle things like a real man would. So instead, you are trying to cheat, again.”

“I don’t cheat, you can’t prove a thing,” he muttered.

“I don’t need too.” she replied with a smile. “Everyone on the racing scene—the ones you claim listened to your bullshit rumor… They all know what you are. A good for nothing, cheating, pathetic excuse for a racer. A real man would settle this on the track.”

He glared at her and took a step toward her. Instantly, the entire bar rose and moved a little closer. Luke looked around, knowing if he made a move to hurt her, he would be leaving the bar in a body bag instead.

“I don’t need to race him on the track to know I am better—and my car is too,” he replied weakly.

“Then prove it,” pushed Amber. “Right here, right now.”

“Racing outside of the Nevada Grand is grounds to get you disqualified,” said Luke.

Amber laughed at him, and it was a sight to see. Her head tossed back and her long hair flowed down her back. The skin tight jeans she was wearing jiggled her rear, and her breasts bounced up and down. If there was anyone in the bar not watching the scene in front of me unfold, they were after that moment. You couldn’t look away; her beauty and fire were captivating.

“You really are a chicken-shit! Maybe we should get you another glass of milk and send you home to bed. I’m sure you can find some woman with low standards to tuck you in like the baby you are!” Amber exclaimed.

I burst out laughing along with the rest of the bar. She had put him in his place, and it was one of the most amusing things I had ever seen before. I wasn’t even sure that I could match her quick wit and endless banter. I could tell that Luke knew he was backed into a corner. If he left the bar without racing me, he would be the laughing stock of the racing community for years to come. Put in his place by a little woman.

“You want to race to prove I’m better?” he hissed at Amber. “Then fine. Let’s go.”

The bar went up in cheers as everyone started to race outside to watch the illegal race. I didn’t realize until that moment that I was going to have to be the one out there driving. I had been so engrossed by Amber’s sharp tongue, that I hadn’t really been paying attention. When we were among the last people still in the building, she came over to me and smiled, putting her hand on mine.

“Are you sure about this?” I asked her nervously.

“Of course, I am Desmond. You are the best driver I have ever met, why are you worried about it?” asked Amber.

I shook my head, “No reason I guess, I know it’s the only way to shut him up once and for all. Plus, with you as my mechanic, nothing can stop us.”

“Have you raced at night before?” she asked me.

I nodded my head. “I actually prefer to drive at night. The darkness just swallows you whole, making you feel like you are in a different world all together. It’s comforting and thrilling at the same time. You can never be sure of what’s coming next.”

“Then what are you worried about?” she asked me.

“What if he’s got another trick up his sleeve?” I replied quietly.

“Anything he sends our way, we can handle together, right?” Amber said.

My heart jumped at her words. Taking her chin in my hand, I tilted her face up to mine and kissed her softly. I wanted more, but I knew that it would need to wait. I had a race to win.

“Together,” I whispered before gently kissing her one last time.

Hand in hand, we made our way to the door where the crowd of people were already waiting to see who would win the race. I knew that I was taking a gamble but with Amber at my side, what could go wrong?

I
knew
that Desmond could beat Luke with his eyes closed. Still, with the alcohol coursing through my veins I had to wonder if this was really the best way to settle things or if I had just been trying to show up that wicked man the whole time. I did know that Desmond hadn’t been drinking, so surely he would have stopped the race if he thought it was a bad idea. I trusted him to make the decisions that needed to be made.

“Alright boys, you want a real race, so I am going to give you one. The track is going to be five miles. You are going to follow route seven all the way through. No tourists around here this time of year so the coast should be clear. It brings you in a loop right back to here,” I said to them both. “Now, I am going to tell you both to fight fair, but we all know who I am talking to.”

The crowd erupted in agreement and Luke’s face flushed a deep red. I was thrilled by his embarrassment. He deserved it after all the stunts he had pulled on Desmond. Tonight would shut him up though once and for all. I knew Theresa and she could whip his sad little ride any day of the week. Especially with all of the upgrades and modifications I had done.

“One more thing,” I said with a taunting smile on my face. “The winner is declared the ultimate driver and as punishment, the entire losing team will have to wash the winner’s car while wearing bikinis.”

They looked at me, stunned into silence before everyone started to cheer for the decision. They had no choice but to comply. Otherwise, they would both look like fools for doubting their diving abilities. When they agreed, I nodded for them to get into their cars.

Both men climbed into their cars and started the engines. It didn’t take long before they were showing off and revving them up. I paced myself about fifteen feet away from them and unsnapped my bra.

Desmond smiled and shook his head while the people behind the cars whistled. Pulling it out of my shirt, I held it up in the air. They knew the drill; when the flag, or my bra in this case, fell, the race started.

I looked at Luke, and he nodded his head. Then I turned to Desmond, and he did the same thing. I started to count down from five. When I reached one, I dropped my arm, the “flag” falling from the air. Both men’s tires squealed as they peeled past me, looking for the road ahead. I turned and watched them disappear into the night. It didn’t take long before a few backyard racers were hot on their trails, eager to give an update via radio to the patrons at the bar.

Just as they disappeared into the night, I felt a cold chill run down my body as the wind started to pick up. It was the same wind that anyone anywhere in the world would recognize. The sudden breeze carried in the scent of the coming storm. I prayed that the drivers would make it back before it started.

There weren’t many things as dangerous as slick roads at high speeds in the dead of the night. I had known many skilled drivers that came damn close to losing their lives because of similar conditions.

“Don’t worry about them Amber,” Curtis, one of my crew, said. “Desmond knows what he’s doing. He’s not going to do anything to risk Theresa, not even for his reputation.”

I smiled at him, “I hope you’re right Curtis.”

He walked away, back into the bar where the other patrons were refueling until the drivers returned. I stayed outside, watching for the headlights I knew would show up soon. After several minutes, I started to become worried.

The trail was hard, but it shouldn’t be taking them so long to get back. If someone had been hurt, hopefully, the other driver would stop. I knew Desmond would, but I couldn’t be sure about Luke.

My heart began to race; something had to be wrong for them to still be gone. I couldn’t stop myself from pacing back and forth. Each time I glanced up, my mind played tricks on me, and I thought I saw headlights. There was never anything coming down the road though. As the minutes dragged by, my concern turned to pure fear.

“Amber,” said Curtis, poking his head outside. “They caught the storm, but it’s not a regular storm. It’s a sandstorm.”

“Shit,” I muttered. I didn’t know anything about sandstorms; we didn’t get them where I was from. We got snow, rain, and ice, but no sand. How bad could it really be? It was only sand.

“I take it that’s bad?” I asked Curtis.

He nodded his head, “It’s hell on cars. The best of cars can get torn to shreds in no time flat. Other cars make it out but are never able to be driven again.”

“Jesus,” I muttered under my breath.

I had no idea that sandstorms could be so bad. It was a lot like hearing about any other weather you weren’t familiar with. The idea in your head never seemed to match the reality. I had to wonder if Curtis wasn’t being more dramatic than what was needed. Desmond was probably just being careful. Luke, though, he was stupid, he would try and navigate through it.

Before I could think about all the other alternatives, people started to pile out of the bar.

“They’re headed back, but the storm is right behind them too.” announced Curtis.

I noticed that not only were people exiting the bar, but they were leaving all together. My heart began to sink. A storm that would drive people away from seeing who won the race had to be bad. I was scared for Desmond and for Theresa.

I knew that I could fix anything on the car, but I couldn’t replace Desmond. Headlights rose out of the dust, coming in fast.

“There,” I said in a hushed tone.

The remaining people looked and started to talk amongst themselves. I didn’t know if it was the cars or the storm following close behind them that was making them talk, though. From the looks of it, the storm was the hot topic now. The drivers came rushing in, parking their cars and climbing out. The crowd, still larger than I had realized was cheering.

Desmond was the clear winner to my relief. I couldn’t contain myself as I ran to him and he engulfed me in a bear hug.

I could see the damage to the cars right away. Thankfully most of it looked pretty much cosmetic. I didn’t wait for the two men to start their banter. Instead, I wanted to make sure that Theresa was still okay underneath the hood.

The look on Luke’s face though stopped me dead in my tracks. It sent chills down my spine. Desmond didn’t see it though as he spun around to the crowd, they were cheering on their champion.

“Oh, Luke my man, I look forward to having you and your boys polish my girl up,” said Desmond with a smile and a hearty laugh.

Luke laughed, “That’s a small price to pay. If I were you, I would be more worried about whether or not your “girl” is ever going to race again.”

The smile fell from Desmond’s, and he glanced back at me. I had no idea what Luke was talking about, but he looked pretty sure of himself. I jogged to the hood and unsnapped the latches. Right away, I felt my heart drop down to my stomach. I didn’t need to hear Luke’s words, but I couldn’t drown them out of my head. The silence around us was deafening.

“What the hell is he talking about Amber?” asked Desmond in a low voice.

“Oh, sorry Desmond. Let me fill you in. See, a sandstorm won't ruin a car unless someone left off a filter.” said Luke.

He climbed into his car, his crew already loading up to leave. “Just let me know when you want that washing, pal.”

Luke’s tires squealed off into the night, and I felt Desmond’s eyes on me. They were boring holes into me. In all my years of racing, I had never used a heavy duty filter. They were nothing but dead weight. I did, however, always know to put one on. I checked where the filter should have been under the engine, and my face went pale. There was nothing there but sand, caked into the opening and sealing it shut like glue.

“Oh my God,” I whispered.

“Amber,” said Desmond in an eerily calm voice. “What the hell is going on?”

I rose back up to stand in front of him. I couldn’t find the words. In my head, I imagined that this was what a veterinarian might feel like when they had to tell someone their pet wasn’t going to make it. The longer I waited, the more I saw his temper building up inside of him.

For the first time in my life, I was speechless. I couldn’t find the words that I knew were going to break his heart. I needed to speak, but my throat was dry.

“Amber!” he yelled, his hands started to shake.

I shook my head, “I’m so sorry Desmond. The engine is completely locked up with sand. I, I just don’t know if I will be able to get it clean.”

“Of course, you can,” he said lightly. “Right?”

“Desmond,” I started. I knew I would have to tell him but I didn’t want too. “There is a chance that I won’t be able to fix this. The engine may be completely ruined. If that’s the case, then even with a month and unlimited funds, I still wouldn’t be able to make it run like it did before. Theresa would be done for.”

He shook his head, “No. You will find a way.”

I smiled at his faith, but I had to face reality. “Desmond, the chances … they aren’t good. I have no idea how much is packed in there.”

He wasn’t fazed though as he continued to shake his head in denial. “Curtis is towing her back to the shop. Tomorrow, we will look at it with fresh eyes and see what we can do okay?”

“Tomorrow may not give us enough time to fix any problems,” I said to him.

“They delayed the race for three days. Apparently, this storm is a lot worse than anyone knew. It will give me time to hunt down Luke, and beat him to within an inch of his life too,” said Desmond.

“No, you will be giving him what he wants.” I said to him before adding on, “Wait until after the race. Then even I will help you.”

He laughed, but I could tell that underneath his cool exterior he was stressing out. He knew as well as I did that the damage was bad. Theresa would need a miracle if she were going to run in the race. The extra time bought us a little help, but we would need a lot more if things were as bad as I thought.