Dangerous Race (16 page)

If she’d ever had a deathbed confession, this was it. “I’m sorry, Mac. Sorry I didn’t warn you last night. I never dreamed it would happen.”

“Save it for later, Tracey.”

Wouldn’t that be nice? “What if there is no later?”

Mac stared straight ahead. “There’s definitely going to be a later. I am far from through with you.”

More brake lights ahead meant big trouble. Mac rode the shoulder again but this time freeway construction forced his exit off the ramp. “I have an idea,” he said, peering ahead and moving into the far lane. “Hold on.” He made a hard right turn.

“What are you doing?” Tracey shouted as she looked back to the car he’d cut off.

“You feel up for a swim?”

Tracey looked ahead and saw his meaning. Jackson Lake, dark and murky, loomed in front of them. “Uh…my doctors said to avoid lake water if possible. It might rust my leg.”

“No joke, Tracey.” Mac glanced at her, all business. “We hit the water and swim out the windows. Stay strapped in. The air bags will activate so protect your face. Then unbuckle and get the hell out.”

“I guess it doesn’t matter that I left my swimsuit at home, huh?”

“Nope.”

The lake grew bigger. Bright green trees blurred as they raced past. Her adrenaline skyrocketed. She’d never admitted to fear, not when her car hit the wall and not in rehab when it looked as if she might not walk again. Not with anything. But now, death was an imminent possibility. She wasn’t great in the water. “Mac, I’m scared.”

Mac’s gaze met hers before returning to the road. “Me too, sweetheart. Me too.”

Silence descended in the car. His endearment struck a nerve in her center that sent a shiver of chills down her back and made her ache to hear more.

“Promise me something,” he said. Promises were also for deathbeds. He thought they were going to die too.

“What?”

“When we get out of this, you’ll give me a second chance to prove I’m not a complete bastard.”

Had Tracey’s heart not already been pounding out of control, she was sure it would’ve hurt physically after that comment. “Oh God, Mac, you’re not a bast—”

“Just promise, Tracey!” Desperation laced the demand in his low voice.

The lake was only a few blocks away. What kind of second chance could he want? Did it really matter? Time was running out. “Ok…all right. I promise, but it’s not necessary.”

Mac glanced at her. His gaze drilled into hers. “It’s more than necessary.” He looked ahead. “Get ready. We’re almost there.”

Tracey sat back in the seat and took a deep breath. Injuries happened because of tense muscles. She needed to relax. Yeah, right.

Sudden massive guilt shot through her, a fast dull arrow, leaving pain in its wake. “This wouldn’t be happening to you if it wasn’t for me.”

“You can apologize for the rest of your life when we get out of this.”

The car hit the pier. The noise of wood creaking under the weight sent Tracey’s blood racing faster. She covered her face with her arms and waited. A second later, airborne silence warned of a watery landing. For a split second, she wished she had last night to do over again. She wished she’d taken the chance and trusted Mac.

Impact sent Tracey forward into the airbag and smashed what remained of the windshield. Glass showered her. Icy cold lake water followed instantly and flooded the car in seconds. She pressed the seatbelt release and tried to push out of the car.

Fear gripped her in new ways. The seat belt stayed locked tight. She struggled with the buckle, sure that only panic kept her from getting out. She inhaled one last gulp of air as the water rose over her head. She caught sight of Mac’s legs as he swam out the front window. A murky silence sent pure terror from the tips of her fingers to the ends of her toes. She jammed the red release button repeatedly but nothing happened. Her lungs started to burn. The urge to take a breath when there was no air to breathe scared her to the core of her soul.

Then Mac showed up. His dark hair floated around his face as though he were a powerful, ethereal god. She pointed to the belt and he tried to loosen it, the muscles in his arms straining tight. He couldn’t free her either and panic filled his eyes. After slashing away at the floating airbag, he opened the glove box and searched for something.

Tracey couldn’t hold her breath any longer. She’d reached the end of the line, her lungs on fire. Her life flashed before her eyes. From the days as a kid at the track to last time she drove her beloved car. From yesterday’s meeting with Chelsea and the laughter in the salon to last night and the awesome feeling of being in Mac’s arms. The memories crystallized in her brain and tears mingled with the water around her. Her heart thundered a death beat between her ears. She was as good as dead.

Mac found the Swiss Army knife he’d been looking for. Relief sent a flood of bubbles from his nose. He pulled out the blade as he turned back to Tracey. Her head lolled forward and her jet-black hair snaked around her neck, forming a noose. Her eyes weren’t closed in prayer. She was unconscious. Fresh panic jolted him into action. He sliced through the seat belt and heaved her out of the submerged car, his burning lungs screaming for air when he reached the surface. Swimming with every ounce of strength he could muster, he got her to the water’s edge and began CPR.

“Breathe, Tracey, breathe,” he chanted as he pumped her chest. “C’mon, Tracey, breathe.” He held her nose and gave her his air, sending life into her watery lungs. “God damn it, Tracey, breathe!” He pumped her chest again. Blew air into her lungs again. Emotion strangled his chest with the efficiency of barbed wire. “I thought you wanted to win this fucking race, Tracey. Breathe!” He bent to give her more mouth-to-mouth when she sputtered. His harsh breathing sounded loud in his ears as he turned her on her side and she coughed up a liter of lake water, gasping for air. “That’s it, that’s it. Breathe, just breathe.”

Mac fought back a chill and rocked her in his arms as an ambulance pulled up at the dock. Tracey clung to him, cried against his chest and shook uncontrollably while he held her. “It’s okay. You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

“Mac…” She mumbled something in his wet shirt.

“Shhh. It’s okay.”

Paramedics arrived and placed her on a gurney. She held his hand as if her life still depended on it. Her gaze never left his. The vulnerability in her eyes further shredded his perception of her. The tough façade she’d erected had disappeared. More than ever, he wanted to protect this woman.

There was so much to be said, but at the moment, none of it mattered.

Chelsea hadn’t been able to fall back to sleep after Matthew left for work. Hiding all the circumstances of her life added more guilt to the mountain already piled on her conscience. The more time she spent with Matthew, the more she wanted to be with him and the less she liked keeping things from him.

Something else bothered her too. What about his relationship with Tracey and Tracey’s words from the day before? The sentence kept echoing in her head.
The Three Musketeers. When we were younger it was easy, but as we got older things changed. One girl, two guys…

The words bounced around in her brain as weighty as medicine balls. The more Chelsea thought about it, the heavier they became. The shrill ring of the phone brought her back to present. The sheets rustled as she reached across the bed and picked up the receiver. “Hello.”

“It’s me. Is he still there?” Kim’s question whispered over the line.

Chelsea sat up. Her naked limbs still felt weak from working—or was it playing?—most of the night. “No, he’s gone. He had to leave early to make sure the car was ready.”

“Three nights in a row,” Kim exclaimed, her voice returning to normal. “You go, girl!”

“But Kim…it was only supposed to be one night. That’s why they’re called one-night stands. This is ridiculous. What am I supposed to do?”

“What are you supposed to do?” her best friend repeated incredulously. “Enjoy it! Chelsea…” Kim sounded every bit the seductress she could be. “Are you having fun?”

Chelsea shrugged, picturing Matthew’s eyes. The way they twinkled when he laughed and how the sound of that laughter filled her with joy. “Well, yes, but you don’t understand. I was prepared for a one-night stand. This is getting too complicated.” She didn’t want the distraction.

“Is he nice?” Kim pressed, ever the psychologist.

He opened doors for her and pulled out chairs for her. He was a true gentleman and treated her better than gold. “Well, yes, but—”

“Is the sex through the roof?”

The way he kissed her, held her and looked at her when he made love to her not only sent her through the roof but it blasted her to the stratosphere. “I told you it was, but—”

“Then…” she paused, “…enjoy the ride. Just. Have. Fun. When you’re done having fun, you have your in with Trace.”

Chelsea shut her open mouth and fought the guilt. Just have fun. She wouldn’t worry about the things in her life she’d kept secret. So what if, once upon a time, Tracey had a crush on Matthew? That didn’t mean Matthew felt the same way about her. Besides, it was years ago and it didn’t matter now. Just as Matthew didn’t matter to her. But Tracey did.

“Look,” her best friend said. “Think of this as a one-week stand. Or maybe upgrade it to a fling.”

Chelsea took a deep breath. “I don’t know if I can do this, Kimmy.” Any of it. “What if I get in over my head?” Be real, wasn’t that already the case? Hadn’t she been ready to crawl to the ends of the earth for Matthew after the first night? And now after three…

“If you keep it sex then you won’t get in over your head,” Kim said, blasting through her thoughts. “Screwing doesn’t automatically lead to—Look, just
don’t
fall in love with him. You came here to do a job and I’m with you all the way, but don’t muck it up with love.”

Chelsea sighed. “Right.” Important words to remember. “Don’t fall in love.”

“So are you meeting him later?”

Turning on her side, Chelsea glanced at the clock. “Yeah. He said he’d call after practice and we’d get together then, and I don’t care what you said before, I still feel as if I’m deserting you.”

“Oh, please,” Kim scoffed. “I’m thrilled. You needed the action. I know I told you I came for moral support, but it was really to make sure you got the job done, and got laid,” she admitted. “Now, as your mentor and best friend, there’s only one thing I have to know before anything goes any further.”

“What?”

“I
have
to have details about the sex. I’m
dying!
”

Chelsea groaned. “No, Kim. I’ll meet you downstairs at noon for lunch. Goodbye, Kim.” She hung up the phone. Her hand was still in motion when it rang again. Kim had the fastest fingers in America. “Kim,” Chelsea said into the receiver as she sat up. “I said, no. No details about the sex. I already told you it’s the best sex I’ve ever had and I’m not saying anything else.”

“Really? I’m the best sex you’ve ever had?” Matthew’s distinctive voice hummed across the phone line and down to her center. Little frilly butterflies danced in her belly.

Oh, for God’s sake.

Flattening her palm against her forehead, Chelsea felt heat spread across her face. She fell back against the pillow in total embarrassment. The obvious pleasure in Matthew’s tone sent mortification pounding through her veins.

“Did they give you a break already?” Chelsea asked, hoping to deflect his question. “I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”

“Uh…that’s why I called.” His tone changed from playful to serious and
bad news
screamed in the ensuing silence. “There was an accident.”

Chelsea bolted up straight. Chills streaked down her spine.
Tracey crashed the car.
Not now. Not when she needed her most.

“Trace is okay,” Matthew continued. “I didn’t get all the details. Just that Mac and she had an accident on the way to the track. They’re at the hospital and doctors want to keep Trace for observation.”

Chelsea removed the hand she’d placed over her pounding heart. “Can I…Should I go to the hospital?” If Tracey was her sister, then that’s where she should be.

“No. Mac said Trace doesn’t want anyone to come. He said they should be out of there in a few hours. Ed’s going to pick them up when she’s released.”

“Eddie?” Chelsea asked. “The third musketeer?”

“Not Eddie, his dad, Ed. He’s the head honcho. The owner. The reason we all have jobs.”

Right. “So, what happens the rest of the day?”

Someone tapped on the door. “Room service.”

“Damn it.” Chelsea shoved off the sheets. “Matthew, hold on a second. Someone’s knocking.” She threw a robe over her naked skin and started toward the door. “I didn’t order room service,” she called out.

“Room 1918. Breakfast omelet. I have it right here.”

Chelsea opened the door. “I didn’t order room ser—” A bouquet of spring flowers appeared under her nose. Matthew’s spectacular grin hit her head-on.

“Surprise,” he said, flipping his cell phone closed.

Mac looked on as another round of doctors left Tracey’s side. She’d been continually poked, prodded and peppered with questions since their arrival. Her black hair lay lifeless behind her ears. Not a stitch of makeup touched her face. But still, Mac found her damn appealing. Too appealing.

He moved his chair closer and took her hand. The faint aroma of lake water lingered despite the antiseptic smell of the hospital. “How ya holding up?” His gut churned thinking about the whole incident.

“Can’t we go yet?” Her blue gaze not only pleaded with him, it arrowed straight to his heart, wrapped around and twisted it up tight.

Mac shook his head reluctantly. “They want to watch you a little while longer.” He did too. He wasn’t about to let her leave without a clean bill of health and if it took all day to get it then…

“They said that two hours ago.”

“Yeah. They’ll probably say it two hours from now too.”

Tracey flopped her head against the pillow. “I feel fine. I want to get out of here.”

Mac squeezed her hand. “I know. Just hold your throttle. We’ll be out of here when you’re cleared to go.” He looked down at his still damp, wrinkled and smelly clothes. He needed a shower. Desperately.

Tracey pulled on his hand. “Did I thank you yet?” she asked. The sincere gratitude shining in her eyes sent his pulse thumping quicker.

He flashed her a grin. “No. I’m still waiting.” Which was a huge lie because she’d thanked him a hundred times already.

Tears brimmed her thick lashes. “Thank you.”

One hundred and one. And it still felt great. “I couldn’t really leave you there,” he said, leaning closer and bringing her hand into both of his. “It would’ve put me off the charts.”

“Off the charts?”

“On the bastard scale of one to ten.”

Her questioning gaze turned serious. “Oh, Mac, I told you, you’re not a bastard.”

“Yeah, I heard you.”
But the jury’s still out on that one.
He’d seduced her, and for the wrong reasons. It didn’t matter that she’d led him on. He should’ve stayed away from her in the first place. He made himself sick thinking about how he’d choreographed last night.

Mac had the ridiculous urge to take Tracey home and take care of her. Be at her beck and call. Be there to prove that he wasn’t such a scumbag after all.

A few minutes of silence stretched out between them, but Mac didn’t let go of her hand.

“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Tracey asked.

Mac cocked his head. What brought that on? “I have a little brother. Why?”

“You seem very protective.” Tracey lifted a shoulder. “Kind of like you’ve been doing it for a long time. How old is your brother?”

“Young. Twenty-six.”

“If you think that’s young, you must think…” She looked away from him, her eyes darted back and forth as she clearly figured something out in her head.

“What?” Mac asked. “I must think what?”

“Your brother was eighteen when your dad died. How old were you?”

That didn’t answer his question.
What must he think of what?
“I was twenty-six,” he said.

“The same age he is now.” She considered something. “Did your mom baby him since he was the youngest?”

An old pain broke open at the question. “Our mom died when Quinn was a toddler,” Mac confessed. “One minute she was there, the next gone. She had an aneurysm.” He shrugged his shoulders. He’d not only been big brother, he’d taken on a completely different role as guardian as well because his dad had thrown himself into work.

Tracey’s hold tightened on his fingers. “I’m so sorry, Mac. That had to be brutal on a couple of small boys.” The sorrow in her eyes was genuine, the grip on his hand, strong.

“We did okay. Dad and I covered it. It took a while for Quinn to grow up, but I think he’s finally reached puberty. I expect him to find adulthood any day now.”

Tracey smiled at his attempt to joke. “So Quinn was still in school when your dad died?”

Mac nodded.

“Did he go to college?”

“All seven years.”

Tracey laughed and her eyes sparkled so brightly that Mac thought he might be blinded. She took a deep breath and sighed. “So you foot the bill and you’ve been worrying about your brother for almost as many years as you’ve been alive.”

She hadn’t asked a question—she’d made a statement. Although it was true, Mac wasn’t sure where any of this was leading. “I made sure he had a good education even if it nearly killed both of us in the process, yes. What’s your point?”

She shook her head. A soft smile curved her lips. “No point. I’m only trying to figure out the puzzle of Mac Reynolds.”

Mac never considered himself to be a puzzle. In fact, he seemed anything but complicated. However, Tracey…now there was a complicated woman. All five foot four inches and one hundred ten pounds of her.

“I got your message. Got here as soon as I could. How’s it going?” Detective Hahn entered the room, his face somber.

Mac sighed. “I think we’ve both had better days,” he said, still holding Tracey’s hand. Her grip tightened and an odd sensation clenched his chest.

“We’re pulling your car out of the lake now. I’ll have a team check out the brakes and the gears,” Hahn said.

“Don’t forget the seat belt,” Mac added. “I don’t think it was coincidence the belt locked.”

Hahn nodded. “We’ll check it out.” He grabbed Tracey’s foot protruding up from underneath the hospital blanket. “Nice to see you’re still with us.”

“Yeah, well, I couldn’t agree more,” she shot back, surly as ever.

Hahn smiled briefly, displaying the wide gap between his front teeth, but it was forced and something in his look worried Mac.

“What?” Tracey asked, clearly noticing his demeanor. “You found something, didn’t you?”

Hahn crossed his arms over his chest. “You took out a life insurance policy when you came back to racing.”