Surge: Bad Boy Racing Romance (Fastlane Series Book 1) (33 page)

Ripping by the grandstands, I heard the roar of the crowd over the wailing of the engine. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I took the lead with one lap to go.

However, as the car entered turn one, it got loose.

Nothing about the way it had acted the entire day prepared me for how it behaved. I managed to steer out of trouble and keep my lead ahead of Gunter. As we worked our way around the back side of the course, I wondered what Darren must have been thinking. It was nice to not have him screaming in my ear for a change.

Now, distraction free, I was able to focus on the road ahead. And, as we came into the final third of the course, it became obvious how much concentration I’d need. Just ahead, we were about to hit traffic as we caught up to cars not on the lead lap.

In the distance, I heard a loud groan from the huge crowd. I gripped the steering wheel. Something wasn’t right. There was no reason for that kind of reaction this far out from the grandstands. And then, while coming over a rise, I saw the reason for the sound come into view.

A massive pileup, heading into the last turn before the straightaway, choked the road ahead with dark billows of smoke.

Shit.

Somehow I had to get through it and come out the other side unscathed, in case we finished under caution. Approaching the scene, I noticed debris everywhere. There was no sense in trying to avoid it piecemeal. On pure instinct, I accelerated, and drove into the darkness of the pileup. But as soon as I entered the blackness, I lost traction and started to slide.

Oil.

Gunter followed right behind me, and unless I could somehow straighten my slide, he would likely make it through and win the race. I did everything I could to steer through, and as we emerged into the sunlight once again, I noticed Gunter in my mirror.

The lingering smell of fire and fuel burned my nose and eyes, causing them to water. The last turn leading into the home straightaway was dead ahead. With oil-slick tires and battling oversteer, I downshifted as aggressively as possible, avoiding the brakes at all costs.

I hit the turn, and as I did, I lost the back end. It kissed the wall.

Gunter appeared in my peripheral vision to my left. At the last instant, I accelerated out of the turn, straightening it and pulling even with him.

Together, side-by-side, we roared down the home straightaway.

In the distance, I could see the checkered flag waving, the officials apparently deciding to forgo the caution.

I had nothing left—the car was at its limit.

If Gunter edged past me now, there would’ve been nothing I could do about it. The grandstands went by in my peripheral vision, a blur of color and chaos.

Just ahead, the finish line…

AVA

I made my way through the crush of people in the aftermath of the race. I didn’t think it was possible to put this many people in such a small space at once. Chest to chest, toe to toe, we inched along like a horde of insects.

Even though I’d been around the racing circuit for a couple of months now, I didn’t see a single face I recognized for at least ten minutes. In fact, it wasn’t until I felt someone grab me from behind that the first people I recognized appeared in front of me.

Anastasia and Svetlana. Really?

While people streamed past us in every direction, Anastasia stepped towards me.

“You think you win?” she began, glaring at me. “You fool.”

Before she could say another word, Svetlana spoke.

“Dyson, he love
many
women. Soon you will be gone.”

In all honesty, I’d forgotten about the Grid Girls.

Although I’d been surprised by their appearance in Dyson’s motor coach in Los Angeles, he hadn’t given me any reason to doubt him afterward. Even so, there was a small part of me, like a tiny ember in a fire not fully extinguished, which forced me to listen to them in spite of their ridiculous behavior.

“So what?” I began, stepping towards them and invading their personal space for the first time ever. “Am I just supposed to take your word for it? What do you think? Because you’re beautiful and men fall all over themselves to be around you—that every man is the same?”

Passersby took notice of my aggressiveness. While they didn’t stop, people in the immediate vicinity slowed down and watched with interest. The two girls glanced at one another in the first display of doubt I’d ever seen from them.

“I don’t care whether you happen to be right or not,” I began, edging closer to them. “If you don’t stop harassing me, I can promise
you will
regret it.”

Just then, a man’s voice I didn’t recognize offered his opinion from the throng of passersby, “Catfight!”

I straightened my spine and stared at them. If they wanted to fight, then I was ready.

“Well?” I said, daring them to say or do anything.

As before, they remained silent but glanced at each other for a split second. The next thing I knew, they began to back away from me. Something inside just told me to let them go, not pursue.

Nevertheless, I watched them.

Svetlana pointed at me. “Dyson never love you. Ever.”

Seconds later, they vanished into the crowd. I shook my head and turned, continuing in the direction I’d been on before they interrupted me. Following the signs and the excitement, I eventually wound up at my destination - the winner’s circle.

Pushing through the sea of bodies, I emerged, and after briefly being stopped by security, I continued on to join the celebration with the team. With his victory, Dyson had a real shot at winning the overall championship from Gunter. At the center of the celebration, I noticed Dyson, trading high-fives and hugs with everyone, even Darren.

I stood there for a few minutes just admiring the camaraderie, glad to be included in such a happy event. It wasn’t long before Dyson’s eyes met mine. He froze in place, raising his arms above his head. Over the next few seconds, he silenced everyone in the immediate area and gestured for me to approach.

Not exactly thrilled about being the center of attention, I walked with my head down, only glancing up on occasion to smile at faces I recognized along the way. Soon enough, nothing stood between Dyson and me. He straightened his arm, extending his hand in my direction.

I took it, moving closer to him amid a smattering of applause.

Before I could say anything, Dyson pulled me towards him. His scent was something I’d come to love, just like him. It was an indescribable mix of fuel and sweat and danger. I barely had a chance to slide my tongue across my lips before he pressed his mouth against mine. He held me close, squeezing me in a hard embrace, consuming me the entire time.

The crowd around us fell completely silent. At last, he broke his mouth free from mine. My eyes fluttered open. He smiled down at me.

“Did you already forget?” he asked.

My awareness still under the influence of a sudden haze of lust, I looked up at him, confused.

“Forget about what?”

Dyson chuckled at me, turning and gesturing towards his car.

“Here,” he began, pointing towards it. “Come look.”

Uncertain, I looked at him in silence.

“It’s okay,” he said, motioning for me to continue in his direction. “I promise. You’ll like it.”

Trusting him, I did as he asked and within a couple of seconds stood by his side. After I’d walked towards him, the crowd of people closed in around us. Dyson smiled at me.

He slid his arm around my shoulder, pulled me close and we moved towards his car. Once we stood no more than a foot away, Dyson pointed towards the front of it. I followed the line of his arm with my eyes, gasping when it came into view.

“Surprise,” he said.

To my disbelief, the name ‘Bella’ stretched across the nose of the car. I looked down at the letters and raised my hands to my face, covering my mouth. Within seconds, tears streamed from my eyes and cascaded down my fingertips. I stood there for I don’t know how long, shaking my head and staring at the name.

“I dedicated it to her,” Dyson began. “I hope you don’t mind.”

Overcome, I turned towards him. I had no words to communicate the way I felt inside. For him to think of me, my sister, and Simon in that way touched me in a way that no man, or for that matter any person, ever had.

Sobbing, I reached up for him.

Dyson embraced me, pulling me close and leaning in towards my ear.

“Are you happy, baby? Are you happy?”

I nodded, nuzzling against him, still overcome with feelings of sadness and gratitude mixed into one. We lingered there, in the midst of several hundred people who looked on in silence. Eventually, we separated and the surreal nature of it all started to sink into my awareness.

“I got this,” Dyson began, turning and facing the crowd of people. He raised his arms above his head once again. “Everyone! Everyone! We are having a huge party at the hotel. Everything is on me. Whatever you want, I got you!”

When he finished speaking, a huge roar erupted. In less than a minute, the crowd started to disperse, streaming away from us in all directions.

Well-wishers paused on their way out and congratulated Dyson once again. He spent the better part of fifteen or twenty minutes thanking fans and supporters for standing by him during the past few months.

After he finished, Dyson hugged me close once again.

“We need to get going to the party,” he began. “All the guys are there waiting for us. Marco, Dieter, Darren, and the rest of the team.”

Looking up at him I smiled and said, “Okay, can I have a second?”

Dyson frowned at me, confusion stretched across his brow.

“Sure,” he said. “Whatever you want. Is everything okay?”

I nodded. “It’s better than okay. It’s incredible.”

I reached up, hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. Caressing the spot with my fingers I touched his face briefly before turning away and looking at the hood of his car once again.

Kneeling next to it, I extended my hand towards the lettering spelling out my sister’s name. I couldn’t explain it, but in that moment I felt closer to her spirit in the aftermath of a car race than I did visiting her gravesite. I touched the letters with my fingers, dragging the tips along the raised markings. I said a silent prayer to her memory. Although we were different people, we were the same family, and I loved her and missed her very much.

“Bella,” I began, draping my palm across most of her name. “I don’t know whether you can hear me or not. But, I want you to know that Simon—he’s a wonderful boy. He’s bright and caring, and I love him more than anything in this world. I want you to know that I’ll always do whatever I can to protect him and give him the life that I think you would have wanted for him.”

Another surge of emotion pulsed through me. I glanced up in Dyson’s direction. He’d been talking to reporters, but when I looked up at him, he stopped.

“What is it?” he asked. “Is everything all right?”

I nodded. “Yes, everything is fine.”

I looked away from him and back towards the letters spelling out my sister’s name.

“Someday, Bella, all of us will be together again,” I began, swallowing hard and trying to keep my emotions at bay for a few seconds longer. “But until that time comes, I want you to know that I will always love you and that your son will always be proud to have you as his mother.”

With that, I moved my fingers towards my lips, kissing them. I stood, reaching towards her name one last time and pressing my hand against it. Afterward, I turned and looked towards Dyson.

Smiling at me, he said, “Are you ready? Everyone’s waiting for you.”

I nodded at him and smiled in return.

“Yes, more than ever.”