Surge: Bad Boy Racing Romance (Fastlane Series Book 1) (8 page)

“What’s wrong?” he asked, frowning as he looked at me. “Are you going to take the job or not?”

For a split second, I considered telling Dyson exactly what he could do with the position and where he could stick it. I had little doubt he was involved somehow. Repulsed though I was at the meaning of it, I couldn’t help but think of Simon.

No matter what kind of games went on with the team, my nephew was innocent. I had a responsibility to follow through on the commitment I’d made to him years ago, and one oversexed race car driver wasn’t about to stand in my way.

I swallowed hard, flexing my jaw in defiance.

“I haven’t decided whether or not I’m taking it.”

Dyson blinked several times. I resisted the urge to stick my finger in his chest and tell him to go to hell.

“Oh, okay,” he replied, nodding. Still holding his crash helmet in his hand, he continued, “Well, I know we’re all hoping you can.”

It took everything I had not to curse him out and put the whole thing at risk. Yet somehow, I managed to hold my tongue.

“I’m going to head back to the pits,” I began. “I’ve got to get home.”

Dyson stepped towards me, raising his hand towards my upper arm. “I’ll walk you back.”

I shook my head and backed away from him. “That won’t be necessary. I know the way.”

He stared at me without a word for a second or two before he nodded his head. “Okay, Ava. No problem. So I guess I’ll see you if I see you, right?”

Before I turned to walk away, I looked at him. “I guess. Good luck, Dyson.”

“Yeah, you too.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than I spun away from him and headed in the direction of the pits once again. Unlike before, I didn’t allow the throng of bodies to deter me from my path. I elbowed my way through, shoving and grunting as I moved among them. This was all about survival for me now. It was clear that being out on the Formula One tour meant I’d have to fend for myself. With backstabbing and double dealing at every turn, I couldn’t afford to lose focus for even a second.

Before long, I reached the pits and approached Dr. Wilcox. He stood there, chatting with Dieter as I walked up to them.

“Dr. Wilcox,” I began, looking up at him. “I need to get going. I’ve got to get home and talk to my nephew.”

Dr. Wilcox looked at me, concern framing his expression. “Something the matter, Ava? You seem upset.”

I shook my head. “No sir, just focused. I know what I’ve got to do now. Can you take me home? If you can’t, I’ll find another way.”

He reached towards me, placing his hand on my upper back. “Of course, don’t be ridiculous. I’ll take you home right away.”

AVA

After we arrived back at my apartment, I thanked Dr. Wilcox for everything he’d done for me. I held out the tiniest bit of hope that he was the only one behind the whole idea. If nothing else, I certainly didn’t think he had anything to do with Dyson’s involvement,
if
Dyson was involved.

Really, I had no idea, but my intuition nagged at me.

Not long after Dr. Wilcox dropped me off, I headed towards my apartment. While I did, I realized I’d have to lie to Simon about why I was leaving in the first place. If he had any inkling I’d taken the position so he wouldn’t have to go back to public school, I worried it would upset him and stress him out.

Clutching the hard brass of my house key, I slid it into the lock and clicked it open. I needed to come up with a believable story—the sooner the better.

As luck would have it, he and Jillian were sitting at the kitchen table eating an early dinner. I pushed the door closed and smiled at them as I walked inside. Crossing the room, I reached towards Simon’s head and began to stroke his hair.

“Are you feeling better?” I asked, hugging him close.

“Mmm hmm.”

I leaned over and placed a single kiss on the crown of his head. “Good.”

Turning in place, I headed in the direction of the kitchen. “It smells great. What are you guys eating?”

“Spaghetti and meatballs,” they answered in unison.

Jillian giggled and leaned in towards him. Afterward, she turned her head and glanced at me. “So, how was the big race?”

Reaching in the cabinet for a plate, I cleared my throat. “Good. It was good.”

Without saying a word, she arched an eyebrow at me. Simon didn’t notice but instead kept his head down, eating in blissful ignorance.

“What happened?” Jillian mouthed.

Refusing to answer, I shook my head and pointed towards my nephew. “Later,” I said in silent response.

Not long after, I joined them at the dinner table. Leaving out the part that might have upset Simon, I recounted the rest of the day’s events to both of them as we ate.

Once we’d finished, I looked at Jillian.

“I need to talk to Simon for a few minutes. If you can wait, I’ll help you clean up.”

Jillian waved at me with a dismissive flick. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it. You two go ahead.”

I smiled and thanked her, helping Simon up from his chair before heading towards his bedroom. After entering, I closed the door behind me while Simon lay down on his mattress. I spent the next minute or so making small talk with my nephew, gauging his state of mind.

Clamminess crept to the palms of my hands.

What I had to tell him was unlike anything we ever talked about before. For someone so young, Simon was surprisingly levelheaded. It was a shocking trait when I considered his parents. As much as I loved my sister, even-tempered was not the word I would ever have used to describe her. I helped him get underneath the covers, and once he’d snuggled in, I sat down on the bed next to him.

“I’m really sorry you couldn’t go to the race today. Dyson and Marco both asked about you.”

A smile came to his tiny cheeks. “Why didn’t Dyson win?”

I shook my head. “No one wins every race. There’s no shame in finishing second.”

Simon’s lower lip curled into a pout. “Dyson told me second place was the first loser.”

I chuckled. That absolutely sounded like something Dyson would say.

“Well, I guess that makes him first loser today, doesn’t it?”

Simon pulled his sheets high, closing them around his neck and shoulders. After he did, I reached down and rubbed his chest with my palm.

“Simon, honey,” I began, exhaling at the same time. “I need to talk about something very important with you. Okay?”

He looked up at me, his small brown eyes filled with the beginnings of doubt.

“It’s nothing to worry about, I promise,” I said, leaning over and kissing him on the forehead for emphasis. “It’s a good thing.”

Not long after, I leaned away, sitting up straight and began.

“I’m going to be going away for a while, sweetie,” I began. “With Dyson, Marco and the rest of the racing team.”

Simon looked up at me in silence. His expression remained unchanged.

“But it’s only temporary. Okay? Just a few months. And I’ll still have free time to come home and see you.”

Simon’s small hands tightened around the top of his blanket. He tugged it closer to his chin. “But why though?”

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for both of us. They are going to pay me very well and we could really use the money right now. It will mean a better life for both of us. After all, you want to become a doctor someday don’t you?”

He nodded at me. “Just like you, Aunt Ava.”

I smiled at him. “Everything will work out. You trust me, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Good,” I began, leaning over and kissing him on the forehead before leaning away once again.

“Now I need to go and talk to Aunt Jillian for a few minutes. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Simon nodded. I reached down and touched my fingertips to the side of his cheek.

“Good night, Simon, sweetheart. I love you.”

Simon looked up at me and smiled. “Good night, Aunt Ava. I love you too.”

After getting up and turning off the lights in his bedroom, I exited and made my way towards the kitchen. I came around the corner and noticed Jillian putting away dishes.

She turned her head in my direction. “How’s he feeling?”

I leaned against the kitchen counter, pressing my palm flat on the surface. “He seems to be doing a little better, but he’s still tired.”

Jillian smiled at me before bending over and grabbing a clean plate from the dishwasher. There was no easy way to talk to her about the offer I’d received, so I just decided to do it.

I cleared my throat, pausing for just a moment before I spoke. “I need to talk to you about something.”

Jillian reached up and slid the plate into the cupboard before turning to face me. “Okay, what’s up?”

Removing my hand from the countertop, I crossed my arms and nibbled on my lower lip.

“Uh oh,” she began. “This is serious, isn’t it?”

“Mmm hmm.”

She turned and faced me. “All right, come on. Out with it.”

I spent the next several minutes telling her about the offer I’d received from Dieter to travel with the team, including how much I was going to be paid and how long I’d probably be gone.

A huge smile came to her face. “That’s such great news! You must be thrilled.”

“I am,” I grumbled. “Sort of.”

“What do you mean? Why wouldn’t you be excited? With that kind of money, you can take care of Simon and maybe even get yourself back into school, and…”

I nodded, interrupting her. “I know, but I can’t do it alone.”

“What are you saying?” she asked, pausing for just a moment. “Oooh, you mean Simon? You don’t have to worry about that, Ava. I don’t mind taking care of him. Not one bit.”

I felt a lump gather in my throat. While I looked at my best friend, my vision blurred with the beginnings of tears.

“Oh honey,” she began, moving towards me for a hug. “Please don’t do that. You’re going to make me cry also.”

I nodded, wrapping my arms around her and embracing her. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

We hugged for a few more moments before separating.

“You don’t need to thank me for anything, Ava. I love Simon like he was my own family. And of course, you know I love you too.”

Even though I tried my best, several streaks of tears escaped from my eyes. Over the next minute or so, I managed to get myself under control. After I did, Jillian congratulated me once more before returning to finish with the dishes.

“So I suppose you’ll be spending more time with Dyson, won’t you?”

Dyson…

I furrowed my brow at the mention of his name. Taking notice of my silence, Jillian glanced at me. “What’s wrong? Did something happen with Dyson?”

I shook my head. “I’m not sure, but something he said made me feel uneasy.”

“That doesn’t sound good. What happened?”

“Well, after the race ended, we saw each other, and he asked me if I was going to accept the position.”

Jillian shrugged, frowning at the same time “So. What’s wrong with that?”

“I
hadn’t told him
about it yet. It was like he knew about it beforehand.”

Jillian’s head drifted backward. Her mouth opened a fraction. The realization dawned on her. “Ah, I see. What did you say to him?”

“You mean, did I confront him about it?”

“Yeah.”

“No. I didn’t.”

My friend leaned against the counter, pinching her chin between her thumb and forefinger. “Do you really think he was behind the whole thing?”

“Where Dyson is concerned,” I began, shaking my head. “Anything is possible.”

Jillian looked at me in silence for a moment or so. “Well, I suppose all you can do is keep your guard up. This opportunity is too important for you. You can handle Dyson Vix. You have no choice.”

Staring into her eyes, I nodded my head in agreement.