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“It started when he was little, mostly verbal, but recently, he’s been hitting him. He usually does it where no one sees, but he was careless the other day. Hit Brock in the face.”
“Son of a bitch,” Mom hissed.
“It was because of his father that he pushed me away.”
Mom pulled a hand through her hair. “That explains a lot.”
“He’s moved out. Staying at the garage where he works.”
“He’s welcome here,” Mom offered and just her offering that had me jumping up and hugging her. She hugged me back.
“I’m so sorry, Cedar. A parent wants to protect their children from the ugly in the world, but sadly, there are so many children whose ugly is at the hands of their parents.”
She pulled back and framed my face. “I know you can’t offer, not without revealing you shared this with me, but if it comes up, make the offer.”
“I will.”
Tears filled Mom’s eyes. “And his mother?”
“Doped up.” I didn’t hide my anger.
“I’m glad he’s out of that house, but…” Mom paused, searching for her next words. “Abusers need to abuse.”
“He knows he’s not heard the last from his dad.”
“Whatever we can do, Cedar. Your dad and I are here.”
Chapter Six
Brock
I’d asked Cedarto come to my work, so she dressed in jean overalls with hearts bedazzled down the one leg, a pale pink tee under it and her floral Doc Martens. Her hair was up, I preferred it down, and her glasses were sliding down her nose as she looked under the hood of the Mustang.
She was fucking adorable.
It had been two weeks since that kiss, one that I repeated as often as I could. Her taste was like her, unique and addicting. There was none of that awkwardness that happens when you first start with someone. We slid into each other’s lives like we were made for one another, and I was beginning to believe we were.
I hadn’t heard from my dad, but it was like the calm before the storm. He was up to something. Being challenged by his son, losing to his son…he wouldn’t let that stand. What scared me was I didn’t know when or where he would strike. What I did know is, when he did hit, he’d be surgical, precise, and it was going to be fucking hard.
“How did you learn about cars?” Cedar’s question pulled me back to her.
“Just kind of picked it up.”
I knew what she was thinking, the sadness behind her eyes. She’d missed it. That was on me, all fucking on me. I touched her chin, lifted her gaze to mine. “Whatever it takes, Cedar.”
She nodded then asked, “Is that what you want to do after school, work on cars or own a garage?”
Her question surprised me. Everyone I talked to assumed because of who I was that I’d be going to college. No one ever asked what I wanted. Why the fuck had I pushed away the best fucking thing in my life? I knew why, but he wasn’t going to win.
“I’m thinking about it, maybe opening my own garage.” I grabbed the rag from my pocket and wiped my hands as I mirrored her stance, with a hip to the car, when I asked, “And you’re going into design?”
“Yeah, NYU has a great program.”
“I imagine they need garages in Manhattan.” The words were out before I realized it. I didn’t have time to regret saying it because her smile was so bright, it was blinding.
“I was thinking the same.”
I yanked her close because I needed a taste. I loved the way she molded to me, how her body fit so perfectly to mine. She tilted her head back, offering me her mouth. My tongue dove in as soon as our lips touched. I moaned because she tasted so good. Her small hands moved around my back, fisting my tee as I took the kiss deeper. The sound of motorcycles pulled us apart. Dax and two of his brothers rolled into the empty bay.
