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“She was supposed to be at a friend’s house. She’s been going there a lot. What if she’s been out doing things she’s not supposed to do?”
“Don’t get worked up, babe. She’s young. We both know what that shit’s like. Just talk to her. Maybe she’ll listen to you.”
“Right. She’s barely talking to me because I told her to stay away from The Strip.”
I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache form.
Another dilemma. Another thing I would have to deal with. Gracie wasn’t going to like it, but I had to talk to her. No more Strip, and these friends she was hanging out with also had to go. It wasn’t going to end well. There would be an argument, but she had too much to lose. She was smart and beautiful and had a fantastic future ahead of her. I wouldn’t let her drop the ball this close to graduation—this close to scholarships and college. It was time I stood up and became the parent we both deserved.
32
Saint
Ialmostlosther.For days, I was lost without her, going through life without feeling alive. It was wild. We hadn’t been together long, and she was already a significant part of my life. Then again, she had always been a major part of my life—the daughter of my torturer and now the light in my heart.
She had pulled away out of fear, and I understood that, but I wouldn’t let fear keep me away from her. Nothing would keep me away from her. And while we were apart, I had considered crazy things. Had it not been for fear of scaring her, I would have broken into her apartment and waited for her at work—crazyFatal Attraction-type bullshit.
When she tried to ghost me, I felt unhinged—feral—ready to rip the world apart to get to her, which was scarier than letting my heart bleed love for her. I wasn’t afraid to admit I was a total mess without her, and I wasn’t about to let her walk away.
She let me take her upstairs to her apartment, where we held each other. There was no sex. There was nothing but the realization that I had almost lost her.
I kissed her forehead and exhaled, relieved that I had caught up with her and could talk some sense into her. We talked, me telling her the bad news about Gracie and the shit she was getting into, and then we fell asleep together. When we woke, the moon shone into the window down on us.
She relaxed against my chest while I played with her soft locks. I never thought it was possible to feel so much love for someone. I had always had a weak spot for Tori, but this was different. This feeling turned me inside out and left me reeling. My chest ached for her as if my heart beat harder and heavier when she was around. I was in love—and it was profound.
As much as I wanted to stay there all night and hold her, I knew I had to meet the guys at The Strip. If I wanted to continue to take my girl out and give her the world, I needed to race and pocket money. This time would be different, though. I wanted Tori at my side. My queen at The Strip, and I wanted everyone to know she was mine.
“I have to go to The Strip tonight. Come with me. I want you on the back of my fucking bike for everyone to see. Tonight, we tell Joker, and we make things official.”
She turned and looked at me, eyes scanning my face with worry.
“But what if Gracie comes home and I’m not here? I want to sit down and talk with her.”
I understood that. Her sister was most important. “We don’t have to stay long. Plus, if Gracie’s there, we can try to talk some sense into her.”
I held my breath, waiting for her to disagree. The Strip was slowly becoming a problem for her since her little sister was going when she wasn’t supposed to, but surprisingly, she nodded, a small smile playing on her lips.
“Okay.”
I grinned. “Okay.”
I relaxed against her pillows and watched while she dressed. The weather was cooler outside, so she slid into a pair of tight jeans and a v-neck shirt that showed me her ample cleavage when she bent over. My mouth watered, and my cock grew behind my zipper, but we didn’t have time for that. The next time I was inside Tori, I wanted to stay there for a while.
We had to leave soon, and I wanted so much more than a quickie. As soon as we were done at The Strip, I was taking her home and licking every inch of her body. I had never wanted a night at our spot to go by so fast.
The feel of her slender arms around me while I drove was becoming my favorite. Having Tori on the back of my bike meant more than she realized. We never let anyone ride, but she was much more to me. She meant more to me than my bike, and that was saying something.
We drove through the city, crossing the busy interstate before hanging a right and driving into the brush where The Strip hid. The entire spot was grown over, except for the places where the crowd stood and the bikes raced. I slowed on the short stretch of highway before the road opened up to what used to be a truck stop.
The place was packed by the time we pulled up—people, cars, bikes, and neons as far as the eye could see. I swallowed hard, worrying about Joker’s reaction to seeing Tori with me, but when I searched the crowd for my boys, they weren’t there yet. I parked in our usual spot and helped Tori off the back of my bike.
“Where are the guys?” she asked, her cheeks and eyes glassy from the ride.
“They’ll be here.”
They would be. The guys never missed the opportunity for a quick payday.
We mingled with the crowd, a few people coming by and talking with us. The entire time, I held Tori at my side, letting the whole fucking place know she and I were together. She grinned at me whenever I looked at her, and my heart swelled. I had it all as far as I was concerned, and I couldn’t wait to see what our future held.
