Benji“Are the cops getting involved?” I asked.Rick shrugged. “We’ll see. They’re going to have questions for you, I’m sure. But we said we wouldn’t be filing any charges. We didn’t get the plate number and the rest of us didn’t see the crash. We just arrived at it.”“And you gave them the race location?” I asked.Rick smirked. “No, man. How daft do you think I am? We told them we were turned around out there in the dark. Had no idea what cross streets we were at. Hopefully it’s enough to cover our asses. If not we’ll deal with it when the time comes.”“Some of us have friends in high places,” Harley added with a wink.Mason leaned up against the foot of the bed. “At least you’re five hundred thousand dollars richer now.”“Five hundred?” I blinked.“Yeah man. Kevin felt so shitty about what happened that he wants you to take all the winnings. He’s well off as is. He doesn’t need any more cash. But you—well, you could use it. Especially with this medical bill they’re going to hit you
CharlieTwo Weeks LaterIt had been two weeks since the final race of The Streets series. Two weeks since Benji’s accident, and ten days since he was released from the hospital. On a sunny warm Tuesday morning I found myself sitting by the window in a cozy coffee shop, waiting for Harley to join me with the coffee drinks she was ordering.I watched the pedestrians wander by outside and thought about how much had changed over the last six weeks. Ever since meeting Benji, my entire life had done a one-eighty. He had become my priority, whether I was aware of it happening or not, and even now he was all I thought about.Harley dropped into the seat across from me, passing me a coffee with an inch of foam on top and a pretty leaf design poured through it. I wrapped both hands around it and inhaled the rich scent of coffee and caramel.“So,” Harley said, getting comfortable and crossing one leg over the other, “how is Benji doing? Is he getting back into the swing of things?”I took a sip
Book ThreeRickA parade of scantily clad women sauntered across the road in front of me. Their eyes, lined with black and long fluttering lashes, traced the lines of my car, a Saleen S7 twin turbo in midnight blue. The paint reflected the sun and dazzled as brightly as the glittering crop tops and strappy heels the women wore.The underground street racing scene out here in Los Angeles was a lot flashier than The Streets back in New York City.Where New York was all sharp contrasts and edgy fashion at the race tracks, LA was bright colors, boob jobs, meaner drivers, and faster cars.And it was the place that had saved me from my own downward spiral.One of the women at the front of the herd, a blonde with cherry-red lips and a pair of high-waisted skin-tight denim shorts, pulled her sunglasses down her nose to look at my car. Then her gaze flicked up toward me over the top of her frames, and she ran her tongue along her upper lip before pushing the glasses back up and continuing her
RickI pulled into an angled parking spot along a concrete median. On the other side was the track, and nobody was allowed to roll onto it yet. Once every car was registered, we would pull out of our waiting spots and wait in our starting positions behind the line.All eyes were on me as I killed the ignition and the butterfly doors on the Saleen pulled upward. I stepped out, straightened my shirt, and clicked the fob in my pocket as I walked toward the registration table. I didn’t look back as the doors slid closed behind me.“Rick Thomas, Saleen S7, Twin turbo,” I said to the young woman working the registration table. She had a whole crew with her who scrambled through pamphlets, looking for my information. One of the other women at the table handed her my record, and she drew an X through my name, wrote a number on the top right corner, and slid the sheet into a binder.She smiled up at me. “Welcome to The Underground. You’ll be starting in third. Do you have any questions, Mr. Th
HarleyOn Sundays, I didn’t set an alarm to wake me up in the morning.It was the one day of the week where I let myself sleep in and didn’t have anything on my agenda. It was a day for self-care. For indulgence. For eating whatever the hell I wanted and spending the entire day, from start to finish, in loungewear.When I opened my eyes, my room was awash in sunlight. The powder-blue walls were soothing, and I let myself snuggle deeper into the blankets for another five minutes before I rolled onto my back, stretched my arms over my head, and indulged in a full-body stretch that cracked my spine and curled my toes.I inhaled deeply and held the breath, feeling the strain in my chest, and then exhaled and let my muscles relax. I sank deeper into the mattress and stared up at my ceiling.It had been six months to the day that Rick Thomas packed up and moved to Los Angeles.Six months.It felt like so much longer. Like it was a lifetime ago. I draped my forearm across my eyes and let out
RickI still hadn’t gotten used to the view from my high-rise condo.Well, it wasn’t mine, per se. It was a rental place. But damn, it was fine, and it was a hell of a lot fancier than my house back in New York that had been sitting empty for six months. It was a good thing Mason was back home to check up on the place for me.With the money I’d won at the race on Saturday, I could easily afford something even nicer if I wanted. But I liked this place. I’d moved into it about four months ago after crashing at hotels while I got my foot in the door of the racing scene out here. Then, when the money started coming in and my name got bigger, I opted to really settle in and find a place that was mine.I never dreamed I’d live in a place with floor-to-ceiling windows so high above the city I wouldn’t need curtains. Or have a fireplace in my bedroom that was also part of the bathroom. I knew it was a little much, but I had come to learn that life in LA was like that.A little much.After wak
HarleyThe Wolf was the definition of an average bar.From the outside, it didn’t look like much. In fact, when I stepped out of the cab and looked up at the wooden doors set with iron hinges, my first thought was, this hardly looks like the right setting for a first date.I adjusted my purse strap on my shoulder, lifted my chin, and stepped up onto the curb. I walked toward the doors and a middle-aged man coming out held it open for me. I thanked him, and as soon as I stepped inside, I was hit by the greasy aroma deep-fried food.The bar had a small-town tavern vibe. The furniture was all heavy-looking wood in dark cherry that matched the bar sprawled across the back wall. A giant mural of a wolf’s head hung in the middle of the bar and was flanked by shelves on either side loaded down with bottles of liquor.It was busy as hell.Almost every table was taken, and every stool at the bar was occupied, save one at the very end.I looked around for the man I was supposed to meet.I’d onl
HarleyJim smirked. “Damn. All right. Now I’m worried. Are you in the FBI or something?”I laughed and shook my head. “No. Definitely not.”“Why definitely?”“I’m a thorn in the side of law enforcement.”His brows drew together. “You’re a pimp, aren’t you?”I burst out laughing.He collapsed into his chair. “I should have known a chick so hot wouldn’t have a traditional nine to five.”“Who says a pimp can’t schedule themselves to work nine to five?”He studied me, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Okay. In all seriousness, what do you do, Harriet?”I considered toying with him. It would be so easy. He was looking at me the way I looked at ice cream, and I knew without a doubt that he would believe whatever words came out of my mouth next.But that seemed like a foolish game to play.“I organize and host the underground street racing scene here in New York.”He blinked. “Whoa. Wait, what?”That was the reaction I was used to getting from non-race-car-driving men. “Yep. Have you heard of
Harley“I can’t believe it, man,” Rick said.“I couldn’t for a while either,” Mason said. “But this is something we’ve wanted for some time now. Now it’s happening. You picked a good time to go away. I was going to ask for your help building the crib and setting up the nursery.”Rick chuckled. “Well, you have Benji for that.”The men looked at Benji. His shoulders slumped. “Yay.”Everyone laughed.“Are you going to find out the gender, or let it be a surprise in the end?” I asked Laina.She lit up like a light bulb and instinctively put her hand on her belly, even though she wasn’t showing yet. “I think we’re going to wait.”I smiled. “Beautiful.”Within the next half hour, everyone migrated to the dining-room table, which Laina had set beautifully with a white tablecloth, gold chargers, and white plates. The candles were in gold holders, and even the cutlery was gold. She had an eye for detail.While we devoured the spaghetti and meatballs, we talked about life and babies and all the
HarleyTwo Months Later“Careful,” I said as Rick took a sharp righthand turn and drove the Jeep into Mason and Laina’s driveway. The appetizer I’d thrown together slid across the backseat and bumped into the door panel. I scowled at him. “I slaved over those for fifteen minutes. Don’t ruin them before we walk in the door. I want to knock everyone’s socks off with how much of a homemaker I’ve become.”Rick killed the ignition and arched an eyebrow at me. “A homemaker? Really?”I lifted my chin. “What?”He snorted and got out of the Jeep. “Nothing. I just doubt anyone is going to think ‘homemaker’ just because you’re showing up with a plate of—what do you call these?” He opened the back door and picked up the plate covered in three layers of saran wrap.Wrapping the plate had been more difficult than whipping up the food.“They’re caprese salad skewers,” I said.I’d spent the fifteen minutes before we left sliding cherry tomatoes, bocconcini cheese, and basil leaves onto toothpicks. I
RickThe corner of her mouth twitched, giving away the beginning of a smile. “A trip, huh?”I nodded. “We can narrow it down to some destinations and start mapping it out. There’s no better time than now, right? We can get out of the city, figure out what we want, and make up for lost time. Just you and me and beaches and sand and—”“Lots of sex?”I chuckled. “That’s not what I was going to say, but I assumed it was part of the package.”Harley nodded. “That sounds like a plan to me.”“Good,” I said. “Now stay still.”She opened her mouth to ask me why but promptly shut it when I ran my hands over her shoulders and then to her breasts, which I gently massaged, loving how they felt all lathered in slippery soap.“You’re such a guy,” she said playfully.I snickered. “I know.”She let me lather her entire body in the shower. Then we switched places, and she did the same for me. Having her run her hands all over me was heavenly, and it helped me forget about the tight pain in my bruised r
RickAll the aches and pains that had plagued me on Saturday night were still with me when I woke up on Monday morning. I was lying on my back, and Harley was tucked into my side. Her cheek was on my chest, and her left leg was draped over me. Her breathing was deep and slow and soft, and I didn’t open my eyes.I just lay there and listened to her. And felt her closeness.Yesterday had been dedicated to recovering and covering our tracks from Saturday’s race. I hired a tow-truck driver to come get the Saleen and bring it back to my place, where I got it in the garage so that if the cops came looking for it, the car wasn’t sitting out somewhere. It needed a lot of work, and the downside of street racing was obviously that it didn’t have insurance. I couldn’t claim a hit and run when the car was beat to shit on both sides and the rear end.Fucking Torq.But it was just a car, and I liked working on vehicles. The Saleen would be my project for the next year or so while I figured out what
HarleyHe watched me like a hawk as I started going down to my knees, pulling his boxers down as I went.His cock sprang free, teasing and taunting me as I got comfortable below him. I gazed up at him and took his shaft in one hand, working him over softly and warming him up. His gaze was dark and heavy as I ran my tongue from the base of his shaft to the tip and then swirled it around his meaty head.I drew him into my mouth, suctioning my lips around his thickness. I worked him slowly at first, taking my time, easing him into it. I knew he was hurting, and I wanted to be gentle with him.If he’d let me.He had a way of taking over halfway through and showing me who was boss. Not that I’d be mad if that happened.I swirled my tongue around his length before taking him deep in my throat and holding him there as my mouth filled with saliva. Then I bobbed my head, sucking him off hard and fast and fitting as much of him in my throat as I could take.He let me suck his cock for a long ti
HarleyIt was a wonder that the Saleen had even started back on the track, and it was even more mind blowing that it made it back to my house without losing several more pieces along the way.I parked at the back of my building in the private parking lot. I didn’t want to leave it on the curb in case any police drove by. It would be easy for them to link the Saleen to the scene down by the docks, and then we’d be done for.After parking the car, Rick had to climb out of the passenger window again. Every move he made was gentle and controlled. I knew he was hurting and hated that there was nothing I could do to take the pain away.Once he was out of the car, I climbed across the console and slipped out too. He offered me his hand, and I took it but didn’t lean on him for support. I was pretty sure he wasn’t in much of a position to be offering it in the first place.We walked soundlessly across the parking lot, our footsteps drowned out by the sound of rain pinging off the metal garbag
Rick“Fuck me fucking sideways,” I said.I couldn’t afford to waste any time. Either I was getting his ass out of the car, or I was bailing.“You owe me, motherfucker,” I said as I leaned in through the driver’s window and reached up to unclip his seatbelt.Torq crumpled to the ceiling of the car, landing across my arm beneath him. Shattered glass from the windshield bit into my bicep and forearm, but I gritted my teeth against the burn and worked to drag Torq’s ass out of the car. He was a heavy motherfucker.He started groaning.I stumbled to my feet and hauled him backward. “Work with me you fat bastard. I’m getting you out of here. Your asshole buddies bailed on you.”He mumbled something incoherent.“Yeah, I know. They’re your friends, not mine. I guess that’s what you get for being a piece of shit.”I collapsed when I had him clear of the car. I struggled to catch my breath, and my side screamed with pain. I tucked my arms under his armpits, stumbled back to my feet, and kept dr
RickI landed heavily on the wet pavement after managing to climb out through the passenger window of the Saleen. My right leg was tender and bruised from Torq driving into me, and my chest ached from the seatbelt and being jostled around roughly as I’d lost control of the car.But I was alive, nothing was broken, and there was no blood. So, overall, things were pretty good.Aside from the approaching police.I used the car to push myself to my feet, slicking my wet hair off my forehead as I rose. Then I stood and waited for the dizziness to pass. I didn’t think I’d hit my head at any point, but it sure felt like I had. Maybe it was just severe vertigo from whiplash.It didn’t matter. I could figure that out later. I had to focus on getting the hell out of there and making sure Harley was safe, too.She had a lot to lose if this race got busted, and so did I. She was everything. If I lost her, I would lose my damn mind. After all this time, we were finally together, and there was noth
HarleyBenji and Mason took off for the registration table. I swung my attention toward Rick’s car. The whole passenger side was busted up. The damage looked pretty bad, and I had no idea what sort of injuries he might have acquired. I leaned forward to look down the road.The last drivers were only twenty or so seconds away. Maybe less.“I think his door is jammed,” Laina said, nodding at Rick’s car.I narrowed my eyes. She was right. He couldn’t get out. His car was too crumpled and too fucked up for him to get the door open. I wondered if it would still run.If we had to leave it behind, it was a sure-fire way for the cops to trace the car back to Rick. Then all our dreams of starting a new life together would be over. He’d be in jail for a long time.Charlie shook my arm. “What do we do, Harley? Tell us what to do!”I swallowed and took a deep breath. “Okay. Okay. We need to clear the area. Rick can handle himself. Help me get people the hell out of here. Send them off in differen