CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE DASH

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

DASH

We pull up to my parents' house, and I growl. Cars are parked everywhere. I forgot that I had left the afternoon after my party to go to the police station. Of course, these drunk asses are still here passed out. "Fuck," I hiss as I get out of Jake's truck. He insisted on driving us, and I wasn't gonna argue with him ‘cause I sure as hell couldn't drive. He might have drunk the most out of the three of us, but he looked the most sober.

"What's wrong?" he asks, getting out of his truck.

"I forgot all these people were here." I sigh. Some have already left but there are still cars here, informing me that some are still passed out from last night. "I'm in no mood to fuck with them at the moment."

"I'll take care of them," he says simply.

"Thanks," I say, walking up the stairs. I frown at the two people passed out on the front porch swing.

The moment we walk into the house, Jake starts yelling that the party is over and for everyone to get the fuck out. I ignore the grunts and moans from the drunks and make my way to the kitchen. I open the fridge and grab a bottle of water. I have almost half of it down when Blake and Jake walk into the kitchen. They both stand there staring at me.

"What?" I demand.

"You quit," Blake says, and I roll my eyes.

"It was my only option." And I really don't feel that bad about the decision I made, even if I didn't really think it through.

"You finally got your dream, and you quit because of a girl?" Jake questions.

I point a finger at him. "Shut the fuck up, Jake. I'm not in the mood to listen to your opinion. You have no idea what has been going on here."

He shrugs carelessly. "It's not hard to see. You fell in love with a girl. And then you fucked it up."

"I made a mistake," I yell, slamming my water down. "I allowed my dream to fuck up something bigger." I hang my head, and I take a few deep breaths. "I thought I could handle them both," I say truthfully. "I thought that I could race for Knight Racing and still be with Tabatha." I look back up at them. "And look where it got us. You think I care that I quit the team? The racing isn't what is important anymore. She is. I would have given it up at any time for her, and now I've lost her completely." I shake my head. "And that motherfucker, Rodger, hurt her." I squeeze the water bottle to the point where what's left comes pouring out of the top and onto the counter. "I was too busy being fucking pissed at her for not feeling the same when he attacked her. He's fucking never gonna leave her alone." I truly believe that. He has proven to me more than once that he's never going to go away. He wants her, and he's going to do everything he can to take care of her. He just strikes me as that guy who thinks if I can't have her, no one can. Sick twisted fuck!

The way her bruised and stitched face looked. She looked so broken—so not herself. And that's what made me so mad. That was why I yelled at her in front of everyone. I should have taken her in my arms and held her. I should have apologized and told her that I was there for her. Instead, I did more harm than good.

I grab my keys off the countertop and start to walk away. "Where you going now?" Blake asks.

"To take care of business," I throw over my shoulder.

***

The first time I ever found myself in jail, I was fourteen. Blake and I had decided we wanted to go for a joyride in my father's favorite car. Blake was over one day, and my parents were gone, like always. So we grabbed the keys and took it out. I knew how to drive, or so I thought. Try controlling a fast as shit car when you go around a corner. I ended up flipping the car; thankfully, we were both wearing seat belts. So when it finished rolling, we both crawled out with minor injuries. Then we ran as it started to burn to the ground. The cops came to our house and arrested us and called Blake's parents.

I laugh out loud as I remember that day. It seems like so long ago. So much for not wanting to get arrested today.

"Why are you laughing?" Jake asks as he sits on the bench next to me.

"I was just thinking how some things never change," I say with a smile as I fist my sore knuckles.

"And what times would those be?" Blake asks as he sits on the other bench across from us.

"The first time we got arrested," I say, and he chuckles to himself. "At least this one was worth it," he adds, and I have to agree.

When I walked out of the house a few hours ago, I knew exactly what I was going to do. I was going to beat the shit out of Rodger. Thanks to Google and social media, it wasn't hard to find his location. The guy checks into his own home. Little did I know that Blake and Jake were following behind me. Once I found his place and got off my bike, they pulled in behind me. I told them to stay out of it. I wasn't a coward. I was gonna fight him on my own. One on one. They stayed back as I asked, but that didn't stop the cops from arresting all three of us and now we are back at the police station. And although I am very much sobered up, I still have a pounding headache.

"What do you think this does to the charges you pressed against him?" Jake asks.

I shrug. "I don't care." He got what he deserved, and I'd do it again. The bastard deserves to die for laying his hands on Tabatha. How could anyone want to hurt her? I know he did; but I don't care how mad I get at her, I would never lay my hands on her.

"Hey?" Blake turns around to face the police officer sitting at his desk. "Where's our one phone call?" he demands, and the cop completely ignores him.

"Take it easy," I say stretching my sore neck from side to side. "We've only been in here for like an hour."

Jake sighs. "You two are a bad influence. I just wanted to drink."

We all laugh. We hear a phone ring, and we all look over at the cop who sits behind his desk. He picks it up and nods his head a few time. "Yes, sir," he says before he hangs up.

He stands quickly as he rattles his keys in his hands. He comes over to the bars and unlocks them. "You two are free to go," he says pointing to Jake and Blake.

They both turn to look at me as if I need them to stay and hold my hands. "Go ahead." I nod to the door.

They quietly stand and walk out and the cop goes back to his desk and sits down. I frown as to why he left the door to the cell open.

I look down to my bloodied hands resting on my jeans. I knocked him around pretty good. I even saw a tooth fly at one point. I wasn't a complete asshole. I allowed him to get in a couple of punches on me. I let him build up his ego when he thought he was gonna kick my ass, and then I let him down slowly when I knocked him to the ground.

"You think you can treat her like trash?" I yell as my right fist connects with his jaw. He stumbles back, and his arm knocks over a lamp. "Answer me," I demand, before I land a punch to his gut.

He falls to his knees as he wraps his hands around his waist. "You're no better than me," he says as he spits blood onto his white carpet. "And she knows it."

I kick him in the face and watch as his head snaps back. He rolls over onto his side as he cries, sobbing like a fucking child as he holds his face. "I'm nothing like you," I spit out.

He rolls over onto his back and looks up at me. Blood runs down the side of his face. "I know you used her for your own satisfaction. Don't make it sound I'm the only one who fucked her over."

I let out a laugh as I tighten my fist down to my side. "You fucked her. And I…I love her."

He laughs and it causes him to cough and then moan at the pain. "You wouldn't be saying that if you had seen her at the bar earlier that night." He swallows. "All the men who were dancing up on her…"

"You followed her?" I demand.

"Of course, I did." He places his hands on his chest as he takes in a deep breath. "I'll never let her go."

Just what I thought. I take a step toward him. "That's why I'm here," I say with a smile right before I straddle him and let my hands go to work on his face.

I couldn't stop beating the shit out of him. He fought for a while and then he ended up just lying there unconscious as I pounded my fists into him over and over again. The guys finally had to pull me off him. And, of course, the police showed up. But I was expecting that since I had tripped his alarm system when I knocked down his front door. I was actually surprised at how badly he already looked from Tabatha. I smile, proud of her. Finally standing up for herself.

"So…" I stand from the bench when I hear a familiar man's voice. "It's like déjà vu," Mr. Knight says as he walks right into the cell.

"You don't seem surprised to find me in here," I say casually.

"I'm not." He unbuttons the top button of his suit jacket and sits down on the bench across from me. "I had a feeling you would do something stupid."

I arch an eyebrow. "Beating the shit out of your daughter's ex is stupid? The bastard deserved to die for what he did to her."

"I agree," he says without hesitation. "That was why I knew you would do what you did. But I hate to tell you; I just came from the hospital, and he isn't going to die."

"Shame. I knew I should have hit him some more," I mumble.

"Then you would be spending your life in prison, son. For murder."

I drop my head to look at the bloodstain on my hands. "You're saying you wouldn't kill for your wife?" I ask as I look up at him.

He takes a deep breath and rubs his hand over his chin. He bends over placing him elbows on his knees. "I would. But…"

"But nothing," I interrupt him. "Quit trying to make me think that what I did was wrong. I did what I did because I love Tabatha, and he deserved every bit of it. If he would have died…" I shrug. "Then I would be going to prison. That's a small price to pay for love. Don't you think?"

"You love her?" he questions as if he's surprised.

I fall back down on the bench and sigh. "More than anything."

He runs his hand down his shaved face as he looks at me with an expressionless face.

I sigh. "Why are you here? I quit."

"I remember that very well. Considering that was only hours ago." He sits up straight and runs his palms down his pants. "I got the call that you had been brought in. And here I am." He reaches his hands out to his side. "And now you're free to go." He stands.

"That's it?" I ask as I stand as well. "I almost beat a man to death, and I just get to go?" I ask, totally confused. I was prepared to do my time.

"I told you once, son. I have pull in this town." He places his arms over his chest. "But it's going to cost you."

I hang my head. "Why didn't I see this coming?" I mumble to myself.

"When I hired you to race for me, I knew you would be a pain in my ass, but I knew you would be worth it. What I didn't expect was for you to be a quitter."

I open my mouth to speak, but he holds him hand up to quiet me. "You're free to go. But I expect to see you showered and wearing freshly washed clothes next time I see you."

"And that is?" I question with a heavy sigh. The least I can do is show up for a man who is keeping me out of prison.

"In two days." He looks me up and down. "I'm going to give you a couple of days to rest and get your shit together. Then you will be ready to get back to work. Do you understand me?"

"But I…"

"Do you understand?" He asks again.

I nod. "Yes, sir."

He then spins around before walking out of my cell.

I'm not sure if it's the fact that I just beat the shit out of Rodger, or that I just got my racing job back, but I walk out the cell with my head held high and a fuck you smile on my face.