Blindsided - A Stepbrother Romance Novel (16 page)

“Hi Sam.”

“Conrad,” she was trying to be cool, but inside she was burning up, so it was hard.

“You and Luke got the Mustang ready to go?”

“Yeah, it’s better than ever.”

“Cool,” she saw his eyes find Kyla over her head. At least she assumed it was Kyla by the look he got on his face. It was similar to the one Aaron got when he’d first seen her only more subtle. She watched as he smiled warmly and waved like she was an old friend. Suddenly she really wanted to know how long they’d been broken up and who broke up with whom. She reminded herself that was none of her business and instead she said, “Hey, Lee said you told him about Luke.”

He looked reluctant to have that conversation but finally said, “Yeah, I needed him to understand why I was requesting so much time off.”

“You didn’t need to do that. I’m going to take Luke for his treatments.”

Conrad raised an eyebrow and said, “We can work together on that Sam. I’m not going to be left out. If he doesn’t make it…”

“Don’t say that. You can’t be negative about this or around him. A positive attitude is half the battle.”

“Okay,” he said, letting out a deep breath. “But I mean it, Sam…I understand he’s your dad and not mine, but Luke means a lot to me and I’m going to be there for him.”

Samantha wondered what she meant to him, if anything. “That’s fine,” she said, “We can work out a schedule. I’m going to get ready,” she said, “Shawn says I’m up first.”

“Okay, you need any help?”

“Nope, the car is ready. I’ll see you at the finish line.”

He grinned and the igloo she’d been trying to build up around her heart melted. “Good luck and be safe.”

She turned and glanced at Kyla. “You too,” she said before walking away. She felt shaky inside and it pissed her off. She watched her mother cowl down to Darren for all of those years and do whatever it took to keep her man. She watched her lose her own identity completely. Lacey allowed Darren to swallow it up and Samantha promised herself as she watched them that she would never be that woman. No man would ever have that kind of power over her. No feeling would ever be so strong.

She popped the hood on the Mustang and chanced another glance over at Conrad. He had walked over and was talking to Kyla now. Kyla had her hand pressed into his chest and a seductive smile on her face. Sam felt like she was going to throw up. What the hell was he doing to her?

Sam sat at the start line and stared in shock at the 2012 Mustang Cobra Jet next to her. That car had to be worth over a hundred grand yet the dude sitting behind the wheel looked like he had just been kicked out of the county jail. She wondered if some of what the MC club was into was stealing cars and performance parts. She told herself not to concentrate on the car, concentrate on the track. It’s not always the car. If the guy behind the wheel wasn’t a driver, the car didn’t mean shit.
But damn…a Cobra Jet!
It made Sam’s mouth water. It was silver with blue racing stripes and it shone underneath the street lights like a brand new car on a showroom floor. She tore her eyes away from it and stared at the long expanse of asphalt in front of her. Revving her engine a couple of times, she checked her gauges as her pulse thrummed with excitement and anticipation. She glanced over again at the car and this time she noticed the driver smiling at her. It was like he’d been waiting for her to look his way. He winked, blew a kiss and then he revved his own engine. It sounded like he had a dragon underneath the hood just dying to get out.
Fuck.

Shaking him off once more she watched as the big Asian guy in the bright yellow shirt stepped out in front and in between them. He held up his right hand and Sam put her hand on the gear knob. Her reaction time was on spot as he dropped his arm and the Mustang fish-tailed slightly when she dropped it into second and then let up on the clutch. She covered the brake with her left foot then and her right foot fell heavily on the accelerator. The car jumped off of its front tires and the smoke from her back tires filled the air. She loved the smell of rubber burning on the pavement. She inhaled deeply and her car was at full launch before she chanced a glance over at her competition. He was right beside her, so close that if she wanted to reach through the passenger window she could touch him. She dropped the car into third and pressed the accelerator to the floor. Thirteen hundred feet of road disappeared in mere seconds and the Cobra was so close when she saw the flag and started to downshift that she had no idea who won. She pulled her foot up off the accelerator and let the car slow down until it was coasting and then she feathered the brake and pulled the wheel around so it turned in a tight 360. She came to a complete stop then and she noticed the loser in the Jet was still grinning. She wondered if he knew he’d won or if he was just as stupid as that grin made him look.

Aaron was suddenly at the passenger window. “Sammy that was awesome! You smoked his ass!”

“Did I win?”

“Looked like it to me,” he said.

“Me too,” Conrad was behind Aaron. “Good job, Samantha.”

“Did I win?” she asked again.

Conrad laughed. “They’re looking at the video. It was close. Let me go find out.” Samantha climbed out of the car and watched Conrad walk away. His backside is as hot as his front side…seriously, it should be illegal.

“Hey Mama, that was a good run. Nobody has ever come so close to beating me before.” The short Mexican man with the shaved head and prison tats was suddenly at her side.

“Close? You think you won?”

Speaking of close, he was way too close to her and she could feel his hot breath on her face as he said, “I know I won, Mama.” He ran his eyes slowly across her body and let his tongue slide along his bottom lip before going on to say, “But there’s still a way for us to both walk away winners tonight, don’t worry.”

Sam snorted out a laugh. This pig actually thought she’d want to sleep with him. “I’m thinking I’ll be the only one walking away happy tonight. I’ll have five grand in my pocket and you’ll still have that little mouse in yours.”

The look on his face changed. He narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice to say, “Careful Mama, I don’t think you know who you’re disrespecting.”

“I don’t think you know that I don’t care.”

“Sam,” Keeping one eye on the parolee in front of her Sam looked toward the sound of Conrad’s voice. He was right behind her and he was smiling. “You won.”

Sam’s forgot about the creep standing next to her. Her face broke out in a wide smile. “I won!” She smacked hands with Aaron and went to do the same with Conrad. He opened his arms for a hug instead and she jumped into them. She squeezed him tightly and still holding on, she turned her face up to his. He looked like he wanted to kiss her and Sam wanted him too. She didn’t care that everyone was watching. She saw Conrad glance around them with a nervous look in his eyes. Obviously, he did care. She let go of him and stepped back.

“Where do I collect my money?”

Lowering his voice so only she could hear Conrad said, “After my race, we need to talk, okay?”

“Where do I collect my winnings?”

“Sam…”

“We don’t need to talk Conrad, I get it. I’m not a fucking idiot. Now, who has my money?” She was falling apart inside. She’d not only made a fool of herself she was once again forced to face the knowledge that Conrad simply didn’t want her.

**

While Sam was collecting her money the guy with the Cobra Jet approached her again. After she finished counting out the hundred dollar bills, she stuffed them in her bra and the guy said, “Congratulations Mama, you should be proud of yourself. Nobody beats me, even by a nose.”

He actually seemed like he was trying to be sincere so Sam smiled and said, “Thanks, I am proud of myself. I still can’t believe I got to race a Jet, much less beat one.”

He smiled again and said, “You beat me, not the car. You’re a hell of a driver for a hot girl.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “Thanks…I think.”

He laughed. “It was a compliment. I’m Hector.”

“Samantha,” she said, taking the hand he was offering. She had to pull out of his grip and his lips twitched as he said, “So how about you and I go get a beer after the last race is over and celebrate your win?”

“Thanks, but I have to get my brother home.” She looked over at Aaron who was talking to Shawn now and so did he.

“He can come too. We’ll have a beer at the clubhouse and he can play darts and pool with my nephew, they’re about the same age.”

Knowing what she did about this “clubhouse,” Sam was about to decline politely again. Then her eyes landed on Conrad and Kyla. They were getting ready to get in their cars for their race, but she was reaching up with one hand on either side of his face. She pulled him down and he let her and his lips met hers in a soft kiss. It didn’t last more than half a second and Conrad was the one to pull back…but it happened and it made her sick. Conrad’s eyes seemed to search the crowd until they landed on hers. She acted like she didn’t see him and smiled at Hector instead and said, “Okay. That sounds like fun.”

By the time she finished up and got her car out of the way it was time for Conrad and Kyla’s race. It took less than two minutes for Conrad to win. Kyla was still smiling when she stepped out of her car. Samantha tried not to look at them but suddenly she was a glutton for punishment. She watched as Kyla congratulated him for beating her with a kiss. This one was of the full-mouth, bodies pressed into each other variety. Once again Conrad broke it first, but judging by the look on his face he wasn’t angry about it. Finally deciding she’d had enough, Samantha found Aaron and then Hector and they followed him back to the MC “clubhouse.”

The clubhouse was a shop basically that had been converted into a party space. There was a full kitchen off to one side and a bar that looked to contain more alcohol than most of the clubs in town. Tables were set up throughout and pool tables and dart boards graced the section across the back. There was a jukebox playing loud rap music as well and a young guy in a black leather jacket that said, “Prospect” on the patch in front and “SC Commanchero's” across the back.

“Beer?” Hector asked Sam.

“Just some water,” she said.

“I’ll take the beer,” Aaron piped up. Sam elbowed him and said,

“He’ll have water too.”

“You don’t drink, Mama?”

“I stay high on life,” she said with a flat tone. Hector laughed.

“You’re too much. Okay, water and water.” He went behind the bar and sulking Aaron said,

“You’re no fun, Sam. You need to lighten up.”

“Lighten up? You think alcohol and drugs are the only way to lighten up?”

“Never mind, I’ll never win this argument with you.”

“You’re right, you won’t. It would do well for you to remember that those are the exact things that ruined both of our lives.”

He rolled his eyes and walked over toward the jukebox. Hector stopped and said something to him before coming back with the water. Sam watched with some anxiety as Aaron disappeared down the hallway.

“Where is he going?” she asked Hector when he came over and handed her the bottle of water.

“I told him my nephew was in the back playing video games with some of his friends. Don’t worry Mama, your brother looks like a big boy to me.”

“They’re not drinking or smoking weed or anything back there are they?”

Hector laughed. “No Mama. Stop worrying and let’s have some fun. You shoot pool?”

She shrugged. “A little.”

“Show me what you got.” They headed over toward the pool tables as the front doors opened up and people from the race began to pour in. Sam hadn’t even thought about Conrad and Kyla showing up here, but there they were now as big as life. Kyla was so close to Conrad as they came in the door there was barely any light between them. Shawn, Beau, Drew, Casey and Stew were all with them as well. Shawn had a pretty blonde with him and Drew was listening to something a young Hispanic guy with a lot of tattoos and muscle was saying. She looked fascinated either by his words, or the fact that he looked like a young Andy Garcia, Sam wasn’t sure which. “Aw, they crashed our party,” Hector said, “Don’t worry though, if you want a little private time later I have a room in the back.” Samantha had to consciously control the eye-roll she wanted to give him. Instead she reached up for one of the pool sticks on the wall and said,

“Rack ‘em.”

Hector laughed again but he did as she asked. While he was doing that she looked back over toward the bar. Conrad was looking at her now and his eyes went from her to Hector just as Kyla reached up and moved his face back toward hers with her hands.
Demanding little slut.

“Okay Mama, break ‘em.” Sam walked around to the other side where the white cue ball lay against the green felt. She bent at the waist and lined up her shot before pulling back her right arm and taking the shot. Three balls dropped into different pockets, two stripes and a solid. Hector roared. “She’s not just a champion racer, she’s a pool shark!” Sam grinned at him.

“Lucky shot,” she said.

“Right…” Hector was smiling and looking impressed. A few of the other MC guys from Kyla’s crew had gathered around the table to watch. As she walked around the table to take her next shot her eyes caught Conrad’s. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he watched her. He looked as proud of her as he had at the race tonight and no matter how much she didn’t want that to affect her…it did.