Racing for Freedom (17 page)

“Lucas!” I cry, grinning and leaping at my friend.

It’s been three weeks since that awful night at the track and I have recovered well. I’m grateful that I had time to recover for the semi-finals because I would have never been able to race with the damage done to my ribs. Lucas has finally come back after his time away, and seeing his face makes my heart swell with happiness.

“Dash! I’ve missed you!”

He swings me around and I giggle. “Me too, I’m so glad you’re back!”

He puts me down and looks over me. “I’m sorry I didn’t call, I just needed…”

I frown and put my finger up. “Don’t, you don’t have to explain anything.”

He grins and nods. “How are you feeling? Big race is next week?”

“I’m nervous,” I admit.

“You’re gonna kill it!”

I beam. “How are you feeling?”

His face twitches just a touch, but he keeps his smile. “I’m good, I have realized I’d rather my friendship with you to last, then I would to lose it over something so petty. I am moving on, I’ve accepted you’re with Slade and I will get over it. I don’t want to lose you Dash.”

I nod, biting my lip. “I don’t want to lose you either Lucas, thank you for coming back…I was so worried you wouldn’t and…”

He cuts me off with a finger to my lips. “I would never just leave you without a goodbye.”

I grin and punch his arm lightly. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Do you need a ride to the track?”

He looks over my red and white racing shirt and I smile. “That would be great.”

He leads me to his car and we begin driving to the track. Slade is working so I am going to do a few practice rounds. Dad has been onto me to get my ass into gear and get these corners perfect. I smile when thinking about dad, he’s come so far. He goes out a little more each day, usually it’s only to the track but yesterday he ventured to the grocery shop. I’m proud of him for that, because I know the effort he has to put in.

“So, what did you do when you went away?” I ask Lucas,
then lean down to play with his radio.

“Just went and visited my brother in Sydney. It was good, I got my head cleared.”

“Oh, well, that’s great Lucas.”

He smirks and looks at me from the corner of his eye. “Don’t sound so convinced…”

“I am! I’m happy for you.”

He laughs and we begin singing along to the song on the radio. I’m so glad this hasn’t ruined our friendship. I was so worried he’d come back and things would be weird
but they’re not. We talked a little on the phone over the past two weeks and slowly things got easier for us. Our friendship is everything to both of us.

When we
arrive at the track, it’s quiet. I head over to the garage with my key and get my car out. Lucas follows, chatting to me about his brother and his wife as we walk. I laugh and joke with him a little longer before he tells me he has to get to work. With a quick hug, he’s gone and I’m alone to practice some more. I get in my car and start her up, then I begin doing some warm up laps.

I do lap after lap once the warm up is over and I’m onto my serious practice. It’s not often I can get down to the tracks to practice alone, but John gets me access a couple of times a week. I pick up my speed as I glide around the bends. I’ve learned this track, I know it in my head and slowly the corners are getting easier but they’re still so frustrating and I still can’t get them at a good speed. When I stop my car, I’m angry. I am practicing but I can’t get these corners perfect and until I do, I won’t get a good place in the race.

I get out of the car and snarl a curse, kicking the tire. Dammit, seriously, dammit. I hear a chuckle behind me and I spin to see Slade leaning against a pole grinning at me. Stupid beautiful man and his stupid beautiful grin. He saunters over wearing a black shirt, tight black jeans and a backwards cap. Damn him for looking so fucking perfect all the time. His aqua eyes twinkle as he approaches and wraps his arms around me. I huff and grumble at him, which only makes him hold me tighter.

“You’re so fuckin’ cute when you’re mad Dashy.”

“Shut up, Slade!”

“What’s wrong baby?”

“It doesn’t matter, you will only love it!”

“Try me.”

“I can’t get the damn corners!”

He slides his lips over my forehead. “They’ve always been a problem for you, eh?”

“Yeah, and I know you don’t care because it’ll mean you probably take the championship, but I can’t get them and it’s frustrating the hell out of me.”

“Now Dashy, I need a decent competitor and you’re the only one who will give me a run for my money, I need a good challenge so let me help you.”

I frown up at him and he kisses my nose. “You want to help me?”

He grins. “Yeah, I do. Come on, get in the car.”

“What?”

He opens my car door, slides in and shoves the seat back. He spreads his legs and pats the seat.

“Come on.”

“That’s dangerous Slade!”

“We won’t go fast, come on.”

I grumble and slide in the car, nestling myself half on his leg and half on the seat. He reaches his arms around and grips my hands, placing them on the steering wheel. He rests his hands over mine, curling his fingers over so we have a good grip on the wheel. He reaches down, starts the car and whispers, “Let me move your hands Dashy baby, you just do as I ask.”

I nod, swallowing and tingling at his closeness. His breath is on my ear and his voice gives me shudders where shudders shouldn’t be.

“Get us
moving, keep her at sixty for now.”

I put my foot on the accelerator and Slade moves our hands to change the gears. I let him have complete control over my hands, trusting him wholeheartedly.

“Let me see how you take the corner, just do it as you normally would.”

He gives my hand some slack as I approach the corner. I instantly begin slowing and my hand wobbles a little. He doesn’t say anything as I round the corner. When we get out the other side, he clenches his hands again and takes back control.

“At the next corner, do as I say ok?”

I nod, swallowing. We approach the next corner, and I let Slade take the control.

“Don’t let those hands shake, always look at where you’re going out, not where you’re coming in. Watch the exit Dashy.”

I stare at where the corner ends and focus on that. When I go to lower my speed, Slade tells me not to. With trembling legs, I keep my foot down. When we begin going around the corner I tremble a little but he holds my hands steady.

“Watch that exit, the car will go with you.”

I watch the exit and my mouth drops open as the car slides smoothly around the corner. Just as we’re coming out of it, Slade tells me to speed up. I press my foot down harder and the car glides beautifully out of the corner.

“Oh god, all along, that’s what I was doing wrong?”

“Always look at the exit, it helps. Now pick up the speed and try the next one a little faster. We won’t go over a hundred, we’ll keep it safe.”

I follow his instructions and glide through the next corner at full speed. A squeal escapes my throat and he laughs in my ear as we pick up speed and continue to take the corners smoothly. When we finally come to a stop, I spin around and wrap my arms around his neck, kissing his cheek and lips over and over.

“You’re amazing!”

He chuckles. “Well, if I was going to get this kind of love, I would have done it sooner.”

I find his lips and I slide mine over them, heating them up with my desperate kiss. He groans and wraps his arms around me, pushing me back into the steering wheel and sliding his tongue into my mouth. I whimper and bite his lower lip, sucking and tasting him until we’re both panting. I want
him, I want every part of him. I reach down and grip his pants, and his eyes widen.

“Here?” he whispers.

I nip his lip again. “Here, now.”

I shift and with great
struggle, manage to remove my jeans. I get his down just enough to give me access. I find his lips again and our kiss becomes desperate and passionate. I whimper and tangle my hands in his hair as his fingers find my heat, gently stroking me to shuddering point and then slipping his fingers out and causing me to cry out and grip him.

“Hush baby, let me play.”

I groan when he slides into me and uses his hands to adjust my hips. I grip the seat behind him and throw my head back, crying out his name as my first release tears through my body. He had me so on edge that it happened almost instantly. He groans and uses his hands to raise and lower my hips over him, gently sliding me over his length until he’s groaning and tensing for me too.

“Slade, god, more…”

He growls and throws his head back, thrusting into me so hard my back slams against the steering wheel. My hands are on his shoulders, my nails are sliding over his skin as he moves me and I find my release once more. When he finds his own release, his groans fill the car and he grinds out my name as he shudders. I let my back slump against the steering wheel as he gently drags the last of his pleasure out and then drops his head onto my belly.

“Jesus, best racing lesson ever.”

I giggle and slap his arm. “Slade!”

He shifts me and puts me down on the passenger seat, then grins over at me. “You look gorgeous right now, Dashy.”

I grin and take my jeans, giving him my best fake glare before shuffling them back on. Oh my, every touch against my skin has it tingling. Slade notices my slight moan and smirks.

“It’s always nice to know I do a good job.”

“Jackass,” I smirk.

He leans over and grips my face.
“Fraid’ so.”

I giggle as he bites my ear and then I sink into him. Things couldn’t feel more perfect for us right now. Little did we know that was all about to
change.

~*~*~*~

Slade and I are curled up on the couch with Payton and Dean the night before the big race. We’re all so nervous for Slade and I, so we’re trying to find a way to calm the thoughts running through our heads. I know Payton is hoping I’ll win, and Dean is going for Slade, but it’s my own thoughts that bother me. What if I beat Slade? Will it cause a problem in our relationship? What if he beats me? Will I be angry?

I’m happy with Slade and I want nothing to get in the way of that but I also know that winning is something we both want and one of us has to lose. I snuggle closer to him, part of me wondering if this will be the last time I snuggle with him like this. I shake the thought from my head and focus on the movie playing in front of us. Meet the fockers, funny, witty and very entertaining. Slade chuckles and it rumbles through me. I smile and hug him close.

A loud banging on the door causes me to jump. Payton looks over at me from her position on Deans lap, and I shrug. Slade groans. “Who is that?”

He gently moves me and stands, walking over to the door. When he opens it, all I see is him stumbling backwards like he’s tripped over. I stand up, completely dazed. What? Then I see Michael and my blood goes cold.

“You little fuckin’ bastard, I knew it was true, I knew it!”

“Dad,” Slade growls, hesitantly stepping forward.

Michael raises his hand again but notices the rest of us staring at him. He lowers it and glares at me.

“How could you fuck the competition Slade, how could you?”

“It’s not what you think,” Slade whispers.

“Get out here, get out here now. You’re coming with me, you’re not staying here.”

“Dad no, I live here.”

“You lying son of a bitch,” Michael roars, shoving Slade.

“That’s enough!” Dean yells, storming over.

One look from Michael has him stopping in his tracks. Even I’m not game to walk over there.

“Get in the car Slade, NOW!”

“No,” Slade whispers.

“What did you say to me?”

“I said no, I won’t get in the fucking car. I won’t because I’m done with this. I’m racing for me tomorrow and when I win, I’m branching out on my own.”

Michael’s face turns to pure rage and he begins
trembling. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get in the car, now.”

Something in Michael’s expression has Slade sighing and stepping forward.

“Slade, don’t,” I whisper.

He turns back to me and forces a smile. “I’ll be fine, I’ll see you at the race tomorrow Dashy.”

I shake my head, feeling sickness rise. No, he can’t go with Michael. I rush forward and grip his arm as Michael storms towards the car.

“Slade, no…”

He strokes my cheek. “I have to win a race tomorrow Dash, and he needs me to. He won’t hit me.”

“Slade…”

He kisses me softly. “I love you.”

I blink up at him and tears well in my eyes. “You do?”

“Yeah, I do. Whatever happens tomorrow, you make sure that this,” he uses his finger to indicate both of us, “stays the same.”