Page 13 of Wrecked
The sunshine lighting up the street is in complete contrast to the storm I'm feeling on the inside. My chest starts heaving with the pressure of anger building within. Leaning my back against the brick wall, I ignore the parts that bite into my skin and try to calm down. I want to forget that she even messaged.
I need . . . I need a fucking drink.
My phone buzzes and I'm expecting it to be Janie again, but it's not.
Reese: You up for a spin tonight?
Me: Send me the location.
* ~ * ~ * ~ *
As I come to a screeching halt beside Reese, I draw the attention of the surrounding crowd and earn myself a scowl from Reese. I can tell he and the other guys were scrambling, just about to organize someone else to replace me. Someone that people would pay just as much money to watch.
“Sorry,” I mutter, stepping out of my car.
“Sorry?You're fucking half an hour late,” Reese barks.
“I know. I was . . . dealing with something.”
He nods his head to someone past my shoulder and then returns his attention to me. “Ever heard of a fucking phone? They're these magical little devices where you can make calls or text people to let them know things,like if you're going to be late.”
“It died.”
“'Course it fuckin' did.” He rolls his eyes, lets out a huff, and then quickly starts going over everything with me; the route, the other driver, the pot amount. I zone out briefly, still thinking about the shit from today, and look around at the crowd. I have to admit that my head is swimming a little. “You got it?”
Swinging my gaze back to him again, I answer, “Yeah, sure.”
I start toward my car without another word but am stopped by Reese's hand gripping my shoulder. “Wait up.” He sniffs at the air between us. “Have you been drinking?” I stare blankly back at him, not giving him an answer. “You know what? I don't want to know. We don't have time to deal with that shit.”
He turns around in a huff and leaves me to get into my car. I make my way over to the starting position and glance over to the other driver.
“'Bout time you showed up,” he yells through his window. I'm pretty sure I've raced him before and won. This should be easy.
I face forward again, not bothering with a response. Misha walks out in front of us holding a white cloth – not panties – but I'm sure she'd probably still want to fuck anyway. Just as that thought crosses my mind, she throws a smirk my way and winks like she heard me say it out loud.
When she lowers her arm, I'm half a second late taking off and end up trailing behind down the first straight run.Shit.
Ididdrink today. I was drinking at the bar before I got here because I wanted to forget that I ever heard from my sister. But I knew I had a race tonight, so I had tried not to go overboard with it. Still, I can tell that it's making me clumsy with my turns and shifting gears, and he's getting away from me. It makes me even more pissed off.
I let out a frustrated growl. I hate how much they affect me without even being in my life anymore. But what I also hate is that they remind me of everything Ididn'tdo back then.
I didn't go to that fucking party when Neil suggested it that night, which could have prevented everything from happening.
I didn't fight harder to see Jacob when my parents kept me pretty much under house arrest. Even after their true feelings came out, I spent my time feeling sorry for myself rather than finding a way to see him.
I didn't fight for him to be freed. I didn't know how.
Then when he was sentenced, I didn't even stick around to find out which prison he was going to. I went and got fucking drunk.
I allowed my parents to move us all here without putting up a fight, and then I let myself fall into a downward spiral.
I start closing the gap after the fourth turn and then floor it, trying to catch up.
But my mind is obviously still distracted, and I almost miss the next left. I yank the steering wheel to the side, hoping to make the turn still.
But that was a big mistake.
My body jerks around within the confines of the seatbelt as I spin out of control, then excruciating pain shoots through my head as it makes contact with something hard.
