Page 7 of Torqued

He chuckles as I gather the papers up. “Even better is that they won’t know what hit them by the time you’re done.”

“I tend to enjoy the shock and awe on their faces when they realize I’m not a man.”

He takes my hand, pulling me over to him. “I love you, Spencer. I wouldn’t trade a hundred sons for you.”

“I love you, Daddy.” I kiss his forehead, and we get back to work. We brainstorm for an hour before I hurry back to my office to start gathering everything I’ll need for this purchase.

I can’t lie. I’m nervous as hell. Research isn’t an issue for me. Neither is preparing to at least sound like I know what I’m talking about. My problem is Rush Hatcher himself.

“He’s going to cost me more than I ever get out of this. I can feel it in my bones.” I wrap my arms around myself, a shiver runs up my spine. I’ve never had something affect me so much, so early on.

“Just breathe and think good thoughts.” I sigh, releasing the tension in my body. I’m not one to get worked up in the beginning stages of a deal, it’s usually the back and forth that makes me antsy.

By five, I’m ready to go home and get a glass of wine. But on my way there, I remember I need plenty of research for our little project, which includes brushing up on all things Rush Hatcher.

The minute I’m through the door, I slip into something comfortable and fire up my laptop. I need everything out on the table like it was today, so I can work on the best angles to proceed.

I type his name in and the internet goes wild for the Infinity Series, bad boy. He’s been in on-track fights, drunken brawls, love triangles, threesomes, crashed cars on purpose, flipped off the press, and broken every rule set forth before him.

“So, why in the hell isn’t he gone already?” All it takes is another click of the mouse to find all of my answers. “Damn, the video didn’t lie. He’s really that good.”

That’s when something catches my eye, a woman sitting with his pit crew. “That’s the first thing that needs to go, his harem he keeps around him. I’ll be damned if I’m sitting in the cheap seats while someone else sits in the one I own.”

A few more clicks, I freeze. “What? He’s from a family of attorneys! His cousin is in the navy and his uncle was a state senator. Wow. Bad apple much?”

I’m lost in the world, belonging to Rush Hatcher for the rest of the evening. At some point, I must fall asleep. It’s not long after I wake with a jolt and Rush on my mind.

“Oh, this is not going to happen! Not in a million years!” I wipe my eyes and stumble off to bed. “I will not spend my nights dreaming of Rush Hatcher.”

3

Rush

“Where are we picking Crank up from?” I glance at Margo, talking to me while she’s texting. Which is unusual for her. She doesn’t like people enough to talk to them.

I point ahead. “The hauler drivers are gassing up at the Stop-n-Go, he’ll be on the curb.”

"Dang! Kicked to the curb, and he ain’t even hooking up.”

Margo’s head spins. “Who would he be hooking up with?”

Oddly enough, she looks angry. Margo doesn’t get upset over nothing or no one but me unless its race day. She goes back to rapidly typing on her cell, scowling as she does.

“I don’t know, rondo’s like me.” I lift my shoulder, dropping it just as fast when she glares at me.

“I didn’t realize Crank picks rondo’s up like you do.” She shifts in her seat to get a better look at me. “How often?”

“Why do you care? Are you his mommy?”

Margo cuts her eyes at me. “No, but I’d prefer to know the kind of people I’m hanging around.”

“Crank’s been here for literally eight years!” I gape at her, feeling like there’s something more here, but she’s not telling it. Which again is odd because she tells me everything.

She jerks her head toward the road. “There’s the ‘junior pick up’ artist now.”

“For real, though? That crawled up your ass, didn’t it?”

She flips me off as I come to a stop and Crank jumps in the back seat. “Now, leave me alone.”