Page 20 of Sleeping with the Dark (The Righteous 3)
“Renee may kill you if you get arrested, but don’t worry, we won’t.” He smiled wide at the confused look on Arek’s face.
He would stay for now, how much longer still needed to be seen, but Arek had said enough to make him swing one more time from the thin thread of hope.
“Fuck,” Arek hollered as he gripped the holy-shit handle and leaned into the door. Cody’s car streaked around the final bend, the wheels screeching as they slid sideways. They came close enough to a telephone pole that he could read the small print on one of the labels but didn’t give a shit. The mustang was hot on their ass. Arek looked behind at the guy and then at Cody. The guy was tough as nails, no flinch nor flicker of worry as they entered the final stretch. Cody smoothly shifted the car back up, and the small sporty car had him smacking his head back into the seat. He’d never guess this thing had this kind of speed. The mustang made a final move to pass, but it was too late as they flew across the finish line a car length ahead of their competitor.
“Hell, yeah,” Cody yelled as he let off the gas. He drummed his hands on the top of his steering wheel excitedly. “Man, I missed this.”
“How come I did not know about this place?” Arek smiled as Cody laughed and slowed to turn around and claim his prize.
“I don’t know, man. Maybe you just weren’t cool enough to get an invite,” Cody teased.
“Dick.”
Cars angled along the strip of road that was still within city limits but in a remote part of town. Men and women alike stood around talking or polishing their cars as they got ready to race or just admired the show. Arek couldn’t get enough of the eye candy. Everywhere you looked, there was another sexy car. Everything, from new and sporty to muscle cars, was present. He’d even watched a pair of low-riding pick-up trucks go head-to-head. Each of these beautiful creatures was unique and glittered under the streetlights. They slid into an opening not far from the starting line, and Cody cut the engine.
“Could you see Trev’s Bentley down here? It would be like the butler showed up for a rave party.”
“Fuck, I’d pay money to see the look on all their faces. We shouldn’t knock it. I bet that pretty little bitch would do well out here,” Cody said.
“Are you still talking about the car or the man that drives it?”
“Shut up.” Cody’s body flushed with heat as he looked away from Arek’s teasing face.
Arek pushed open the car door laughing and then leaned against the car to watch the countdown of the next pair of cars to line up. The air was filled with the strong scent of gasoline and burnt tires. He could sit and breathe that smell in all day.
“I shouldn’t be here, man. You are officially a terrible influence. Renee is going to kill me if I get killed racing a car. Even dead, that woman would find a way to beat my ass.”
“Ha, try us. She will string me up if I get caught out here. It’s like swinging something red in front of a bull. She’s never approved of me racing, said it was too dangerous and a waste of my time.”
Arek laughed hard. He could picture his woman yelling at her older brother. She was not one to hold back her opinions, and he had to admit that her yelling got him hard.
They wandered over to the cherry red car they’d raced, and Arek cocked his eyebrow at the guy hugging it. “I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so sorry. I’ll win you back, I promise.” He screwed up his face as the guy kissed the roof of his car. He was pretty sure he saw a bit of tongue.
“Alright, that’s enough molesting my car. Keys, man.” Cody held out his hand for the decked-out Mustang. Arek had to admit it was a damn sweet ride. The only thing he’d change was the color. Black was more his taste.
“There is no way that little piece of shit beat my baby.” The guy whined, his fist tightly clenching the keys in his hand. “What did you do to my car?”
“Yo, bro, don’t be talking shit. I didn’t touch your cherry virgin bitch before the race.” Cody took a small step toward the smaller man. “But I sure as hell plan on touching her lots now. Keys now, or I tell Spike you played for pink and didn’t hand it over. You’ll never race in L.A. again, that is if you manage to walk away from the beat-down, I’ll give you.” Cody cracked his knuckles. “Don’t forget who I am.”
The guy looked like he was going to argue, but he gave Cody a once over before turning to look at the guy, Spike, that Cody mentioned. The man with the low cut mohawk in a soft blue was standing not too far off, and even though he wasn’t staring, Arek knew the guy was watching. He got the feeling Spike didn’t miss much with the way his eyes glanced around, his arms crossed over his chest as he directed the show. There was an aura around Spike that Arek recognized. It screamed he didn’t take shit from anyone. This bi-weekly race was his show, and according to Cody, he ran a very tight ship. No bringing outside beef to the race, no physical fighting, no going back on bets, and absolutely no weapons allowed.
The guy Arek didn’t know the name of, looked over his shoulder at his car and sighed. A strange gut retching noise of pain left his throat as he held out the keyring with the miniature version of the car dangling off the end.
“It’s been a pleasure.” Cody smiled wide and stuck his head in his new car. “What do you think, Arek?”
Arek could hear the guy grumbling as he walked away with a small group of friends. Looking away from the sad show of a grown-ass man crying over a car, he answered Cody, “I think it’s fucking sweet.”
He wandered over to the passenger side and leaned on the open window to stare inside. This wouldn’t have been his first choice in car, but he could appreciate what this car had to offer.
“Honestly, I still can’t believe you won. No offense, man, but you don’t seem like the street racing type.”
He made to open the passenger side of the car to get in, but Cody gave him a classic, what the fuck are you doing look.
“You do know you’re driving this girl home, right? Second, there is a lot of shit you don’t know about me yet.”
Arek laughed as Cody tossed him the keys. “When did you start racing?”
Cody shrugged. “I don’t really remember. I used to hang out wherever I could find races before I could even drive. It seemed like the next logical step once I could.”
