Page 16 of Whispers and Wildfire
“You sure about that?”
Out of all my brothers, Garrett was the last one I wanted to know I’d gone back to racing. He was a cop. But he was also the last one I’d ever lie to. Especially after everything we’d been through. He’d trusted me when it mattered. That meant a lot.
“Okay, truth. Yeah, I race sometimes. But it’s just to blow off steam. No street racing, only on a track. And hell, it’s not even in your jurisdiction.”
“Blowing off steam is fine, but when you’re risking your life on a closed track in an illegal and unregulated race, that’s a problem. Don’t even get me started on the rest of it.”
“Rest of what?”
“The illegal gambling. That could be a felony.”
“I don’t do it for the money.”
“But you take the money.”
Groaning, I ground my teeth together. “I’ll donate it or something.”
I don’t know why that made him laugh, but it did. “You’re killing me. Couldn’t you find a hobby that’s not likely to get you killed? Or arrested?”
“Which one worries you more?” One corner of my mouth lifted. “Be honest.”
“I’ve arrested Zachary. Don’t think I won’t arrest you.”
He was half joking about arresting me, but only half. And he had arrested our brother Zachary. Probably more than once.
I was too old not to know he was right. Of course he was. Twenty-year-old me might have gotten a pass for being young and idiotic, but I was in my thirties. Illegal racing was stupid and dangerous, and I knew it.
But it was also addictive.
“I don’t want to lie to you,” I said.
“Then don’t.”
“You’re right. It’s stupid. I should find a better hobby. And if I tell you I won’t do it again, I’ll mean it right now.”
“But?”
“But I don’t know if I can promise to never do it again.”
“Have you tried skydiving?”
“Dude. I’m not jumping out of a perfectly good airplane.”
Shaking his head, he chuckled. “Killing me. You should have gone into law enforcement. Plenty of excitement there.”
“I don’t think I could do your job.”
“Fair enough. Just… be careful. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
I nodded. “Thanks.”
He turned to leave but paused at the door and looked over his shoulder. “You know what you really need?”
“Other than someone to fill in for Andrea?”
“Yeah.”
“What?”
