“That didn’t hurt you boy?” he says. He’s not really asking a question. He’s doesn’t expect me to speak. “I bet this one will hurt.” I try to prepare myself. He’s tired of playing around now. Nothing prepares me for his fist, connecting to my temple and darkness surrounding me. I’m out before I even hit the floor.
“Yea yea,” I say and stand up.
“She still isn’t safe,” he yells once we’ve walked up the steps. I turn back around.
“Let them come, Fred. I’ll do to them what should, and probably will, be done to you. Keep it up. You will be the one regretting it.”
I don’t wait for him to speak again. I turn around, pass Rick, and step inside with my brothers. The girls jump up, spin around, and come running to their guys.
I stand there and watch her. Uncertainty crosses her face. She wants to fidget and look away, but she can’t. I have her pinned with my stare. I know my walls are high and I’m hiding from her, but that will change soon. I know it will. Her eyes are reaching out to me, grabbing me by the throat, and refusing to let go. She’s pulling me in, and I can’t fight it. I don’t want to.
This girl, that had the quiet life… The one that has never been able to get out from under her dad… She’s about to be mine. And there is nothing she can do about it.
I walk towards her and put my hands in my pockets to keep from touching her.
“Are you ok?” I know she has to be freaked out. A lot has happened over the weekend that is far from her normal. She’s been sheltered for the most part and I can’t fault Danny for that. She’s precious and should be saved from evil. I like having that job.
“Yes,” she whispers. I can’t help it anymore. I pull her into my arms before she can even blink. Now she’s right where she belongs.
I know this is soon, but there is something about her. I want her.
Isle of Man TT
Levi
I’m here.
Finally.
I stand on the edge of the cliff and watch the sun set on the Isle of Man. It’s an unbelievable feeling. All the years I trained for this. All the races I’ve been through to prove to people that I could be here. All the hours, all the blood, sweat, and tears… yes, there have been tears. It has been worth it.
It’s surreal, standing here. I watch the waves come up and lap against the rocks below. It’s calming. Really unbelievable.
We flew in from Dublin earlier and just been exploring everything around us. It’s a magnificent place.
“What you doing out here all alone?” Kathleen asks, as she wraps her arms around me from behind.
I didn’t hold back from her. I let her get in behind the walls pretty quickly.
After they carted Fred off to jail and Rick got word that Wilson and Russell were in custody, I didn’t waste any more time. I told Micah I liked this girl, and I was going for it. She was so excited, I thought she was going to tackle me. Kelly was pretty much the same way.
It’s only been two weeks, but we’ve been through a lot and we’ve bonded. I like having her around. She keeps me in the light. She makes me want to fight tostayin the light at all cost. She also knows a lot about racing.
I can’t imagine her being out there alone again. Andshe wasalone. Charise is a friend of hers, but they have two different lives and rarely see each other. That’s not the type of best friend she needs.
We’ve talked about her going to law school, and it’s something that is going to happen. I want her happy. Becoming a lawyer that fights against trafficking is what she wants now, and I’m going to make sure it happens for her.
Now that her father is fully aware of everything that went on, he’s on board too. He realized that even though he tried to shelter her, evil was still able to get to her. She wasn’t safe. No amount of sheltering keeps anyone ‘safe’. If anything, it hurts sometimes. I don’t want to shelter Kathleen, but I am determined to keep her safe.
“Just thinking,” I say, as I turn in her arms and put my hands on her hips. She cocks her head to the side and gives me a little smile. I think I may be falling in love with that little smile.
“Wanna know a secret?”
“What you keeping from me, pretty girl?”
“I knew about this race that Friday.”
I think back to that race. Kathleen and I have talked about that race, among many other things over the last two weeks. We have come to the realization that if I hadn’t taken that race, things may not have turned out like they did. Maybe they would have, though. Who knows? We like to think that everything is connected for a reason.
