Bad Boy's Last Race (15 page)

“Ohh, really?” I laugh louder.

He bats his eyes at me. “—but I’ve never gotten mixed up into anything like my mom was in. And I never will.”

“Well, it worked,” I say. “You turned out perfectly, as far as I’m concerned.”

Jagger reaches over the table and strokes the side of my cheek. “So did you.”

Jagger’s friend comes around to clear our plates. “I’ll leave you two alone for the rest of the evening,” he says with a wink. “You’ve got the run of the place. If you need anything, just press the Call button in your cabin.”

“I think we’ll be just fine.” Jagger grins at me. “Thanks, man. We’re even now.”

The guy just smirks, then heads toward the main building.

Jagger turns toward me with that mischievous gleam in his eyes. “Feel like trying out the hot springs?”

I look down at the waterscape below us. I’d thought it was a swimming pool, but now I can see the steam rising off of it, crisp in the cool desert night. There are multiple pools cascading down the butte at different levels, each edged in natural rocks.

“I didn’t bring my swimsuit,” I confess. “I would’ve brought one if I’d known.”

“No suit? Oh, how fucking terrible.” He snaps open the buttons on his shirt and peels it off. “How the hell are you going to swim? It’s not like you can get in without clothes, or anything.”

I eye him as he reaches for his belt buckle. “I think I’ll enjoy the show for a minute here.”

Jagger yanks his belt out of its loops with a raise of his eyebrow. “Do I get one in return?”

I smirk. “Depends.”

“Yeah? On what?”

I gesture for him to stand up. “On how good a show you give me.”

He laughs, husky, and stands. Slowly, with a careful rocking of his hips, he slides his jeans down and steps out of them. He tugs the waistband of his boxer briefs forward with a wink, then turns around so his back is to me. Slowly, torturously, he eases them down, revealing the chiseled planes of his ass.

It’s all I can do not to reach out and squeeze it.

He turns back to face me, completely naked, his taut muscles gleaming in the starlight. I suck in my breath. He never ceases to amaze me—that flawless V of his abdomen, like an arrow pointing toward his cock. The sturdy ridges of his stomach. And those strong arms, always ready to hold me tight. I make an exaggerated show of licking my lips, but it isn’t so far from the truth. Jagger is even better than chocolate.

He tilts his chin, bashful, and flutters his eyelashes at me. “Your turn?”

“Yeah, I think you’ve earned it.” I stand up and ease my sweater down over one shoulder, then pull it up and tease it down the other shoulder.

“Boo!” Jagger calls. “Take it off!”

I laugh, yank my sweater overhead, and toss it in his face.

“That’s more like it.” He peels the sweater away. “Show us your tits!”

“Patience, patience . . .” I shimmy out of my knitted miniskirt, then do a spin to let him appreciate my lingerie. It isn’t fancy, but I think it’s cute—black cotton trimmed in lace. He whistles appreciatively, then with my back to him, I tug at my thong and let it drop.

“Mmm. Now there’s a glorious sight.”

I turn back toward him, unhook my bra, and slide it down my arms. Now we’re even. I strike a vogue pose, arms over my head, and let the moonlight dance along my skin.

Jagger steps toward me and runs his hand over the curve of my stomach and hip. My skin tingles where he touches it, and I catch my lower lip in my teeth. God, he drives me wild. “I’m tempted to skip the hot springs,” he says. “This is hot enough.”

I laugh, though I know the feeling. “After we came all this way?”

“Ohh, fine.” He grins. “But no promises that I won’t be tempted to jump your bones right there in the fucking pool.”

“I expect you to.” With a twirl of my fingers, I dart away from him and head down the steps to the largest spring.

The water envelops me like a warm hug. Steam licks at my arms as I wade in, and the heat seeps into my muscles, unfurling every last bit of tension. For the first time in years, I feel completely free. Jagger wades in after me with an appreciative groan, then slides onto one of the submerged rock perches to stare out at the desert beyond us.

“Great view and all,” he says, “but you’re still the loveliest thing out here.”

I grin and shoot a wave of water his way.

“I’m serious!” He laughs, and splashes me back, a hungry grin on his face.

I slide onto the perch next to him and lean back against the rock wall. The stars are dazzling, and their reflection catches in the gentle rolling waves of the spring. Steam wisps around both our faces as I lean my head against Jagger’s shoulder. He slings his arm around me and strokes my arm.

I go quiet for a few minutes, enjoying the soak and the view of the cold, parched desert beneath us. I want to bottle up this moment in time and keep it close to me forever. I don’t know what awaits us when we return to Ridgecrest, or what awful scheme Tyler’s going to try to pull next, but at least I’ll always have this moment. Can that be enough for one life? Maybe it can.

I sigh and nestle deeper into Jagger’s embrace. I don’t even want to think about it. Every time I thought I could predict Tyler, he always came up with something worse to do to me—something way worse.

“Hey.” He pulls me closer. “It’s going to be all right.”

I tighten my jaw. “It’s okay. I’m going to savor this while we can.”

“I’ve got an idea. Just need to run it by Drazic, okay?” Jagger strokes my cheek with his fingers. Whatever it is, it seems to burn in his chest, something he’s been holding in carefully. “You and I can head out west, far away from his reach. Just keep running.”

“Oh, my god.” I flinch. “You would do that? Leave your family—I mean, your crew?” I don’t even know if I can do it. I ran from school and Tyler, yes, but to Darla and the only family I have left. Could I really ditch them all?

“I—I think we could make it work. Drazic knows people all over the West. I can find places to race, make us a little money, and you can . . . I dunno, volunteer your services wherever we wind up.”

“Thank you. Thank you for offering.” But I shake my head. He doesn’t know Tyler like I do. There is no running. There is no escape from Tyler. I’ve tried it all, and he keeps dragging me back. I twist my head and kiss Jagger’s temple. “Let’s just enjoy tonight, okay?”

“Yeah.” Jagger smiles and looks at me so slyly it makes me fall for him all over again. “We can certainly do that.”

He lowers his hand to cradle my waist, and nuzzles his nose into the hollow of my throat. I’m already halfway melted from the soothing springs, but his touch only melts me more. I cup my hand under his chin and guide his lips toward mine. His kiss burns through me like starlight and puts all my senses on alert. I want to drown in this sensation, let it swallow me up. I never want to forget.

Jagger pulls me into his lap, facing him, and gazes into my eyes. His look is so intense, and yet so vulnerable, too. This is new for both of us—him being locked down and me being free. I want to make it perfect. Even if just for tonight, I want it to be right.

“I love you, Sophie,” he whispers. So faint I’d almost miss it. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

I shiver runs through me, despite the heat. “I love you, too.”

He takes me by the hand and leads me back to our cabin, our clothes tucked under our arms. And then his lips are on me, soft as pillows, hard as daggers, pressing against every hollow of my flesh. I toss my head back with a moan, savoring the feel of his mouth on me, as his tongue swirls around my breast and his hand swirls a narrow circle on my hip.

Enough. I want him. I need him. I need this tonight.

I shove him back against the bed and climb over him, straddling him. With a smirk, I reach down and tease the length of his erection beneath me. “I’m all yours,” Jagger says, grinning back at me in the soft glow of the candles his friend must have lit for us.

“Oh, I’m well aware.” I tighten my grip on his cock and give it a few quick pumps. “And I intend to do with you as I please.”

Jagger sucks in through his teeth, and his shaft throbs in response.

I angle my hips over him, then he shudders and groans as I ease myself onto him. Waves of pleasure course through me as our hips join, and I clench myself around him. “Fuck,” Jagger whispers, back arching beneath me. “Oh, fuck, yes, Sophie.”

I bite my lower lip as he thrusts upward, slamming into me. His face hardens, concentrating, and he grabs onto my hips like handles as I ride on top of him. We move up and down, lost in the tides, and stars swim in my vision.

“Come for me,” Jagger grunts. “Let me feel you.”

His deep thrusts penetrate me, goading me toward climax. Hot white tears through me and I cry out into the night. Jagger bares his teeth with a snarl, straining, and I can tell he’s about to come, too. I give him one last squeeze, and savor the sound of his pleasure.

Then slump forward, exhausted, content. Clutching at this moment. Wishing I could make it last for eternity.

* * *

W
e leave
the resort the next morning, driving with the high desert sun beating against the Firebird’s windows. Neither of us says much, but I’m relishing the quiet, my fingers linked through Jagger’s. The closer we get to Ridgecrest, though, the more I feel fear coil up tight in my stomach. I’m not ready to run the risk of facing Tyler again, and finding out what ridiculous stunt he’ll pull next. I can’t let him endanger Darla’s family again.

I click on the radio to the classic rock station. Jagger flashes me a winning smile. “It’s going to be all right,” he tells me. Then joins me in belting out some old Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.

We head toward downtown so Jagger can run by the shop, but as we weave closer along the streets, I catch a glimpse of flashing lights between the buildings. The tightness in my stomach intensifies, but I keep the smile fixed on my face. Jagger’s fingers clench around mine as he turns down the street for Drazic Muscleworks.

And then crawls to a stop as a squadron of policemen wave us off.

Shit. I drop his hand and leap out of the car as soon as he parks. “What the hell’s going on?” Jagger asks, doing the same. “I live here. Let me past.”

The cop in front of the barricade eyes him up and down. “If you say so, pal.”

A gasp escapes me and I realize I’m trembling. I know what might await us on the other side of the barricade. Oh, god. Please let me be wrong.

Jagger reaches for my hand, then leads me past the barricade. Drazic and Elena are standing out front of the garage bay of the shop. Elena’s screaming at another officer, this one in a suit. A detective? Federal agent? Surely they can’t be raiding the shop again. I thought they’d given up on trying to catch Drazic and Jagger there. I start scanning the faces of the federal agents.

And then I spot him, standing in the bashed-in door that leads to Jagger’s upstairs apartment. Oh, god. I drop Jagger’s hand. Tyler’s smirking to himself beneath his shades, chewing his tobacco, watching as the agents carry boxes from Jagger’s apartment.

Jagger charges forward.

My throat burns. “Wait!” I cry. God, no. Please, Jagger, be safe, don’t make this worse—

But Jagger’s already in Tyler’s face. There’s a deep purplish-green bruise on Tyler’s jaw, I notice. But it only adds to his gruesome sneer.

“What the fuck is going on?” Jagger asks. “What are you doing to my home?”

“Nice of you to finally show up, Jagger. I was afraid I was going to have to put out an APB for your arrest, so you’ve just saved me some paperwork.”

“Paperwork? What the fuck are you talking about?” I ask.

“What fucking
arrest
?” Jagger shouts.

Tyler squishes the tobacco in his mouth, then spits to the side. Right in the middle of the garage’s floor. I can hear Elena’s shouts growing somewhere behind me. “Well, you’ve been a naughty boy, Mister Richards. Throwing cheap punches at bars is one thing, but this is above and beyond a little cockwagging, now, isn’t it? I knew you were mixed up in some nasty business . . . but I must admit, I’m quite appalled.”

Jagger is still shouting at him, confused, but I know this moment all too well. I start sinking to the ground. What has Tyler done?

“We found five kilos of cocaine taped to the underside of your mattress.
Five
. That can’t just be for personal use, son. You’re a distributor.” Tyler smiles, oozing with too-slick charm. “Now you and I are going to take a trip downtown so you can tell me all about it.”

“The fuck are you talking about?” Jagger cries. He glances toward me. “Sophie, he’s fucking setting me up. I swear, I didn’t—I’ve never even touched the stuff, I wouldn’t—”

But Tyler’s assistants wrestle him back and slap handcuffs on his wrists. Tyler watches, teeth bared, grinning all the while. I’m pinned to the spot. I want to stop them, but I know that nothing I can do will make this better. Anything I do will set Tyler off, make him even worse than he already is.

Tyler turns toward to me with a shake of his head. “You think you know someone, Sophie, but you don’t really know them at all. Isn’t that right, Sophie?”