She couldn’t say I didn’t warn her. Jamie knew I was dangerous. She knew that getting involved with me was going to be a risk.

    I was pissed. No, I was livid.

    Cleaning up the mess I made in anger, I thought about all of the people I pushed away on purpose. All to prevent doing this to them. And the one person I let in? Yeah, I just destroyed that too. Shit was spiraling uncontrollably downward all of the sudden.

    I hit myself for ever letting her in. For kissing her. For tasting her flesh.

    Adrenaline.

  I needed to release this pent up fucking adrenaline.

 

Mauve wanted a race? I’d give ‘em one.

 

    I dialed the bastard up.

    “Ahh Forest, I knew you would take me up on my offer. Finally come around, did you?”

    “Cut the bullshit. When, where and what are the stakes?” My patience just about ran out with the kids shit.

    “Someone’s a little pushy today!” I rolled my eyes at his mocking. “Tonight. Same place as last. Outside of the entrance to highway 99. This time, we’re going for fifty grand, and pink slips.”

    Pink slips? Was this kid out of his mind? I was going to claim everything he owned if he kept risking it all.

    “I’ll be there. Don’t be late kid.”

    “Good luck Forest.”

    As soon as he hung up I raced for the door and to my car outside.  Revving up the engine, I burnt out to the highway entrance where our race would start.

    Speed was the only comfort I knew. It was the only thing that wouldn’t let me down, wouldn’t judge me. There was nothing in the world that could take that feeling away from me. Except for Jamie.

    Dammit, I had to get the girl out of my system.

    I pulled up to the highway entrance and saw Mauve waiting for me in his Mustang. He stayed in his car not saying a word. Just giving me that same punchable expression he always did. He flashed a briefcase that contained the prize money and then flashed his pink slip. Rolling his window up, he revved his car as his assistant Rebecca made her way in between us to count us off.

    My palms were sweating on the wheel. I hadn’t felt like this ever before a race, but I had a sinking feeling in my stomach...

    Was it my day to meet the Grim Reaper?

    Everything moved in slow motion. When I saw Rebecca’s arms hit the ground, I floored it as hard as I could, yet again leaving Mauve in the dust.

    Just who did that kid thinking he was messing around with?

    The empty night highway opened up my tunnel vision and I steered down the road with ease. I looked in my rear view and could see Mauve trailing behind. I had no clue why he insisted on racing with stakes if was going to constantly lose.

    We were going for ten minutes and eight minutes had already passed.

    And then the worst happened.

    My car slowed down over a bump on the highway. Loud pop noises squeezed their way through my closed windows.

    Red and blue flashes shined like strobes into my dark car and my car stopped at the side of the high way with flat tires. All of the sudden I could see Mauve trailing up in the background and he pulled up behind my car, and next to the police.

    The fucking police.

    That moronic kid set me up.

    Shit. This was bad.

    I pulled my registration out of the glove compartment and braced for the worst.

    The officer walked up to my car, stopping passed Mauve on the way.

    “Thanks for your help Mauve. Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to bust him. Good work.”

    “Oh, no problem at all Officer Bloom. It really was no trouble.”

    That fucking snake.

    The officer walked up to my window and knocked on it twice, her hand on her holster the whole time. I rolled the window down.

    “Forest Lock. I’m Officer Bloom. Do you happen to know how fast you were going down this highway?” She was a tall woman, hardened. Looked like she wouldn’t take any shit. Just my luck. No use trying to charm my way out of this one.

    “Actually, no officer, I don’t. Care to tell me?”

    “160 miles per hour. Ninety miles over the speed limit. Almost broke my detector back there.”

    Not a record speed, but I’ll take it.

    “Wow. That’s definitely a bit over the speed limit.”

    “A bit? Step out of the car sir, and put your hands where I can see them.” I did as she asked and stepped out of the car. She pushed me up against my car roughly and felt up my body.

    “You could ask you know. I’m kind of in high demand.”

    “Cut the shit Lock. I’m placing you under arrest. The judge is going to give you a hefty bail. You can thank your friend Mauve for that.”

    She placed the cuffs on my hands nearly cutting my circulation of, and lead me to her cruiser.

    Looks like the joyride was over.

    All I could think about was Jamie. I thought about what I did to her. And I felt like shit.

    The drive back to the precinct was the worst twenty minutes of my natural life.  When we arrived, I was booked and thrown into a jail cell.

    Guess there was a first for everything right?

    I laid there on that hard bed, wall hanging thing for hours.

    Finally, after all that time the let me use the phone.

    I didn’t know who else to call, so I called Jamie. I figured I owed her an apology anyway. And what better place to give it to her than inside of a jail?

    Her sweet voice on the other side of the line made me want to kick myself for hurting her.

    “Forest? I’m busy now…what do you want?” She sounded pissed. No, that wasn’t it. She sounded downright devastated. And it was all my fault.

    “Look bug eyes- I mean, Jamie. I’m sorry. I was an ass. I should’ve listened to you.”

    “You say that like you’re sitting in a jail cell right now.” What do you know? She had mind reading powers too.

    “I am.”

    “You’re what?!! Why are you in jail?!! Oh god Forest…don’t tell me you got caught while you were racing…”

    I could hear her trembling on the other side of the line and fuck. I had to make up for the crap I was putting her through.

    “It was a set-up. A trap. I fell right into it.”

    She was silent for a minute. “What do you mean?”

    “I’ll explain it later. The bail is fifty-grand. I can pay it but I need you to come get me. My fucking car is impounded.” She let out a hefty sigh.

    “Fine. I’ll be there. I’m so pissed at you Forest. Actually, pissed doesn’t even begin to explain how I’m feeling.” She hung up the phone without saying another word.

    I deserved it. She had a right to be fuming at me. I only hoped she would hear me out for a minute.

 

    I spent another hour mindlessly staring at the ceiling before the jail guard opened my cell.

    “Your ticket out is here. Don’t let me catch you in my jail again boy.”

    Yeah. Whatever.

    I walked past the guard and to Jamie. She sighed when she saw me and turned her head away as fast as she could. I reached for her arm but she swiped it away.

    “Do not touch me. Just come on already.” Following her orders, I followed behind her to her old Honda rust bucket.

    She drove back to our apartment without saying a word to me. Could you blame her? I was an ass. Didn’t listen to her, then wound up needing her help. I’d be pissed if I were her too.

    When we got up the stairs to our apartments, she waited for me to open the door to mine.

    “You’re, coming in?” I was surprised she wanted to be anywhere near me.

    “We need to talk. So yes. I’m coming in.” We walked in and I closed the door behind her.

    “Forest, how could you do this to me? Why would you put yourself in danger? How could you choose racing over me?!” She threw her purse to the floor and stomped over to me. She raised her arms and slapped them against my chest.

I took it. I wanted her to let it all out.

She almost plummeted to the floor in tears, but I rose her shoulders up and held her close to me. Resting her head on my shoulder, I could feel her tears soaking my jacket.

“I’m sorry Jamie. You probably won’t forgive me. But I’m sorry.”

“How can I trust you?! I can’t be with you if this is the lifestyle you’re going to choose! It just won’t work!” I clenched on to her tighter. She was mine. There was no way in hell I was letting her go. I would give up anything to make her smile. Even…racing.

I held her cheeks and pushed her face up to me.

God, she was beautiful. I was an ass for making her cry.

“I’ll stop. I won’t do this anymore. I’ll stop racing if it means I can have you.” She sniffled like a juvenile and stared into my eyes. “I’m serious Jamie. It’s over. I’m not going to risk losing you.”

“Do you mean it?”

This was the hardest thing I’ve done in a while. But this girl was worth it. I couldn’t ruin what I was starting to grow with her. I’d be a fool to.

“I mean it Jamie. How can I prove that to you?”

“Kiss me Forest.”

She didn’t have to tell me twice.

I grabbed her to me and kissed her soft lips. It wasn’t gentle, not by any means. If she wanted me to prove that I wanted her more than anything else, then I would.

She bit my bottom lip softly and threw me off guard. Was this her way of saying that she wanted something more?

I parted her lips with my tongue and tasted her intoxication. I felt droplets of her tears fall on to my cheeks and I broke the kiss.

“Jamie, I mean it. Trust me. Let me prove it to you.”

My jacket was immediately ripped from my shoulders and plummeted to the ground. She drove me fucking wild with an onslaught of kissed and licks across my neck.

“Let me prove it to you…”