Chapter Thirteen
Mackson
“What the fuck are we waiting for Mickey? No-one’s coming,” I yell to Mick, who’s in his caravan, which is the headquarters at Speed Wars. It’s covered in dirt and dust and is surrounded by security, who are there to make sure any trouble makers or fights that break out are dealt with quickly.
Mick slowly steps out of his caravan, his black Speed Wars shirt appears first then his tall frame ducks under the small door and his full head of gray hair can be seen.
He grins at me excitedly. What the fuck is he smiling about? Mick never smiles.
I glance over my shoulder to Slater and my family all leaning against Fang. Well, everyone, but Lana. I need this shit to move along so I can get back to her.
Slater’s looking at Mick with a curious expression and also a pissed off one. We need to win this race. And Parkland can’t turn up in time. We’ve already got word from a mate who drove past Rex’s garage and said Corey’s Mazda is still there. They’ll never make it here before race time and therefore, be disqualified.
I hear Mick approach with a deep chuckle. “Hold your horses, Mackson. You know I can’t call a race until the time comes and they aren’t at the starting line, ready to race.”
I sigh. “We already got word where the Parkland members are, and they can’t make it here in twenty minutes even if they wanted to. I got somewhere to be, Mickey, can we fucking just call it?”
Mickey grins, wider this time. “A tip from me, boy, go get ready to race.” I narrow my eyes at Mickey’s back as he walks away.
“That fucker knows something.” Slater appears at my back.
“But what? Rex is in the hospital. Corey, Kodi, and Reed are still at the garage. Only those who signed the contract can race. There is no way Parkland is racing today. Mick’s probably just messing with us for kicks.” I turn and pat Slater on the shoulder. “Come on, I’ll get ready and then when they don’t show we can get the fuck out of here.”
We walk over to Fang and Slater fills everyone in on what’s going on. Della decides to walk over by the fence so she can watch some races while we wait around. My brothers stay with me while we warm up Fang and I get her in the lineup. Four rows of cars are in front of me, no car beside me.
My arms tense and I squeeze the steering wheel brutally.
I should be back with Lana by now. This is fucking bullshit.
Slater, Pacer, and Kelso are off to my right waiting near the fence, all of them looking around the dirt field for any sign of my competitor.
Suddenly, I notice them all stand straight with shocked expressions. I quickly look at my rearview mirror and spot Lana. She’s walking away from a cab and toward Mick, who just threw her a set of keys.
No fucking way.
Watching as she awkwardly waves to my brothers, who can only stare back at her stunned.
Mick calls her name and she races after him to a Nissan Silvia.
No. Fucking. Way.
I turn my stare to my brothers. Slater is pissed. Pacer’s face is still scrunched up in confusion and Kelso is laughing his ass off.
They walk over to me.
Kel’s the first to speak. “Your girl’s got balls, Mack. Fuck, definitely not the little Lana we remember.”
“How’s Mick letting her race? She’s not on the contract,” Packer asks.
“She’s family,” I say between gritted teeth, squeezing the steering wheel so hard it may break.
“Family can race if someone on the contract can’t race due to a medical problem.” Slater shakes his head and looks me in the eyes. “You two fight?”
“No, I left her at the hospital with Rex. We were fine. Fucks me why she’s doing this.” I unbuckle and get out of the car and watch as Lana maneuvers the Silvia to the lineup.
“Whatever her reasoning, you’ll beat her. There’s no way she has the experience you do,” Slater adds confidently.
He’s right I will beat her, but I don’t want to have to race my damn girlfriend. I want her at my back, supporting me in my race.
“I’m talking to her first. This doesn’t make sense,” I say as I round the back of my car. I stop and cross my arms over my chest, watching as Lana pulls the black Silvia up next to Fang.
“Lana looks smokin’ hot in a turbo. I’m getting a woody,” Kelso stupidly says beside me, mucking around and adjusting himself.
I’m never in the mood for his jokes, but especially not now. He’s just pissed me the fuck off. I push hard on Kel’s right shoulder and he stumbles sideways, falling face first into the dirt.
Pacer busts a gut laughing and Kelso gets up quickly dusting the dirt off his clothes and knees. “Fuck. You and Slater, so touchy about your women. I’m getting you both vibrators for Christmas to go with your pussies.”
“Let Mack talk to Lana,” Slater orders my brothers and they walk back over to the fence.
Lana jumps out of the Silvia as soon as it’s parked and looks at me warily. “I know this looks bad, but please let me explain.”
I scoff. “By all means, tell my why my girlfriend is racing against me when she knows how badly I wanted the points for this race. You’re not going to win, Lana, so why do it at all? It’s only going to cause problems between us.” I throw my arms out annoyed.
“The money,” she states quickly and I’m thrown by her words. “I need the money for Rex, Mackson.”
Lana reaches out for my hand, but I pull away and step back. Her expression saddens, but continues anyway, “If Parkland can win the two-million dollars, Mack, we could get Rex away from my family. He could go somewhere far away to hide. He could be free of them. No more drugs, no more anything. For once he’d have a chance at a normal life.” She takes a big breath in and out. “I couldn’t control my mother leaving. I couldn’t control my father being an asshole. I couldn’t control Rex getting attached to the mafia or addicted to drugs. But this… I can try and control this. Helping him get away from it all and healthy again.”
My eyelids blink rapidly as I try to process her words, but it’s not long before my body and mind lose the fight. The desperation in her words and also actions cut deep into my chest, sending cracks all through my body. She’s seeping in again, just like before, there’s no stopping it and I wouldn’t want to. She’s magnificent and she’s all mine.
The easy way would be to walk away from her drug-riddled brother and fucked up family and come with me, with my family. We’d protect her and I’d make sure she’d never want for anything.
She’s grown into a stronger woman than I could have ever imagined she would.
I’d take her in a heartbeat, if she took the easy road. But damn, her fighting with everything she has to save what little family she has left only causes me to want her more. I crave her loyalty for my own.
“Mack?” Lana calls, pulling me out of my daze.
There are no words for how I feel right now, so instead I decide to show Lana. I pull her to me by grasping her shirt and she tumbles into my arms, where I lower my mouth to hers and we kiss. I wind my arms around her back, pulling her flush against my body and push my hands under her shirt, loving the sensation of her warm skin against mine.
When we break apart for air, Lana asks breathlessly and with a smile, “I’m forgiven then?”
I lean my forehead against hers. “I understand why you want to do this and I’m proud of you.” I let Lana go and look into her eyes. “We both have family we need to take care of. Not being cocky. However, I am going to beat you, Dove.” I grin and Lana’s smile gets wider.
“We’ll see about that. I still have some tricks up my sleeve.”
I laugh out loud. “Let’s race then.”
I’m walking back around my car almost to my driver’s side when Lana calls out, and I look across Fang’s red roof to find Lana staring at me intently.
“Mack, I will understand if you win, but I’m going to try my best to beat you.”
“Wouldn’t want it any other way, Dove.” I grin and jump into my car and buckle up.
My stomach churns and I’m not sure if it’s the normal pre-race jitters, or if it’s the fact that I feel the urge to give Lana the race. Which goes against everything I believe in and have worked toward to get to Death Race.
Seeing me back in the car, Slater runs over to my car window and leans inside.
“I don’t know what’s going between you two, but remember, we’ve got big plans for that money. Lana is included in those plans if you want her to be, she wins both ways today,” Slater states, but he doesn’t get it.
“She wants the money, Slate… for Rex. To get him far away from Louisville. Away from her family, so he can get a fresh start.”
Slater presses his lips together, squints his eyes and looks out over the dirt, sprint track. “I can respect that. She’s doing it for her family, but so are we, and it doesn’t change the fact that you will beat her.” Slater bangs on the roof and says, “You got this.” He backs away, heading for the fence, but his eyes stay on me, examining me. Can he sense how conflicted I feel?
I watch as Lana stares straight ahead with a focused, intent glare. She grips the steering wheel tight with both hands and lowers her chin. I notice she mutters some words to herself before she looks back up to the road.
The cars in front of us take off for their race and Lana and I drive forward slowly. In only a matter of minutes we’ll be taking off too, and only the best racer will win.
Winning will mean taking away Lana’s hope.
I know she’d never hold it against me, but I have this feeling in the pit of my stomach that I will hold against myself.
A skinny blonde in tiny shorts and a white bikini top steps out in front of Lana and me and says, “Get ready, lights go green in two minutes.”
The woman leaves the track and I rev the engine three times. Fang sounds beautiful. The bar jumps up in RPMs nicely and the rhythm sounds like a dream. My gaze once again finds Lana. My center, all that matters in my world. She’s busily throwing her hair up into a high ponytail and I notice her chest is rising and falling heavily.
This is Lana’s first race and so much rests on the outcome for her.
I wind the passenger side window down. Lana sees me and does the same.
Leaning toward her, I state, “Calm breaths, Dove. I’m with you, all the way to the finish line.” I point to the end of the dirt strip. “You take off the same way as you did from my house this morning and you’re gonna do fine.” I wink and then notice the racing light turn orange.
Ready.
I grip the steering wheel and stare down the long four-hundred-meter racing strip. All of this will be over in only six seconds. Whether I win or lose, the Kings will still be in the top three to go into the Death Race, but if I lose today and if we lose our next two races, we’re out of the top three, no advantage going into such a dangerous game.
And worst of all, Slater’s plans will be lost to the wind. He’s told me of his intentions for our family. If we win and if Slater’s ideas come to life, our futures will change drastically. Right now we’re in the lead, the team all the other teams know they need to knock out first, during Death Race, if they want a chance at winning the money. Being in the top three means we get a head-start in the deadly race, one we need.
Yellow Light. Set.
I shift gears to first and my breathing quickens.
I wrap my hand around the handbrake and continue accelerating Fang. My body tenses and the vibration of the engine flows through me like an adrenaline rush you can’t get anywhere else. There’s no feeling that compares to this.
Breathing in the petrol fumes and soaking up the strength of my muscle car. It’s as if I’m a man becoming a superhero. Strong, immortal—the possibilities endless.
Slater got into racing to feed and house our family. It’s how we all started, and Slater still sees it that way, but not me. Now it’s a passion I could never give up. Once your heart races to the point of exploding and your breathing quickens, all that’s left is freedom. The car, the dirt road and me. Nothing but a long stretch of nothingness.
Peace.
Stillness on the inside.
When memories of my childhood come to the forefront, it’s not an easy task to lock them back away. Racing definitely helps. Along with the garage, my family and Lana, they give me purpose, something to focus on. And usually, I find I don’t think or have nightmares about my past for months at a time. I live for today, tomorrow and the future. The past is the past. Gone. Slowly I’m replacing each torturous memory with a better one.
Some would say I need to see a shrink and talk all that shit out, but that’s not me, never will be. I’m not something to fix. I’ll deal with the brutal and vile memories one step at a time, in my own way. It also helps that I know the fucker is dead and that he died at my hands.
Those who say revenge never helps have obviously never tried it before.
And yeah, a lot of people would pity me for my start in life, but I think about my brothers, my sister, and Lana. I consider my now self, to be very lucky.
Peering over to Lana, my chest squeezes painfully. She’s freaking out. Her hands seem to be slipping off the steering wheel and she’s trying to dry them on her shirt. She’s also blowing out enough breaths to start her own tornado.
She wants this. Desperately.
Glancing at my brothers, I spot Della with them. My family who are depending on me to win. Fuck.
Green. Go!
I drop the handbrake and floor the accelerator, my tires spin as I quickly change up through the gears to third, and then like always the thrill begins. I’m pushed back into my seat while dirt flicks up and all around my car.
I’ve crossed the starting line in no time at all. I peer into my rearview mirror looking for Lana, but I don’t see her. My heart pounds against my chest. Is she okay?
I glimpse over my left shoulder and fuck me, she’s right by me. Our bumpers moving back and forward, both of us fighting to be in front of the other.
“Wahoo! Fuck yeah, baby,” I shout out. However, Lana doesn’t look over or give any indication she heard me. She’s staring straight ahead, arms straight out on the steering wheel and her eyes focused intently on the finish line.
We must change our gears straight into fourth and then into fifth at the same time because we both take off and neither of us gains any ground on the other.
Suddenly Lana shoots straight past me and my smile dies instantly.
Too soon baby. Too soon.
I press the red NOS button on my steering wheel. I’m pushed back into my seat as I shoot past Lana easily.
The finish is coming up, the race is mine.
Lana pushes her second hit of NOS, she’ll make it to me and then I’ll take the win with my second push.
I glance over my shoulder as Lana comes up alongside me and passes by, her car, half a length in front of me.
My finger hovers over the NOS button. Fuck, my heart is beating a hundred miles an hour. Press it, Mack. Win the damn race. My thumb lowers, but suddenly as if a rope around my heart suddenly tightens, I pull back.
The finish line appears. I’m over the line. I lost.