Racing Hearts

Chapter One- Dust and Embers

“Please, Jeff, you are going to get yourself killed!” She pleaded with her boyfriend as she watched him pull from beneath her grip and slip into the driver’s side of his vintage 1967 Mustang enhanced with a modern engine and a single pair of dice hanging over the neck of his rearview mirror. “You don’t have to do this-” She continued to beg him to give him the strength to refrain from giving into the pressure brought onto him by his male peers as they sat ahead of him in a line of ready headlights and thick smoke from various exhausts. 

“Just go home, Kayla. We need the money.” He confessed to her, slightly annoyed with having to remind her of their financial burden and the obligation he felt he needed to succeed in order to take them from this hole they dug themselves into in the last five years of their relationship. However, the blame would not lie on the beautiful brunette, instead, it would lie in the very car that Jeff was racing as it was worth more than either of them had or would ever make. 

“I will pick up extra shifts, we can try to get a loan or sell some stuff online... I just don’t want to lose you!” She gripped onto the window that was halfway up as he looked ahead to the petite young blonde holding a red handkerchief for a flag, who looked to him with frustration at his hesitation. 

“Are you coming or not?” One of the fellow racers inquired at Jeff’s side as he ran a nervous hand through his short somewhat spiked hair before revving his engine to show she was ready to accelerate. But now Kayla had become desperate as she took hold of the flannel covering his left sleeve of tattoos and her name branded beneath the right portion of his clavicle. 

“Jeff-”

“I know what I’m doing for f**k’s sake, I’m not your father.” These words angered her to a degree she had never experienced quite before. Surely, they had spouted off their own fair share of hurtful comments and unnecessary digs throughout their relationship, but this was a level he had never quite stooped to before. And it was enough to make her enraged. 

“Fine...Go and get yourself killed, but if you don’t happen to do that...then don't come home!” She pushed herself off of the car and turned away from the sight of the eight-vehicle rally that began nearly the second she was away from Jeff’s car. For a single instant, she turned back to view only the sight of dirt riled up into smoke and a series of various license plates and tail lights catching the moonlight ahead. 

With tears in her eyes and tired soles, she eventually took solace in a bar when she could no longer walk the remaining five blocks to her apartment. Removing her black heels and placing them on the chair at her side, she did so to ensure she would not be joined by any person hoping to convince her to go home with them. Yet with a sweet tea in her grasp that appeared like hard liquor, the disheveled hair falling loose over her face, and the mud hardened sporadically upon her legs, had managed to act as a cautionary sign all on its own. 

For all but one man at least. 

“I’ll have what she’s having.” A masculine voice spoke as Kayla did not even bother to lift her head as she was unaware anyone had taken even a handful of interest in her-not that she had wanted them to. “And get her a second.” This comment forced her to raise her eyes to the man at her side as she found her an interest to rise at the sight of his collected exterior. He was not like most men in Saginaw as they were usually the products of one night flings since abandoned-raised on bi-yearly child support checks or drifters and hometown girls left abandoned as single mothers. Jeff was a prime example of this, having numbed the pain of this abandonment with liquor and weed, whereas this man at her side was the polar opposite.. 

It was clear by the taper cut of his hair and scent of expensive cologne that he was not a native to this southern small town, but instead, a visitor who happened to stumble into this specific bar on the same evening as the emotionally drained southern girl brought to her wick’s end at the edge of the counter. But even with the attractive scent, the cool green intimate stare that took in her appearance, and the muscles that held the fabric of his current gray tee at its mercy, her mind thought of anything but another man…

“Hmm…” He grunted at the sudden sensation of the saccharine cane sugar of the sweet tea that had surprised his tongue that had been at the ready for some form of hard liquor. “Not what I expected…” He continued to comment before motioning for Cognac at the top shelf of the establishment before turning to face her again. But as he had expected her focus to be cemented onto him, as most women did, she continued reading her book without much of a second thought to this figure at her side. Surely, he was attractive, there was no denying that, but her heart was still raw from its brokenness of Jeff’s words-therefore, her only interest was on that of her self-isolation. 

“What are you reading?” He asked, seemingly desperate to make conversation as she didn’t answer, but instead brought the cover to his view before returning to reading the words from F. Scott Fitzgerald. “Can’t say I know that one…” He explained as he began to fondle the edges of his short glass, seemingly anxious at her side. “Are you from around here?” He continued to verbally examine her as she was now becoming annoyed at the fact she was in the crux of an interrogation when she simply wanted to be left alone, but without a need to be rude, she continued to give a kind smile and gentle nod before returning her gaze to her unread pages. 

“You make it kind of difficult for a guy to get to know ya…” He spoke once more as she realized he was relentless. Closing the cover of her hardcover novel, she now pressed her elbow atop its pristine face before resting her cheek on her knuckles. Her cinnamon eyes wrapped in light liner smeared by having cried the hour and a half walk back into town, thick dark brown hair nearly black pulled back by a failing scrunchie forcing the majority of her locks to appear unkempt, and a pair of pursed lips now retracted into a look of contentment were now looking back at him; and somehow all of these flagrant displays against her femininity managed to arouse him.

“Why would you want to do that? In case you haven’t noticed, I’m kind of a disaster…And I am also not the kind of girl you think that I am...you know? The kind that falls for bullshit lines like that...In case you haven’t noticed...I just want to be alone.” She confessed, hoping that these words would deter him enough to refrain from any further attempts to ‘get to know her’. But his eyes descended the girl at his side; separated by a barstool occupied by a pair of sable heels. But it appeared as if these words had managed to finally get the point across to him as he rose from the chair with his glass and disappeared from sight as she moved back to the pages of her favored novelist. But just as quickly as she had managed to regain her place with Daisy and Gatsby, her body tensed to the sudden figure now at her side. 

Kayla prepared to continue her rude comments against any attempt he would make to try and seduce her or convince her he was ‘not like other guys’. However, just how close he had leaned into her as well as the intoxicating presence he had expressed in her direction had forced her to still with worry. 

“I don’t just flirt with disaster, sweetheart…” Her eyes were the only thing that moved in his direction as she was terrified to give him any indication of interest as she knew he would then run with it.

“I give it an orgasm…” Suddenly her neck shot to his direction as she was close enough to smell the mint behind his lips. She brought herself to face him before now rising from the stool to assert her own form of dominance at this nameless man now across from her. 

“Not interested.” She attempted to remain somewhat polite as she did not wish to cause a scene beneath the roof of her favored establishment. 

But as she had attempted to leave, he took a sudden hold of her forearm; one that she forced loose and back into her own possession. 

“That is only because you are judging me...but give me one dinner and I’ll change your mind...if you can even last until then without wanting to take me into the closest closet and…” Her jaw c****d to the side with annoyance as she couldn’t believe someone as arrogant as him truly existed. “Do you even know who I am?” And if the arrogance was not prominent enough, these words had cemented his narcissistic existence into reality. 

“I know I don’t care...now if you’ll excuse me-”

“I don’t think so.” He now blocked her exit as her eyes narrowed at him and her arms crossed over her chest, her book pressed to her breasts as she had half of a mind to use its heavy weight against his thick skull. “I won fair and square and I came to collect my trophy-”

An exacerbated exhale left her lips that fell into a humored chuckle as he glared playfully at the woman who stood about five inches beneath his own gaze. 

“Well I’m not sure exactly what you ‘won’ or how you think that line will work...But I don’t belong to anybody. Have a good night…” She now managed to take a few steps away from him before his words stilled her once again. 

“He told me you were a firecracker...but I didn’t think you would be frigid too…” She turned slowly on her heels, ignoring the several pairs of eyes watching them with curiosity with the heated tension between the duo. 

“Maybe another girl would fall for that vulgarity or the entire reverse psychology that you are attempting on me...But I just wanted to be alone-”

“Please...dressed like THAT at a bar by yourself...you were waiting for someone to buy you a drink...Beggars can’t be choosers, Kayla. You are the collateral of your little boyfriend’s loss...and he offered you as restitution. Therefore...tonight, you’re mine.” His steps attempted to meet her before she could leave, but she pushed beyond him and left a middle finger in his direction as she continued out of the singular point of entry until taking solace in the fresh Texan air making its way to her lungs. 

“Look it’s one night…” His voice continued. “Why don’t you just let me take you to dinner and who knows? You might actually end up regretting how cruel you were to me...Maybe even end up wanting to let me give you that orgasm…” She could not comprehend how someone could see themselves so flawlessly to act so bold without a care of retaliation. But if that was what he imagined, he chose the wrong girl at the bar on this night. 

“Even if there were no other men at that bar, in Texas-or even the world. I would never subject myself to be the property of anybody. I do hope that you do not have every interaction with women his way...that would be truly tragic for the entire feminine population….” Her step descended the small curb and onto the street as she prepared to cross, without much of a care to look at the road ahead of her. Before she was able to run or pull back her steps, she was illuminated by the dangerous rush of headlights closing in on her. Freezing in place as she thought of the last time headlights were on her in this way, she was suddenly swept out of the way and onto a nearby car. 

 Although a blaring horn sounded behind them and a clamorous siren was caused by their mutual weight brought to the vehicle, neither of them cared to focus on either noises, and instead were locked into each other. But this wasn’t a moment of immediate attraction or s****l desire, this was one in which they were both pumping with adrenaline from this brush with death. This longing glance only existed as they had both understood this intoxicating rush of having looked a potential demise directly in the eyes and been able to walk away without a palpitating pulse. For the briefest of moments, she believed she recognized something humane behind his eyes, but only for a second. 

Kayla’s fingers were unintentionally wrapped around the collar of his jean jacket as his hands were upon her waist while he kept her almost engraved into the metal of this car. “Are you alright, darlin’?” He questioned her as his eyes fell to her lips, making his intentions in keeping her close quite clear, as she brought him away from her with a push of his chest until he stumbled backwards. 

“You know...I DID win fair and square, Kayla...It would be rude to at least not let me take you to dinner.” 

“I suppose I will have to be rude then…” She spoke, dropping any tender notion that may have developed between him with his Superman rescue to her damsel self as Lois Lane. His eyes continued to follow her for some time until she managed to disappear down a darker alley marked with a single street light that flickered from a lack of proper wiring. Her mind rushed with thoughts of Jeff and now this stranger until she was at the steps of her best friend’s apartment. 

“I love you, Kay, but you look like shit...You seriously need a drink…” The ebony beauty spoke as she parted from the center of the doorway and left Kayla the space she needed to enter, before she moved over the threshold and into the serenity of this safe space. 

“Were you at The Zone again?” Amanda questioned as she brought a glass of wine to her lips as she continued to flip through the papers set atop her dining room table. 

“Let me guess...Fitzgeralds and sweet tea? Or was there maybe a Long Island inspiration in there because you look..disheveled…”

“Actually...this is from a guy who couldn’t take a hint at the bar…”

“Did someone try something with you? I told you,you should have gone to that self defense class with me…”

“Actually, he kind of saved my life...after insulting me and being vulgar...but...I almost got hit-running from him...but still…”

“Was he cute?”

Kayla looked at Amanda with annoyance as she stretched out onto the tan couch left overlooking a sixty five inch television playing recent NASCAR news as this part of the south seemed to worship the sport almost as much as the good lord and football. 

“I’m just saying that you never know…” Amanda shrugged as Kayla let out a troubled sigh. 

“What I do know is that tonight has been a colossal disappointment and I just want to sleep…”

“You can’t go home? Did something happen to Jeff?” The second question was spoken with an unintentional display of excitement as Amanda cared very little for her beloved friend’s beau as she knew her confidant deserved so much better. 

“Yeah, actually...I told him to not come home-” As Kayla spoke these words and Amanda prodded for details, Kayla’s eyes caught upon the television that showed the stranger at the bar’s face wide across the screen. “Oh my gosh... “ She uttered to herself before quickly diving or the remote to turn up the volume, but by the time she managed to find it, the next reel had been shown. 

“You KNOW him?” Amanda questioned as Kayla slowly nodded. 

“Yeah...he’s the jerk from the bar...and also kind of my savior…” Kayla seemed equally confused speaking these words aloud as her heart had been as it was twisted into desire and anger and pain and sadness. 

“YOU KNOW DEVON ADAMS? Are you SURE?”

“Yeah...I can almost smell his cologne from here…” Suddenly a knock came onto Amanda’s apartment door as Kayla looked at her friend who then in turn looked at the clock. Nearly eleven at night was not a reasonable hour for visitors; and yet, the knock happened again-and then thrice. 

“Alright! Hold your horses, I’m coming!” Amanda called to the door as the sudden knock ceased and the door came open to reveal Devon. His eyes looked directly onto Kayla as she was clenched in his direction, her eyes narrowed and her lips parted in preparation to speak. 

“Did you follow me here?!” The words left her lips before she could think on what else to say, but she had become rather content at this as she was now becoming highly uneasy by his consistent and demanding presence. “Look, BUDDY, I don’t want to sleep with you...I don't want to go anywhere with you...and I just want you to leave me alone.”

Suddenly his face was washed over with humor as he lifted her wallet to view as she flushed crimson immediately. Amanda stood by in curiosity but remained silent until the wallet remained lingering in the air. 

“I’ll just take that…” She said nervously before pulling the plaid wallet from his grasp and placing it on the dining room table beside the plethora of papers. 

“You’re welcome, Kayla...It has been quite the displeasure...” With these words, Devon left the steps of Amanda’s stoop before Kayla rushed after him. 

“Same to you!” She came back into the house, closing the door with the weight of her back, before letting out a sigh. 

“You DO realize that he is like the Prince William of NASCAR, right?” Amanda questioned as she leaned over the table, taking her focus from her work to speak. “He is practically racing royalty-”

“You know I don’t like anything with cars.”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a ride every once in a while…” Although these words could appear innocuous to anyone passing in earshot, Amanda had meant it every ounce s****l as it had emerged from her seductive tone. 

“Amanda!”

Amanda shrugged as Kayla moved to retrieve her wallet before bringing the contents open to find everything aside from her cash to be withdrawn; including her ID. “What the hell?” As she uttered these words, a single note was left folded in place of her credit cards. Bringing it to view, she peered at the message left for her by Devon. 

“You still owe me a date...Meet me at this address tomorrow and you get your stuff back… Love D.” Grunting out loud at how he patronized her with such a tender signature, she quickly rushed back into the direction of the street to try and find him to convince him to keep her from being forced to go to this address. But as the door came open and she descended her friend’s steps barefoot, the only thing she had come upon had been a few drunk patrons stumbling from the bar, a kind older woman walking her dog, and a male runner training for some sort of event. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” Amanda commented as this comment drew Kayla’s focus back to her friend. 

“What?”” Kayla asked as she made her way back into the apartment. 

“That address...it’s the race track, you know...where I am working tomorrow…”

“Well then I guess I’m going with you tomorrow…” Kayla spoke annoyingly as she slid onto the couch as Amanda prodded for more information before eventually being shut out. Taking this as a hint, she retired to bed and left Kayla on the couch, where she couldn’t focus on anything but the events of this last night.

Eventually, her mind was desperate for a focus away from the words of Jeff and so she lifted her phone to view and began looking up details on this famed racer. But all she came upon were photographs of his victories and his social life around girls of impossible beauty and obvious daddy issues by the way they carried themselves shamelessly in floss bikinis and tramp stamps. 

However, her mind also thought of how he had saved her from becoming paste on the asphalt, and it was this careful feeling that made her intrigued by him that maybe there had been more to him than met the eye. But she told herself she was going for one reason only; and it was not of a romantic nature. But if only she had known, he had an agenda all his own…