“You made a good choice. What time is dinner with your family?”
“At seven. We have an hour.”
“An hour?” I cry, turning and rushing back into the room. “Oh no.”
He laughs, sitting on the bed and kicking his boots off. He watches in fascination as I rush around the room, pulling out clothes, showering, doing my hair and getting dressed. He doesn’t move from his spot as I do. When we have only ten minutes to go, he showers and changes, like I’m making a big deal out of nothing. Damn him for being so casual. I’m dying of nerves.
“Ready?” he asks.
I’m pacing by the door, of course I’m ready.
He laughs, I glare.
“Come on,” he says, taking my hand and leading us out. “They’ll love you.”
We get into the elevator and I turn and glance at myself in the mirror. My dress is black, but it’s not tight or short. It’s snugger fitting around the bust, but flares out at my waist and goes to my knees. My shoes are the only pair of heels I own, and they’re sling-back pumps, also black. I left my hair down and did some basic makeup. I look nice, but I feel so out of place.
I don’t do dresses.
“You can get back into your jeans later,” Tazen teases.
My god, he knows me so well. My heart melts.
“Not funny.” I squirm. “I hate dresses.”
“Maybe,” he says, placing a hand on my lower back and leading me out of the elevator. “But baby, they don’t hate you.”
“Dammit,” I grumble. “Why do you have to be so sweet?”
He flashes me a grin and we exit the hotel. We catch a cab to a nice restaurant in the middle of Hollywood. It’s quaint and looks like it serves delicious food. I’m fidgeting like mad as I wait for Tazen to point out his family. He leads me inside and then waves towards a group of four people. I look in their direction and my heartbeat starts thumping harder.
The older woman, who is clearly his mother, Regina, is an attractive, raven-haired beauty. She’s tall and slim, wearing a nice halter dress in red. She’s got a man on her arm, who I’m assuming is Tazen’s stepfather, Josh. He’s handsome, with salt-and-pepper hair and kind, blue eyes. To his left is a younger woman, who I am assuming is Retro. She’s … well … Retro.
Her hair is bright blue. No kidding. She’s wearing a black-and-white polka-dot dress that looks like it belongs in the fifties and she’s got sleeve tattoos up her arms. She’s gorgeous though, there’s no denying that. The man standing next to her must be Tazen’s brother, Kellian. He is as good-looking as his brother, with his long dark hair and dark brown eyes. He’s got a more gentle face than Tazen, not as rugged, but he’s handsome as hell.
We stop in front of them and I’m concerned I’m going to throw up on someone’s shoes. I’ve never met someone’s parents before. What if I say something wrong? What if they hate me and demand that Tazen find someone better? I want to gag. Instead, I force a smile as their eyes take me in. Tazen lets go of my hand and hugs them all, sharing back pats and kisses.
Then he steps back and wraps an arm around me.
“Mom, Josh, Retro and Kell, this is my girl, Quinn.”
Oh boy.
“Oh Tazen,” Regina says, stepping forward. “She’s beautiful. Hi, Quinn, it’s so lovely to meet you.”
She reaches out, pulling me in for a hug. Well, I guess Tazen’s mom likes me. That’s a good start.
“It’s lovely to meet you too, Regina.”
She smiles warmly at me, and Josh extends his hand. “Josh, good to meet you, Quinn.”
“Hi, Josh.”
“Finally, I’ve been waiting for this moment,” Retro says, throwing herself at me. She pulls me in for a hug, then steps back and studies me. “Gosh, you are pretty.”
I laugh softly. “Thanks, so are you!”
She touches her hair and grins. “I know.”
Kell rolls his eyes and extends his hand. “Pleased to meet you, darlin’.”
Oh boy. Charmer like his brother, too.
“You too.” I smile.
“Right, now that’s out of the way, we can let poor Quinn breathe,” Regina says and we all laugh.
The ice is broken. Thank God.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“So you’re a mechanic,” Josh asks, digging into his seafood soup.
I nod, poking my fork into my pasta. “Yes.”
“That’s impressive. How long have you been working on cars?”
“All my life, basically,” I answer.
“Nice.” Josh nods his approval.
“She’s fucking good at it, too,” Tazen sings my praises. “I gave her a hard time at first, but it turns out she’s got more skill than half of my seasoned mechanics.”
My heart swells at his compliment and I smile at him. He winks at me.
“That’s hot,” Kell says. “I wish I could find a girl that wasn’t a ditzy Barbie doll.”
“Then maybe you should stop shopping for them in dollhouses, son.” Josh laughs.
Kell grunts. “Probably right.”
“I’m totally in awe,” Retro says. “I wish I was that bad ass.”
I look at her. “Pretty sure you are.”
She grins. “Yeah, that’s totally true.”
“Love yourself much,” Tazen says, grinning at her.
“Bite me, Taz. You’re no better.”
He smiles knowingly at his sister.
I laugh at their banter.
“So,” Regina says, looking at me. “Do you have siblings, Quinn?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“And your parents?”
Tazen reaches over, squeezing my hand, but I don’t mind answering. I can’t hide from my past any longer, and I’m not going to be ashamed of it. I did nothing to be ashamed of.
“My mom died of cancer when I was younger. It was hard on my dad and he became an alcoholic. He’s getting the help he needs now, though. So we’re getting there.”
I hate the pity in their faces, but I push past it.
“That’s a shame, love. I’m sorry,” Regina says.
“This girl,” Tazen says, pulling me close and pressing a kiss to my temple. “Is tougher than anyone I’ve ever met.”
I turn and smile up at him. He leans down, brushing his lips across mine. When we turn back to everyone, Regina is watching us with a twinkle in her eye. She’s happy her son is happy. My heart swells at that.
“And how’s the garage going, Taz?” Josh asks.
They get into a conversation about the garage and I spend that time getting to know Regina and Retro. When we’re all finished and the night has progressed, they announce they’re leaving. We all stand and say our good-byes, my heart warm that I got to meet Tazen’s family and they’re so amazing. I hug them all and then Tazen and I head back out to the street.
“You tired, baby?” he asks, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.
I shake my head. “Nope, why?”
He grins. “Good, I have something you’re going to love.”
* * *
Tazen and I stand in his garage that sits right outside L.A. in Glendale. It’s impressive. You can tell it’s been looked after and expanded. It’s massive, eight bays, with cars from one end to the other. The parts room is extensive and they even have a paint bay. Wow, if this is what he plans on doing to the garage back home, I might just admit it was the best thing for it.
“Taz,” I breathe, shocked that I’m even calling him that. “This is amazing.”
“It’s pretty incredible, right,” he says, proudly.
“It truly is.”
He leads me towards a sleek, blue car. “We’re taking this baby out tonight.”
I stare at him. “We are? Isn’t it someone else’s?”
He shakes his head. “No, this one will just go up at an auction. We make good money that way, too. So for now, it’s still mine. I have just the place to take it. You ready?”
I nod and excitement bubbles in
my chest as he opens the door for me and I slip into the car. It’s only a two-seater, with bucket seats and black leather interior. It’s beautiful. Tazen gets in the driver’s side and flashes me a shit-eating grin. “We’re going to make the streets of L.A. scream tonight.”
Oh boy.
“And baby,” he says, as he cranks the engine and it roars to life. “We’re going to make sure your panties are soaking fucking wet because of it.”
I flush and cross my legs, already feeling warmth building there. “I look forward to it,” I say in a husky tone.
He grins and pulls a remote from his pocket. He presses a button and the garage door begins to slide open.
“You ready?”
I nod. “Oh, I was ready yesterday.”
He backs the car out, and she’s literally shaking with the power that’s stacked under the hood. When we’re out onto the street, Tazen lays his foot down and we fly forward. I scream happily and press my hands to my knees as we zip past the cars driving at a normal pace. Tazen takes us out of the city and down a long highway. The car shows its true speed when we’re on the open road, she grumbles and soars, like every good car should.
Like at home, Tazen starts leading me to the back streets. I realize he’s taking me to a racetrack when he pulls into a large space loaded with people. This must be where he used to race. It’s heaps bigger than the one at home, and it’s impressive. Lights, people, cars and all the good things a decent racetrack should have. Obviously this isn’t legal racing, but I don’t care. I don’t live here and I’m up for an adventure.
Tazen takes the car down a side road and we pass a few other cars that are lining up to go in. We reach the gates and a man comes out, walking towards us. Tazen lowers the window and the moment the man sees him, a smile lights his face. “Tazen fucking Watts. No way!”
“What’s up, Doug,” Tazen says, putting his hand out and shaking Doug’s hand.
“Fuck all, bro. What brings you back to this side of the world?”
“Visiting my garage. You gonna let me race tonight?”
My heart rate accelerates. Race? Tazen’s going to race? Oh god.
“Yeah, fuck yeah. Always got a spot for you. Line up, fourth bay.”
Tazen nods and shakes his hand again, then we drive down to where all the cars are lining up. I turn to him when we stop. “You’re going to race!”
He grins. “No, baby. You’re going to race.”
I stare with wide eyes. “P-p-p-pardon?”
“You heard me. You said you’ve always wanted to get behind a wheel of one of these, now is your chance.”
“No,” I say quickly. “I’m not driving this. I don’t know how to drive this. I’ll crash it and … no.”
Tazen reaches over, curling his fingers around the back of my neck. “You won’t crash it and you’re going to do some warm-up laps. You can’t go wrong with this, angel. You lose, it doesn’t matter. You win, great.”
“I’m not driving this car.”
His grin turns wicked. “Oh yeah, you are.”
“I can’t.”
“You can.”
He gets out and walks around to my side. “Slide over, we’re taking her for a few rounds.”
“Tazen, no,” I stammer.
He reaches in, lifts me and throws me across the seat. “You’ll never get another chance like this, Quinn. You’ve got it in you, you’ve been around cars all your life. You know how to handle them. Now, start it up.”
He slides into the passenger side and tosses me the keys. I catch them but I can barely breathe through the nerves. “I don’t know…”
“No more hesitation. Start her up.”
I turn and slide the key in, then I kick off my heels and start her up. The engine rumbles to life and my nerves hum in excitement. Oh God, he’s really letting me do this. He’s letting me race his car. Suddenly, I’m a bundle of excited energy. I listen as Tazen goes through everything about the car. I nod and then turn to face the front.
“It’s your time to shine. Away you go.”
He sits back in the chair and I edge the car forward. I can feel the power beneath me, and my heart starts fluttering harder. I slowly pick up speed as I pull onto the racetrack. There are only two other cars doing warm-up laps, so it’s basically all mine. I hit the first two corners quite slowly, scared to let it go and give this car what I know it wants.
Speed.
“Come on, put your foot on it,” Tazen encourages.
I take a deep breath. Then I press the gas pedal to the floor. The engine sparks to life and the car lunges forward. With a happy squeal, I press down further. The loud rumbling fills my ears as the car starts getting faster and faster.
“You know how to take a corner, Quinn,” Tazen yells over the sound. “Slight brake in, but always accelerate out.”
I do as he says, and take my first corner beautifully.
“Fuck yeah, baby!” he shouts.
My adrenaline builds and I pick up speed, taking the corners like a pro. Tazen is laughing beside me and my chest is full of excitement. I’m pumped up and happier than I’ve been in such a long time. When we reach the start, we go around again. This time I get faster. I’m concentrating hard now, trying to memorize the corners as best I can.
When we complete the second round, I pull up and turn to Tazen. “Oh my god!” I scream. “That was amazing.”
“It’s about to get better. The race is starting.”
Suddenly, I feel sick. Tazen must notice because he leans over and makes me look at him. “You’re a natural, baby, give it all you’ve got.”
Then he gets out of the car.
Wait, he’s not coming with me?
He walks around to my side and I lower the window. He’s about to lean in when we hear a familiar voice. “What the hell are they doing here?”
Tazen turns and I look past him to see Sheyenne storming over. Great. Just great. I push the car door open and get out. We don’t have long before the race starts. Sheyenne gives me a once-over, and then stops in front of Tazen with her hands firmly planted on her hips. “You’re going to let this,” she waves a hand at me, “amateur drive one of your cars, but you won’t give me a damned new one!”
Tazen steps up in her face. “That girl right there has more respect and talent in her pinkie finger than you do in your whole body, Sheyenne. I’d give her a thousand cars before I’d ever give you one again.”
Her eyes flare with anger. “You will be giving me one, Tazen. I’ll make sure of it.”
She has the nerve to threaten him. She has no scruples.
“We’ll see about that,” he growls.
She opens her mouth to say something else but the beginning of the race is announced. She glares at me and hisses, “I’ll have the time of my life smashing your little girlfriend here off the track.”
Anger bubbles inside me. I really don’t like this woman. “I’d love to see what you’ve got,” I say.
She laughs, flicking her hair back. “Oh, you’ll see what I’ve got. I have a new car, and it’s amazing. Nothing like that piece of shit you’re driving.”
She did not just insult Tazen’s car.
“Funny,” I say, my voice smooth. “It’s these pieces of shit that you’ve been begging for since Tazen flicked you off his shoe.”
Her chest puffs out. “You better watch yourself out there, bitch.”
I smirk at her and she turns, storming off. Tazen turns to me, his eyes suddenly worried. “I don’t trust her, Quinn.”
I take his hand, squeezing. “You have to let me do this now, Tazen.”
He sighs. “Fuck, yeah, I know I do.”
I lean forward, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “I’ve got this.”
God, I hope I’ve got this.
I get back into the car and he leans in. “You’re in the fourth row, best spot to be. You’re not on the ends, or dead center. Watch out because Sheyenne is always on the end and she’ll try to push you in. You get scared, yo
u pull off. That simple. This is fun, okay?”
I nod, but we both know as soon as Sheyenne challenged me, it became about more than fun.
“Now, get over there and show me what you’re made of.”
He presses a kiss to my lips and then steps back. I wind up the window and pull the car to the starting spot. My palms are sweating and my stomach is twisting as I watch the girl walk out into the middle of the road. She’s got the flags in her hands. She looks around, smiles, and then holds them up in the air. I get the car ready, holding the steering wheel like it’s my lifeline.
When she lowers them, I put my foot down. The car roars forward and the sounds of the other cars zooming off makes it damned loud in here. I bound towards the first corner, with three cars beside me and two in front. We take it easily and I study my opponents. The two cars in front of me are quite close. If I can edge to my right I might be able to get around them.
Deciding that’s my plan of attack, I start edging to my right and picking up speed. I hit the gas when I see a gap, and soar right past them. Pride and desperation compete in my chest as I come up against the car in first place. The two I just passed are close behind me and could make it past me at any second. I study the track and try to remember where the next corner lies. I recall it being a sharp one, so I pull in to my left slightly.
I’m right, and the drivers behind me are forced to slow down because they hit at the wrong angle. This gives me the jerk forward I need. I close in on the car currently in first, excitement building high. It’s then I realize that car belongs to Sheyenne. Great. I don’t focus on that, but instead on the plan of attack.
Another corner is coming up that’s sharp, I need to get around her just after it for me to be able to win this thing. As we approach the corner, I tuck myself in the inner lane and come up beside her. Apparently she does not like this because she swerves her car towards mine, making me jerk my hand and therefore my car to the left. I have to quickly correct it before I spin out of control.
By this time another car has passed me. Anger flares and I hit the gas and bring the car back up near the two at the front. I’ll bring her down for that. I pass the first one and am faced with Sheyenne again. I anticipate her move because I’ve watched her race before, and brake right as she jerks her car towards mine. She pulls too hard and ends up turning the front of the car too much towards the middle. I take this chance to get around her.