My father’s eyes darted away for a brief second. There it is. “I was glad because I knew you two would be best friends. Having a brother is a tight bond you can’t get anywhere else. Don’t ever forget that, Ollie.”
My dad answered with so much confidence that it actually threw me off. It wasn’t what I was expecting. I felt unsteady on my feet as I slowly nodded in agreement and even as I climbed the steps to my room.
His answer bothered me the entire ride to the races, too. I had no idea why my father had answered with so much conviction when he didn’t even have any siblings. “Having a brother is a tight bond you can’t get anywhere else. Don’t forget that, Ollie.” How did he know that? Why was he so sure of his answer? It was a weird response and not one I was ready for. The only thing it did was confuse me more. I had hoped he would have given me some type of clue as to if he knew he wasn’t my father, but no. I got nothing except more fucking questions.
I tried to steady my breath as I pulled up to the races, parking my Charger off to the side near the starting line. There were several heats to be run, and I would likely be one of the last since I’d moved up a bracket, thanks to being in business with Tank.
As I walked along the dirt road, gravel crunching underneath my shoes, I spotted Brandon.
I tipped my chin as he came around and gave me a bro-pat. “What’s up? You ready for this?”
I relaxed back onto his truck bed. “It’s no different from any other night. I am ready to play around with that turbo, though.”
Brandon’s face lit up, and that was when I noticed his girl wasn’t with him.
“Where’s your girl tonight?”
Brandon gave me a side glance. “I told her to stay put. Word has it that Tank will be here since someone had some business with him.” He flicked his eyebrow up, the shiny hoop hanging off it catching the setting sun. “And I didn’t want her around him.”
I nodded. “Good call.”
I was glad I told Piper to stay away tonight. There was no fucking way I’d be able to concentrate if I knew she was here on the sidelines with Tank looming in the darkness. I understood that the business deal technically wasn’t with me and Tank, but more so Piper and Tank, but I couldn’t handle the thought of her being here in this environment.
The races were no place for a girl like Piper.
I’d handle her shit with pride.
She had nothing to worry about.
Brandon was talking to a few other guys about the turbo in my Charger when I looked up ahead at Daniel who was cupping his hands around his mouth, calling for the next race.
There were two more sets until I raced, and I could almost feel the anticipation tingling in my fingertips. I had texted Piper an hour prior—again, to remind her to stay home and that I’d let her kn
ow how much we had left to owe after it was over.
I glanced around at everyone watching, hoping the majority of them bet for me and forked money over into the pool.
Not only did Tank keep 50% of the entire money pool, but he was also keeping my share tonight, too. And the better the race, the more people bet and participated. So basically, Tank was coming out on top tonight because of me, and that money would go straight into what Jason owed him.
A little bit of unease settled in my bones as the race began. The two cars zipped past me as I reminded myself that I needed to figure out some unanswered questions tonight.
Tank obviously couldn’t be trusted, as he wasn’t a straightlaced guy by any means, but I needed his word that after the debt was paid off, Jason was free to go, and Piper was no longer even a thought in his tiny, birdseed-sized brain.
I didn’t give a shit if he wanted me to keep racing to gain him more money. Whatever. That was not what I was worried about.
Piper was who I was worried about.
She needed to stay far, far away from this shit.
Brandon nudged my shoulder as I was deep in thought. “Bro, isn’t that your girl?”
My blood ran cold. I didn’t have a girl, and I’d never even been seen with anyone at the races except for a quick kiss on the cheek by an admirer, so I instantly knew who he was talking about.
My vision blurred when I spotted that beautiful copper-colored hair half hiding behind…what in the actual fuck?
Eric’s gaze was dead set on me as he had his hand wrapped around Piper’s wrist like she was a toddler being dragged to the car after running the aisles in a grocery store. Piper looked pissed. Her pouty mouth was set in an angry frown. But Eric appeared mighty pleased with himself for holding Piper’s wrist and for finding out what I was up to.
I growled like a fucking barbarian as I began stalking toward them.