Racing Hearts (Hollows Garage Book 3)

It was no more than a hundred feet to get to the crew and the cars, but I knew he would still beat me there with how thick the crowd was now.

I made it halfway through the crowd when a pair of eyes locked onto me. He was around my age, but no one I could place. He did look a little mean though, his nose a little crooked and a faint bruise around one eye. My first thought was that he had to know Slaughter and Tristian.

Or he could know who I was.

That’s why he was staring at me. He had to know me to look at me like that.

I tried to look around for Jax, but between the guy’s height and the thick crowd, I couldn’t see him clearly enough.

This could be nothing. He could be looking for someone else or just confused.

“Do I know you?” I finally asked, trying to look annoyed and hide the fact that my heart was about to explode with fear.

“I don’t think so. You should, though.”

“Why?”

“Pretty girl like yourself? Why wouldn’t you?”

I took a big step back, my stomach churning. There was no way to know if he knew who I was or if he was looking for me. I moved to step around him and he blocked my path.

“Wait, don’t go yet. We haven’t officially met yet.”

That gave me some relief. Maybe he didn’t know who I was. I got up on my toes, trying to see Jax, but I could still barely make out his car from here.

I reached an arm up, trying to look for him. I knew Jax hadn’t been joking when he called himself my bodyguard, but I really hoped he would be looking for me already.

Panic tore through me as the guy grabbed my raised arm. “What are you doing? Have somewhere to be?”

“Yes, let me go.”

His arm slid around me, jerking me closer to him, as my arm dropped.

Before I could fight back, I was being ripped away.

“Get the fuck away from her,” Jax’s voice cut through the noise of the crowd and my pounding heart.

I could finally take a deep breath. Jax was there, pushing the guy back and ripping me away from him. His eyes were wild, and I could tell he was ready for a fight. Every muscle tensed and pulled back, ready to spring forward. He was terrifying and comforting. I knew he could be violent. Hitting Tristan was proof enough of that, but so far, he had only been violent for me, not against me.

“What the fuck? Why are you pushing people like that?”

“Get away from her. Why are you bothering her?”

“Hell, I don’t know. She looked hot and all alone. Figured she wanted some company.”

“Yeah, well, she doesn’t, so go.”

“Oh, come on, dude. She was fine before you got here.”

Jax stepped forward. “One more fucking comment and your nose will be broken. Again, I assume,” he said, waving at the guy’s very crooked nose.

“Damn man. I’m going.”

The guy walked off and Jax turned to me. “Shit. Are you okay?”

I stepped back in the direction of the car. “Yeah. Maybe.”

I could hear the unease in my own voice, but I couldn’t find the words for why I wasn’t okay. It was seconds of being left there, wondering if the guy was coming to find me, trying to figure out what he was doing, and wondering if I would be dragged back to Slaughter, kicking and screaming.

Seconds of having no control over my life again.

I hadn’t realized the freedom that had come with staying with Jax, the safety I had felt around him and his friends for the first time in a very long time. The feeling that it could all be over in seconds, and I couldn’t do anything but look for Jax.

It had only been a week and a half of my life, but somehow all the good Jax was bringing was erasing the bad so fast that I forgot that it wasn’t real. That it would all be over and I would once again be alone and running from that danger by myself.

It was too comfortable. I needed to end it before I lost my sense of survival any further.

I made it back to the car before Jax caught me. He grabbed my arms, spinning me to face him as he backed me against the car.

I could still see the angry pinch to his lips and wild eyes.

Tears were threatening me and all I wanted to do was be wrapped up in his arms, but I couldn’t be that pathetic.

The guy hadn’t done anything to me, really, not compared to the horrible things I had been imagining.

“What’s wrong? Did he hurt you?” Jax asked. “If he hurt you, tell me now before he gets any farther away.”

“No, he didn’t. I think he was trying to hit on me.”

“Fuck. I’m sorry. I figured you would be okay for the short walk. Then again, I did know that outfit was going to cause a few people to stop you,” he said, trying to smile, but I didn’t reciprocate.

He moved to hug me, but I stepped back. I didn’t know why. I wanted him around me, but I couldn’t count on him to comfort me. I needed to keep doing that myself.

“Carly?” he asked. His face had fallen, softer now, sweeter, with every trace of the angry, ready-to-punch-someone look gone.

“It’s fine. I just want to get in the car.” I pulled at the handle, but the door was still locked. “Please.”

He stepped closer again, moving to open the door, but a loud popping broke out behind him.

I jumped, mindlessly moving closer to him, and he didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around me, pushing me against the car.

“It was backfire from a car. You are all jumpy now.” He moved to touch my face, but I pushed at his chest before he had a chance, angrier at myself.

“I know. I just want to get in for a minute.” I wanted the safety of the car, not him.

The anger that crossed his face made me more upset.

“Yeah, of course.” He hit the button and reached to open the door. Every part of me was scolding myself for relying on him. He was handing me everything I needed, and I was taking it. Now it wasn’t only a place to live and help with my truck, it was relying on him to protect me, to comfort me.

Somehow I couldn’t remind myself enough that I barely knew him. That I shouldn’t be flirting or wanting him to flirt with me. I didn’t want love or need it. What I wanted was to get away from everyone and go back to the safety that comes with being alone.

I slid inside and took a deep breath, the peaceful silence washing over me before Jax got in too.

“You have to tell me what’s going on,” he said, grabbing the steering wheel but not moving.

“Nothing. I just want to leave. I’ll sit here until you’re ready to go.”

“No. We aren’t moving until you tell me what’s wrong. You said he didn’t hurt you, but you’re acting like he did.”

“I can’t tell you what’s wrong.”

“Why not?”

I was quiet, still holding back tears. I was never this emotional, at least not in front of people, but now this seemed to be a common occurrence around him.

“I don’t know how.”

“Try,” he said, and I could hear the anger in his tone. I don’t care what anyone said. Jax could get angry. Everyone could.

“I’m freaked out about Slaughter finding me, obviously. I thought I would be okay tonight, but then that guy stopped me, and that’s not a big deal on its own, but I froze. I was looking for you instead of doing something about it myself.”

He gave a harsh laugh. “And what were you going to do about it if you were alone? Fight him?”

“I don’t know, but shouldn’t I know that? I need you to stay back and not be my safety net. I feel like I can’t even handle things myself because I’m counting on you. I didn’t do anything when that guy stopped me. I only looked for you. What am I supposed to do when I am alone again? I need to leave and not forget how to be on my own. I need to keep my distance.”

“So, what are you saying? You like me being there for you too much? Like being around me, being safe? Like living with me?”

“Yeah…kind of,” I said.

He was silent, but I could see the anger there.

“You can’t leave yet. I’m not done with your truck, but fine. Considering what I was just planning to do, it would probably be best for both of us to keep our distance.”

My heart sank, and I didn’t know why. He was allowed to want that too, but the sudden idea that I will be losing his easy smile and that one day soon it would all be gone was depressing.

He grumbled about something, but I couldn’t make out the words.

“What?”

“I said, I’m going to race again, so decide if you’re staying in the car or not.”

“Not.”

“Then actually stay with the crew this time. If another guy tries to touch you, I will break his face this time, regardless of how strong and independent you want to be.”

I got out, rushing to sit back with the girls.

“You good?” Scout asked.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay. Pretty sure you were wrong about Jax not getting mad, though. I think he’s really pissed off this time.”

They all looked, watching as Jax made it to the starting line again, seemingly cutting in the line to take a turn.

I knew I pissed him off.

I knew I needed to follow through and keep my distance from him, but it didn’t stop the racing in my chest as he lined up, or when he won again, or when he parked and brushed past me.

My heart stopped as he leaned against the hood of Ransom’s car to talk before a girl walked up. She immediately wrapped a hand around his arm. I watched as each finger moved around his bicep, making me want to rip them off, one by one.

Before I could do anything, though, Jax was pulling her hand off and shaking his head, saying something that had her rolling her eyes and walking away.

Then he looked at me, his eyes hard as they met mine, before turning back to Ransom.

As upset as I was at him, as much as I remembered we were staying away, I was excited knowing that I would still be going back to his apartment with him tonight. That it would be us alone in the car going home, even if we weren’t talking. That he blew that girl off and looked at me.

I was telling him to keep our distance, but I was still excited that he would be staying with me tonight.

And for that, I didn’t hate him. I hated myself.