Crash into You (Pushing the Limits #3)(108)

“Mind taking a walk with me, Noah?” I ask.

“Let’s end this,” he says.

Eric leans against the fence line on the other side of the lot. His boys loiter a few feet down, and they keep their eyes on us.

Echo places her hand on Rachel’s arm. “Should you really leave your car here?”

Rachel’s violet eyes stay trained on me. “No. But it’ll be okay.”

“Rachel.” Echo gently nudges. “Let’s move your car.”

“It’s all right, angel. We won this one.”

With reluctance, Rachel slides back into the driver’s seat of her car, and Echo slips into the other side. Rachel drives off, and Abby starts off after them on foot.

“Take care of her,” I call out.

“I will,” Abby says without looking back.

The envelope feels heavy in my hand. Not long ago, I went to Eric so I could stay out of foster care. Now I’m handing him five thousand dollars, and I’m still losing my home.

“Think he’ll keep his word?” I mutter to Noah.

“No,” he answers. “It’s not his style to lose.”

It’s not. “I’ve told Abby to get Rachel and Echo the hell out of here the moment the first punch is thrown.”

“Thanks,” he says. “This is killing Echo, but she knows what to do and will help Abby get Rachel out.”

“You don’t have to do this.”

Noah flashes the same jackass-crazy grin as the day he moved into Shirley and Dale’s. “Yeah, bro, I do. This is what brothers do for each other.”

Brother. Years without a mom. Years without a dad. Knowing that no other blood relative existed on the face of the planet for me. But within two years, water becomes thicker than blood.

I hold my hand out to Noah and when he has a firm grip, I pull him in for a fast hug. We both clap each other’s back.

“We’re family,” he whispers.

“Family,” I repeat.

I let him go and we start off for the fence line. Eric watches us approach. He says nothing so I offer him the envelope. “Count it if you want.”

The skinny ass**le doesn’t bother opening it, but instead shoves it in the inside pocket of his coat. “You say you have it, you have it.”

A pair of cars roar down the dragway, silencing the conversation between us. When the noise dies down, Eric continues, “I don’t understand why you want to race here. There’s no money to be made.”

“You didn’t have to involve Zach,” I say.

“I like insurance policies, and Zach was one that didn’t pay out...at least for tonight. As with any policy, the interest builds with time.”

I assess the area and notice Zach’s car missing. He’s caused me problems over the past several weeks, but once he was a friend. No one should be underneath Eric, and what I hate is there’s nothing I can do about it. Zach made his choice and I’ve made mine. This is how forks in roads are created.

“Come back to the streets, Isaiah.” Eric pushes off the fence. “That’s your home.”

If Eric keeps living this life, someone will steal from him again, and one day, they may take his life in the process. Mistakes I refuse to make. “Naw, Eric. I’m done.”

“Never say never, my brother.” Eric gives that sly grin. “You’ll find me when you’re short on money again. That’s when we’ll stop this bullshit and you work for me. You’re not the first foster kid to age out of the system.”

My chin rises as he speaks my fears. “What makes you think I’ll come crawling to you?”

“Because I’m letting you and your girl go home injury-free. You’ll remember how I’ve given you grace and realize that I’m not your enemy. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got other business to attend to tonight.”

Noah smacks my shoulder and the two of us leave, both occasionally glancing back. But we don’t need to. Eric’s moved on and so have we.

“That won’t happen,” says Noah. “You’ll make it after you age out.”

“I know.” I don’t, but I shove the doubt away. I can only handle one battle at a time.

Laughter representing our futures guides us to a streetlight. For Noah, the future includes a redhead, and mine includes a blonde.

When Rachel sees me, she runs right into my arms. “Are we free?”

“Free.”

“We should celebrate.”

“I know this place,” I say real slow. “On a hill.”

She blushes. “Think I’ve heard of it before.”

“Have you?” I ask too innocently.

“Yeah. From this really hot guy. You’d like him. He has a couple of tattoos and some earrings.”

I lace my hand with hers, but the smile on my face fades with the sound of one voice.

Chapter 74

Rachel

“RACHEL.”

My head snaps in the direction of my father’s voice. “What are you doing here?”

With his black tie off and the top couple of buttons of his wrinkled dress shirt undone, my father appears worn. The circles under his eyes indicate exhaustion. “Let’s go home.”

There’s no way...none... “How did you find me?”