PowerShift: Skid Row Kings Series, #2 (8 page)

“You fucking too?” Kurt fumed. “I don’t know what the hell is going on around this shop. Luke has himself wrapped around Violet all the time, you’re chasing some chick that isn’t even worth it, leaving me to run the damn shop with Leelee. This isn’t what I fucking signed up for when I came to work for Luke.”

“And what the hell did you sign up for, Kurt? A free pass to do whatever the hell you want?” I was getting fucking sick of his god damn attitude. We all worked and ran the shop. It wasn’t just him working.

“I sure as hell didn’t sign up to be fucking second to Leelee, that’s for damn sure.” He walked over to the bay door, pressing the button to open the door and stalked to his car. He threw the door open, stabbed the key into the ignition and took off in a cloud of smoke as he squealed his tires out of the shop.

“I never should have come to work here. I knew Kurt doesn’t like me, but I thought he would get over it. I was wrong.” Leelee had the office door cracked and was leaning against the door frame.

“It’s not all you, Leelee. Kurt’s got a bunch of other issues.” Like the fact, he was pissed that Luke was with Violet, and I was trying to be with Scarlett.

She sighed loud and leaned her head back. “I don’t think this job is worth tearing your family apart, Mitch.”

“Leelee, if you even think about quitting, Luke and I will personally hunt you down. Kurt will get over it.”

“And what happens if he doesn’t?”

“Well,” I pushed off the car and closed the garage door. “That would be one of the perks of being only an employee. Luke owns SRK, and he’s going to have to deal with that. Lord knows I wouldn’t want to.” Luke and I both knew that something was going to have to happen with Kurt. The more days that went by, the more it looked like being at SRK wasn’t where he wanted to be.

“You figure out what you’re going to do about Scarlett?”

I ran my hand over my head and shrugged my shoulders. “Not a fucking clue.”

“She’s had a rough life, Mitch. You can see it just by looking at her.”

“And all I want to do is make her life easier, but she doesn’t want me to.”

“You need to give her time, Mitch. You can’t push her.”

“I’m not, Leelee. I’m leaving her alone.”

“You can’t do that either.”

What the hell was I supposed to do then? “Your advice is as good as Kurt’s, useless.”

“Just, be there for her but don’t push her.”

“I just don’t get it.”

“Nobody is going to get it but her. You don’t know what happened to her before she came here. All you know is she’s running from something. What she’s running from shaped her into what she is today. So you know what that means, right?”

“Leelee, I don’t have a fucking clue. Throw me a damn bone and just tell me what I need to do to get Scarlett to spend time with me.” I was ready to hit my knees and beg Leelee to tell me. I was clueless with a capital C.

“Give her what she’s never had before, Mitch.”

“And what the hell is that?”

“Someone to trust, Mitch. You’re gonna have to give her time and let her learn to trust you before you tear down the walls she’s built around her and Levi.” Leelee stepped back into the office and shut the door.

“Time?” Fuck. Why did it feel like if I gave her time I was going to lose her?

“Hey, no Levi today?” Frankie asked as she stepped through the door. She still had her book bag on and looked around.

“Nope.”

“Humph, I was hoping she would bring him by today. I’ve wanted a new pair of shoes, and Luke said he wouldn’t pay for them.”

“Correction,” Luke yelled from the office. “Luke will not pay over one hundred dollars for a pair of shoes. I told you I would pay half, and you would have to cough up the rest.”

“Whatever.”

“You’re just pissy that I remembered to pick you up today and didn’t get to ride home with Jimmy.” Luke stood in the door and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Who the hell is Jimmy?” I asked. Frankie was too young to be dating, let alone getting rides home from boys we hadn’t had the chance to interrogate.

“Nobody. I don’t even know why we’re talking about him. We were talking about babysitting Levi.”

“We were, but now we’re talking about Jimmy.”

“Violet knows him, and there’s nothing to tell. Is Scarlett going to the race tonight?”

“Don’t think I don’t know what the hell you’re doing right now. Stop trying to distract me.”

“Maybe we could drive over there, and I could offer to watch Levi while she goes to the race with you.”

That actually wasn’t a bad idea. I know Leelee had just said I needed to give her time, but couldn’t I give her time while she watched me race? Plus, if I had Frankie with me she wouldn’t have an excuse why she couldn’t come with. The thing would be convincing her to come with. “You sure?” I asked Frankie.

“Heck yes. I want those shoes.”

“Tell you what, if you help me talk Scarlett into coming with me tonight, I’ll buy the damn shoes for you.”

Frankie spun around and stuck her tongue out at Luke. “Hey, sounds like a good idea for me. You leaving my wallet alone is the best thing I’ve heard all day.”

“Go get changed and we’ll ride over to Scarlett’s. The race starts in two hours. We better leave some time for convincing her.”

Frankie dashed up the stairs, her black hair streaming behind her. “It’s safe to say you’re not listening to the advice I gave you?” Leelee asked. She was sitting behind the counter her eyes glued to the screen of the computer as her fingers flew over the keyboard.

“I’m giving her time, just not tonight.”

Leelee shook her head and laughed. “Good luck.”

I was going to fucking need it.

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Chapter 11

Scarlett

“Levi, I am not going to tell you again. You need to pick up all your toys in the living room and get washed up for dinner.” It was Friday night, and I was ready to pull my hair out.

Levi had been a bear the whole day today, and it seemed like he wasn’t going to improve tonight.

“Levi Michael Whistler, get in here now!” I was done being the cool, calm and collected mom.

Just as I was about to bust out Mean Mom, there was a pounding on the door. “Who the hell can it be now?” I grumbled.

Over the past three days, it had become a game to knock on our door and then run down the stairs before I could see who it was. It was a game I was sick of playing. I marched over to the door, threw it open fully expecting to rip whoever it was a new asshole. “Look here ass-” My words were cut off when my eyes landed on Frankie. “Frankie?” Was she lost? What the heck was she doing here?

“Hey! Mitch is downstairs parking the car. He’s trying to park right in front of your window so he can watch the car
. Can I come in?” I stepped back and held the door open because I had no idea what else to do. “This place still looks like I remember.” She looked around with a fond look on her face, almost as if she missed living here. Who in their right mind would miss living here?

“Hey,” Mitch said as he breezed through the door and walked over to the window in the living room.

What in the hell was going on right now? “Do I live here anymore?” I asked, looking around.

“For the time being, Sparky.” Mitch pulled up the blinds on the window and opened it.

“OK, then what are you two doing here? I was just about to feed Levi.”

“Perfect. I can help.” Frankie walked over to the counter where the pizza was cooling and picked up the pizza cutter. “Does he like triangles or squares?”

“Um, he only eats squares,” I mumbled.

“Good thing I asked. I’m a triangle girl myself. I’ll cut half in squares and the other half in triangles.” Frankie finished cutting the pizza, putting two slices on a plate and headed down the hallway to Levi’s room.

“What the hell is going on, Mitch? I opened the door, and it’s like I stepped into the twilight zone.”

“Get away from the car,” he yelled as he leaned out the window. “Damn savages around here. They see a shiny car and all they can think about is putting it on bricks and stealing the damn rims off of it,” he muttered.

“Mitch.”

“Yeah?” He asked, half turning away from the window.

“What are you doing here?”

“Frankie needs money, I want you to come and watch me race tonight.”

Was that supposed to make sense, because it sure as hell didn’t. “Can you repeat that but maybe with a few more words in between.”

“Frankie has been eyeing up some shoes she’s wanted, and Luke won’t buy them for her.”

“And that brings you here because?”

“Because I want you to come and see me race.”

It finally clicked what was going on. Frankie was here to babysit Levi so I could go out with Mitch. Sneaky. With Frankie here, I couldn’t use Levi as an excuse as to why I couldn’t go. “And you think I’m just going to say yes and run off with you.”

“Well, that is what I was hoping, but I figure I’m going to either have to convince you or tie you up with the rope I have in my trunk.” He glanced out the window and hollered again for someone to get away from his car. “They’re like God damn flies circling food. So, I need you to decide how this is going to go. Are you coming with me, or am I going to have to get the rope?”

“Frank!” I heard Levi shout down the hall. That was the happiest I had heard Levi in the past three days. Every morning he begged me to spend the day with Mitch and when I told him no, he was a bear the rest of the day.

Frankie walked down the hall carrying Levi on her hip and balanced the plate of pizza in her other hand. “Mama! Frank is here!” Frankie laughed as he called her Frank again and set him on the counter.

“I see that, big man.” Frankie moved around the kitchen like she had been here fifty times before and I glanced at Mitch, who was just staring at me.

I had no clue what to do. “Clock is ticking,” Mitch called.

“Frank said you’re going to watch Mitch race, Mama,” Levi said around a mouthful of pizza. “I wish I could go, but Frank said we’re going to play games and guess what?” He asked excitedly.

“What?” I asked, happy to finally see Levi smile again.

“She brought ice cream!” Levi shouted.

“I sure did.” Frankie walked to the front door, leaned out and grabbed a bag she left by the door when she surprised me. “Sprinkles too,” she said, winking as she opened the freezer and emptied the canvas bag. “Shouldn’t you guys be heading out?”

“Scarlett?” Mitch asked.

Frankie, Levi, and Mitch all looked at me. I knew what I wanted to do, but was it the right thing to do? Mitch tossed his keys up in the air, and I watched them go up and down. Would it hurt to go out with Mitch for one night? Didn’t I deserve to have a bit of fun once in a while? It had been over four years since I had done anything that was just for me.

Levi munched happily on his pizza, and I looked at Frankie, who had a small smile on her lips. I didn’t have one reason to say no.

“Well, I guess we’re going racing,” I shrugged my shoulders, and Levi let out a cheer. This would be good not only me but for Levi, too. It was time for both of us to have a bit of fun. Levi was going to have a night of fun with Frankie eating ice cream, and I was going to hopefully get to know Mitch a bit better.

Lord help me.

______________

Chapter 12

Mitch

“How am I supposed to get in?” I was standing outside of Mitch’s car, the passenger door open, debating how I was going to get in the car. It was so close to the ground it looked like I was going to basically have to do the limbo to get in.

“Just slide in, Sparky. I promise it won’t hurt.” He winked at me over the top of the car and managed to slide into the driver’s seat without looking like a fool. I knew that I wasn’t going to be as graceful.

I managed to get one leg in the car and basically fell in, sprawled out on the seat. “We’ll have to work on the landing, Sparky,” Mitch laughed. He reached around me, grabbing the seat belt and clicked it into place. “Safety first.” He winked at me again, and I swear to God I felt my panties melt off.

He started the car, not realizing the effect he was having on me. Although, most women probably didn’t swoon over a wink. To say that it had been awhile since I’d been taken out for a ride was an understatement.

I had to distract myself from the perfect man who was sitting mere inches away from me. “So what kind of car is this?” I asked stroking the lush leather on the door.

“‘09 Chevy Corvette V8 with a 7.0 liter. Fast and handles like a dream.”

“I have no idea what that means,” I laughed. “Cars aren’t really my thing. As long as it gets me to where I need to go, I’m good.”

“Well, this car will get you to where you’re going and more.” He shifted the car into first gear, pulled away from the curb and stomped on the gas, shifted the car into second then cranked the wheel, spinning the rear end of the car around and rocketed down the road.

I gripped the armrest on the door, my fingers digging in, and held on for my life. “Are you crazy?” I gasped. Mitch blew through a stop sign, barreling through the intersection and skidded around the corner.

“This is nothing, Sparky. I’m just warming up for the race tonight.”

“What the heck kind of racing do you do?” I slammed my eyes shut as I saw another turn coming up and knew I didn’t want to watch. My life had flashed before my eyes on the last turn, and I didn’t want to go through that again.

“Street racing.”

“What exactly does that mean?” I felt the car skid to the right, and my body slammed against the door. I couldn’t decide if it was better to close my eyes or keep them open.

“It’s like NASCAR but a hell of a lot harder. In street racing, the course changes all of the time. It’s on public roads and illegal as hell.” Mitch winked at me, his eyes off the road which made me panic even more.

“Um, maybe you should keep your eyes on the road,” I wheezed. I looked out the windshield seeing tons of cars lining the street and Mitch thankfully slowed down.

The road became clogged with cars and people walking that we slowed to a crawl and I was amazed that Mitch was able to go so slow and shift with ease to where I couldn’t even tell he was driving a five speed.