Read Online Racing for Freedom by Bec Botefuhr - Free Book Online Page A

father.
    “I’m sorry Mr. Jewel, I was just seeing if Dash was ok.”
    “You have no right to be here,” my father spits.
    “No, I don’t, you’re right. I’m sorry.”
    “You stay away from my daughter, Slade Devaroe. She’s too good for you, she always has been. I don’t want you anywhere near her, EVER again!”
    Slade nods, his face is blank. He’s showing no emotion. “You’re right about that too, she is too good for me.”
    Slade’s eyes meet mine and then he disappears into the fog without another word. My father glares down at me, and I don’t know what I can say.
    “He was just seeing if I was ok, dad.” 
    “He has no right, to ever come near this grave, the fuc...”
    My eyes widen at my father’s outburst. I know as children, Slade and I were competitors and our fathers didn’t like us caring about each other, but this reaction, this is strange.
    “Dad, I know you don’t like Slade but…”
    “I despise Slade, it goes far beyond dislike and if I ever see you near him again…”
    “What?” I snarl. “What are you going to do? He’s my competitor and I’m a grown woman. You don’t get a say so in my life dad, sorry, but this conversation is finished.”
    I turn to walk off, but stop and turn back. “He was here when no one else was, at least he thought to come down and support me today.”
    My father’s face curls in anger and he spits the next words at me. “I came out…I thought I would see her and I find this…you have put her name to shame by bringing that boy here.”
    I gape, and hot tears stumble down my cheek. “Don’t you dare tell me about shame, you haven’t left the house since she died. You haven’t done anything for yourself. She worked every day to create a home for us and all you’re doing is running it to the ground, along with her name. So don’t you dare tell me about shame, dad.”
    I turn and storm into the mist. I hear my father’s pained cry, but I don’t stop. I get to my car and fumble with the key. When I get inside, I hiccup and tears stream down my cheeks so heavily that I can’t see. I have to pull myself together and get out of here. I start the car, swiping the tears away. I pull the car out, speeding off down the road. Pain grips my heart along with a great confusion. Why is my father so angry at Slade?
    I drive for as long as it takes to process my thoughts. Guilt swarms me, it’s an automatic reaction. When someone you love is in the position my father is in, you’re very careful about how you treat them, how you speak to them. You tiptoe around them, in fear they’ll break. You don’t say the words you want to say, because you don’t want to be the one that causes them to end everything. I’ve lived like that for so long, but today had to happen. It just had to happen.
    When I arrive back at my unit, Lucas rushes out right away, pulling me into his arms. I’m not really sure how he knew I’d need this, but I don’t care. I fall into him, desperate for comfort. He leads me inside and pulls me down onto the couch, where he holds me while I silently tremble. I don’t cry though, no, I’ve cried enough. Eventually my body begins to calm down and my eyelids droop. Lucas is warm against me and his breathing is deep and even. It calms me and soon I’m asleep, finally drifting to a world where nothing hurts.

Chapter Sixteen
     
    I wake during the late afternoon. I shift and move, my body is sore from lying on the couch for hours. I look around and realize Lucas is gone. I guess he had to go to work. I get off the couch with a groan and walk into the kitchen, my stomach grumbles angrily at me. I pull out some bread, ham and cheese. I make myself a sandwich and shuffle about, until I find my phone, then I text Lucas and thank him, before settling back onto the couch. I don’t want to go anywhere tonight, I just don’t.
    I’m thankful I don’t have to work. I work three days and three nights at a local restaurant and it’s fairly