Page 110 of Octane

So I am going to sit back, relax, and let my man take care of me like only he knows how to do. I don’t think I have a choice anyway. Ever since the doctor told him that it was safe for us to have sex, he’s been looking at me like the Taco Bell dog looks at a taco.

As he stalks toward me with a seductive look that tells me he’s going to lick, kiss, or suck on every inch of my body tonight, I melt into the leather sofa cushions. Since the moment we met, Jackson has had power over me. I didn’t realize it at first, but once he got under my skin, I was hooked. I don’t know what I did to deserve him, and if you ask him, he’ll say the same thing about me. But we belong to one another completely.

Nothing and no one in this world can change that.

EPILOGUE

Ten Months Later

JACKSON

“Sawyer, it’s starting!” I shout to her.

We got home from the track a little while ago. Still full of adrenaline, we couldn’t keep our hands off of one another. We got a little frisky once we were out of the shower, and we needed to clean off again after that. So we showered again, separately this time, that way we wouldn’t get distracted.

The first race of the season was today, and Sawyer is dying to watch the replay that we recorded on our DVR. She thinks she needs to watch it so she can get a better look at any improvements she needs to make.

I don’t know why, since she drove a damn good race today. Her best yet, but my angel is a perfectionist, and if this is what she wants, this is what we’ll do.

“I’m here. I was popping some popcorn,” she smiles at me.

She sits next to me and cuddles in close as the announcers come on the television.

“Hello, race fans. Mike Marshall and Jim Erwin with you today from sunny Southern California. We’re here at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana on opening day, and we’re looking forward to what is sure to be a big race.”

“That’s right, Jim. But before we get started, there’s something, or someone rather, that I think we need to talk about. This is a truly unbelievable story that happened during last season involving Sawyer Stone in the number 3 car from the Powell Racing Team.”

“What a journey she’s had, Mike. Met with criticism upon joining the league, she went on to drive a very rocky first race last season.”

“It was a little tough to watch, Jim.”

“But she came back with a vengeance in week two when she finished in fifteenth. I remember, at that time, saying that she’s on the list of up-and-coming talent to watch out for. But her season ended abruptly after a series of incidents occurred having to do with her ex-fiancé, I believe.”

“I remember that, Jim. It was like she fell off the face of the earth.”

“A no-show in Darlington after qualifying, she never did make it back to the track last season, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.”

“No, she was back at it and gearing up to race again when she was involved in a shooting right here at the Auto Club. Her ex-fiancé showed up as she was practicing and opened fire, striking her in the arm.”

“It was terrible. She was very lucky to have walked away that day. The bullet went straight through, and she didn’t require surgery.”

“Very, very lucky. No such luck for the shooter, though. He died when he and Powell Racing Owner, Jackson Powell, tussled on Pit Road, and the gun went off.”

“A truly remarkable show of bravery by both Jackson and Sawyer that day, Mike, that’s for sure.”

“I predict exciting things for Sawyer Stone and the Powell Racing team this year, Jim.”

I won’t forget the fear I felt that day for as long as I live. I’ve never been more scared than I was when I saw Daniel pointing a gun at her. I thought that was it. The love of my life was gone, taken from me and from this earth far too early. Before we’d had the chance to really get started.

But it was just another obstacle that we had to overcome. We got another chance, and I intend to make the most of our life together. I feel Sawyer tense up next to me, and I rub her back, soothingly.

“I didn’t realize they would be doing an exposé on my life today,” she huffs out bitterly.

“Well, at least everything they said about you was positive. That’s something at least.”

“I suppose,” she looks at me then rolls her eyes.

I laugh and kiss her on her forehead.

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