Page 31 of Barker

I grab my phone from my back pocket and dial Barker’s number. When he answers, I don’t even give him time to say anything. “My car is missing! Like it’s completely gone.”

“Annistyn, calm down. I had Gunner take your car,” he replies calmly.

His words stop my mind from running the marathon it was currently in. “What?” My tone goes from panic to deadly with a side of angry in a flash.

“Yeah, I figured since you’re going to be participating in my drag races, your car could use a makeover. I mean, nothing bad, I’m just having him update the red on it and add some black racing stripes.”

“Who said I was going to be racing with you?” I ask. I don’t do well with being told what to do. Barker and I may be together now but that doesn’t give him the right to tell me what to do. If he thinks this shit is going to fly with me he has another thing coming.

Barker sighs. “Annistyn, come on. We’re together now and you are one of the best racers I’ve ever seen. You should be racing and you know you want to, so why not just be excited over this?”

“Excited? You want me to be excited that you are telling me what to do? You know that’s not my style.” If he thinks this is my style then he doesn’t know me at all.

“I’m not telling you what to do, or at least I didn’t mean it that way. I just know you belong in those races and I wish you wouldn’t be so damn stubborn. I was trying to do something nice for you,” Barker says, frustration lacing his voice.

I scoff. “Well, what’s nice to you may not be nice to me. You don’t own me, so don’t expect to be able to tell me what to do,” I tell him before I disconnect the call and head for my bike so I can get to work on time. He might have meant well but you should never take someone’s vehicle without them knowing, especially with everything else going on right now. I’m not sure what he was thinking or if he was at all.

So, the gesture was nice, but I don’t like him doing things behind my back. I already have trust issues and the last thing I needed was him sending my car away without my knowing of it. The other thing that irritated me was the fact that he didn’t ask me if I wanted to be part of the races, he just told me I was going to be. I didn’t like being told what to do. We ended up having an argument and work had been miserable all night. Once we closed, we finally made up and things had been good since. Better than good actually, they’d been great.

Sadly, things being great made me nervous, because I was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. I still hadn’t told Barker about Jerick being my brother, or that Cam was my ex-boyfriend. I was worried about what it would cause between us, but at the same time, every day that I didn’t tell him I knew I was causing a bigger issue.

Tonight though, I couldn’t worry about it. Barker was taking me on our first official date, and I was so excited, I swear my body was humming its own tune at this point. I had no clue what we were doing, but he told me to dress comfortably, so I had decided to dress differently than what was considered my normal. I slipped on a red corset tank top with a pair of black denim skinny jeans and a pair of red Converses. Normally, Converse aren’t my thing, but since I don’t know what I am going to be doing, it seems like the best idea.

I’m pacing my room because my energy won’t let me sit down. There’s a knock on the door and I rush across the apartment and open the door. Barker is standing there looking better than ever before. His black t-shirt hugs his muscles perfectly; the light denim jeans rest low on his hips and end with his black combat boots. “Damn darlin’, you’re killing me,” he says, as he steps forward and pulls me into his chest and brings his mouth down on mine. The electricity that passes between us the moment our lips meet causes my head to spin. I can’t help the moan that escapes from my mouth. Barker pulls away suddenly and I pout. He reaches out and caresses my cheek. “Don’t do that. I had to stop us otherwise we’ll never make it to this date and I want to show this town who you belong to.”

I smirk and cross my arms over my chest. “Is that so?”

Barker steps forward and I inhale the familiar scent of his cologne and aftershave. “Darlin’ that’s a promise. I like people to know what’s mine, that way if they mess with it, they know what they have coming. You’re mine, darlin’. End of story.”

My breathing hitches at his words. I’ve never wanted to be someone’s so badly. I used to hate the idea actually. I wasn’t something to be owned. I was a human being and I did what I wanted, when I wanted, but right now, I want to be owned by Barker. I want to be his completely. “And if they mess with me?” I whisper the question between us.

“Then they mess with me.” Barker’s tone leaves no room for argument. He leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead. “Now, let’s get going.” I grab my jacket and take Barker’s hand as we head out of my apartment. He leads us downstairs to his Camaro. After he opens the passenger side door, I just stand there for a moment. The last time I’d seen this car, there was some oversexed blonde tramp getting out of it. I wasn’t so sure I wanted to be in it.

“You know, I’m not sure I want to ride in here.”

Barker chuckles. “Don’t worry, I had it detailed and sterilized. From now on, it’s just you and me, darlin’.”

The look in his dark eyes is sincere and I can’t fight the feeling that I have to pull him into me, so I don’t. I place my mouth on his. “I like when you call me darlin’.”

Barker smiles against my lips. “Well damn, if I had known it would get that reaction, I’d do it every damn time I speak to you.” I laugh and slide into the passenger seat. I watch as Barker walks around the car. I can’t help but notice his swagger when he moves. I call it swagger, because I’m not sure what else you are supposed to call it, but I know one thing… it’s hot. Once he starts the car,Metallicacomes over the speakers. He reaches over to turn it down and I grab his hand to stop him. “You like them?”

“Don’t look so shocked, Barker.”

“You never fail to shock me, darlin’,” he says with a wink. I roll my eyes and laugh; something tells me I might end up regretting my darlin’ confession. I sit back in the seat and let Barker take us on this date. When we pull in front of Go-Kart Lanes, I squeal with excitement.

“Are we seriously going go-karting?” I ask.

Barker chuckles. “Yeah, why else would I bring you here?”

I jump out of the car and jog around to meet him, wrapping my arms around his waist. “I love go-karts.”

“I can tell,” he says with a laugh before throwing his arm over my shoulders and leading us to the booth where you rent the cars. Barker rents our cars then turns and hands me a candy apple red helmet. “Here ya go, darlin’.”

I put the helmet on and we make our way to the go-karts. His is number four and royal blue. Mine is number six and candy apple red. Once we are situated, we pull up to the starting line. “Are you ready to go down again, Barker Tobin?”

A devilish smirk comes over his face. “I’m more than ready,” he replies, with that signature wink.

I roll my eyes and stare forward. He’s trying to distract me and I can’t let him do that. I’m going to win. This is just like the first night we met, only now Barker owns my heart and before he just frustrated it.

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