Page 21 of Breaking the Limits

I’m slightly shocked to see Pierce sitting in the parking lot when I pull in. As I get out so does he. “Hey man! Haven’t seen you in a while,” I tell him, as I unlock the doors to the shop.

“Yeah, I know, I’m sorry I’ve been super busy with work and Rocky. I thought maybe we could catch up.”

“Sure, I don’t have an appointment for another hour,” I tell him, as I flip the switch to turn on the lights.

He nods, “Good. Oh, I brought you one of those Root Beer floats from Becky’s that you like so much.”

I chuckle, “Thanks man! I haven’t had one of these in forever.”

“I figured. So, how’s life?” Pierce asks.

When I turn around I note how hard he’s studying me and something about that makes me concerned. “Pretty good. I mean there’s a lot of adjusting going on since dad passed but the family shop, JamesTown and Inkredible are all doing pretty well. Jagger is supposed to be moving back today.”

“Yeah?” I nod to answer his question, “How’s things with Kynlee?”

I look up at him while setting up for the appointment. “Great. She had two auditions yesterday. She seemed a little down about the idea of not getting the one but the other one she felt pretty good about.”

“Oh yeah, what kind of auditions?”

I shrug slightly. “One for some new lingerie company and the other for a music video.” I hear Pierce sigh heavily and when I look up I notice him rubbing his hand over his face, “Pierce what’s going on?”

“Just keep in mind that I might be wrong. Yesterday, Rocky got a call from Enzo asking who Kynlee’s agent was. Apparently, Royal Eternity are getting ready to shoot the video for their first single and from my understanding he wanted to request Kynlee.”

The blood was pounding in my ears. This couldn’t be right. Kynlee would have told me that. I had asked her if I knew the band and she had said no. Kynlee had lied to me and we didn’t lie to one another.

Chapter 15

Ace

Pierce left shortly before my appointment arrived. Barker was a biker guy who wanted to get work done on his back piece. It was massive and time consuming but I was relieved to have something else to focus on besides Kynlee. Throwing myself into my work was the best way to do that. However, after four hours I was irritable and tired which only made my mood with Kynlee darken further. Once Barker was out the door I shut the shop down for the day.

As I drive back to my apartment I realize I’m still not ready to deal with Kynlee. I don’t want to say something I’ll regret or make the situation worse, so instead of going home, I go for a long drive and sit in the sand on the beach for a while. Things that Connor had said are weighing on my mind a lot lately. What if he was right and Kynlee needed more? What if she needed me to tell her how I felt? What if she needed the label?

The label isn’t so hard for me. Kynlee was my girlfriend, end of story but telling her how I felt was another story. How was I supposed to tell her when I couldn’t even say it to myself? Checking the time on my watch I see that Kynlee would be at work by now. Jagger was probably already in town too but I decide to go home and take a quick nap before pedal to the metal tonight.

I’m asleep by the time my head hits the pillow between the four-hour tattoo and my emotional roller coaster concerning Kynlee, I’m drained. I wake up feeling slightly less tired but more than a little pissed off. The more I think about it the angrier I get about Kynlee lying to me. I don’t know why she did it and that is one of the biggest problems. Why lie about Royal Eternity and Enzo unless she has something to hide?

She’ll be home within the next hour and I still wasn’t sure what to say or do. After taking a rushed shower I dress quickly and head out the door before Kynlee manages to get home. I meet up with Jaxx and Pierce at JamesTown before heading over to the races. Jagger had texted me that he’d see me tonight so at least that was something to look forward to. I was also looking forward to racing. Right now, I could really use that release of adrenaline. I needed something to take all of my focus off Kynlee. Racing has always been an outlet for me, a way to escape reality when it got to be too much. Right now, it was all too much.

Aside from Axell, I had been the first one to really get into trouble. I had started rebelling at a young age and soon found myself racing long before I even had a license to do so. Something about racing calmed my mind and soul. The best way I could describe it was to say that in my day to day life I felt like I was drowning, but the moment I got behind the wheel and revved the engine it was like breaking through the surface and taking that first big gulp of much needed air. After my first race I had been hooked. As if the possibility of the money you could win wasn’t enough to make you risk your life I finally began to feel like I had found my escape.

For me racing was like a drug. It was completely addictive. I couldn’t go too long without it. I started to get antsy and frustrated if I did. I guess that’s why every week I raced. People thought I did it for the attention or the reputation but in the end, it was neither. It was that feeling that settled over me that calm before the storm so to speak.

The only other thing I had ever found addictive in life had been girls, but Kynlee had come along and changed that. No other girl could compare to her. It was like she had walked into my life and completely ruined every other girl for me. None of them could hold my attention the way she could, none of themgave me bullshit back the way I dished it out aside from Kynlee, none of them had ever even made me consider something more in life. No other girl had stayed the night with me, no other girl had seen me at my worst, and no other girl had chased my nightmares away. Hell, no one else had ever fought for me or believed in me the way Kynlee does.

I think that’s why the lie pissed me off so bad and I think I’m hurt more than pissed off. I have put all my faith in her, all my trust, everything that I possibly could and it was almost like she was throwing it back in my face. I know that I couldn’t avoid her forever, but I just don’t know how to handle any of this.

When I pull up to the races without Kynlee the uneasiness floods over me. It feels so wrong to arrive without her. I haven’t arrived at a race without Kynlee since the Tara fiasco. I spot Axell, Sadie, and Bowie as I get out of the car. I make my way over to them. Bowie wraps and arm around my neck trying to hold me in a head lock, “Jagger’s back.”

“Yeah, he texted me. Is he here yet?” I ask.

“Not yet but he will be I’m sure,” Sadie says. “Where’s Kynlee?”

I’m not sure what to say so I just shrug. Stepping away I go back to my car thinking that I should go check my cell phone. I’m sure that Kynlee has tried to get in touch with me, but instead I rummage through my glove compartment. I find the pack of cigarettes I have stashed in there. I used to smoke but then I quit after watching dad suffer. Now I just dig one out every now and then when I feel unsettled. Normally, that was right before a really intense tattoo session, but tonight I need one. As I inhale the smoke I feel my nerves go numb. Jovi comes up beside me and grabs one out of the pack. I’m about to protest but technically I’m still just his brother, Axell and Sadie have taken over the role of his parents so they can tell the kid no.

I notice Jagger the minute he gets out of the car. He has that look on his face, the one he gets when he’s about to lecture you. He walks straight up and yanks the cigarette from Jovi’s mouth telling him, “I don’t think so.”

I hold back a chuckle because I remember being in his shoes. Apparently, no one told Jovi about Jagger coming back because his eyes go wide and with a tone full of surprise he asks, “Jagger?”

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