Page 22 of Secrets That Bind Us
We’re in the barn, and he’s kissing me senselessly, making my body come alive. Or he’s sneaking in through my bedroom window after he’s ‘gone home’ for the evening. He tells me he loves me for the first time before a storm blows through while we’re walking through the sunflower fields, and we have to hide out in the unused shed. I return it. And he seals it with a kiss that brands my very soul.
I know it then – I’m Dean Carson’s girl. Forever.
The next day, he gives me a sunflower necklace he got from a gumball machine, promising he’ll buy me a gold one when he can afford it. I never take it off.
I’m his date to Homecoming, where he and Tiffany are crowned Duke and Duchess since we’re only sophomores. It’s pretentious, and I try my very best not to get jealous when the ‘royal court’ has their first dance and he has to dance with her. I watch from the sidelines as she whispers to him, but his eyes stay on me the whole time. And when the dance is over, he gives her a kiss on the cheek. I watch as he whispers ‘goodbye,’ in her ear. Tiffany’s slim shoulders slump, and Dean comes back to me.
Every day together, we grow closer, learn more about each other- and our bodies.
On Halloween morning, he asks me to come to a ‘thing.’ When I ask what it is, he gives me a shrug and says I’ll find out soon enough.
Standing in front of my full-length mirror in my angel costume and denim jacket I got from the thrift shop… I have areallybad feeling about this.
Chapter Twelve
Dean
Age Seventeen
There’s an old section of Adelaide by the railroad tracks on the outskirts of town, close to the county line, that’s been sectioned off after there was a fire in the ‘80s. They built around the old ruins, making the narrow two-lane road lead around it. There are parts of an entire three winding andunlitmiles’ worth of weathered asphalt starting between two fields, up a hill, and curving back down. It’s three whole miles of forgotten road all available… forracing.
Cars, bikes, street bikes – whatever.
If it has two wheels or more, I can drive it, and I canwin.
The races on Halloween pay the most because they taper down during the holidays and start back up in the spring. It’s a way to make anywhere from two hundred to fifty grand, ‘cause it’s not just Adelaide residents - it’severyracer fromeverytown between here and Waco. It’s a day full of gambling, drinking, dancing, and fucking. I love it.
I’ve worked my ass off for this race. Souped up my Kawasaki ZX-12R over the last six months. She handles like a fucking dream, topping at one hundred and ninety miles an hour. I’ve gone through this entire strip of asphalt over and over again, learning every curve, every pothole, every hill over the past year - testing mineandmy bike’s limits. Is it cheating? Probably. Is it illegal? Definitely. But like I said - I fucking love it. The thrill. The smoke and fumes. The applause. The high of winning.
Everyone other than the racers are dressed up in costumes. The music is loud and thumping, alcohol pouring, enough weed to make it a bit stinky around some parts, a few bonfires going for tonight, and there’s already people on the outskirts as lookouts for cops. In other words– the moon is high, the weather is chilly, and the ambiance isperfect. All I’mmissing is my girl by my side and the money for the prize. I spy Zoey’s Jeep, making its way through the entry bonfires, kicking the dust up in its wake.
I zip up my red and black racing jacket, keeping my sights on the girl in the passenger seat as I glide toward them, helmet in hand. I help Verity down with my free one and kiss her. When I pull away, my dick strains in my racing pants. She’s dressed as an angel in a denim jacket, halo glittering under the full moon- andfuck, she’s heart-stopping.
“What is this place?” She asks, glancing around, taking it all in.
“This?” I ask, holding my arms out, “Is Devil's Night. Every racer from here to Waco is here tonight.” I grin as tires squeal behind me, the scent of burnt rubber and a crowd going crazy is loud.It makes my blood thrum in my veins.
It’s like she’s finally realizing exactly where she is. Her eyes go wide and she shakes her head. “I can’t be here. I should go.”
What? “What?”
“This is really dangerous. I thought this was a myth. People die here.”
“Nobody’s died here since the ‘90’s.” I scoff, losing my smile. This doesn’t feel right. “I thought you’d like this. A new experience.”
Her eyes narrow and it’s the first time she’s ever looked pissed at me. She blinks rapidly, pushing her frames up her nose. “Your mom doesn’t really give you an allowance, does she?”
No, she doesn’t. All her money goes to her ‘extracurriculars,’ and the child support she does pay ain’t shit because she can’t keep a fuckin’ job.
I’m finally all too aware of Zoey and Evan watching our exchange when the sound of an alarm goes off three times, signaling for the racers to get in line for the next race. “Let’s talk about that later. Can you… the race is about to start. Just watch one with me. You’ll see it’s not dangerous.”
I pull her reluctant hand with mine, and weave through the crowd, so she gets a good view of me winning. Because what I didn’t say was that it wasmy turnto race. “Dean, I really don’t want to be here.”
I don’t know why I say what I say – maybe it’s the displeasure in her voice, or the fact it feels like she’s judgingmefor doing something I love. Something I'm actually good at - illegal or not. But I spit it out like a man on a mission. “That’s why people don’t fucking like you, Verity. You think you’re so high and fucking mighty, Little Miss So-Fucking-Perfect all the goddamn time when you and your mama prance around town with bruises. I mean just look at your costume. A fucking prude through and through.” She flinches, and I want to stop, but my mouth keeps fucking going. “I’ll take you home after I finish this fucking race and get my money. Stay right there and look fucking pretty while you do it,Angel.” I seethe.
I see the second I break her heart. The moment I know I’m going to have to grovel for forgiveness.
“Dean, please don’t do this!”
