a best friend who’d said not more than two words to me since we arrived and a drunk brother.
Later that night after loading up the car, we didn’t leave right away. Instead, we stood around talking to Ryder and his team along with a few other regulars on the Northern Sprint Tour and USAC Divisions. I’d become friends with a few like Justin, Ryder, Hunter Briggs and Conner Sheets.
Sway was around but I hadn’t seen her in about an hour when I noticed her sitting on the back of my tailgate staring at her feet as she dangled them over the edge.
I excused myself and sat down next her. “You okay?”
“Not really.” She sniffed rubbing the sleeve of her navy blue sweatshirt across her wet cheeks. “But I’ll be fine.” She choked out.
“Sway, what’s going on with you?” I asked softly as I leaned into her shoulder and then eventually wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her against me.
Melting into my embrace, she was about to answer when a crowd off in the distance of the pits caught our attention.
Dylan frequently traveled around with the Northern Sprint Tour as his cousin, Nick Grady, raced on it as well.
There Dylan stood with his arms around some girl I’d never seen before, kissing her.
Sway sighed and looked down at her feet.
“Should have known,” She muttered hanging her head. I noticed scratches and a bruise along the side of her neck.
“Is that what this is about? Dylan?” I asked, my voice rising with each word. “Did he do that to your neck?”
My jaw clenched as adrenaline began pumping.
“Jameson,” her voice held warning I didn’t appreciate at the time. “ leave it alone.”
“I won’t leave it alone!” I shouted causing a few crewmembers of Ryder’s to turn and look over at us. “Something is up and for someone who swore to never lie to me, it’s pretty fucking evident you’re lying right now.”
Anger flushed over her features instantly. “You need to mind your own fucking business!” she pushed against my chest. “Just because you’re my best friend doesn’t mean you get to know everything I do or who.”
That right there confirmed my theory. She’d slept with him.
I sighed and hung my head, my gut knotted, as I avoiding her questioning gaze at my reaction.
“Why him?” My voice was soft and surprisingly calm.
“Why not?” she asked. “It’s not like anyone else had showed any interest.”
I was also to blame for this. Most men that knew Sway; also knew me and knew we were together more than apart. They steered clear of her, scared that I’d kick the shit out of them or better yet my beast of a brother would. She had no chance of meeting someone who would always be there for her if I didn’t back away.
We didn’t speak of Dylan again, mostly because I didn’t want details. It was bad enough that I knew she was no longer a virgin and she gave it away to a guy like Dylan Grady. He wasn’t gentle with her; that was apparent by the marks on her neck. Sway deserved her first time to be all that romantic shit that girls wanted and it wasn’t.
When Spencer came to find us to leave, Sway was plastered.
Tommy had rounded up a case of beer while Sway sang Total Eclipse of the Heart at the top of her lungs four times.
When she began the fifth time, I removed her beer and politely told her she sounded similar to a dying cat and needed to get some sleep.
“I don’t sound good?” she questioned, her eyes drooping.
“No honey, you sound horrible and need to get some sleep.” I told her carrying her to my truck.
Sway spent the remainder of the night with her head in my lap, crying, while I drove the truck home.
I had no idea what to say to comfort her so I was simply there and never let my hand leave her back, hoping I was providing what she needed. I held her tightly. I wanted to lock my arms around her and never let go, never let her be exposed to any kind of hurt like this. She clung to me, her entire body shaking with her sobs.
I
Later that night after loading up the car, we didn’t leave right away. Instead, we stood around talking to Ryder and his team along with a few other regulars on the Northern Sprint Tour and USAC Divisions. I’d become friends with a few like Justin, Ryder, Hunter Briggs and Conner Sheets.
Sway was around but I hadn’t seen her in about an hour when I noticed her sitting on the back of my tailgate staring at her feet as she dangled them over the edge.
I excused myself and sat down next her. “You okay?”
“Not really.” She sniffed rubbing the sleeve of her navy blue sweatshirt across her wet cheeks. “But I’ll be fine.” She choked out.
“Sway, what’s going on with you?” I asked softly as I leaned into her shoulder and then eventually wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her against me.
Melting into my embrace, she was about to answer when a crowd off in the distance of the pits caught our attention.
Dylan frequently traveled around with the Northern Sprint Tour as his cousin, Nick Grady, raced on it as well.
There Dylan stood with his arms around some girl I’d never seen before, kissing her.
Sway sighed and looked down at her feet.
“Should have known,” She muttered hanging her head. I noticed scratches and a bruise along the side of her neck.
“Is that what this is about? Dylan?” I asked, my voice rising with each word. “Did he do that to your neck?”
My jaw clenched as adrenaline began pumping.
“Jameson,” her voice held warning I didn’t appreciate at the time. “ leave it alone.”
“I won’t leave it alone!” I shouted causing a few crewmembers of Ryder’s to turn and look over at us. “Something is up and for someone who swore to never lie to me, it’s pretty fucking evident you’re lying right now.”
Anger flushed over her features instantly. “You need to mind your own fucking business!” she pushed against my chest. “Just because you’re my best friend doesn’t mean you get to know everything I do or who.”
That right there confirmed my theory. She’d slept with him.
I sighed and hung my head, my gut knotted, as I avoiding her questioning gaze at my reaction.
“Why him?” My voice was soft and surprisingly calm.
“Why not?” she asked. “It’s not like anyone else had showed any interest.”
I was also to blame for this. Most men that knew Sway; also knew me and knew we were together more than apart. They steered clear of her, scared that I’d kick the shit out of them or better yet my beast of a brother would. She had no chance of meeting someone who would always be there for her if I didn’t back away.
We didn’t speak of Dylan again, mostly because I didn’t want details. It was bad enough that I knew she was no longer a virgin and she gave it away to a guy like Dylan Grady. He wasn’t gentle with her; that was apparent by the marks on her neck. Sway deserved her first time to be all that romantic shit that girls wanted and it wasn’t.
When Spencer came to find us to leave, Sway was plastered.
Tommy had rounded up a case of beer while Sway sang Total Eclipse of the Heart at the top of her lungs four times.
When she began the fifth time, I removed her beer and politely told her she sounded similar to a dying cat and needed to get some sleep.
“I don’t sound good?” she questioned, her eyes drooping.
“No honey, you sound horrible and need to get some sleep.” I told her carrying her to my truck.
Sway spent the remainder of the night with her head in my lap, crying, while I drove the truck home.
I had no idea what to say to comfort her so I was simply there and never let my hand leave her back, hoping I was providing what she needed. I held her tightly. I wanted to lock my arms around her and never let go, never let her be exposed to any kind of hurt like this. She clung to me, her entire body shaking with her sobs.
I
Similar Books
