We hopped into Maddox's car and headed towards Red's Garage. Red is one of my friends from the street races, he looks out for me and makes sure that I don't get hassled and watches out for any signs of my brothers. He's like family, he's actually the one that got me to go to my first street race. I had a great first race, of course I don't race but it's just the adrenaline of the race, then driving away from the cops when they find out about the races. Red's garage has two levels to it, the first level is an actually garage, where his men and him fix cars for profit where as the second level is totally private. Only certain people can go down, that's where he keeps all his street racing equipment from body kits to wings and rear spoilers.
The drive from the coffee shop to the garage is about a thirty minute ride, and boy was it a long thirty minutes. After my revelation and breakdown at Topped Off everyone was super quiet. Ashley was sitting next me in the backseat, contemplate everything I said. While in high school together Alec had told me that he was thinking of changing his player ways so he could ask Ashley out and be the guy that she needs. Ironically he said this the day before the car accident, I never knew if he had told Ashley about how he felt. I truly don't know if I should tell her. After the accident Alec didn't bother talking to anybody, I knew Alec wouldn't tell her because he didn't want her to lose any of her friends by being associated with him, whether is be dating him or just being friends with him.
None of them had asked what happened to Alec after the accident. That might have been a good thing with the way Maddox was looking. He looked ready to kill someone and I have no idea who that be either my brothers, Jessica, or Alec. Feeling eyes on me I looked up and saw Maddox staring at me in the rear view mirror. I gave him the best smile I could right now. Thoughts in my mind going in many different directions but when I looked at Maddox all those moving thoughts stilled. This thing between us happened so fast, I mean we only met last night but it feels like we met a long time ago. I don't know why we have this connection, I don't know if this connection is good or bad, if it will be for the long haul or just a short time. I doubt either of us care at this moment whatever fate had in store for us we could take it as long as we stuck together and I get the feeling with Maddox I'm going to stuck with him. And for some reason I don't mind one fucking bit.
Pulling myself out of my thoughts when the car was coming to a stop and saw that we were at the garage. And it was packed. I guess Red has some new toys coming in today and everybody wanted a piece. Doesn't surprise me at all. Stepping out of the car I was instantly spotted.
"Little Raven!" Was the name I heard someone shouting. Turning around I saw it was Grease and he was actually grease free. I guess he hadn't started working on car or helping the racers get the new toys into the cars. Grease ran straight towards me and didn't stop till he had me in his arms and was hugging me swinging back and forth. Finally he put me down and I could feel Maddox right behind me before he placed his arms around my waist. Grease looked back and forth between us and smiled. When Grease smiled it wasn't a good thing it was more a mischievous thing.
And before I could shut him up, he shouted, "Red. Little Raven is here."
That was enough to get all eyes on us. Grease pulled me from Maddox and swung me onto his back. Grease was six five and had the body built like a football player but he was just a big lovable guy when you got to know him but when someone he cared about was hurt that was it. The lovable guy left and the protector came out. While I was on his back I looked at the others, Maddox looked pissed but I didn't have time to calm him down before I was seated onto the counter top where Red was doing the final purchases. Red looked at me then down to the register then back to me, almost lunging at me but stopped when he looked at me face. Red always knew when something was up with me and today he knew something was wrong.
Suddenly a cough sounded. It was Maddox. Red was glaring at Maddox and Maddox was glaring at Red. All the noise in the shop stopped, everybody was quiet waiting to see what would happen. Five minutes passed since we got here and yes I knew the exact time they were staring at each other because Grease was timing them. This was starting to turn into a pissing contest but quite frankly it was starting to piss me off. Rolling my eyes and jumping off the counter I walked through the crowd, they easily parted for me but kept their eyes on Red and Maddox not wanting to miss anything. Heading into the garage part I went straight towards Jokers' toolbox, pulled the drawers out until I found exactly what I was looking for.
Walking back out and back to my spot, nobody was paying me any attention and that was starting to come in handy for what she was about to do. Grease was to in grossed in the timer to noticed that I had placed something in my ears. I moved my hand a placed it onto the button. A large horn sounded throughout the entire building and now all eyes turned towards me. Red was looking at me with wide eyes before saying, "Little Raven where the hell did you get a air horn?"
"Joker." Was all I said before turning to look at Maddox, "now are you and Red done with your pissing contest because quite frankly it's starting to become a bore."
Maddox just shook his head yes. Ah back to the hardly talking bullshit. I will get him to talk if it's the last thing I fucking do. Turing my attention to Red I shook my head. "Red I came here because I wanted to introduce them to you but if you're too busy trying to start a pissing contest with every guy that looks my way then I guess I should leave and never come back."
When I said that last part everyone in the shop started yelling at Red. No one wanted me to leave. They all loved me. And I had said friends because I was friends with Ashley, Austin and Justin but with Maddox I have no idea what we are, so I just stuck to saying friends. I don't think Maddox liked that because he was staring at me. Hard. I knew that there was going to be a talk. When I started walking towards the door it was blocked. They weren't allowing me to leave. But their eyes wasn't trained on me they were trained on Red.
Red hopped over the counter and was walking right towards me. When he got to me he pulled me into his arms and hugged me tight. Pulling away from me Red looked into my eyes and then back towards Maddox. I don't know what he saw but he stuck out his hand for Maddox to shake. Maddox looked at me then looked at Red and his outstretched hand, before grabbing it and shaking his hand. All around the shop you could hear 'Yeah's' and 'Finally's.' Everybody was cheering, I guess it's because I wasn't going anywhere. And I really wasn't but I knew that would snap Red out of his head and it did.
One of the racers came up to us. One of the best. He was the first racer I went up against. He won but an inch, I was on his tail that whole race. Trying to get past him but the bastard wouldn't let me so I decided to be as close to his car as possible during the race. His name is Jesse, blonde hair blue eyes, he has the surfer boy personality and looks. In the water by day and at races by night, he has an adorable three year old sister. He took over custody of his sister when their bastard parents almost sold her for drugs, he doesn't really talk about what happened to his parents after they moved here and I don't ask. Jesse became like another big brother, acts a little better than my own brothers.
"Who is he?" Austin asked me.
"This is Jesse. I had my first race against him. Bastard wouldn't let me pass him at all." I told him.
Jesse just laughed and brought me in for a hug. "I wasn't going to let you win easily, besides you were on my ass for the entire race. Missed you last night."
"Sorry I forgot. Jessica took me to a club where I met my new friends." I said to him.
It's alright honey. Besides there was a new racer last night. Don't know how he knew the location though nobody knew him." Jesse said to me. "So who are these new people?"
I turned around and made some introductions, "The guy behind me is Maddox, on his right is Justin. On my left is his brother Austin and this beautiful lady beside him is Ashley we went to high school together."
"Well it's nice to meet all Little Raven's new friends. I've got what I came for and seeing Brielle is the start of a great day. Bye now, oh a Brie you should come by the house Selene misses ya." Jesse said before walking out the door.
Grease was heading towards the garage to start working on the cars in there since the rush was slowing down. No sooner did the door open and in comes Joker. Joker's name is actually Bruce but he's the prankster of this garage and doesn't hesitate to let new employees know. And he hates working when he knows there will be a rush. Like today. As soon as he saw me he came over quickly. I gave him a hug then handed back his air horn. He raised his eyebrows at me.
"What? Red was having a pissing contest with my new friends and I was starting to get pissed off. So I borrowed your air horn. You never mind when I use your prank stuff." I told him giving him on of my best smiles.
Joker just started laughing and soon fell on the floor and on his ass which got everybody laughing. Joker stopped laughing when Braelyn came over and smacked him upside the head. "Get your ass off the floor and get to work."
Joker glared at Braelyn while rubbing the back of his head. Braelyn just rolled her eyes and gave me a hug. "Ellie such a pleasure to see you sweetheart. I take it the gentleman behind you is the one my brother was having a pissing contest with?"
"Yeah Braelyn this is Maddox." I introduced them.
"Nice to meet you darling. You hurt our girl and it doesn't matter if you're a street fighter I'll run your ass over with my car, got it?" Braelyn threatened.
I rolled my eyes and Maddox just nodded and placed his hands around my waist. "Braelyn here was the one who taught me how to race when I first came to Red's. She figured I needed something to get the tension and stress about my brothers out of my system. She was right." I explained to them.
Braelyn just waved me off. "She's really good. She was about to go pro when an accident sidelined her. Now she co-owns the garage with Red and helps beginner racers out. She's got a great eye when it comes to who can race well and not."
All three of them looked impressed at all she did. We were having a great time at the shop, Red was getting to know them and what they did but it all came to an end when four pissed off people entered the shop glaring at everyone until their eyes landed on me.