Jace's POV.
"Hey, it's Nina, sorry I couldn't make it to the phone right now, but I'd love to take a message."
I bite my lip out of anger, contemplating throwing my phone at the wall. Why the hell isn't she answering me? Not only does it make me beyond irritated, but also worried. It's a reminder of what we did last night and how she may be feeling about the events now.
I know she said that she doesn't regret anything, but maybe she changed her mind. I mean it would make sense. Every Sunday she goes to church, maybe she was feeling guilty.
"Mother fucker-"
"Whoa there." I close my eyes and take a deep breath. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"Nothing, Damon," I grit my teeth. I really don't want to talk about this shit, let alone with him. I can tell he likes her, whether it's a small crush or not I don't care it still pisses me off.
"Okay," he draws out, leaning against my car that's currently parked in the mechanic shop. I've been working on it since I dropped Nina off, finding relief in it until I could talk to her again. Seems that will not be happening. "I just think it may help to get it off your chest, you know?"
He's not wrong I'm sure. It would be nice to tell him - someone - but Nina and I didn't talk about who we'd tell about last night. I have no clue if she'd be comfortable with other people knowing and for now I'm not going to take that chance with her.
"Just these races coming up," I clear my throat and go back underneath the hood of my car. "You know how it usually goes with back to back."
He shrugs. "If they are working together, we'll knowing about it."
"How do you explain them both being rematches?" I scoff, standing straight and wiping my hands on a rag. "They want to win, they'll do anything."
"Don't worry about it, West," he pats my shoulder. "We'll take care of it. All you have to do is win and then give it to your girl good."
My shoulders slouch and he begins laughing; a hideous, donkey sounding laugh. It's disgusting.
I shove his shoulder. "How did you know about that?"
"Bro," he chuckles a few more times. "Everyone knows about you and her. Plus, if it wasn't already clear on Friday then-"
"Okay, shut up," I roll my eyes and he laughs again.
"Don't worry," he promises. "We won't tell anyone."
"Yeah, yeah," I shake my head and he leaves, laughing along the way.
I lean against the front of my car, looking out towards the street and sigh. I try to stay strong and not reach for my phone again, but I can't help it.
It amazes me how much this girl means to me, especially in the short amount of time I've known her. She is the only person I've ever known that can make me forget about everything and anything besides her. She distracts me from my struggles of everyday life, reminding me that I am only eighteen years old, not thirty.
Ever since I can remember I've lacked the proper love and attention from my parents. They threw themselves into their work, forgetting that they even had a child to care for at all. And I get it, I quickly realized after being told I was a mistake.
My parents were twenty-nine years old when they had me, already having been married for seven years. They had decided that having kids wasn't really in the books for them, so instead they built up and empire. They are workaholics and always have been from what I've heard. Regardless, when they were at the peak of their career, they found out they were having me. Abortion was an option, but my parents parents didn't tolerate that.
I was born when my mom was thirty and she was angry that it put a halt in her career. Taking parental lead clearly was not in her plans, and so she resented me for it.
I spent most of my early childhood in daycare or with my moms parents. And then when I was old enough; in school. I remember playing outside by myself, and then asking my dad if he wanted to play catch with the football and him turning me down.
I feel that hurt even now ten years later. After around fourteen years old I got into some bad shit. It started with upper class-men, going to parties with them and spending a lot of time outside of school with the group. Then it got into consecutive drinking and then various drugs.
I'd show up to school high, smoke between classes, and then when it ended I'd do it even more. Sometimes I'd even drink along with it. I mostly smoked weed, occasionally snorting cocaine but I got out of that one quick.
My parents had no clue what to do with me, so they just left it alone. I was left by myself for days and sometimes weeks by myself. I'd sleep around with anyone I pleased and would fight almost everyday with guys that talked shit. This is how I got into street racing actually.
Rocco, my "manager", the person that owns this shop found me one night, busted up and drunk outside the building and took me in. He saw I had a knack for cars and got me into the racing.
That helped me with my anger a lot more, though I know I have a very high temper.
Shaking my head, I tap Nina's name and let it ring, feeling my hope drip away that she will answer.
"Hello," a deeper voice answers, definitely not Nina.
"Uh," I clear my throat. "Hi, is Nina there?"
Now I'm just confused.
"Jace right?" He questions and I furrow my eyebrows. "It's Nina's dad."
The color drains from my face in panic.
"Where's Nina?" I ask, my voice becoming louder from my heightening emotions. "Is she okay? Is she hurt?"
"Nina is fine," he calmly states and I immediately relax. Holy shit I almost had a heart attack. If anything had happened to her - I don't even know what I'd do.
"Good," I run a hand through my hair and pace across the front of my car. Then I remember who I'm actually talking to. "Um, so why exactly are you answering Nina's phone?"
There's this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, one that screams disdain. I may have relaxed knowing she was alright, but now I have one more thing to worry about.
"Look, Jace," his voice is stern and hardly sympathetic. "You seem like a nice guy, really, you do, but..."
I swallow, trying not to become angry nor clouded by emotions otherwise. "But what?"
"...but I know guys like you," he continues, his tone making it very hard to stay calm. "I don't want that for my daughter."
Through gritted teeth, I answer, fully aware this is the girl I'm full involved with's dad. "Guys like me?"
It sounds like he takes in a deep breath. "All I'm trying to say, Jace, is that I don't appreciate my daughter sneaking off with you. I don't take to disrespect very well."
The words die in my throat. Now I'm starting to catch on.
"Before you came to town, my daughter didn't do things like this. She didn't do much besides what she was taught," he says and the vein in my neck pulses. "And now that's all changed. Why is that? Is it because of Eric and his unfaithfulness? Or is it because of you?"
"What are you trying to say?" I rasp, placing my hand on the open hood of my car and leaning my wait on that arm.
"I want you to stay away from my daughter, Jace," he cuts straight to the point.
I nearly lose it. I almost disregard the fact that he is the girl I love's dad, that he is her guardian and probably only wants what's best for her. If I wasn't so goddamn in love with his daughter this wouldn't be a problem - and yes I love her.
I'm not good with feelings, primarily because of my parents lack of them towards me, but I can't deny them. She's everything to me, more than that, it sucks that it's taking until now for me to realize this. His request is beyond my control at this point, I can't leave her and I won't until she orders me too.
Fuck.
"Mister Mathews," I croak, holding back every emotion. "You don't understand-"
"This is not a suggestion," he reiterates much more sternly. "I will not allow you to see my daughter anymore. That is all."
"Wait-" and he hangs up. Stunned, I look down at my phone before the rage pokes through. Chucking my phone against the wall, I slam the hood of my car down and run an angry hand through my hair.
Colten's POV.
I close my eyes, my finger still hovering over the end button as I let out a deep breath. I can't believe I just did that.
"Colten?" My sweet wife's voice filters through my foggy mind and I open my eyes. She's standing in front of me with worried eyes. "Are you okay?"
"I'm just trying to protect her," I mutter and she tilts her head to the side before looking down at the object in my hand.
"You called him?" She questions, not angry just astonished.
"I had to," I hiss, tossing the phone down on to the counter. "This isn't like her, Nikki."
"She's a teenager," she tries to defend, eyebrows furrowed.
"She's my daughter before that," I clarify. "I have the right to want to keep her safe."
"Yes, you do," she agrees and I walk towards the sink, running both my hands through my hair. "But don't you think you we should've discussed this first? I am her mother."
"Don't do that," I shake my head with a scoff.
"Do what?" She asks, confused.
"Don't try to make me look like the bad guy," I glower. "Like what I'm doing is everything wrong in the world when our daughter is sneaking off with this kid."
"I'm not trying to make you look like the bad guy," she tells me softly. "But you shouldn't be meddling in her relationship like this."
"Why?"
"Because our daughter is in love," she tells me and I nearly blow up.
"No, no," I pace a lap. "No, no that's not a thing."
"Why not?" Now she's getting angry. Great. "Nina is happy. Don't you care about that?"
"Of course I do!" I throw my hands in the air, my voice raising to extreme levels. "And that's why I'm doing this."
"You're making it worse," she crosses her arms.
"How?"
Why isn't she understanding that Nina is everything to me. She's so important to me that I won't let her get hurt by a guy that is just like I was. His persona says it all, cocky, arrogant as hell, and a complete player. Nina doesn't deserve that.
"Eric was cheating on her for years, Colt, years," she explains. "I'd expect her to have shut down completely but she didn't. I'm grateful for that. And because I am grateful for that and Jace is the most likely reason for this, I am appreciative of him."
"I thought we agreed that we'd protect her from all the shit we went through?" I narrow my eyes in anger and she rolls hers.
"We can't," she says. "It's not possible. Nina is her own person and she'll do what she feels is right."
"She's seventeen," I remind my wife.
She smiles and steps closer. "And I was fifteen when we got together, remember?"
"Are you insinuating Nina and Jace are behaving like we did?" I seethe, huffing like the gorilla I am.
"God, I hope not," she makes a face. "We were very reckless back then."
I roll my eyes. "Too late, Nikki, I already told him he's not allowed to speak to her anymore."
"You what?" That is not my wife's voice, and definitely not just my imagination.
Both Nikki and I turn towards the entry way of the kitchen, my seventeen year old daughter standing there with clenched fists.
Uh oh.
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Heyyy chica's!!!! Lovely update for you guys because you completely deserve it :) I hope you enjoy even though it's a little short
What do you think? How do you feel that Jace is worried about Nina not answering his call? Should Colten gave gotten involved? Jace loves Nina?! What is Nina going to say to Colten?
Don't be a silent reader!!
Enjoy. Love you all <3
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