Caleb struggled, scratching at Jordan’s driving glove.
“I want you to beg me to let go.” Jordan squeezed tighter and lifted, bringing Caleb up off the ground by his throat. The blond, put-together young man that had hurt me so badly, twisted frantically in the air. His legs lashed out and sometimes connected against Jordan’s, but he didn’t seem to care. “I can’t hear you!”
Caleb mumbled something, his eyes bulging, and without warning, Jordan dropped Caleb. He hit the ground gasping. The roar of the Malibu’s engine as Vic and Aiden loaded it up drowned out whatever Jordan said as he knelt on the ground beside Caleb’s sniveling form. Eric Marshall’s crew had loaded up and with the show over, most of ours headed out as well.
Nobody wanted to stick around too long, Jordan was right about the illegal part of these proceedings.
Only Aiden and Hunter remained behind, watching intently.
Jordan unfolded and gestured me over. Vic had long since let me go, but I’d stayed put, frozen in the moment.
“Look at him.” Jordan’s voice was violent and quiet in a way I’d never heard before.
Gooseflesh crawled across my skin, but I did as I was told. On the concrete at my feet, the terror of my nightmares was a heap of mewling, snot-faced man sprawled across that yellow line that had kept him safe not long ago.
The sneer was wiped from his face, as was the classic arrogance born of privilege. The predatory violence, completely erased. I saw him for what he was, and I wasn’t afraid.
“Facing down my demons was the hardest thing I ever did.” Jordan spoke against my ear, words meant only for me. “You’re stronger than I’ll ever be.”
“He’s all yours, boys.” Jordan wrapped an arm around my shoulders and guided us in the direction of his trailer.
Jordan did what I never thought he could do, he walked away from Caleb for me. Jordan could have beaten Caleb to within in an inch of his life. Instead, Jordan walked away with his arm slung around my shoulders.
Whatever he said to Caleb, paired with the throttling, had appeased the anger inside Jordan.
Fear released its grip on my heart, I still had the most important part of my life with me. We didn’t stick around to watch what happened next. I didn’t want to and Jordan didn’t need to. We left everything on that quiet street in the middle of the night.
I had to admit a certain level of relief when I didn’t see Caleb’s face on the news over the course of the next few days. After the fear of retaliation disappeared, the dreams stopped coming, and as time went on I stopped thinking about him at all.
Fall gave way to the crisp air of winter.
Begrudgingly the cars were put up for the season.
We all itched for that first warm night. When it came, we’d be out there on a desolate strip of concrete, with the smell of melted rubber and exhaust, and the taste of adrenaline burning our tongues.
Jordan had slayed my demons. And in a way, I guess I’d slayed his too. The shadow in his gaze no longer lingered, the darkness no longer haunted his face. Now when he raced, it wasn’t as if the hounds of hell were after him.
Now it was a race to the finish line…where I’d be waiting.