High-Sided: An Armed & Dangerous Novel Read online

  Richard clenched his teeth. “Yes, unfortunately. There are a lot of people who know.”

  “How were you able to keep it from Kassidy all this time?”

  A sad smile spread across his face. “She was too involved with you to pay attention. You saved my ass numerous times, Logan. Only now, she’s angry with me. She knows I’m keeping secrets. I can’t lie to her much longer.”

  I leaned against his truck. “No, you can’t. I don’t plan on it either.”

  His eyes went wide. “What are you saying?”

  It wasn’t like telling her the truth was going to make a difference, but it’d clear my conscience. “I’m saying, I want to be honest with her. I thought after all these years things would get easier, but they’ve only become more fucked up. Seeing her today only proved it. She needs to know why I made her leave.”

  “What are you hoping to gain by that?”

  I shrugged. “Honestly, not a damn thing. It would be nice to get her forgiveness though.”

  He patted my shoulder, his gaze sad. “Good luck with that, son. If I could go back and change your decision, I’d do it in a heartbeat. It messed her up pretty bad. She’s dated off and on, but nothing ever stuck.”

  Pain blossomed in my chest. “All I can do is try.” I never took the time to date anyone else. A simple fuck here and there sufficed.

  “You can always ride by her house,” he suggested.

  Incredulously, I chuckled. “I don’t want a door slammed in my face. Besides, today was hard on her. She needs to mourn, not deal with me. It’s probably best I start on your case and get prepared for next week.”

  “Who are you going to begin with?”

  “The other gamblers. It won’t take long to track them down. Besides, I don’t have a feeling they’re the ones we’re after. However, I won’t know until I investigate who they are.”

  Opening his truck door, he slid in. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

  I shut his door and rested my elbows inside his window. “Now that you mention it, there is something you need to do.”

  “What?” he asked, brows furrowed.

  “Hire Ethan back.”

  His gaze saddened. “He won’t talk to me. With everything that’s happened between the two of us, I should’ve trusted him. If he was going to steal from me, he wouldn’t have left it in plain sight. At the funeral, he passed by me as if I didn’t exist.”

  “After tryouts, why don’t we visit him together, and you can give him his job back. We can explain what’s going on.”

  “Do you think he’ll accept?”

  I shrugged. “Don’t know. All I know is that someone wanted him out of the picture. If we bring him back, it might actually help us.”

  “Won’t it be dangerous for him?”

  “Could be, but I’m not going to let anything happen to him. We’ll let him decide if he’s willing to take the chance.”

  He leaned back in his seat, a look of hopelessness melting his features. “How are you going to protect everyone and figure out what’s going on? You’re not Superman.”

  I pulled out my phone and smiled. “No, but I have friends.” I walked away and threw my hand in the air. “You know where I’ll be.” When I got in my truck, I called Micah’s number. I’d changed my mind; I would be needing his services.

  Call it torture, but I’d rented out the same cabin I lived in before, when I rode for Bennett Racing. It just so happened it was right down the road from Kassie. I even attempted to head over there a few times and ended up sitting in my truck.

  To keep my head from being consumed with thoughts of our next meeting, I investigated the three gamblers Richard had put on the list. There was nothing that led me to believe they were responsible for Levi’s death. None of them were in or around the city when it happened.

  The sound of Micah’s truck rumbling down the gravel driveway brought me from my thoughts. I opened the front door. His motorcycle was in the back, strapped down.

  Getting out of the truck, he stretched his arms above his head and inspected the cabin. “Nice place,” he said.

  “I lived here when I raced. Turns out it was available.”

  He followed me inside and it was strange how everything felt like home to me. The owners had kept everything the same, except for an upgraded kitchen. Other than that, the furniture was the same brown leather sofa and chair, with three deer heads hanging above the mantle. Kassie had hated looking at them every time she came over.

  “What time do we have to be at the track?”

  “Twenty minutes,” I said, glancing at the clock on the microwave. “I hope you’re ready to race.”

  He snorted. “You’re shitting me, right?”

  “Nope. I need you a part of the crowd.”

  A sly smirk spread across his face. “What if I beat you? Don’t you think it’ll look odd if Bennett hires the second best?”

  I slapped him on the shoulder and winked. “You’re not gonna beat me, smartass. Even if you ride as dirty as you want. We both know I’m better than you.”

  “Yeah, we’ll see about that.”

  I packed some waters and a few snacks to get us through the day, handing Micah a bag of his own. If Richard was having tryouts, that meant there’d be a shit ton of people hoping to get a spot on his racing team. Unfortunately, we had to make the process look legit, even though my place was secured.

  “Think you still got what it takes?” Micah asked.

  “Fuck if I know, man. I guess we’ll see when we get there.” My stomach was in knots and not because of riding. Pulling out my phone, I scrolled until I found our superior’s number with the FBI, and pressed send. He always answered within two rings.

  “I thought you were on vacation,” Kincaid greeted.

  I wished I was. “There’s been a change of plans. I’m in Franklin, North Carolina right now with Perry. We’re investigating a murder and other illegal activities involving the racing team I was on years ago. I have a feeling more shit’s about to go down.”

  I could hear papers scrambling around in the background. “Who ordered this?”

  Micah perked up, clearly hearing Kincaid’s demanding tone. “I did,” I said.

  “Why the hell would you do that without consulting me first?”

  I could see Levi’s face in my mind, how eager he was when I’d first started riding with him. I owed it to him to figure out what happened, even if I did get reprimanded. “The man who was killed was a good friend of mine. I have to find who did it before more of my loved ones are involved. I’m going undercover as myself, as a racer for Bennett Racing.”

  “So this is personal,” he said.

  My teeth clenched. “Yes. I need to do this, sir.”

  The line went quiet, before I heard him sigh. I was fully prepared to get suspended. “Then do it,” Kincaid murmured. “I’m sorry you lost a friend, and I understand you want to find the killer. I would want to do the same thing.”

  Eyes wide, I turned to Micah. “So we’re good to pursue this?”

  “For now, but if something comes up, I’ll need you back here. I can’t have you getting paralyzed like you did the last time you tried to race.”

  “That’s the thing, Kincaid. It’s looking like my accident was anything but. I owe it to myself to find out who fucked me over.”

  “Yeah, I suppose you do,” he agreed. “Keep me updated with your progress.”

  “Will do,” I said, then hung up. Looking to Micah, I smirked. “You ready to do this shit?” We had a plan in place, now we just had to execute it.

  Micah rubbed his hands together. “I was born ready.”

  Kassidy

  I’d barely slept the past several nights, and last night had been no different. My eyes felt like sand had been ground into them, and my mind was foggy. All I could see were images of Levi and Logan swirling through my brain. Why the hell did he have to show up now, after all these years? I thought for sure he’d try to come see me, but he d
idn’t. A week had passed, and nothing. It wasn’t like I would return the conversation anyway, but it was kind of a smack in the face. It was stupid to think he’d changed after all these years.

  I was on my way over to my father and Angela’s house, so I could catch him before tryouts. With our recent reputation for disaster, I’d be surprised if potential riders showed up at all. The garage door was closed, but their front entrance was unlocked.

  I opened it slowly, peeking my head inside. “Dad?” I tiptoed inside, not sure if Angela was still sleeping. “Dad, you here?”

  A set of pots clanged together from the kitchen, and I heard Angela’s voice. “He’s not here, sweetie. Why don’t I make us some breakfast before you head over to the track?”

  “Sounds great.” My stomach growled and it was probably because I hadn’t eaten much in the last few days.

  I turned the corner and Angela was already at the stove, scrambling eggs. Her blonde hair was in a messy bun and she had on a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt. She was my stepmother and I loved her, but she was nothing like my mother. My mom was down to earth and never cared much about fashionable clothes. Angela always wanted to take me shopping and to get my hair done.

  “I can’t believe we’re already having tryouts. It feels too soon,” I grumbled, taking a seat the table.

  Angela scooped some eggs onto my plate and sighed. “I know, sweetheart. It sucks. But you have to know your father didn’t want to do this so soon. It’s just, you all still have a business to run.”

  She had a point, but it still hurt to think about life going back to normal. Nothing was going to be normal without Levi. “Thanks for cooking me breakfast, Angela. I swear I didn’t come over here to eat your food.”

  “Oh, enough of that nonsense. I’m glad you came,” she said, setting the bacon on the table. “It gives us a chance to catch up.” She fixed herself a plate of eggs and joined me at the table. “Is there anything you want to talk about? Maybe something to get your mind off everything?”

  I shoveled huge bites of food into my mouth and sat back in the chair. There were a gazillion things I wanted to say and they all involved Logan. “Not really,” I lied.

  Picking up her coffee cup, she stared at me over the rim, the steam billowing into the air. “You sure? I seem to recall a certain young man who made his way back into town.”

  I stiffened and clenched my teeth. “Logan can kiss my ass.”

  She sipped her coffee and stared at me, as if she could see the turmoil I felt. “You always have Sean.”

  The way she said it made me tense, almost like she meant it in another way. “He’s a good friend,” I said, gauging her reaction.

  Her lips pulled back into a smile and she laughed softly. “I already know about you two, Kassidy.”

  I froze. “What do you mean?”

  “Your relationship with my son. I know you were intimate.”

  Swallowing hard, I stared at her in horror. “It was a long time ago. It’s not like that anymore. We ended things before you and my dad got married.”

  She nodded. “I know, but I see the way Sean looks at you, and how he always wants to protect you. It kills me that I ruined his happiness.”

  “Why did it take so long for you to say something? Does my dad know?”

  “No,” she murmured, “and I don’t plan on telling him. But honestly, I don’t think he’d have a problem with you two being together. You’re adults, and it’s not like you grew up together as brother and sister. I married your father a little late in life.”

  “Why are you saying this to me?” I asked. It was almost like I was in a twilight zone. Sean and I had kept our relationship a secret, so it wouldn’t cause problems with our parents. Now, I had no clue what to think.

  She reached over and grabbed my hand. “I’m saying that if you and Sean want to be together, I’m not going to stop you. He loves you.”

  I squeezed her hand. “Thanks for your blessing. It means a lot to me. And you should know, I love Sean too, but since we’re both owners of Bennett Racing now, it might be best to stay as we are. Anything more could complicate things.”

  She let my hand go and smiled. “As you wish, sweetie. Just know that you’re free to do as you will.”

  “I appreciate that.” I glanced down at my phone and groaned. “I hate to eat and run, but I’m about to be late.” I said my goodbyes and hurried on my way to the track.

  The track wasn’t huge, only a half mile in length, with a couple of curves. My father and Donnie Baker chipped in and had it built not long after Logan left us, so that the riders from Bennett Pro Racing and DB Racing could practice. Needless to say, it pissed Hendrix off that we beat him to the land before he could purchase it.

  When I pulled into the parking lot, I could already see the riders on the track, zipping by as they raced against each other. There were a ton of them. My father and Donnie sat by themselves, both pointing at various riders on the track. Trey, Daniel, and Miller – our other racers – sat off on one side of the stands, while Sean sat by himself.

  “Kass!” Sean shouted. I hurried over and sat beside him, debating on if I should tell him what his mother said. He nudged me with his shoulder and smiled. “Runnin’ late, huh?”

  I blew out a heavy sigh. “Just a little.”

  “Don’t worry, I just got here too. Your father started tryouts earlier than expected.”

  I glanced over at my dad and he waved. It was hard to stay mad at him, but dammit, I wanted the truth. Sean nodded toward the track. “We got some good riders out there. I hate I’m not racing anymore.”

  We watched the riders for a few minutes, and I couldn’t help but notice the two riders out in front. The one on the red and black Honda was trying to run the other guy off the track. “Do you see what’s going on?” I asked, pointing at the two racers.

  Sean shrugged. “It’s a competition, Kass.”

  “Yeah, but that one’s trying to run the other off the track.”

  “And that’s why we’ll make sure he doesn’t get picked. We don’t want that kind of racer on our team.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. I loved that Sean had the same values as me. “I’m glad you think so.” I decided it was best to go ahead and tell him what his mother said, before he talked to her. “I saw your mom this morning.”

  He tore his gaze away from the race. “Oh yeah? What’d you talk about?”

  I snorted. “You . . . and me.”

  His eyes went wide. “In what context?”

  “Uh, let’s see. Mainly, the part where she knows we’ve had sex.”

  He cringed, his face scrunching up. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

  “Nope. But you’ll never believe this. She gave us her blessing if we wanted to see each other again.”

  His body stiffened, keeping his golden-brown eyes glued to mine. “And what did you say?”

  I was the one to break eye contact first. “I said it’d only complicate things. I like how we are now. Besides, the amount of ridicule we’d get if we did decide to see each other would be monumental. And what would we do with the business if things didn’t work out between us?”

  “True,” he agreed. “But things wouldn’t have been so difficult if our parents never got married.”

  The racers slowed down and my father waved us over. “We have to go,” I said, thankful to get away from the talk about relationships.

  Donnie held out his arms as we approached. “How ya doin’, peanut?”

  I hugged him hard. “Been better.”

  “I know,” he said, letting me go. “Things’ll get better, I promise.”

  “I sure hope so.” My father smiled sadly, and I hugged him too. “Found who you want yet?”

  He glanced out at the racers who’d come to a stop. “I believe so. Next time, it’ll be you and Sean doing this, not me.”

  Donnie pointed out at the guys. “I like the guy on the red and black Honda. He’s aggressive and fast.”

 
; I shook my head. “He is a fast rider, but too shady. Did you see him try to run the other guy off the track?”

  Thankfully, my father agreed. “She has a point. We don’t need his kind on the team. Plus, I know who that rider is. Name’s Micah Perry.”

  “I’ve never heard of him,” Donnie replied.

  I hadn’t either. I watched Micah take off his helmet and he smirked at us. Just by looking at him, I could tell he was trouble. He had that dark, dangerous feel to him. “What did he do, kill someone?” I mumbled under my breath.

  “Actually, he was charged with manslaughter a couple years back, but I heard it should’ve been murder. He must have connections somewhere,” my father said.

  I gasped. “Why the hell would you let him try out then?”

  He shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “I want to give everyone a shot. Knowing him, he’d find a way to get back at me if I didn’t. The last thing I need is someone else trying to mess with me.” He nodded toward the rider on the metallic blue GSXR 600. There was something about the color that made me freeze. It was the exact same bike Logan used to ride. “I think I’m going with that one. What do you think, Sean?”

  Sean nodded in agreement. “Good choice.”

  Donnie even complied. “He was good too, a smooth and precise rider.”

  I peered at all the racers, and all of them had removed their helmets, except for the guy on the blue bike. The more I stared at him, the more I felt he was staring right back at me, only I couldn’t see his face through the tinted visor.

  “Dad, who is that?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

  Sean looked my way. “Kass, what’s wrong?”

  My father slowly turned his attention to us, his expression guarded. “I have a feeling you already know.”

  I didn’t stick around long enough to argue with my father. All I could do was turn my back and storm away as he hollered my name. I had to get away from there, from him. I would’ve rather had a lesser rider join the team, to avoid having to see Logan every day.

  The shop was down the road, so I hurried there to calm myself. When I thundered inside and slammed the door, Ben, one of our pit crew members, jumped out of his seat. “Damn, girl, you scared me.” He was changing the oil on all our bikes, hands greasy and black.