Drag: A Driven World Novel (The Driven World) Read online

  I stand, tiptoeing over toward Colt’s toddler bed and lay him down gently. “Sleep tight, little man,” I whisper before double checking that his race car night light is on as I exit the room.

  Tears slip down my cheek as memories of Tyler continue to filter through my mind. One day he was here and the next he wasn’t. It was as if he vanished off the face of this earth a little over four years ago, leaving me nothing but a short voicemail to remind me of what we once had.

  I slip into bed and reach into the drawer for my old cell phone, hitting the voicemail button for what seems to be the millionth time. Tyler’s gruff voice fills my room, reminding me of how much he loved me. I finish listening to the recording and put the phone back into the top drawer of my nightstand.

  I snuggle back into the bed, remembering that our time together gave me something other than a broken heart, our little boy Colt. Only two people in this world know Colt is Tyler’s son, Colton Donavan and Rylee Thomas. Colt also was born on Colton’s birthday. It was only natural I give him a similar name. Colt Thomas Duke, named after two of the most important people in my life.

  “If he loves me, where is he?” I whisper into the darkness, a single tear dripping down my cheek as I drift off to sleep.

  “Momma,” Colt’s tiny voice registers in my mind.

  “Momma,” he repeats as he pats the side of my face. “You ‘wake?”

  “Boo!” I shout, causing Colt to fall backwards onto my bed, peals of laughter filling my room. “Good morning, little man.” I place a sloppy kiss on his cheek with a smack.

  “No, little. I big boy.” He attempts to scowl as I fight the urge to laugh at him.

  “Okay, my big man. What would you like for breakfast?” I wrap him in my arms and wiggle my way out of the bed, not wanting to put him down. Soon he will be too big for momma’s hugs and kisses. I plan on getting my fill before it’s too late.

  “Eggie bread,” he squeals in delight as I sit him in his booster seat connected to our dining room table.

  I smile at him. “You always want eggie bread.”

  “‘Cause eggie bread is good.” He crosses his arms over his chest, his small eyebrows pointing inward in a scowl.

  I shake my head before pulling all the ingredients out for eggie bread, a concoction that I remember Tyler making for me after a rather hard night of partying. I cut the center out of two slices of bread, butter both sides and then place them in the frying pan. Then I crack an egg over the center of each piece of bread, waiting a few moments for it to cook on one side before flipping it over. Once both sides are brown, everything is ready to be served.

  “Your eggie bread is served.” I make a grand gesture as I slide the two pieces of bread onto my son’s plate before turning to get him a fork.

  “I big boy, Momma,” he chants as he grabs a piece of bread and takes a huge bite, grinning from ear-to-ear. I bite my lip, holding back the laughter threatening to escape. I watch as he devours his breakfast quickly, washing it down with a small glass of milk.

  Just like his father, always in a hurry to get the day moving. I grab a paper towel off the roll and wipe the butter and crumbs off his face. “Okay time to get dressed or we will be late.”

  I pick Colt up out of his seat and place him on the floor. “Straight to your room and get dressed. I’ll be there in a minute to help you brush your teeth.”

  “Okay, Momma,” he calls over his shoulder as he disappears down the hallway.

  I gather his dirty dishes before turning the coffee pot on. I’ve never been a breakfast person, but coffee is a must have in the morning. Reaching into the cabinet above the coffee maker, I pull out my favorite travel mug and place it on the counter.

  I head for the refrigerator for the creamer as the house phone rings. “Who could this be?” No one ever calls my house phone. I pick up the phone quickly. “Hello?”

  “Hey girl! I need you to come down to the garage before dropping Colt off. Your new liaison for CD Enterprises arrives today.” Rylee chirps over the phone in a cheerful voice.

  “Why in the world are you calling my house phone? You almost gave me a heart attack,” I sigh, my entire body relaxing in relief.

  “Well if someone would have answered their phone, I wouldn’t have called your house line. Now get your butt in gear and get here.”

  “Okay, isn’t someone a little bossy today?” I question, wondering why the urgency to get to the track so soon.

  “I’m always bossy and basically your boss, hop to it.”

  “Roger,” I giggle into the phone before disconnecting the call.

  Rylee and I have become thick as thieves since Colt was born, although you would have never imagined that would happen all those years ago. Being best friends with Tawney wasn’t a vote in my favor, but when she bailed on me once I found out I was pregnant with Colt, Rylee was the first one there to help.

  Her and Colton are the family I never had, helping me get on my feet and get my life in order before Colt was born. They are still my biggest cheerleaders to this day. Rylee even helped me land a job with Corporate Cares. The pay is amazing and they offer childcare on site, making it easy for me to work and take care of Colt at the same time.

  “Momma, I ready,” Colt chirps from the bathroom door.

  “Alright, little man. Time to get ready for the day. We will stop and visit Rylee at the garage before we head into work,” I say as I put toothpaste on his tiny brush and hand it to him.

  “Yea, I wove Rweey,” Colt mumbles around the toothbrush as he scrubs his teeth clean. I quickly put toothpaste on my brush and brush my teeth.

  Once we are both finished and dressed, I do one final loop around my tiny home before ushering Colt out the door.

  “Let go see Rweey!” Colt cheers from his car seat as I pull out of the drive. As we head the few miles down the road toward the track, an ominous feeling takes over me.

  I’m not exactly sure why I began to feel this way all of a sudden, but I can be certain I’ve only felt like that one other time in my life, when Tyler disappeared. Hopefully this feeling results in something other than a broken heart.

  Chapter Three

  Tyler

  “It’s good to have you back, man.” Colton slaps me on the back as he walks beside me toward the garage.

  “It’s good to be back.” I smile, thankful for all the things Colton has done for me over the years.

  After finishing my stint in rehab, he helped arrange my community service in Southern California. I worked with Habitat for Humanity, helping to build homes for people who otherwise would go without.

  To say it was an eye-opening experience would be an understatement. My time with the program helped me learn to appreciate the things and people I have in life. My mind immediately drifts to Lucy. I’ve been back for a few days now and want nothing more than to find her and apologize for being gone for so long, to explain why I left the way I did. But my days have been filled with filling out new paperwork and getting my bearings as the new liaison with Corporate Cares for Colton.

  “You need to be on your best behavior today. You will be representing CD Enterprises as our liaison with Corporate Cares. I don’t need to remind you how much this partnership means to Rylee and me.” The deep timbre of Colton’s voice startles me back to the present. I smile, I know there is only one person in the world that makes him sound like that.

  “Hey, Rylee.” I smile, holding my arms out for a hug while Colton growls quietly. “Stop being an ass. I knew about the two of you before you two were even a couple. Apparently, me leaving helped with a lot of things.” I smile as Rylee steps into my embrace.

  “It’s good to have you back,” Rylee smiles brightly at me before turning toward Colton. He wraps Rylee in his arms and pulls her in for a deep kiss.

  I reach up and rub my skin directly over my heart, wishing Lucy was here with me. Everything I’ve done over the last four years has led me back here, to where it all started. I remember seeing Lucy for the firs
t time hanging around the track with Tawny. I believed she was just another one of the pit lizards trying to get close to Colton or the other drivers, but as I got to know her, I discovered she had a good head on her shoulders.

  “I need to head down to the track for some practice laps, you two good here?” Colton places a gentle kiss on Rylee’s head as she nods in response.

  “Don’t worry about us. I’m just waiting for the representative from Corporate Cares to show up. I want to give them a chance to get to know each other before the fundraiser.”

  Rylee and Colton share a look before he leaves the garage to head for the track. “What was that all about?” I lean against a toolbox, crossing my arms. Rylee is up to something, but I haven’t been able to figure it out yet. “I may have been gone for all those years, but I still know that look. You’re up to something.”

  “I don’t know what you're talking about.” Rylee imitates zipping her lip and throwing away the key, causing us both to laugh. “You worry too much.”

  “I have a lot on my mind…” my words trail off as I notice the most gorgeous woman I have ever laid eyes on coming toward me. Her golden blonde hair shimmers in the sunlight as she waves hello to someone.

  Even after all this time, she still manages to make my heart skip a beat. Lucy Duke, the only woman to steal my heart, saunters down the track toward me. A bright smile covers her face as she laughs at something the person next to her said.

  Her eyes light with mischief as the other guys in the crew are vying for her attention. She always loved being the center of attention.

  “Hey Lucy! Thanks for coming. I want to introduce you to someone,” Rylee shouts from beside me.

  I reach up and grip the back of my neck, attempting to calm the nerves swirling through my mind. My cock hardens down my leg as her scent reaches me, reminding me of our old times together. A time when things were simpler, before I went and ruined everything.

  “Hey, Ry!” Lucy raises her right hand above her head waving frantically. “Okay. Okay. We’re coming, you just have to be patient.”

  Rylee turns toward me, a bright smile covering her face. “I know that you and Lucy will get along perfectly during this project.” She places her hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “I know this isn’t how you imagined your return to the team would be, but we are all excited you’re back.”

  Rylee’s words warm me to the core. Her and Colton have been my biggest cheerleaders since that night. Hell, if it wasn’t for Colton, I’d probably be laying in a ditch somewhere.

  “Thanks, Ry. You have no idea how much that means to me.”

  “Okay, what was so important that I had to rush over here right this minute? Couldn’t you have at least waited until I dropped my little man off at preschool?”

  Little Man?

  My head immediately snaps to her direction. Standing next to Lucy is her spitting image, a little boy. Acid fills my veins as I look from her to the little boy.

  “Tyler,” Lucy says breathlessly, gripping the little boy's hand tightly in hers.

  I start to mentally calculate in my head, coming to the only conclusion possible. Lucy has been just fine since I left to make a better life for both of us. I grip my chest over my heart, praying to keep the pain from crossing my features.

  “It’s not what you think…” Lucy’s voice trails off, unable to find the words to soothe my aching soul.

  “No, Lu. It’s exactly what I think,” I growl in response before spinning on my heels and leaving the garage.

  “Tyler, wait,” Rylee shouts after me, but I can’t bring myself to stop.

  What I thought would be a beautiful reunion with Lucy has turned my heart to ash. I believed that Lucy was mine, that she would have waited for me to get better. I believed she loved me the way I loved her, but man was I wrong.

  Chapter Four

  Lucy

  Tyler fucking Davenport is here. Back from God only knows where, but still always ready to jump to conclusions. I didn’t even have a chance to explain exactly who Colt was, but now I’m not even sure I want to. I know he said he loved me in his last voicemail, but what did he expect to happen when he left without a trace for four years. A lot of things can happen in that time. People change, but more importantly, their feelings change too.

  I don’t know who I’m kidding. One look at those hazel colored eyes and I was transported back to the days of partying with no responsibilities. I look down at Colt, not regretting my little boy for anything but realizing for the first time there is someone else that he needs in his life besides me, a father.

  “That isn’t how I expected your reunion to go,” Rylee says sheepishly as she bends down and picks up Colt. “Hey, little man! I’ve missed you.”

  “I issed you too, Rweey!” Colt shouts, throwing his arms around her neck and pulling her in for a big hug. All the anger I felt toward her a few moments ago has melted away.

  “You are so lucky he is here with me,” I grumble at my friend, torn between chasing after Tyler to explain and letting him run away like he always does.

  “Go,” Rylee whispers before addressing Colt. “Want to go see Colton do some laps around the track? He just started his practice runs. I think he would go even faster if we cheered him on.” Rylee gives me a wink over my son’s head before heading out of the garage toward the track.

  I take a deep breath and attempt to process the last five minutes. Tyler is back in town and working for the team. To make matters worse, he’s quick to jump to conclusions.

  “Get it together, Lucy. No one is asking you to jump into bed with him. All you have to do is work with him until after the fundraiser.” I chastise myself before heading in the direction Tyler went.

  I only get a few paces out of the garage bay before I smack into a hard chest. A pair of arms wrap around my waist pulling me in closer. “So you don’t want to jump into bed with me. From what I remember we were good together, Lu.”

  I can’t resist burying my nose into his chest. A smell that can only be described as Tyler fills my nostrils. A mixture of gasoline and just man. If I could bottle up his scent, I would bathe in it for the rest of eternity.

  “Well things change, Ty,” I mumble into his chest as I raise my hand and push back. Thankfully he lets me step out of his embrace. “How have you been?” I ask, unable to meet his eyes.

  “Are you asking me or one of the guys you were flirting with on your way to our meeting?” He leans back against the wall, looking like sex on a stick. His body has hardened over the years, his arms more muscular and his skin is a nice golden brown. However, his eyes are clouded with something I can’t place. Jealousy maybe, but I can’t fathom a reason for him to be jealous. He is the one that left me, after all.

  “Don’t tell me you’re jealous? What I do and with whom is no longer your concern. You made it perfectly clear when you left me with nothing but a voicemail.”

  “Lu, I would have stayed if I had any other choice. I did this all for us.” Tyler takes a step toward me, stopping just short of touching me. “It seems that while I was making plans for our future, you jumped into bed with the first man you could find,” he growls before storming past me toward the track.

  Before he can get too far, I grab his arm, digging my nails into his skin, wanting to make him feel just a small amount of pain for what I’ve gone through. “You don’t get to accuse me of anything, Tyler Davenport. You. Left. Me. Not the other way around. What did you expect me to do, wait for you to grace me with your presence?”

  Tyler opens his mouth to respond, but I smack him across the face. Gasping in shock from what I just did, I can’t say I regret it. “You have no right to make me feel bad about the choices I made while you were gone.”

  I bite my bottom lip, willing my tears to stay hidden until I can get somewhere safe. I stand up straighter and hold my head up high, meeting his stare. “We have to work together for the sake of our jobs, but besides that, there is no other reason for us to be in contac
t. If you have a problem, bring it up with your boss. I worked damn hard to get my life back after you left. I’ll be damned if I let you come back here and ruin everything.”

  I stalk past him toward the track, not even bothering to look back. I said what needed to be said, but why does it still feel like I left a piece of my heart standing outside of that garage bay.

  As I get closer to the track, my tears flow down my cheeks. Not wanting to have anyone see me like this, I turn to my right and head toward the parking lot. Once I get into my car, I swipe the tears from my face and pull down the driver side visor. I open the flap for the mirror and take in my reflection. My eyes are rimmed red from crying and tracks of black run slightly down my face.

  “You look like shit, Lucy.” I reach into my purse sitting beside me on the seat and find a small packet of tissues and begin wiping my face. It doesn’t take long before my face is makeup free. There is nothing I can do about my red-rimmed eyes, but at least I don’t look like Marilyn Manson any longer.

  “Shit, Colt.” I chastise myself for forgetting about my son as I rummage inside my purse for my cell and send Rylee a text.

  Me: Can you drop Colt off at the childcare center or if you want to keep him for the day, that’s fine me with.

  Rylee: Is everything alright? I have nothing major planned for the day. I can reschedule some things or see if he can hang out with Colton and the guys today.

  I panic, not wanting to have Colt anywhere near Tyler. The last thing I need is Tyler asking questions about him.

  Me: Please just keep him at the house with you or take him to the childcare center. Please.

  Rylee: Alight, I understand. Call me when you get off work and I’ll bring him home. We can drink a nice bottle of wine and you can tell me what happened.