"So, you gonna tell me who hit you?" Dominic raised an eyebrow as they made their way back to Jayzen's house.
"It's not important. You ready for the 4th of July?" She asked, running her tongue over her teeth, hoping it would work to distract the burly ex jailbird.
"I suppose. Tell me, Jayzen. It's not like you're droppin me off so I'm not gonna go away. I can play your game as long as you want." Dominic settled back in the bucket seat, enjoying the ride.
"It was someone I was out racing with. It's no bid deal." She replied with an irritated sigh.
"You guys race here in Arizona?" Dominic scoffed, getting an indigent look from the blonde in the driver's seat.
"Yes, It's not like we're backwards." She rolled her eyes.
"Almost. I guess you could classify this as desert." Dominic confessed. Jayzen tensed up, seeing a cop car behind her. "Keep your cool. They're probably just on a normal beat." Dominic advised, knowing they would be screwed if the cop picked up any suspiciousness.
"Boy, a lil jail time and you know all the lingo." Jayzen teased with half of a smile.
"Haha." Dominic retorted. Jayzen pulled up into a gravel driveway.
"Wow. No one's home. What a shock." Jayzen hopped out, keys in hand. She leaned back in the car and reached to the back for her baby blue messenger bag. She flung it over her shoulder and traipsed up the four stairs leading to her white paint chipped two story house. "Make yourself at home." She called over her shoulder as she threw down her bag and threw off her laced up sandals.
"Thanks. Nice place. You live here by yourself?" Dominic asked, stifling a yawn.
"No. My brother and a few of his friends live with him and me. He's been outa town for a while tho." Jayzen lit a strawberry candle and flipped on the t.v. to a hockey game.
"You like hockey?" Dominic tried to hide his shock.
"Yeah, what's so wrong with hockey jailboy?" Jayzen asked, her legs folded underneath her in the oversized chair as she twirled her hair.
"Jailboy?" Guess I can handle that name. I've been called worse." Dominic mused.
"So, quit avoiding my question. What's wrong with hockey?" She asked, her arms folded.
"Nothin. You are a firecracker." He laughed. They heard some distant popping of fireworks and then a car rumbled in the driveway. "Should I hide?" He asked, watching Jayzen spring out of her chair.
'No, I'm a big girl and allowed to have company." She said, moving a stray wisp of blonde hair out of her face.
"Just checkin." Dominic held up his hands innocently, shaking his head.
"Hey Han." Jayzen jumped off the old cushy chair she had jumped on to look out of the window. Her brother's friend, Han Sung walked in, eating an apple.
"Sup, Girl? Who's your friend?" The tall Korean gave Jayzen a nod as a girl walked in behind him. Jayzen's mouth about dropped at the sight of this racer chaser, a racer chaser seemed appropriate for this girl, Jayzen thought to herself. The girl looked svelte and had silver hair that was purple tipped on the ends. Her eyes were a bright greenish blue and her clothing…well, her clothing was that normal of a girl running in the racing scene. She just looked like a super model gone bad Jayzen decided with curiosity and apprehensiveness.
'Can I talk to you?" Jayzen coughed, her eyes looking away as she had been caught by this 'racer chaser' sizing her up.
"Sure, talk to me." Han said, sitting on the arm of a couch.
"Excuse me, Dominic. I'll be right back." Jayzen said, pointing to the kitchen at Han.
"No problem. Take your time." Dominic grinned, sitting back enjoying the show. He was glad to be the one on the outside and not caught up in the drama.
"Car give you an ass whoopin or is that the new style of makeup?" Han asked, standing up against Jayzen, lifting her cheek up.
"Shut up." She turned her face away, red from embarrassment. She had forgotten he hadn't seen it.
"Good to know I got me some free time from the garage to go huntin." Han said, knowing she knew what he was talking about.
"Just let it go, okay? It's no big." Jayzen got a Pepsi out of the fridge. "Who's the racer chaser you're datin this week?" She asked.
"She's no racer chaser. She's my girl. I just didn't bring her down here until now, thank you. Her name is Aden. She might be able to help me babysit your ass and you might even learn a thing or two." He continued to eat his apple.
"I don't need any babysitting. I was doin just fine. You guys can all go back to L.A." Jayzen retorted.
"Nope, your bro can't, and Aden and I don't want to." Han shook his head, grinning at knowing he was annoying her.
"Then quit treating me like a baby. That's a guy in there that needs a place to stay. Don't give him a hard time, ok? He just got out of jail." Jayzen looked past the swinging door at Dominic flipping through the channels. She didn't see Aden.
"You tell me you're responsible and yet you got a black eye and you're talking to someone who's done time is sitting in our living room. You're blonder then I thought." Han rolled his eyes.
"Blame it on my brother." Jayzen growled, irritated.
"J, you can't blame it all on him." Han shook his head.
"I'm giving credit where credit is due. So, why this girl? What's so special about her?" Jayzen asked, trying to switch the subject. She got out a glass of orange juice out of the fridge, turning around to see Aden.
"Are you done talking about me?" Aden asked coolly, an eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, I am." Jayzen held Aden's gaze as to not seem intimidated.
"Good, Han I'll be upstairs." She put her arms around her boyfriend, kissed him, and then headed for the stairway that was just outside the kitchen. Pretty soon, the water from the shower started running.
"Boy, she doesn't take long to make herself at home, now does she?" Jayzen asked bitterly. Han responded by ruffling her hair, making her punch him, although him knowing her too well, blocked it.
"Listen, Kiddo, I'm going upstairs to do big boy things. Catch ya later." He grinned, winking at her.
"Stupid guys." She grumbled, angrily getting out a snack tray and then getting Dominic another beer as she used her other hand to put snacks on the tray. "Having issues?" Dominic asked as he stole a snack before she could swat his hand away.
"Just annoying friends. What ya watchin?" She asked, crossing her sock footed feet under her and plopping down on the couch. She had a look of amusement as she realized it was Chef Ramsey. Big burly man watching a cooking show cracked her up.
"Cooking channel." Dominic grinned, glad to get a smile out of her. "He's cooking chicken, isn't that interesting?" He asked, making them both laugh. Jayzen leaned back on the oversized sofa beside him, closing her eyes and stretching.
"Manly, I'm impressed." She teased.
"I'm all about manly." he flexed his muscles.
"uh huh." she said, her tone giving away her doubt.
"So, where's your brother? Is he the one that gave you that black eye?" Dominic asked, regretting that question as soon as it left his mouth. He could feel her body tense up.
"NO. I got it from my boyfriend. It was an accident." Jayzen inspected her nails after taking a cucumber off of the snack plate.
"Sure it was. You know," Dominic paused to take a deep breath, "real men don't hit females." He said, watching her closely.
"Like I said, it was an accident." Jayzen said, tucking her feet up under her after shifting how she was sitting.
"Right and I'm not a street racer." Dominic shrugged.
"That's gotta suck for you." Jayzen replied, her big eyes focused on the tv in front of her. "What do you know about street racing?" Dominic raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"More than you think I know." She worked hard to keep from laughing.
"Really?" Dominic sat forward, locking his eyes with hers. "And how is that?" He asked, scratching his chin.
"My brother is a street racer. Always has been. I'd still be racing if I hadn't totaled my car." Jayzen grumbled, her cheeks flushed now as memories flashed through her head.
"Oh, this sounds like a good story. Do tell." Dominic commanded, intrigued.
"It's not a story I repeat. Sorry, shoulda been there when it happened." Jayzen said sarcastically, getting up to pace while she twirled the end of her hair out of nervousness.
"Oh, I see. A sore spot. Gee, it's tough to talk about the past, isn't it?" Dominic ran his tongue over his teeth, loving how she was now in his shoes how he was the day she walked in asking questions and opening old wounds. Something Miss Congeniality didn't want to talk about. He wondered how he could get her to spill it.
"You're not cute." She replied through gritted teeth, now annoyed.
"Hmm, I'm hurt. I've always been told I was the cream of the crop. The king. This, of course, according to the ladies on the street." He smiled, pretending to fluff non-existing hair.
"Conceited much?" Jayzen tried not to laugh but couldn't hold out.
"Nah, I have learned to be modest in my old years." Dominic grinned, giving up the charade with a grin. The smile the two shared was broke by her cell phone ringing. "Hey Baby. You comin to the races tonight or next week?" Gio's French accent came through crisply on the other end.
"Um, no, I don't think I am." She said, trying to franticly think of a good reason. Lying was not her strong talent.
"Why not?" He asked, engines revving behind him.
"You know how protective Han is…." She said, her voice low to keep Dominic from hearing her lie. "Yeah and I also know how good you are at defying him when you want to do something. You're clever enough to figure out how to get yourself here." Gio said, his tone so smooth. "I know, but.." She was interrupted.
"Do I need to come over there?" Gio sounded irritated now. "No." Jayzen said, sounding shocked he would go that length, seeing as him and Han had issues with each other. The last time he had came over, Han had almost killed him with his bear hands.
"Look, Babygirl, tonight's important. Please come. You're my cheerleader." Gio's pleading tone made shivers go up her back. She loved his accent and his voice. It was so hard to resist him.
"Okay, give me twenty minutes and I'll be there." She sighed, mad at her weakness and his charm.
"You got ten. I can't put off my race for twenty minutes. Time starts now." He said, hanging up. "Hey, I gotta go. I'll be back in a little bit. Make yourself at home." Jayzen told Dominic after running upstairs to changing into a strapless baby blue shimmering cami top and a black mini skirt. Her lace up wedge shoes tied off the outfit nicely. Dominic had a hard time not gawking at her. She really did look like a street racer dressed that way. Her eyes donned sparkle jewels and her long blonde hair rested in ringlets held up by a butterfly clip.
"Okay, I hope you don't always leave strangers in your house like this." Dominic grumbled, not happy that she was leaving. He had a pretty good idea where she was rushing off to.
"Nope. Not usually. I'm headed to the races for a bit and in case Han asks, I am going with some of my friends, not Gio." She smiled as she grabbed her keys. "Can I count on you to keep it quiet?" She asked, stopping at the door.
"Would this Gio be the jerk he doesn't want you around? Cause I tend to agree with him on this one and I'm not going to lie for you just because you are giving me a place to stay." Dominic said, his amusement now about her audacity. He stood in front of the door she was trying to pass through with his arms folded.
"No, it's not to meet him. One of my friends, as I said, but thank you for your concern." She said sarcastically, hating how he was acting. She couldn't stand authority and the last thing she needed right now was a confrontation.
"Cute sarcasm. Gotta love it." Dominic replied. "I'm just thinking about this and how no one deserves to be hit." Dominic gently touched her cheek, running his hand over the under part of her blackened eye. He stroked her cheek for a second, and she turned away, her chin raised indignantly.
"I gotta go." She whispered. "Make yourself at home." She walked out, not looking back. She didn't want to think about how her skin felt with his touch. It was almost as if lighting had struck her.
"It's not important. You ready for the 4th of July?" She asked, running her tongue over her teeth, hoping it would work to distract the burly ex jailbird.
"I suppose. Tell me, Jayzen. It's not like you're droppin me off so I'm not gonna go away. I can play your game as long as you want." Dominic settled back in the bucket seat, enjoying the ride.
"It was someone I was out racing with. It's no bid deal." She replied with an irritated sigh.
"You guys race here in Arizona?" Dominic scoffed, getting an indigent look from the blonde in the driver's seat.
"Yes, It's not like we're backwards." She rolled her eyes.
"Almost. I guess you could classify this as desert." Dominic confessed. Jayzen tensed up, seeing a cop car behind her. "Keep your cool. They're probably just on a normal beat." Dominic advised, knowing they would be screwed if the cop picked up any suspiciousness.
"Boy, a lil jail time and you know all the lingo." Jayzen teased with half of a smile.
"Haha." Dominic retorted. Jayzen pulled up into a gravel driveway.
"Wow. No one's home. What a shock." Jayzen hopped out, keys in hand. She leaned back in the car and reached to the back for her baby blue messenger bag. She flung it over her shoulder and traipsed up the four stairs leading to her white paint chipped two story house. "Make yourself at home." She called over her shoulder as she threw down her bag and threw off her laced up sandals.
"Thanks. Nice place. You live here by yourself?" Dominic asked, stifling a yawn.
"No. My brother and a few of his friends live with him and me. He's been outa town for a while tho." Jayzen lit a strawberry candle and flipped on the t.v. to a hockey game.
"You like hockey?" Dominic tried to hide his shock.
"Yeah, what's so wrong with hockey jailboy?" Jayzen asked, her legs folded underneath her in the oversized chair as she twirled her hair.
"Jailboy?" Guess I can handle that name. I've been called worse." Dominic mused.
"So, quit avoiding my question. What's wrong with hockey?" She asked, her arms folded.
"Nothin. You are a firecracker." He laughed. They heard some distant popping of fireworks and then a car rumbled in the driveway. "Should I hide?" He asked, watching Jayzen spring out of her chair.
'No, I'm a big girl and allowed to have company." She said, moving a stray wisp of blonde hair out of her face.
"Just checkin." Dominic held up his hands innocently, shaking his head.
"Hey Han." Jayzen jumped off the old cushy chair she had jumped on to look out of the window. Her brother's friend, Han Sung walked in, eating an apple.
"Sup, Girl? Who's your friend?" The tall Korean gave Jayzen a nod as a girl walked in behind him. Jayzen's mouth about dropped at the sight of this racer chaser, a racer chaser seemed appropriate for this girl, Jayzen thought to herself. The girl looked svelte and had silver hair that was purple tipped on the ends. Her eyes were a bright greenish blue and her clothing…well, her clothing was that normal of a girl running in the racing scene. She just looked like a super model gone bad Jayzen decided with curiosity and apprehensiveness.
'Can I talk to you?" Jayzen coughed, her eyes looking away as she had been caught by this 'racer chaser' sizing her up.
"Sure, talk to me." Han said, sitting on the arm of a couch.
"Excuse me, Dominic. I'll be right back." Jayzen said, pointing to the kitchen at Han.
"No problem. Take your time." Dominic grinned, sitting back enjoying the show. He was glad to be the one on the outside and not caught up in the drama.
"Car give you an ass whoopin or is that the new style of makeup?" Han asked, standing up against Jayzen, lifting her cheek up.
"Shut up." She turned her face away, red from embarrassment. She had forgotten he hadn't seen it.
"Good to know I got me some free time from the garage to go huntin." Han said, knowing she knew what he was talking about.
"Just let it go, okay? It's no big." Jayzen got a Pepsi out of the fridge. "Who's the racer chaser you're datin this week?" She asked.
"She's no racer chaser. She's my girl. I just didn't bring her down here until now, thank you. Her name is Aden. She might be able to help me babysit your ass and you might even learn a thing or two." He continued to eat his apple.
"I don't need any babysitting. I was doin just fine. You guys can all go back to L.A." Jayzen retorted.
"Nope, your bro can't, and Aden and I don't want to." Han shook his head, grinning at knowing he was annoying her.
"Then quit treating me like a baby. That's a guy in there that needs a place to stay. Don't give him a hard time, ok? He just got out of jail." Jayzen looked past the swinging door at Dominic flipping through the channels. She didn't see Aden.
"You tell me you're responsible and yet you got a black eye and you're talking to someone who's done time is sitting in our living room. You're blonder then I thought." Han rolled his eyes.
"Blame it on my brother." Jayzen growled, irritated.
"J, you can't blame it all on him." Han shook his head.
"I'm giving credit where credit is due. So, why this girl? What's so special about her?" Jayzen asked, trying to switch the subject. She got out a glass of orange juice out of the fridge, turning around to see Aden.
"Are you done talking about me?" Aden asked coolly, an eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, I am." Jayzen held Aden's gaze as to not seem intimidated.
"Good, Han I'll be upstairs." She put her arms around her boyfriend, kissed him, and then headed for the stairway that was just outside the kitchen. Pretty soon, the water from the shower started running.
"Boy, she doesn't take long to make herself at home, now does she?" Jayzen asked bitterly. Han responded by ruffling her hair, making her punch him, although him knowing her too well, blocked it.
"Listen, Kiddo, I'm going upstairs to do big boy things. Catch ya later." He grinned, winking at her.
"Stupid guys." She grumbled, angrily getting out a snack tray and then getting Dominic another beer as she used her other hand to put snacks on the tray. "Having issues?" Dominic asked as he stole a snack before she could swat his hand away.
"Just annoying friends. What ya watchin?" She asked, crossing her sock footed feet under her and plopping down on the couch. She had a look of amusement as she realized it was Chef Ramsey. Big burly man watching a cooking show cracked her up.
"Cooking channel." Dominic grinned, glad to get a smile out of her. "He's cooking chicken, isn't that interesting?" He asked, making them both laugh. Jayzen leaned back on the oversized sofa beside him, closing her eyes and stretching.
"Manly, I'm impressed." She teased.
"I'm all about manly." he flexed his muscles.
"uh huh." she said, her tone giving away her doubt.
"So, where's your brother? Is he the one that gave you that black eye?" Dominic asked, regretting that question as soon as it left his mouth. He could feel her body tense up.
"NO. I got it from my boyfriend. It was an accident." Jayzen inspected her nails after taking a cucumber off of the snack plate.
"Sure it was. You know," Dominic paused to take a deep breath, "real men don't hit females." He said, watching her closely.
"Like I said, it was an accident." Jayzen said, tucking her feet up under her after shifting how she was sitting.
"Right and I'm not a street racer." Dominic shrugged.
"That's gotta suck for you." Jayzen replied, her big eyes focused on the tv in front of her. "What do you know about street racing?" Dominic raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"More than you think I know." She worked hard to keep from laughing.
"Really?" Dominic sat forward, locking his eyes with hers. "And how is that?" He asked, scratching his chin.
"My brother is a street racer. Always has been. I'd still be racing if I hadn't totaled my car." Jayzen grumbled, her cheeks flushed now as memories flashed through her head.
"Oh, this sounds like a good story. Do tell." Dominic commanded, intrigued.
"It's not a story I repeat. Sorry, shoulda been there when it happened." Jayzen said sarcastically, getting up to pace while she twirled the end of her hair out of nervousness.
"Oh, I see. A sore spot. Gee, it's tough to talk about the past, isn't it?" Dominic ran his tongue over his teeth, loving how she was now in his shoes how he was the day she walked in asking questions and opening old wounds. Something Miss Congeniality didn't want to talk about. He wondered how he could get her to spill it.
"You're not cute." She replied through gritted teeth, now annoyed.
"Hmm, I'm hurt. I've always been told I was the cream of the crop. The king. This, of course, according to the ladies on the street." He smiled, pretending to fluff non-existing hair.
"Conceited much?" Jayzen tried not to laugh but couldn't hold out.
"Nah, I have learned to be modest in my old years." Dominic grinned, giving up the charade with a grin. The smile the two shared was broke by her cell phone ringing. "Hey Baby. You comin to the races tonight or next week?" Gio's French accent came through crisply on the other end.
"Um, no, I don't think I am." She said, trying to franticly think of a good reason. Lying was not her strong talent.
"Why not?" He asked, engines revving behind him.
"You know how protective Han is…." She said, her voice low to keep Dominic from hearing her lie. "Yeah and I also know how good you are at defying him when you want to do something. You're clever enough to figure out how to get yourself here." Gio said, his tone so smooth. "I know, but.." She was interrupted.
"Do I need to come over there?" Gio sounded irritated now. "No." Jayzen said, sounding shocked he would go that length, seeing as him and Han had issues with each other. The last time he had came over, Han had almost killed him with his bear hands.
"Look, Babygirl, tonight's important. Please come. You're my cheerleader." Gio's pleading tone made shivers go up her back. She loved his accent and his voice. It was so hard to resist him.
"Okay, give me twenty minutes and I'll be there." She sighed, mad at her weakness and his charm.
"You got ten. I can't put off my race for twenty minutes. Time starts now." He said, hanging up. "Hey, I gotta go. I'll be back in a little bit. Make yourself at home." Jayzen told Dominic after running upstairs to changing into a strapless baby blue shimmering cami top and a black mini skirt. Her lace up wedge shoes tied off the outfit nicely. Dominic had a hard time not gawking at her. She really did look like a street racer dressed that way. Her eyes donned sparkle jewels and her long blonde hair rested in ringlets held up by a butterfly clip.
"Okay, I hope you don't always leave strangers in your house like this." Dominic grumbled, not happy that she was leaving. He had a pretty good idea where she was rushing off to.
"Nope. Not usually. I'm headed to the races for a bit and in case Han asks, I am going with some of my friends, not Gio." She smiled as she grabbed her keys. "Can I count on you to keep it quiet?" She asked, stopping at the door.
"Would this Gio be the jerk he doesn't want you around? Cause I tend to agree with him on this one and I'm not going to lie for you just because you are giving me a place to stay." Dominic said, his amusement now about her audacity. He stood in front of the door she was trying to pass through with his arms folded.
"No, it's not to meet him. One of my friends, as I said, but thank you for your concern." She said sarcastically, hating how he was acting. She couldn't stand authority and the last thing she needed right now was a confrontation.
"Cute sarcasm. Gotta love it." Dominic replied. "I'm just thinking about this and how no one deserves to be hit." Dominic gently touched her cheek, running his hand over the under part of her blackened eye. He stroked her cheek for a second, and she turned away, her chin raised indignantly.
"I gotta go." She whispered. "Make yourself at home." She walked out, not looking back. She didn't want to think about how her skin felt with his touch. It was almost as if lighting had struck her.
A/n: Thanks so much for the reviews. I am really sorry it has taken me this long to get the update up. I have been sick and working massive overtime at Dell. The reviews really make my day and I hope you guys can be patient between updates! Thanks and much love! Cheer
