Falling into a deep slumber, she was dead to the world as her phone buzzed repeatedly on the bedside table. Finally, entering the land of consciousness, she hit a button to make it shut up, thinking it was her alarm. When she heard screeching on the other end she realized she had actually answered it, "hello?"

It was him, low, deep voice penetrating through the speaker.

"What," she spat into the phone, rubbing tiredly at her eyes.

"Your car is ready, you can come pick it up now," he informed, voice devoid of any emotion.

"Okay great, I'll be there soon," she ended the conversation not wanting to hear anything else he had to say right now. It was too early to fight.

She was utterly exhausted, and her body felt sore, and not the good kind of sore. After the multiple ding ups and scuffles she had been into, it still hurt like a bitch all the same.

Stretching out her muscles, she yelped in pain when she felt a sharp jab in her side. Glancing down she saw a purple bruise forming on her tanned skin. Great, another body to add to the growing pile.

Throwing clothes and shoes on as fast as possible, she all but jumped down the stairs in anticipation. She never left her car with anyone, but she imagined it was like leaving your kid with a random stranger overnight.

It wasn't typical in the town to walk anywhere, in fact you hardly ever saw anyone walking, but it was a nice enough day so Charlie couldn't really complain. She considered getting a ride, but then people would ask questions, and no one in her family approved of her racing. Not the people who knew anyway, she never told neither her mother nor father. They hounded her about enough things already. Nothing could dampen her spirits, Sally was fixed and coming home.

A quarter of the way there her phone buzzed, vibrating her body through her pant pocket. She didn't have to look down to know who it was, no one besides Duncan or Danny texted her. Her parents always opted for calling instead of texting, and she talked to Danny last night, so that only left Duncan.

And if it was Duncan, she only wanted one thing, for Charlie to race. She just didn't assume it would be this sudden; she usually had more time in between races.

It was in a place a couple of towns over, she recognized the name from signs she saw in passing a few times. She had never actually been there because it was sketchy as hell, but a race was a race.

Without any further thought, she typed back yes, throwing out questions about the stakes and who all would be there in order to distract herself for the rest of the dreary walk to…she just realized, she didn't even know his name.

Racking her brain, she came up empty every time. Not even the shop name was coming to mind. Guess she was preoccupied last night. If there's one thing she did know it was every line, contour, and detail of his body.

At least she knew how to get there. Standing before her in all its glory was the shop; door formerly closed up last night, gaping wide open this morning, as well as the garage doors.

No one said anything as she sauntered in, but many heads turned, and she could feel their gazes on her ass as she walked through to where she knew the office was. She didn't have time for a random hookup right now, her head had to remain in the game if she was going to win the race tonight. And she was. She just hoped stupid asshole Jason Neville would be there.

He didn't glance up at her when her shoes first pitter-pattered against the cement floor of his office.

Finally, he tore his gaze away from the paperwork in front of him to lightly grin up at her. Quizzically she kinked up one eyebrow at his good mood, "you seem chipper this morning."

He just shrugged, "well it was almost 12 A.M. last night, and some irritating, reckless, infuriating girl showed up on my doorstep. You can see where my crankiness came from."

She shook her head, mouth lifting into a smirk at one corner of her mouth, "on the contrary, if someone showed up on my doorstep looking like me, I'd be pretty damn thrilled."

He let out a chuckle, standing up and going around his desk in the direction she just came from. But she didn't see her car when she walked through.

He motioned to one of the guys, yelling at him in a snappish tone as he blatantly checked Charlie out, and before her eyes, her car was being lowered.

It was like one of those scenes out of a cheesy romance movie, she only had eyes for her car, and as soon as the wheels touched the ground, she flung herself dramatically on the hood.

"Oh baby, how I've missed you, I promise not to push you too hard again."

She retracted her body when she heard a wolf whistle, realizing she was giving all the men there a good view of her ass.

"I'd let you push me that hard any day baby," filth seeped out of his mouth.

Charlie whipped around, "no offense, but you look a lot less durable than my car. And if she couldn't handle me, you sure as hell can't," came her sickeningly sweet answer.

Not expecting that kind of response, the guy visibly fumbled to come up with something, but Bass chose that moment to intervene, "Baker stop trying to pick up clients and get back to work."

"Hey," he exclaimed, "I don't try to pick up clients usually, considering they're scary ass dudes, but this one is hot."

A wide grin rose on her face as she diverted her attention back to Bass' voice, "she's all good to go, but keep good on your promise. Don't drive her like a douchebag. It's a nice car," he commented dreamily as he ran his hand along the top.

And it was a nice car. Solid black, with two perfectly symmetrical white lines piercing through the middle. It had been in her family for many years, her uncle gave it to her on her 17th birthday, which her mother was pissed about. She thought Charlie was reckless and independent enough, she didn't need a car of her own, but Miles was adamant about her having it. Her '67 Chevelle would put any newer car on its ass; she proved that many times over. Muscle over modern was always her motto.

Breaking his love connection to the car, Bass let his hand fall to the side, "alright well just sign some paperwork and you're free to go."

She nodded as she proceeded towards the front desk. He didn't make her pay for anything, as a favor to Duncan…that's how he rationalized it anyway. Even though the deal was just for letting her store the car in someplace safe overnight.

Before she could finally be free from this place, she heard her name being called out. It sounded foreign coming from his lips, but it tumbled out so nicely she wanted to hear it again and again and again. Preferably as his taunt, muscular body covered hers.

Shaking those thoughts from her mind, she hesitantly entered his office again, "yeah?"

Not speaking immediately sent Charlie's mind into panic mode. Finally he loudly exhaled and scratched the back of his neck, "look I know where you're going tonight. Duncan mentioned it might be kinda dangerous. Not the place for you—"

"So Duncan asked you to talk me out of it? The same Duncan who was practically chomping at the bit earlier when I talked to her?"

She shook her head in disbelief, "you're gonna have to try harder than that."

"She didn't ask me to do anything, but I know those kind of places, and it isn't a place where you should be, especially not by yourself."

"You don't think I'm capable of handling myself? Who the fuck are you to tell me, what I can and can't handle? I've been doing just fine on my own before you came into the picture, and newsflash, I'll be damn fine after."

He could feel anger seething from her, but even that didn't thwart his attempt, "this has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with those people there. Although you're doing a damn good job of proving my point."

"What do you even know about them? And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"Let's just say I've been where you're at. Mad, angry, furious, confused, but these people aren't the type of people to get mixed up with."

She threw her hands up, "God, it's like your beating around the proverbial bush, get to the point so I can go."

"I know them because I was one of those asshole guys," he finally exploded, slamming his fists down onto his desk.

Sighing, he sat back down calmly, "I used to race with them for awhile, until some bad shit went down. I got out, case closed, end of story."

"You're gonna have to give me more than that," it was like pulling teeth here.

"I can't," he huffed looking at her annoyed expression, "look I'm just asking you to sit this one out."

She was already shaking her head, "you've given me no reason why I should. You've insulted my driving and pretended you know more about me than you really do. I'm not dropping out, case closed, end of story," she spat.

"Fine," he gritted his teeth, "do whatever you want. But don't come crying to me when shit goes down unless you want to hear me say 'I told you so.' You'll have no one to blame but yourself."

It took everything in her not to say anything back, but the more civilized, more mature response was to zip her lips and walk away.

So that's what she did, and she didn't look back as her car peeled out of the parking lot.

It wasn't that she was too stubborn for her own good. She didn't mind taking useful advice, but he literally gave her nothing. He was asking her to trust him, when it was obvious he didn't trust her. It had to work both ways. Besides, he didn't know her, so why was he sticking his nose in her business anyway?