Free PowerShift: Skid Row Kings Series, #2 by Winter Travers Page A

it.
    “OK, then what are you two doing here? I was just about to feed Levi.”
    “Perfect. I can help.” Frankie walked over to the counter where the pizza was cooling and picked up the pizza cutter. “Does he like triangles or squares?”
    “Um, he only eats squares,” I mumbled.
    “Good thing I asked. I’m a triangle girl myself. I’ll cut half in squares and the other half in triangles.” Frankie finished cutting the pizza, putting two slices on a plate and headed down the hallway to Levi’s room.
    “What the hell is going on, Mitch? I opened the door, and it’s like I stepped into the twilight zone.”
    “Get away from the car,” he yelled as he leaned out the window. “Damn savages around here. They see a shiny car and all they can think about is putting it on bricks and stealing the damn rims off of it,” he muttered.
    “Mitch.”
    “Yeah?” He asked, half turning away from the window.
    “What are you doing here?”
    “Frankie needs money, I want you to come and watch me race tonight.”
    Was that supposed to make sense, because it sure as hell didn’t. “Can you repeat that but maybe with a few more words in between.”
    “Frankie has been eyeing up some shoes she’s wanted, and Luke won’t buy them for her.”
    “And that brings you here because?”
    “Because I want you to come and see me race.”
    It finally clicked what was going on. Frankie was here to babysit Levi so I could go out with Mitch. Sneaky. With Frankie here, I couldn’t use Levi as an excuse as to why I couldn’t go. “And you think I’m just going to say yes and run off with you.”
    “Well, that is what I was hoping, but I figure I’m going to either have to convince you or tie you up with the rope I have in my trunk.” He glanced out the window and hollered again for someone to get away from his car. “They’re like God damn flies circling food. So, I need you to decide how this is going to go. Are you coming with me, or am I going to have to get the rope?”
    “Frank!” I heard Levi shout down the hall. That was the happiest I had heard Levi in the past three days. Every morning he begged me to spend the day with Mitch and when I told him no, he was a bear the rest of the day.
    Frankie walked down the hall carrying Levi on her hip and balanced the plate of pizza in her other hand. “Mama! Frank is here!” Frankie laughed as he called her Frank again and set him on the counter.
    “I see that, big man.” Frankie moved around the kitchen like she had been here fifty times before and I glanced at Mitch, who was just staring at me.
    I had no clue what to do. “Clock is ticking,” Mitch called.
    “Frank said you’re going to watch Mitch race, Mama,” Levi said around a mouthful of pizza. “I wish I could go, but Frank said we’re going to play games and guess what?” He asked excitedly.
    “What?” I asked, happy to finally see Levi smile again.
    “She brought ice cream!” Levi shouted.
    “I sure did.” Frankie walked to the front door, leaned out and grabbed a bag she left by the door when she surprised me. “Sprinkles too,” she said, winking as she opened the freezer and emptied the canvas bag. “Shouldn’t you guys be heading out?”
    “Scarlett?” Mitch asked.
    Frankie, Levi, and Mitch all looked at me. I knew what I wanted to do, but was it the right thing to do? Mitch tossed his keys up in the air, and I watched them go up and down. Would it hurt to go out with Mitch for one night? Didn’t I deserve to have a bit of fun once in a while? It had been over four years since I had done anything that was just for me.
    Levi munched happily on his pizza, and I looked at Frankie, who had a small smile on her lips. I didn’t have one reason to say no.
    “Well, I guess we’re going racing,” I shrugged my shoulders, and Levi let out a cheer. This would be good not only me but for Levi, too. It was time for both of us to have a bit of fun. Levi was going to have a night of fun with Frankie