Free Classic (Adrenaline Book 1) by Xavier Neal

racing and gambling.”
     
    “Thank you for that,” I sarcastically remark.
     
    “Does Madden know about this?” He flashes me the newspaper photo.
     
    “Oh he knows. Has chewed me out. And banned me from seeing her.”
     
    “Which is why you're sitting here on my couch needing a favor.” He sighs and shakes his head. “I'll get you what you want, but I need something from you.”
     
    My eyes glance over at Krissy and Shelby who begin pushing the stacks into large yellow envelopes.
     
    “I told you Vinnie. I'm not racing in Lake View. The heat there isn't worth the payout. Ever.”
     
    I'm not like my cousin. Trouble for the sake of trouble doesn't give me a boner. I'm smarter about my illegal activities. I have to be.
     
    “I know. It's not about that. Had a racer approach me last night at the fight. Wants to try his hand at you in a few weeks.”
     
    “Muscle or sports?”
     
    “Sports.”
     
    I have more fun playing with muscle cars, but happen to drive sports cars better. Comes in handy considering most of the cars I move for The Devil are exotic beauties.
     
    “Payout is gonna be huge.”
     
    “He stand a shot?”
     
    “Would I lead you into a loss?” Slowly I start to smile. “I get paid when you get paid. And obviously.” He waves a hand at the girls who are stuffing away his last batch of cash. “I like to get paid.”
     
    “Get me to my girl and I'll get you your win.”
     
    My proposition pleases Vinnie by the way he gets a crooked grin and his fingers start moving across his tablet again.
     
    No. This is not what it looks like when doing a deal with the devil. Trust me. You'll see what that looks like soon enough.
     

Jovi
     
    You know what I love most about my job? I can spend most of my shift staring into art books or searching through classic poetry. Between checking books out to children, moms who are looking to pass the time by, and college students who couldn't find what they were looking for on campus, there's quite a lot of downtime. Besides Hayli comes over on her breaks or when she gets off to hang out. That is when she's not being summoned by one of her many 'friends with benefits' she rotates through.
     
    “Classic Art in Modern Culture.”
     
    Startled, one of my hands flies on my chest as I gasp, “What the hell are you doing here?”
     
    Merrick smirks as if pleased with my response.
     
    Dick.
     
    He sits on the edge of the table on the top level of the library, a place I deemed my own little hiding spot. “I found you again.”
     
    Leaning back in my seat I fold my arms across my chest. “You came looking for me, you mean.”
     
    “Pretty much.”
     
    I let my eyes soak in just how incredible he looks in his loose jeans, solid black shirt that hugs his broad shoulders like it's afraid to be without him, and his turned around baseball cap that exposes his bright blue eyes that could mollify even the most averse soul.
     
    Brace yourself. I know I am.
     
    “Go out with me,” he declares rather than asks.
     
    Unsure how I feel about his approach I counter, “You haven't heard no in a long time have you?”
     
    “Heard it just this morning.”
     
    “From a female?”
     
    His cocky smile returns and I shake my head. “Chicks don't typically tell me no. They don't have a reason to.”
     
    “There's a fine line between confident and cocky. You're dancing with it.”
     
    “You're enjoying it.”
     
    “You're crossing it.”
     
    “You're loving it.”
     
    Rolling my eyes I lean forward and shake my head again. “No.”
     
    “No what?”
     
    “No. I won't go out with you.”
     
    “And by no you mean...yes.”
     
    “No. I mean no. No means no.”
     
    “Until it means yes.” The attitude has me rolling my eyes again.
     
    Charming and nauseating. Also a fine line. But a guy like this? I get the feeling everything is easy for him. Hell I was easy for him...but I wanted to be easy yesterday. After my father's comment and now his, I