Free Dirty Looks (Dirt Track Dogs: The Second Lap Book 1) by P. Jameson Page B

she’s small. She’s got balls the size of Texas.”
    “She showed you her balls?” Annie asked with a snort.
    Aaron gave her a dry look.
    “Sorry. I couldn’t help it. Punk’s rubbing off on me. But she can pull these things off with finesse, whereas I snort.”
    “Anyone who does stunt biking has some brass balls, is all I’m saying. But back to your question…” He set his chili down and looked out toward the street, collecting his thoughts. “She wanted to make a good impression on Drake, and she doesn’t feel it went so well.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because before she got a word in, me and him got into it.”
    Annie rolled her eyes. “Knew that was coming,” she muttered, but then added, “You did come here to kill them after all. And at Christmas. That deserves a beating, I’m thinking.”
    He gave a single nod. “It does. I’d do at least that if one of them boys came hunting my family. It’s why we’re even now.”
    But Drake would be watching him. He knew because it’s what he would do. He’d watch him until there was no doubt left that he was a danger. Lexington was right to want to distance herself from him, right to think that it could pit Drake against her.
    It was why they had to prove the vixens could be of value to the Dirt Track Dogs.
    “Annie… I need your help.”
    A frown curved her bow lips. “What is it?”
    “The vixens aren’t just here to race. They want into your pack.”
    “Into it how?”
    “They want to be Dirt Track Dogs. Want to pledge their allegiance to Drake and fall under his protection.”
    Her eyebrows shot upward, crinkling her forehead. “Wow. This has never happened before. We’re such a small pack, and a group of misfits at that.”
    “Let’s just say they appreciate DTD values,” he murmured.
    “Our values? Oh no.” His sister’s expression changed again, taking on a look of concern. “Are foxes like the cats? No fated mates? Forced matings?”
    Aaron shook his head, the chili suddenly turning sour in his stomach.
    “Not like the werecats, but similar. At least for the clan they originated from. The males battle it out over the females of their choosing until a victor arises, then they’re given over to be bred.”
    Annie shook her head, staring away. “Bred?” she mouthed, as if saying it out loud made her ill. “Is this why you became a hunter? Because of crap like this?”
    “No. The Memphis wolves treated their females better than this. The Memphis cats, not so much, but… they were a wicked breed.”
    “But it’s this feeling, right? The feeling of someone being unjustly treated, and by someone with more power. That’s why you did it.”
    He nodded, because yes, she’d hit the nail on the head. He’d never been the type who could sit back and watch a bully have their way.
    Annie was quiet, staring at her hands where they twisted atop the table.
    “It seems like you got some of those DTD values yourself,” she said. “I can’t imagine the pack turning their back on someone who needed help. But that said, Drake won’t take risks with our people. He saves the risky business for the track.”
    “That’s what I wanted to ask you about.” Aaron leaned forward, bracing his elbows on the table. “Can they… can they race for a spot in the pack?”
    Using their abilities as currency was the only idea he had, and even he could admit it was a weak one.
    Annie pursed her lips, thinking. “Ella raced Drake to win a place in the club, but that was way back when. And at the time, she didn’t know they were shifters. Didn’t even know she was a shifter. But so much has changed since then. They went from five bachelors to a full-fledged pack with families and young. I’m not sure what Drake would say to a race-in now.”
    “Damn.” His plan was going from weak to on life support.
    She watched him, and no doubt she could sense how hard he was feeling this. It was no joke what they said about twins and their hooky intuition. For the