High-Sided: An Armed & Dangerous Novel (3 page)

He lowered his head. “Yeah, we did. I hate it had to end.”

So much had changed over the years. We’d started out as friends, then a couple years after Logan broke up with me, we became lovers. Our relationship never officially went public, so imagine our surprise when his mother and my father announced their engagement out of the blue.

I still cared about Sean, but it didn’t feel right being with him, knowing we were step-brother and sister now. That was why we’d kept our distance for a while, until things got easier.

He started dating other girls and I saw other guys, but he had a jealous streak about him. He still had feelings for me, but knew I didn’t love him like that. He was my best friend and I cared for him deeply, our connection stronger than any other relationship I’d ever had . . . except for what I thought I had with Logan.

I grabbed Sean’s hand and he lifted his head, gaze torn. Now that my father had named us co-owners of Bennett Pro Racing, we were going to be connected for a long time. “You just need to find a good girl, Sean,” I murmured.

He shook his head. “I already did. What gets me is, you’re still single too. Doesn’t that tell you something? We’ve failed at every other relationship we’ve been in.”

He had a point, but I knew what my problem was. I hadn’t let anyone completely in since Logan. “That doesn’t mean anything. We just haven’t met the right ones yet. Besides, can you imagine what our parents would say if they knew we were intimate?”

He scoffed. “Who gives a fuck? I can see it being a problem if we were kids fucking around, but we’re adults. We were together
before
they even started seeing each other.”

Sighing, I let his hand go. “I can’t argue with you there, but it still doesn’t change anything. We have to move on for the team’s sake. When my father retires, it’ll be me and you handling the business. That means, whatever happened in the past has to stay there. We can’t let feelings interfere.”

His jaw clenched and he looked away. “So it’s completely over then?”

I hated hurting him. He’d been by my side for years, always there when I needed him. “I’m sorry, Sean. It’s the way it has to be. Having you as my friend has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I don’t want to lose that.”

Turning his gaze to me, he stood and held out his hand. I took it and he pulled me into his arms. “You’re not ever going to lose me, Kass. We’ve been through a lot together. If being your friend is the only way I can have you, so be it.”

“Promise?”

He chuckled and let me go. “I promise. Now let’s get back to the shop and see if we can catch Levi on the new bike.”

I loved watching the guys practice. “Sounds good.”

We got in his truck and started back toward the Bennett Pro Racing shop, which was down the street from my father’s house. Over the years, our company had grown from a small, backyard building, to a two thousand square foot garage with every amenity you could think of.

His mother, Angela Mills, had worked for DB Racing, which was owned by Donnie Baker. Donnie and my father were childhood friends, and we’d been shocked when Sean had wanted to ride for us and not him. Donnie was like family to us; we were always supporting each other.

When Sean joined our team, Angela would come around to watch him race, leading to the eventual romance between her and my dad. But that was many years ago. Since then, Sean had decided to step down from racing, leaving us with just four riders.

“Do you miss racing?” I asked, even though I knew he did. I could see it in his eyes every time we were at a race and he wasn’t out there on the track.

He released a heavy sigh. “Every day, but I know it’s for the best. We both know accidents happen and the results from that. The last thing I want to do is leave you to run Bennett Racing on your own.”

My phone rang. I pulled it out of my purse and saw Levi’s name. He was one of our four riders, and a close childhood friend. “Hey,” I answered.

“Where are you?” His voice sounded breathless and concerned.

“On my way to watch you ride. What’s going on?” I could hear shouting in the background, one of the voices being my dad’s.

“It looks like they found our stolen tire changer.”

We’d had a break-in a couple weeks back, and a six-thousand-dollar tire changer went missing. After filing a police report, I’d figured we’d never hear of it again. “Holy shit, where?”

“Apparently, Miller went over to Ethan’s house and found it covered in his garage. He came back and told your dad.”

Gasping, I slapped a hand over my mouth. Ethan Landis was our pit crew manager and had been with us for twenty-five years. Not to mention, he was a great guy—like a second dad to me. He wasn’t the type to steal anything. “How is that possible? Ethan would never do that.”

If there was ever a good guy in the world, he was one of them. His wife baked us goodies all the time, and even cooked dinner for me the whole month I worked on getting my mother’s house cleaned out. I couldn’t see him stealing from us.

Levi huffed. “I know, but it doesn’t look like there’s anything we can do. Just get here fast.”

We hung up and Sean squeezed my hand to get my attention. “Kass, what’s wrong?”

I was in shock. “Looks like we found the person who broke into the shop.”

“Who?”

I looked over at him. “Ethan.” By the expression on his face, he couldn’t believe it either.

S
ean got us to the shop in record time. There were two police cars parked out front and everyone stood outside. Levi was talking to Miller, who was one of our racers, and also the one who found our stolen equipment in Ethan’s garage. When Levi noticed us pull in, he rushed over and opened my door.

“Where’s my dad?” I asked, getting out of the car.

He nodded toward the shop. “Inside, with Ethan and the cops. He swears he didn’t do it.”

Sean stood beside me and sighed. “Then how did it get in his garage?”

Levi shrugged. “Don’t know. He’s pretty pissed and shocked by the whole thing, not exactly the way I’d imagine a guilty man to act. Not unless he’s that good of an actor.”

“Ethan would never steal from us,” I said. “He’s been a part of our family since I was in diapers. He’s a good man.”

“I know,” Levi agreed, glancing over at Sean. “You’ve worked with him, you know how he is.”

Sean nodded. “Agreed. It makes no sense.”

Tires squealed down the road and Sean’s mother – my stepmother – came to a screeching halt in the parking lot. She ran over to us, eyes wide and wild. Sean looked nothing like her with his brown hair and amber eyes, while she was blonde with blue eyes. He took after his father in that department. “What’s going on? Why are the cops here? Is Richard okay?” Angela gasped.

Sean put his arm around her. “He’s fine, Ma. Apparently, we found out who stole our equipment.”

Levi moved closer so he could whisper in my ear. “I want to get Ethan’s side of the story. Let’s see if we can talk to him before it’s too late.”

The door to the shop opened and Ethan stormed out, with the cops following close behind. My father exited next, and everyone swarmed around him, giving us the time we needed. The cops got into their cars, and Ethan marched over to his and slammed his hands down on the hood.

“Ethan,” I called out.

He jerked around, face red. His breaths came out in deep growls and he shook. “Your father will kill you if he sees you talking to me.”

“He’s going to have to get over it.” Crossing my arms, I stepped forward. “Tell me it’s not true.”

“It’s not,” he answered, looking straight into my eyes. “I didn’t steal anything. I wouldn’t.” Huffing, he glanced behind us toward the shop. “There’s something going on and I don’t know what it is. I’ve felt this way for years, ever since . . .” He stopped and met my gaze, not finishing the sentence.

“Ever since what?” Levi asked.

Ethan sighed and closed his eyes. “Doesn’t matter.”

I grabbed his arm. “Yes, it does. Tell me what you were going to say.”

He opened his eyes and my chest tightened. “Ever since Logan’s crash, things have seemed off.”

The air whooshed out of my lungs and it felt like I’d been stabbed in the chest. After so many years, it still hurt to think about him.

Levi’s brows furrowed. “What does Logan’s accident have to do with this?” It was exactly what I wanted to know.

Ethan threw his hands in the air. “That’s just it. I don’t think it was an accident at all. After what happened to me and to others in the past, everything’s clearer than ever.”

“Kassidy!” my father yelled.

Ethan’s breath caught and he glanced over my shoulder. My father marched toward us with a murderous glare. Ethan grabbed my wrist and my pulse spiked. “Kassidy, listen to me,” he commanded, his emerald gaze boring into mine, “I’m not your father’s enemy, but someone out there is. I know there are others out there who hate him, and I’m not talking about those just in the racing world. People are getting hurt and it needs to stop.” I could hear my father’s steps getting closer, but Ethan never took his eyes off mine. “Ask your father what I’m talking about. Make him tell you the truth.”

“Kassidy!” my father growled again, only this time, he stepped in front of me. He faced off with Ethan, but Ethan backed away, his expression sad. It hurt to see the pain on both of their faces. “Get out of here, Landis. You have no business talking to my daughter.”

Sean pulled me back and put his hands on my shoulders. Ethan opened his car door and shook his head. “I was telling her what I told you years ago. Someone’s after you, and I’m tired of seeing people get hurt because of it.” He threw his hands in the air. “Who’s next Richard? Your wife? Your
daughter
?”

“That’s enough!” my father shouted.

Ethan glanced at me over my father’s shoulder with a look of concern on his face. “Be safe, peanut.” He got in his car and drove away, my father shaking with rage as he watched him leave.

“What did he say to you?” my father demanded, turning his glare my way.

Angela rushed up and held onto his arm. “There’s no reason to yell at her, Richard. Ethan’s like family to her. He loves her like a daughter and you know it.”

I stepped out of Sean’s grasp and faced him. “Exactly. And I’m the one who should be asking questions. What did he mean when he said you have enemies outside of the racing world? Who have you pissed off?”

He huffed and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter what I’ve done. It’s all in the past.”

“Are you serious right now? Sean and I are about to take over the business. I need to know if there’s something we should be worried about.”

“I’ve got it handled, Kassidy.” His gaze met Levi’s, and a few seconds passed before Levi nodded.

“What’s going on?” I snapped, looking between the two. “Why are you two looking at each other like that?” They were keeping me in the dark about something and I didn’t like it.

Levi averted his gaze. “I think I know someone who can help.”

“Who? The cops?”

He shook his head. “No. Someone much better than that.” He nodded at my father again and they marched off toward the shop, leaving me with Angela and Sean.

I looked over at Angela. “Who the hell is he talking about?”