Huge Working Hero (Hard Working Hero 3)

“It's not the cops, so don't pull over, keep going.” I'm watching the car get closer and closer.

She hits the gas and drives up so close she almost hits the back bumper. Kelsie slams on the horn again a few times and waves her arm. I shake my head no at her, and wave as if to tell her to go back.

She shouldn't be doing this. She needs to go back to her family. I made my decision, it's time for both of us to move on. It should be easy, it shouldn't be this hard for her to just let go.

The car is so close I can see her brows drop and her lips frown angrily. She honks again. And when the taxi still doesn't stop, she looks around us, and then swerves into the other lane. She's a good driver, good at racing, good at almost everything I've ever seen her do, except sticking up for herself.

She's staying even with the taxi, and I can tell the driver is getting nervous. “Sir, I think we should pull over.”

“No, just drive. She'll give up and go away once she realizes we're not stopping.”

“I don't know, man, this lady looks really upset. You know her?”

“Yeah, I know her.”

“What the hell did you do to her?” he asks.

I'm quiet for a moment. My heart twinges with pain as I keep my eyes out the window. “I broke her heart.”

“That was a mistake,” he says, his voice shaky as her car sways close to us then drifts away. “I really think I need to pull over.”

“No,” I snap.

The driver's hands tighten around the wheel and his skin is turning ghost white. He looks petrified. She honks again, laying on the horn.

“Fine, pull over here.” I give in. This guy is in no position for some street racer action you'd see in a movie. He has the look of death on his face.

The driver slows down and pulls over, a look of relief on his face as the taxi comes to a stop. Kelsie hits her brakes and pulls up behind us.

“Give me one minute,” I say to the taxi driver.

He doesn't nod or answer. I think he's too freaked out to do anything right now. I'm sure it's not every day he gets chased down by some stranger.

I throw my door open and climb out. She does the same. Kelsie comes around to the passenger side of her car.

“What the hell are you doing?” I bark, throwing my arms out. “You could have killed yourself! Why would you do that? Why would you risk your life doing something so stupid?”

There's a shakiness in my voice. I don't want to yell at her, but I'm so angry she would do something like this, especially after seeing what happened with her brother. One wrong move and it's over.

“Me?” she yells, pointing a finger at her chest. “I'm not the crazy one! You're the crazy one!” She takes a strong step in, her mouth crooked to one side. “How can you do this? Why would you do this? Why would you choose to save Seth and abandon me?”

What? She thinks I did this for him?

The pain in my chest twists and stabs harder like a serrated blade. I didn't do this for her brother. I did this for her. Does she really think that I would pick Seth over her?

Anger floods my body. I'm not doing this for anyone else but her. Is she really this short sighted and naive that she thinks I'd give up my job to save some stupid teenager?

Can't she see it? Can't she see the truth?

“I didn't abandon you, and I didn't do this for your brother.” My voice is husky and thick. I'm trying. Lord help me, I'm trying to stay calm, but it's hard.

“Yes, you did!” she yells. “You gave up everything for him! You chose him over me! Why would you do that?” Her lids turn to slits and her pupils shrink to the size of pinpricks. “If you didn't want anything to do with me, you could have just said it. You didn't have to ride on the back of my brother's fucking stupidity.”

“You think I wanted to do this? Are you kidding me? I did this for you! I think the world of you. I saved you. You heard your brother, he was going to tell your dad everything. I couldn't let him destroy your life just so he could save his own ass. I did this for you, Kelsie, not for anyone else.”

Her lips thin, pursing tight as her eyes flick back and forth over mine. “If you really feel that way, then you'll listen to me now. I don't give a shit about what my parents think. I don't care what my brother tells them, and I don't give two fucks about what they think about you. I'm done hiding. I'm done pretending. Whether it's racing or being with you, I want to decide what's right for me.” Kelsie pauses, but it doesn't look like she's done. I stay quiet, letting her say whatever she feels she needs to. “Do you get it now?”