Fast Track

Chapter Fourteen

Jeb's POV

Sitting around the conference table with all the head-honchos of JGR was surreal. Don't get me wrong, I've sat at tables like this with people that basically held the future of my career in their hands before, most recently when I signed on with Jordan Anderson. The difference was, while Jordan was known in the sport, he was an up-and-coming team owner. JGR had been around nearly as long as Nascar itself. Or at least it seemed that way. They were definitely one of the teams that figured out the formula to win races, to get the best drivers, and sustain their name in a business that not many people succeed in.

And having Addie sitting at the table beside me just made this whole experience better.

Joe was in the middle of explaining why I was taking over for Ty when the door to the conference room flew open and a very angry Christopher Bell walked in. Everyone's eye landed on him as he stood in the doorway. Part of me wanted to lash out at his childish name calling but I was above him on that. It wasn't the first time I'd been insulted by someone because I talked with an accent. And I knew it wouldn't be the last.

But what had me ready to knock his teeth down his throat was when his eyes landed on Addie and I felt her tense beside me. I watched with anger simmering just below the surface as he stalked further into the room and stopped at a place on the opposite side of the table just in front of Addie.

"Guess you figured that since you couldn't keep a star like me in your bed, you would just go out and find the first one that be dumb enough to sleep with you." he said, his sharp words affecting Addie and pissing me off like nothing ever had before. But still, respect for Joe and his team kept me from ripping his head off. That is until he brazenly looked over at me, a clear challenge in his eyes. "Did she promise to make you a star if you slept with her? Did she promise to have her own fucking brother kicked off of the team in order for you to get a ride in the cup series? Its fucking hilarious when you think about it because Ty proved that he could outrace you any damn day of the week last year. Or did you forget that he won the fucking championship at the same exact moment that he was losing the pathetic excuse of a man that he called his dad?"

I'm not sure when I launched myself from the chair and across the conference table, but one minute I'd been sitting in the chair beside Addie and the next, I was tackling Christopher, driving my fist into his face with all of my might. All around me, I could hear people yelling for someone to call security. I could feel the tension in the room as fear and adrenaline rolled off everyone in it. I felt a small sense of satisfaction when I felt the bones of his jaw give way. But still, it wasn't enough.

I'd just drawn back and was about to land another blow to his face when the scent of Addie's shampoo filled my nose a millisecond before I felt her hands land on my shoulders. It was unbelievably stupid for her to get into the middle of this considering that I could have unintentionally hurt her but thankfully my brain registered that it was her before it lashed out. Because lord knows I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I had physically hurt her while in a blinding rage because of her ex.

"He's not worth it." she repeated over and over, her lips close to my ear as she pulled me off of Christopher. She walked us to the furthest corner of the room and tucked herself against my side as she pressed my back against the wall about the same time security walked in.

"That motherfucker attacked me. You all saw it. I want him banned from this building. Hell, I want him banned from this sport!" said Christopher –or at least that's what I think he said since his words were garbled from the broken jaw I'd given him.

Apparently I wasn't the only one that thought that was what he said. Because I stood frozen in place as I watched Joe stand to his full height from the chair he'd been in. I watched as he stalked over to where Christopher was still sitting on the floor. I watched as Joe bent at the waist and got in Christopher's face. Respect for the man grew tremendously as I watched him glare at Christopher.

"If anyone gets banned from this office, if anyone gets banned from this sport, it's going to be you." said Joe, his voice low but filled with so much malice that made me take note to never piss him off. "It goes without saying that you're contact with my team is null and void not only because of what happened her today, but because you had the fucking gaul to insult my son. Consider yourself blackballed in this business you piece of shit. By the time words get out about you and what happened here today, you won't even be welcome on a drag strip in the middle of Podunk, USA. Now, get the fuck out of my face, get the fuck out of my office, stay the fuck out of my life and that of my grandaughter's."

Joe stood back to his full height and looked over at the security officers. "Get this piece of shit out of my office. You can toss him at the nearest emergency room for all I care." he said before turning back to Christopher. "And don't even get the hair-brained idea to press charges. I think you know how that will work out for you."

Addie and I both watched as the security officers escorted a now quiet and defeated Christopher out of the office. When the door to the conference room closed behind them, Addie pulled away from me slightly and lifted my hand, rotating it and checking it over.

"It's not broken." I said, cupping her cheek and making her look into my eyes. At that moment, I felt that she – and everyone else in the room – deserved an explanation on why I asked as violently as I did.

"I'm typically not the violent type," I said, looking into Addie's eyes before looking into the faces of the others in the room. "But when someone comes in here and throws out accusations like he did towards the woman that I love, I won't apologize for defending her. Nor will I apologize for defending the honor of a man that is no longer here to defend himself."

I looked towards Joe when I said "After what happened here today, I know you have to be thinking that it would be easier to just cut your losses and not hire that driver with the hot temper. In fact, if I was in your situation, that's what I would do. But I do hope that that's not happens here today. I hope to be able to continue to fill in for Ty. I hope to be able to put all of this behind us and get back to what we are all meeting here today for."

"Son," said Joe, walking over to me. He stopped about two feet in front of me before he spoke again. "You lashing out at him was what anyone in your situation would have done. You defended the honor of the woman in your life and that of her father. No one will ever hold that against you. As far as you staying on and filling in for Ty, I hate to say it but that's not going to happen.

Regret for my actions sprang to life at that moment. But it was short lived because Joe's next words had me trying to convince myself that I wasn't dreaming, that this was all real life. "I know we talked about you filling in for Ty and I'm glad that you were willing to want to do that. But it seems that I have a spot open on my team that is going to need to be filled. The fact that you so selflessly stood up for my granddaughter and my son, the fact that you are standing here trying to convince everyone here why you were justified in what you did just proves that you are just the type of person that JGR needs. I know taking a position with JGR means that you need to talk to Jordan, but I hope that you come to see what you are being offered here. But in case I need to spell it out for you, I'm saying that the 20 car is yours if you want it. I think you would be the perfect driver to fill that spot."

Addie shifted in my arms and looked up at me, her tiny hands cupping my face. "Did you hear him, Jeb?"

"I-I did." I stammered, still not fully believing what I was hearing.

"No decision has to be made–"

"I'll do it." I said, cutting Joe off.