Page 4 of Refuel

Cicely strolled about, nodding as she moved out of the kitchen to leave. I shifted in my seat, scooping carrots and corn together with cornbread.

“You know Malik will have something to say about this Vegas trip,” Essence stated.

“Malik is my brother, not my father. Eddison Jr. is starting to learn to leave me alone,” I sassed as I waved her comment off.

Emery was older than me and worked at Pierce Motors on the marketing side, on top of being a wife and the mother of four kids. I admired how she navigated her situation with Jackson; they started off from a one-night stand. But I wasn’t looking for a relationship. I liked being single and able to date whoever I wanted.

“Well, I can’t stay, and Jackson wanted me to check to see if you were setting up a new charity event this year?” Emery wondered as she looked up from her vibrating phone.

“Send me the details. I have to meet with Colton because he wants to do something with CD Enterprises. Maybe I can combine the events,” I suggested before I wiped my mouth with the napkin on the table.

“Okay, lady, call me later once you rest up. I see the bags under your eyes now,” Emery commented before she headed out, leaving me and Essence alone.

“Spill the real tea now that everyone left,” Essence demanded.

“Nothing to tell; it was a one-time thing. I never backtrack, Essence,” I joked as I flipped her off. After we finished eating lunch, we watched movies for the rest of the day until she left. Then I worked on some ideas for charity events at CDE and Pierce Motors.

2

Kash

Monday

As the driver headed toward the office of CD Enterprises, I wore my dark shades to avoid the sun. I was still hungover from the weekend in Vegas with my boys. I got an early morning call from my publicist; the management wanted to talk with me about some things. I didn’t know what I did this time and didn’t care. When it was my own time and not a CDE function, I was doing me at all times. I remembered waking up alone in bed for the first time since I became Kamden Kash Coleman, a professional Formula One driver. Life hadn’t been the same, and women threw themselves at me. Do I enjoy the comfort of women? Hell yeah. So, a few of my friends and I went out to Vegas to celebrate after I won a race. Bellevue Hotel provided a suite, and a new club section opened. I had two VIP sections roped off Friday night, and I took the offer. Being a celebrity often came with drawbacks, and then there were moments when the owners wanted you to be seen in their business to bring awareness that they catered to celebrities. Now to confess, waking up with a note on a pillow that said Thanks did piss me off not a little, but a lot. Could I be a little cocky and arrogant? Yeah, and I wouldn’t apologize when I came from nothing and worked hard to get where I was as the highest-paid race car driver in the industry. People called me the playboy; I called it being single, and the women knew what they were getting.

The car stopped in front of CD Enterprises, and I opened the door, not waiting for the chauffeur. I might be cocky, but my mom did instill respect as a single mom raising a hot-headed boy. Despite my millionaire status at twenty-five from various endorsements and sponsorships, I was still humble about the way I grew up and saw it all from not having food to eat at times or staying home alone while Mom worked to pay bills. Going to school in secondhand clothes from thrift stores, when I turned fifteen, I got involved with the wrong crowd, stealing cars, getting into fights. My parents never married, and my father walked out when I was younger, around five or six. My mom was worried I’d end up on the streets, so she pushed me into volunteering at a local center called The House. They dealt with foster boys, and I hung around to help mentor the younger kids. I eventually started racing for fun and hooked up with Colton and CD Enterprises.

“Hey, Kash!” Stacy, Colton’s secretary, greeted.

I waved and entered his office, not waiting for a command, and pulled my shades off before lying back on the sofa. He chuckled before telling whoever was on the other end of the phone that he’d need to call them back. A second later, the loud voice of my manager and publicist for Corporate Cares and CD Enterprises, Sarai Lambert, came inside.

“Have you lost your mind?” Sarai shouted.

I opened one eye at Sarai and smiled. She rolled her eyes in annoyance, with her jaw clenched. Reggie’s eyes slightly narrowed. I laughed, crossed my arms behind my head, and whistled. Sarai was a beautiful woman, but I never looked at her as anything except a big sister at twenty-eight years old. Sarai had an old soul and was quick to tell you what you needed to hear and not what you wanted to hear.

“Calm down, Sarai, you’re giving me a headache,” I said and felt a thump across my forehead.

“You’re giving me one too, Kamden,” she replied, calling me by my first name. Only my closest friends and family called me Kamden. The rest of the world knew me as Kash. Figuring I wouldn’t win the battle, I sat up, arms stretched on top of the couch.

“What did I do now?” I questioned, and Reggie tossed magazines on top of the desk with me plastered across, hugging up with the girl from the nightclub. Well, this time my antics might have been blown out of proportion. I knew of Pierce Motors and Jackson being the owner. We’d collaborated a few times on some charity work and interviews. Seeing me hugged up with his cousin might not play well and cause more spotlights aimed on my personal life instead of my career.

“Sorry.”

Sarai opened and closed her mouth, then grunted in frustration.

Colton leaned forward in his chair and in a controlled voice, he said, “All right, guys, give him a little breathing room. He’s still learning. Look at me and how I started out before Rylee walked into my life.”

“See,” I said and pointed between us. Colton motioned for me to be quiet.

“Colton, I’m not babying him. Arianna is the daughter of Eddison Pierce and the cousin of Jackson Pierce. Do you know how big of a scandal this can get if we don’t handle this early enough?” Sarai commented.

“Did you use protection with her?” Reggie questioned.

I nodded, and all three relaxed, letting out long-held breaths. There was a knock on the door, and Stacy came in, not waiting for anyone to call her inside.

“Colton, I brought some coffee for everyone. Especially your favorite espresso shot with whipped cream, Kash,” Stacy expressed, bending down in front of me, showing off her cleavage in a low-cut, button-up, white blouse and red skirt that was so tight, I could see the imprint of her thong. I forgot to mention I did sleep with Stacy once, and she’d only gotten even more obsessed with wanting to become an actual couple. Colton warned me not to mess with employees, but at twenty-five, one hundred ninety pounds, and height around five-ten, my smile was the first thing that drew women to me and possibly my slick comments. Mary Coleman said the first thing I did when I was a baby was smile at the nurse when I was born, and nothing was ever the same.

I winked at her, picking up the shot and throwing it back. “Thanks.” Sarai paused, looked at Stacy, then shook her head.

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