Page 1 of Dare You to Catch Me
Chapter one
EMMA
I'm not your average girl. I work alongside my father, Charles Beckett, running the day to day operations at our Sapphire Hotel & Casino's, between the four of them, one of which being private.
We'll just say they are for the High Rollers as I call them, but really, they are as dirty as my father, all connected in the Mafia world, each in their own way.
You see, my father's casinos are only for show. The real reason we have them is to clean all the dirty money that is brought in underground. Of course, the main cover for our true identity, the hotels, making profit, and no one asks questions.
The High Rollers will come in, play at the high stakes tables, some lose some, some win big, but the dirty money is exchanged, and replaced with clean casino money. It's twisted in it's own fucking way, but it's the world I live in and will always live in.
Then there's Ryan Collins, my father's partner, also Mafia boss, powerful, wealthy man. His son, Ace Collins has just returned home from handling "business" for his father.
All three of which, are late to this fucking meeting, they called for. I sit here tapping my pen against the table in my father's office at our private casino, annoyed by their tardiness.
I may be the perfect business woman my father needs me to be during the day, but at night, the part of me that gets my bloodpumping through my veins giving me the high of my life, is… Street Racing.
My grandfather was the King of street racing, my father hates it, and forbids me to race. But I made a promise to my Pop that I would one day, race in the biggest race of my life in the car we built together before he passed away.
5 YEARS AGO
Watching my grandfather work on his Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, watching every detail as he works on the motor, fine tuning and perfecting every detail.
This car is built for speed and light on her feet, making her the perfect car for racing the way Pop and I do.
This car was fast on its own, the extra my Pop has added has made this car wicked and of course he let me make it look just as wicked as it drives. Completely Black throughout, including the windows, to the leather seats, red fog lights and LEDS under the car, making her look like a wicked beauty.
“Hand me that wrench, Em.” Pop's muffled voice sounds fromunder the hood. I quickly hand Pop the wrench. “Em, I need to talk to you about something.”
Normally, Pop just blurts it out, but not this time, he's being cautious, which tells me right away, I'm not going to like what he is about to say.
“Sweetheart, my heart isn't doing too good, and there isn't much we can do about it.” His bluntness is like being stabbed in the stomach. My stomach rises to my throat, instant tears fill my eyes, but I swallow hard and ask, “What are you saying, Pop?”
I try to get him to look up at me, but he continues to work on his motor, avoiding my gaze. He parts his lips, “Sweetheart, I'm not going to be around much longer.”
And the tears flow down my cheeks, covering my face with my greasy hands.
I feel an arm slide over my back. “Please don't cry, you know I hate crying.” As kind as my Pop seems, he is also not a man to cross, or a man to show emotion, he tries with me because my father is so hateful towards me.
Wiping my face, fighting the tears as they burn my eyes, he is the only person that has shown me an ounce of love in this place.
“Okay, so how long do we have?”
“A month.”
“A fucking month?” I spit before my head shakes staring at my grandfather. Is he serious right now! A month? My mind spins in my head, my breath heavy fighting the tears.
“I'm sorry Emma. I should have told you sooner, but I couldn't.”
I step back away from the car, staring at Pop. “Why are you working on this car then? Dad will sell it as soon as you're gone!”
My grandfather's lips turn into a twisted, dangerous smirk. “He can't sell it when you already own it, Sweetheart.”
My mouth falls to the floor, shocked;, I didn't expect thisat all.
“Emma, you're the heiress to our Empire, bosses will want to claim you as their own, so they can take what's not theirs. This car will at least get you out of here, to figure out a move.” His gaze intensifies. “Promise me you will run, Collin's boy can hold down everything here, to keep you safe. Marry when you are ready to who you want, promise me that.” Pop has never spoken to me in a sentimental way, showing this much love and how much he cares through these words, and they hit deep in my soul.
“I promise Pop.”
