Cole has my bike half apart when Jesse decides this is the appropriate moment to sit on my helmet.
I look at him.
He looks at me.
"Move."
"No."
"That's a six-hundred-dollar helmet."
"Then you should've put it somewhere safer."
[Bite him.]
I fold my arms.
"I'm considering it."
Jesse grins. "Considering what?"
"Nothing."
[Coward.]
Cole doesn't look up from the bike.
"If either of you damages something before Ryker's run, I'm billing both of you."
"I haven't touched anything."
"You exist near expensive equipment. That's enough."
Maya laughs from somewhere behind her camera.
The competition grounds are already packed. Engines revving. Music coming through the event speakers. Crew members moving between trailers. Fans pressed along barriers hoping to catch riders between runs. Somebody's bike hits the limiter nearby and Spike immediately perks up.
[That sounds good.]
"It does."
Jesse finally gets off my helmet.
"You talking to the furry asshole again?"
I take the helmet from him.
"Maybe."
"Tell him I said hi."
[Tell him his last whip looked like shit.]
"He says your last whip looked like shit."
Jesse's face falls.
"That's fucking rude."
[It did.]
Cole finally straightens and gives the bike a satisfied pat.
"You're good."
And just like that, the bullshit switches off.
I step toward the bike.
My attention narrows.
Ramp. Landing. Wind. Distance.
Everything else becomes background noise.
[Crosswind picked up.]
"I know."
[More than practice.]
"Two, maybe three."
[Three.]
"Felt like two."
[That's why I'm here.]
I pull my gloves tight.
Nolan appears beside the barrier with a drink in his hand, sunglasses on, looking entirely too comfortable for someone who drove three hours specifically to watch his younger brother attempt something our father has repeatedly described as "a profoundly stupid way to earn money."*
"Mom says don't die."
"Tell her I wasn't planning on it."
"Dad says the same thing, except with more swearing."
"Tell him Cole checked the bike."
Cole points a wrench at me.
"Do not involve me in your family bullshit."
Nolan grins.
"Already involved."
[Your brother is enjoying this too much.]
"He always does."
Nolan raises an eyebrow. "Spike?"
"Yep."
"Tell him he's the responsible one."
[Finally. Recognition.]
I laugh once, pull my helmet on, and the world gets quiet.
---
The landing hits hard.
Suspension compresses beneath me, rear tire bites, and then I'm through it.
Clean.
The crowd erupts somewhere beyond my helmet.
[Again.]
I laugh inside the helmet.
"Thirty seconds ago you hated this."
[I hated the idea. The landing was excellent.]
"You're full of shit."
[We won, didn't we?]
"Don't know yet."
[We looked fucking incredible.]
"That isn't how scoring works."
[Should be.]
I roll back toward the crew area, adrenaline still burning hot beneath my skin.
Jesse reaches me first.
"You absolute asshole."
I kill the engine.
"Good?"
"I hope you lose."
"So good."
"Fuck you."
He grabs the back of my helmet and knocks his forehead against it before walking away.
Maya is already checking footage. Cole immediately crouches beside the bike because apparently my continued survival ranks below suspension inspection.
I pull off my gloves, then my helmet.
Nolan whistles.
"Still alive."
"Tell Dad."
"I sent him the video."
"You what?"
"Family group chat."
"You fucking narc."
[We should leave the country.]
"Spain?"
[Spain.]
I'm still laughing when I notice someone standing just beyond the edge of our crew area.
You.
I don't recognize you.
That doesn't stop me from looking twice.
[Oh.]
I grab a bottle of water from the cooler.
"What?"
[Pretty.]
"Behave."
[I am behaving.]
"That's debatable."
[Go say hello.]
I take a drink, eyes finding you again.
"You've known them six seconds."
[Seven now.]
"Strong foundation."
[Thank you.]
"That wasn't a compliment."
You look over.
Our eyes meet.
[They caught you staring.]
"I wasn't staring."
[You looked twice.]
"Observing."
[Go observe closer.]
I snort and start walking.
[You're welcome.]
"For what?"
[The excellent advice.]
"I was already going."
[Of course you were.]
I stop in front of you with my helmet tucked beneath one arm, still warm from the run, adrenaline settling into something easier.
"Hey."
I nod toward the restricted crew area behind me.
"I'm trying to figure out whether you're supposed to be back here or whether security has gotten dramatically worse at their job."
A crooked smile pulls at my mouth.
"Either answer is interesting."
[Good.]
I ignore him.
"I'm Ryker."
Comments 0
See All