Page 83 of Graves

I roll my eyes but don’t lose my smile.

“What’s up with him calling you Ryan?”

“Everyone does. No one uses real names around here. It’s an unnecessary risk.”

“In case the cops come?” I ask.

He nods.

“Are the cops going to come?”

“Maybe, but they won’t catch us.”

“A little cocky, don’t you think?” I laugh.

“Yes.” He winks before pushing my visor back down and kicking the bike into gear.

A girl comes to the start line in booty shorts and a bra before she holds up what looks to be a pair of panties. She smiles at the lineup of bikes on either side of us before blowing a kiss to Zayden. Irrational jealousy rises inside me, but I don’t have any time to do anything before she drops the panties, and we peel out.

A few of the bikes shoot in front while we remain in themiddle of the pack. I wiggle in the seat, hoping somehow it’ll make us go faster. Zayden reaches back and squeezes my thigh. It’s as if he’s telling me to calm down before we come up on a corner, leaning into it easily while one of the guys in the front wipes out, taking out a guy behind him as he does.

I cringe at the sight. Those are going to be some nasty injuries.

Zayden keeps it very casual as he bobs and weaves through the streets and other racers. I’m not sure how long we have, but when we come around one more corner, I see the finish line.

The bike kicks into another gear, and Zayden increases our speed. My adrenaline begins to spike as we get closer and closer, my blood practically buzzing in my veins.

The wind is biting straight through my leather jacket and sending my hair whipping from side to side. Zayden’s hand is still on my thigh, and he taps it once more, signaling for me to hold on before he pops into a wheelie just as we cross over the finish line and edge out the guy beside us.

We drop back down smoothly, and a flurry of people rush over to us, cheering and celebrating Zayden’s win as the guy from the car earlier runs up to us. He hands Zayden a small brown paper bag before clapping his back in celebration.

The girl that started the race comes up to us, batting her eyelashes at Zayden as she does.

“Congratulations, Ryan. I knew you’d win. Want to come back to my place and celebrate?”

He sneers at her like he couldn’t think of anything more repulsive before he turns around, taking off my helmet andcrushing his lips to mine. I slip my arms around his shoulders, smiling into the kiss as he very publicly claims me. I love every fucking second of it, especially when I hear the bitch huff and stomp off like a toddler.

Zayden pulls away, looking at me like I didn’t just hang the moon, but I am the moon, before he places my helmet back on, turns around, and drives back down the road. We come closer to downtown before Zayden pulls up to a taco truck. He orders more tacos than we could possibly eat before we sit down at the picnic table to the side.

“That was something else.” I smile before I take my first bite.

“I told ya you’d like it,” he says as he picks up his taco.

I nod. “Do you go often?”

He shakes his head. “Haven’t been in a while.”

“How come?”

“Been busy. I was gone for a bit.”

“That’s what Dom said. That you saw me first, claimed me in your creepy stalker way, and then, what? You left? For a job?” I ask.

“I was in prison,” he states casually before taking another bite.

My eyes widen.

“Prison? For what? For…one of your jobs?” I ask, lowering my voice.

---