Page 24 of Full Throttled

“You need a car to get to work.”

I look over at Drake. “You mean, to the nonexistent job I have?” I roll my eyes at him before averting my gaze back to the ceiling.

“You’ll have the job in a few minutes. Seth will hire you,” he says, as if it’s the only thing that makes sense in the world.

I laugh and I notice it’s slightly hysterical. I’m sure I should be worried about myself, but I’m not. “Then I’ll walk to work.”

“Three miles there and three miles back?” Drake asks me, as if I didn’t know the distance between the two places.

I sit up and cross my legs. “Yeah, I could use the exercise besides people have walked farther than that before.”

“You could use some damn food,” Drake says, his eyes not wavering from me. “Besides, you’d have to walk on the damn highway to get back to that part of town.”

“And?”

Drake scrubs his face with his hand. The sound of his skin rubbing against his trimmed beard is the only sound in the room aside from our breathing. “That’s the last thing I need to be worried about. You on a damn highway getting picked up by some truck driver.”

My head falls back in laughter. “You’re kidding me, right?” Drake glares at me and I laugh harder.

“This isn’t amusing, Zoey.”

I try to breathe, but only continue to laugh. Finally, I manage to say, “This isn’t Joy Ride or some other horror movie.”

“Joy Ride couldactuallyhappen in real life,” Drake defends.

I shake my head. “Sure it can.”

“It’s a great movie and you know it. Besides, I recall you having a Paul Walker poster hanging in the bedroom once upon a time,” Drake reminds me, but the challenge is clear in his eyes.

“I never said anything about Paul Walker. Also, that poster was from Fast and Furious which was epic.” I stand up crossing my arms over my chest.

“Joy Ride is a great movie.”

I nod my head. “Yeah, it’s okay, but it’s not the same as The Fast and the Furious franchise and you know it. Besides, we both know I can handle myself.”

Drake takes the two odd, hobble-like,steps distancing us and for a moment I’m worried he’s going to fall, but he steadies himself and then reaches out to wrap a strand of my hair around his finger. His blue eyes bore into mine and I swear the air in the room becomes stifling and too thick to breathe. Drake leans in and I hold my breath. Just as I’m about to rise to my tiptoes, a familiar sound of rumbles is heard. Drake takes a step back. “Guess the guys are back.”

Eighteen

Drake

I notice the indecision that flashes through Zoey’s pretty tawny brown eyes. I glance at my watch and see I still have time before I have to pick up Aubree. Anything to try and distract me from the fact that I almost just kissed Zoey. If I hadn’t been saved by the rumbling engines of the bikes, I would have kissed her. Did I want to kiss her?Hell yes!Was it a good idea?Hell no!I clear my throat. “I guess we should head down there and see Zayde.”

Zoey rings her hands and looks down at the floor. “When I first got here, I was ready to face the music and try to earn Zayde’s trust back.Now thatI’ve had time to be back here and actually miss certain things about this place, I’ve called home I’m scared to face him. What if I can’t fix this?”

I take one of her hands and squeeze it until she meets my eyes. “You can. I know Zayde is going to be tough on you, but you’ve got this. Plus, he’s your brother and he loves you regardless. If it helps, he's gotten much better with his temper over the last year with Barker’s help. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s still there but it’s better. Come on, I’ll introduce you to all of the guys.”

We start to make our way back to the main part of the clubhouse. It’s a slow pace thanks to this ankle of mine. I guess I should use the crutches the doctor at the emergency room and my mother both told me to use, but I think it would just make everything that much slower. It’s already killing me as it is. Zoey doesn’t say anything she just moves beside me one step at a time, her footsteps matching mine. Before we reach the bar and game area of the clubhouse, Zoey stops and looks up at me. “Are any of the older guys around?”

Her question catches me off guard. I didn’t expect her to ask about any of the guys that used to belong to the club back when her father was the president. I already told her yesterday at lunch that they had either left or retired from the club. “No, it’s all new guys. Zayde and I are probably the only ones you know.” I watch her shoulders relax and she nods before stepping through the doorway and into the main room. The moment Ransom spots us, he nudges Talon and it’s like a domino effect after that. Before we even get two steps inside the room, all eyes are on us. I nod at them all in my way of greeting. I scan the area for Zayde, but I don’t see him. “Hey guys, this is Zoey. She’s Zayde’s twin sister. She might be staying here for a bit in her old room or mine, whichever she prefers, but don’t mess with her because I’ll beat your ass.”

A sarcastic laugh fills the area. “You mean, if I don’t do it first?” The door shuts and Zayde stands in front of it, staring straight at Zoey who can’t seem to bring her eyes up to meet his. I’m not sure what mood Zayde is in either which doesn’t help this situation. He’s too far away to read the look in his eye, but I do know the tension is thick as hell in here.

Barker must notice it too, because he clears his throat. “Why don’t you guys go get cleaned up or get some rest and let these two catch up?” I send a grateful look to Barker and he nods, but I can tell by his stance that he’s also worried about Zayde right now.

As the guys exit, Cain winks in Zoey’s direction. “If those rooms they have you shoved in don’t suffice I got a bed big enough for two.”

“Really?” Zayde’s voice bellows through the room. Cain turns around and shrugs before flipping Zayde off and disappearing through the doorway that takes him into the hallway. “Well, it’s good to see that even if I don’t want you here that someone will take you in like the whore that you are.”

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