Page 40 of Blood & Throttle
Stepping behind her, I grab the wrench from her fingers, tossing it onto the workbench. She barely has time to protest before my hands are on her waist, steady, firm, sliding up to her ribs.
She flinches and tries to jerk away but I don’tlet her.
“Don’t.” My voice is low, a warning. “You don’t hide that shit from me.”
Her chest rises and falls in sharp, shallow breaths. Her head tilts back slightly, and she glares at me from beneath her lashes, dark and defiant. “I’m fine.”
I tighten my grip just enough for her to know I’m not buying her bullshit. “You’re a shit liar, Little Stray.”
She grits her teeth. “And you’re a shit nurse. Now get your hands off me.”
I don’t. Instead, I slide one up, gripping her chin between my fingers, forcing her to look at me.
"You wanna lie to them? Fine. You wanna act like you’re untouchable? Go ahead. But not with me.Never, with me. You hear me?"
Her lips part, pulse kicking at the base of her throat. But she doesn’t argue.
I hold her there for a beat longer, letting my thumb drag slow along her bottom lip, just enough to feel the softness, just enough to tempt myself with something I have no business wanting.
Her lips.
Fuck, I hate how much I already know I’d like them. Hate that the idea of them wrapped around something other than a smart-ass remark has already crossed my mind more than once.
I exhale sharply, jaw ticking, and let go before I do something I won’t stop. Then, without warning, I grab her by the waist and lift her off the bike, setting her down on her feet.
She stumbles slightly, irritation flashing across her face. "What the hell—"
"That’s it for the night," I cut her off, grabbing my cigarette from the edge of the workbench. "You need rest."
She scoffs, shifting her weight, eyes sparking with challenge. “Yeah? And what good is rest if the bike’s in pieces? You planning to push it across the finish line?”
I smirk, flicking the ash onto the ground. “Bike’ll be fine. Crew will finish it in the morning.” My voice is steady, sure, because it’s the truth. “You, on the other hand? You won’t be if you keep pushing like this.”
She mutters something under her breath, probably another insult, but I don’t bite. Just grab my jacket off the back of the chair, shrugging it on as I move toward the showers. I let out a sharp whistle, and a second later, Taz lifts her head from where she’s been sprawled on the floor, stretching lazily before trotting over.
“Let’s go,” I say, giving Sin a pointed look. “I’m not telling you again.”
She follows, not because I told her to, but because as bad as she wants to fight me, she knows I’m right.
The walk through the warehouse is quieter now, most of the racers either passed out drunk or busy sharpening their knives for tomorrow. But not all of them. I can feel the weight of their eyes, watching from the dim corners, tracking our every move. The tension clings to the air, thick and suffocating, an unspoken threat hanging between every rusted beam and flickering light.
Tomorrow, we raceThe Bone Yard.
Heard from Bishop earlier—Jace is back on the roster. Not surprising. Despite the beating I gave him, he’s not down yet. He was already gunning for us before, but now? After what we did to his crew? He’ll be out for blood.
Not just him, either.
Every bastard in this warehouse wants us dead. The bounty on my head was already high, but now with Sin riding withme? The House will make damn sure there’s a nice fat payday for whoever puts us in the ground first.
And they’ll fucking try.
But if they want her, they have to come through me.
And I’ll gut every single one of them before I let that happen.
We stopby the room first. Sin grabs whatever soap and shit she needs, and I do the same, stuffing a towel under my arm before leading her toward the showers. Taz trails behind us, her claws clicking against the concrete, silent but ever-present.
The showers are nearly empty when we get there, just two guys near the sinks, shooting the shit. They barely glance our way until I step inside, my presence enough to pull their attention. One of them shifts uneasily, his gaze flicking between me and Sin before he mutters something to his buddy. Then, like they know better than to push their luck, they head for the exit without another word.
