Chapter 12 Evie #2
“Thank fuck for that. I truly don’t know how Aiden manages it. You’re like a little raccoon—feral and uncontrollable.”
“I really hope you’re following that up with how cute I am.” My hands flew to my hips.
He grinned and nodded for me to get on behind him. “Let’s make it clear I’m not the one who said the cute part, but I’m not disagreeing. Come on, trash panda, we need to go. I’m ready to have any semblance of fun.”
Rook and Zack took off—Regan and Harper on the back of their bikes—Mason pulling out fast behind them.
The wind whipped past us as Mason caught up to them, the engine roaring beneath us.
I closed my eyes, feeling the vibrations thrumming up through my body, but something about it felt hollow, like it wasn’t enough.
With Aiden, every turn felt like we were moving together, perfectly in sync.
Mason’s riding was more erratic, his movements sharper, less familiar.
I clung to him, but there was no connection, no spark.
I’d given up on the idea of feeling anything close to that with anyone else, but every time I got on a bike with one of them, I couldn’t help but hope.
I guess it would be something I have to get used to. If Aiden was ignoring me and angry about the blackmail, the chances of him wanting me to ride with him as often were slim. I sat up as Mason sped down the road.
I fisted my hands in the back of his jacket, trying to shake off the regret pooling in my chest. A chill settled over me, gnawing at the edges of my confidence. Had I really pushed Aiden to his limits of dealing with me? Was it so bad he would even skip Hero’s birthday to not deal with me?
I knew the entire thing was immature. I knew if a man didn’t like me, it wasn’t worth running after him, but this wasn’t just any man.
This was Aiden.
The memory of the first time he looked at me like I was someone worth protecting was burned into my mind, and I wanted that look again and again, more than anything.
Maybe that’s why I kept pushing, kept trying to get under his skin.
I couldn’t handle staying around him—couldn’t stand him being around me—if there would never be more.
I kept pushing him because I kept pushing myself into a place of all or nothing.
And nothing would really mean nothing because Aiden’s life was already intertwined with mine. Nothing would mean one of us was leaving the life we knew.
The low, guttural purr of the bike echoed around us as Mason pulled into the lot, weaving through the rows of bikes and bodies already gathered at the Ledges. The place was packed tonight, the glow of headlights and the flickering of fire pits casting jagged shadows over the crowd.
I figured Hero would invite anyone and everyone, but this was bigger than I expected.
My arms wrapped around Mason’s strong body, the heat radiating off him and keeping the night chill away.
He glanced back at me, smirking. “Careful, princess. If you start feeling me up, people are gonna get ideas.”
“I don’t think anyone would get ideas about us, Mason.”
“Because they already think we are madly in love?”
He kicked the stand down, his body unshakable as I swung off the bike. I pulled off the helmet at the same time as Mason.
“Because they know you would run screaming from me if we even gave it a shot.”
Mason climbed off the bike and stretched, his shirt riding up enough to show the ink along his hip. A couple of girls walking past definitely noticed, one biting her lip before throwing him a coy smile. He winked at her, and I scoffed.
“Unbelievable.”
“What?” He grinned. “Jealous?”
I smacked his arm, readjusting my clothes. “Not even close. But I can’t believe they would be so blatant about it when I’m standing right here.”
Mason laughed, tossing an arm around my shoulders as we headed toward the crowd. He pulled me in closer with another rumble of laughter. He always smelled like motor oil and deep musk, something rough around the edges but familiar. Comfortable.
Maybe comfortable love would be better for me.
“You should be.” He grinned. “I’m a catch.”
“You know, for tonight only, I’m going to give you this one and say yes, you definitely are.”
“Aww.” His smile grew, and he reached for my hand, slipping it into his. “I have the sweet Evie here with me tonight.”
“The sweet Evie?”
“The one who doesn’t want to claw eyes out and set the place on fire. I like her.”
“You’re making it sound like Psycho Evie’s a problem? That it’s possible you don’t like that Evie?”
He gave a lethal smile. “I would never be so stupid to provoke that Evie. That feral little trash panda would jump up and claw my eyes out before I could blink.”
The fire cast shadows across Mason’s smiling face, highlighting the sharp cut of his cheekbones, high and defined, like he was perfectly carved to be reckless and tempting.
He was all effortless arrogance, his bronze skin glowing under the flickering flames, the heat licking at the ink crawling up his forearms. The tattoos stretched with every flex of muscle, a patchwork of bold black ink and hidden meanings, some swirling around his knuckles, others vanishing beneath the hem of his fitted black T-shirt.
His thick, dark eyebrows framed eyes so black they almost swallowed the firelight, gleaming with amusement, mischief, and just enough danger to make people second-guess his intentions.
Zack stepped up next to us without a word, throwing a smile in my direction before tipping his beer back.
He was as good-looking as the rest of them, but in a different way.
He still had a youthful look to him that made me think of him more as cute than hot.
Like a little brother who I loved to tease and have fun with, but would never be able to think of in a romantic way—I didn’t think he shared those same feelings.
The music shifted, a song easy to dance to, and Zack noticed, pulling me into his arms for us to move to the beat.
“Good to dance?” he asked.
“With you, always.”
His smile grew and I knew it probably wasn’t the best thing to say. It’s not that I tried to encourage any crush I suspected he had, only that I was like this with all the guys.
“Careful, Evie. I might start expecting that treatment every time.”
“I don’t think you’d survive me giving you that treatment every time.”
His soft blue eyes glinted in the firelight, a harsh difference from Mason’s dark glare. An even bigger difference from Aiden’s stormy blue eyes.
“I can handle it,” he said, quieter now. “I know I could handle it.”
I laughed it off, never knowing what to say to not make it worse.
Instead I let the music and Zack pull me out of my head until the wind brushed along my neck.
The chill made me turn, the sudden panic of eyes on me again hitting me hard.
My body froze, my eyes scanning the crowd, but like at the cafe, no one seemed to be paying me any attention.
I felt it again—that pull, like a rope tightening around my throat. My breath hitched, eyes flicking toward the shadows, but when I turned, no one was there.
Because no one cared I would be here tonight and no one here would be watching my back like usual.
It’s like the phantom of Aiden was haunting me, the hope that he would show following me around all night.
The rage of never having what I wanted ate at me, killed me, and ruined any other man for me. Even this beautiful one in front of me.
But if I was going to suffer, I sure as hell wouldn’t suffer alone.