Chapter 24
Risky Business
ZARA
Growing up, I picked up a lot of knowledge about motorcycles and every aspect of riding and racing just by being around my father.
Spending my days at whatever racetrack he was at was my favorite thing in the world.
I’ve always been confident in my skills, picked up from observing the best of the best. Dad would let me ride one of the smallest cylinder bikes his team had. Doing laps of his training racetrack with him is one of my fondest childhood memories.
There was never a doubt in my mind that I inherited his innate agility and his ability to memorize and “feel” the racetrack pretty much instantly. I can hold my own in challenging races like the Super Bikes League against experienced riders like Lev, Cal, and even Ares.
But nothing can compare to how much I’ve been learning from Dad these past couple of weeks.
Having his undivided attention feels good on so many levels, but his feedback and the tips I got from him are invaluable.
“Well done, Doctor.” Dad takes the helmet I hand him and waits till I dismount my Ducati Panigale. “I have very little left to teach you at this point.”
“Really?” I beam.
He presses a kiss on my temple, pulling gently on the end of my braid like he used to do when I was a kid. “Really. Even your idol, the Doctor, would be impressed.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I’m smiling so hard, my face hurts.
“I mean it, Zara.” His gaze softens, pride shining in his eyes. “I owe you an apology for never taking you seriously before when you said that you wanted to be a world champion like me and Valentino Rossi when you grew up. You have more than enough talent to achieve that and more.”
His praise is intoxicating; it makes me buzz with uncontrollable excitement. “It’s ok. I understand. I was so young, and you probably thought I said I wanted to be like you because I love you.”
“Maybe.” He admits. “But I should have paid more attention to you. I really think you have what it takes to be great, and if your stepfather hadn’t called me asking for my help, I might have never known.
When I viewed the footage from your Bridgeport race two years ago and from your most recent races on campus, I was shocked.
As a father, I should have known that my daughter was a force to be reckoned with. ”
We enter the garage part of our paddock where Ares is fine tuning his Kawasaki Ninja H2R with Adam, the mechanic who used to work with him when he was part of Star Arrows.
“I’m relieved to hear that, Dad.” I say. “Especially since you offered me a spot on your new team, if the offer is still valid.”
Dad smiles. “Absolutely. I would be crazy not to want to develop your talent even more. And if you want,” he says to Ares as he walks toward us after finishing up with Adam. “There’s a spot for you too on my team. You and Zara could be the team to beat on a pair of cutting edge 500 cc super bikes.”
“Thanks, John.” Ares nods. “I haven’t decided what I want to do just yet. I missed riding my Kawasaki, and I know my brother would want me to race and win for both of us. But I admit that right now my focus is on keeping Zara safe and catching Atlas’s killer.”
“It’s understandable.” Dad says. “But keep it in mind for after this ends. See how you feel once the dust settles and we’ll talk, yeah?”
“Yeah, I would like that.”
“Let’s go home, princess.” Ares takes my hand, guiding me out of the garage and toward the racers’ quarters.
Everyone in our paddock has gone home at this point. There are just a few days left before the inauguration race, and the racetrack and all the service areas are all completed.
The only area where Enzo Morelli’s crews are still doing the finishing touches is in the spectators and press areas.
It’s getting late though, and the construction crews have stopped for the day too. The sun is setting, taking away the daylight and lighting the sky with the prettiest pastel colors.
“Do you feel ready for the race?” My stepbrother asks as we round the corner toward the changing rooms where I left my street clothes and my purse.
“As ready as I can be.” I tell him honestly. “I’m excited, but I’m also nervous.”
Ares stops walking, turning to look me in the eye. “Nervous is good. It’s normal. I would be worried if you weren’t nervous.”
“Why is that?” His gray eyes have the most intense swirls of blue right now, and I get lost in their depths as I raise my face to meet his gaze.
“Because it tells me that you’re taking this seriously. You’re the most badass person I know, Zara. But I’ve seen you take some crazy risks. And this race is going to be as risky as it gets.”
He cups my jaw, his slightly rough fingers finding the sensitive spot behind my ear.
“I know. But we’re going to be prepared this time. And you and Lev are gonna be there to protect me.”
Ares closes his eyes for a second, touching my forehead with his. “I hope you know that I’d protect you at all costs. I would give my life for you, princess.”
I know he means it.
The way he’s looking at me, his touch, the tone of his voice are soft; softer than I’ve ever thought Ares was capable of.
“I don’t want you to give your life for me.” I grab his wrist, leaning harder into his cupped hand. “I need you here, by my side. So we’re gonna do this and no one is giving their life.”
His lips curl up into just the hint of a smile. “Careful, princess. If you say stuff like that, I’m gonna start thinking that you really like me.”
“Idiot.” I chuckle. “As if I hadn’t already told you that I love you.”
“I love you too.” He takes my mouth in a slow, deep kiss.
My lips part for Ares, and I melt against him. I can feel his passion for me in every stroke of his tongue against mine; he breathes me in as if I were the air he needs to survive.
Before I know it, our bodies are pressed together, and his hands are undoing the zipper of my fitted racing jacket.
“I need you so fucking much.” He growls, closing his hand over one of my tits.
My body responds in earnest, and the residual adrenaline from the racetrack that’s still coursing through my body mixes with the effects of Ares’s touch. I’m so excited that I can barely breathe.
“I need you too.” I pant against his mouth. “Maybe we can go to the changing rooms.”
“I’m not gonna fucking make it to the fucking front door of that building, princess.”
Rather than walking into the next building, he pulls me into the narrow alleyway between the garage and the racers’ quarters building.
As my back hits the concrete wall, his lips are still on mine, licking, biting, owning.
I pull down the zipper of his own leather jacket, relishing the heat that radiates from his hard, sculpted chest.
There’s still the layer of thin fabric of his tight t-shirt between us, and I pull it out of his pants to sneak my hand underneath. His skin is hot, smooth and taut to the touch.
“Thank fuck you don’t train in a full race suit.” I pop the button of his leather pants, biting on my bottom lip at the sight of his very obvious erection under the black leather.
“Thank fuck you don’t either.” He opens my own pants, pulling them down over my ass. I kick off my boots and he helps me yank off my pants right before he lifts me up against the wall.
My thighs are wrapped around his hips, and Ares holds me up with one hand while he finishes lowering his pants and freeing his cock.
“Oh my God.” I whimper when he presses his rock-hard shaft against my panties clad front.
“You’re so fucking hot and you’re soaking wet for me.”
We both moan at the increased friction as I grind my hips, squirming against him. I’m holding onto him with my arms around his neck, and he’s supporting my weight with both his hands.
“Ares,” I beg. “I need you now.”
“Me too, princess. I’ve got you.”
He balances my weight on one hand again, using the other one to move my panties to the side.
“Fuck.” We both groan when he pushes himself inside me.
The first thrust of his hips sends sparks down my spine, and I feel my inner walls tighten around his thick shaft. My clit pulses with the need to come, and I grind my hips to meet his next thrust.
“Jesus, Zara.” Ares grunts with another hard thrust. “You were made for me, princess. You feel so fucking good that just being inside you sends me right to the edge.”
“Me too. I’m so close, Ares. Please don’t stop.”
He drives into me again. The angle he’s entering me has his shaft dragging against my clit with every thrust, and it takes two more pumps of Ares’s hips to make me snap.
I come hard, pulsing around him, moaning with my face hidden in the crook of his neck.
Ares keeps his steady, punishing pace for a few more thrusts and then he stills.
He spills into me as his cock expands with each spurt of his release.
Neither of us moves for a long moment as we catch our breaths.
“Come on, princess.” Ares kisses me softly before helping me back onto my feet. “Let’s go home before they close down for the night. We don’t want to get locked in here.”
“You’re right.” I giggle, putting my pants and boots back on. “There are comfortable couches and cots in the racers’ lounge, but I’d rather sleep in my bed. With you by my side if you want to stay.”
Ares wraps his arm around my shoulders. “You don’t even need to ask. There’s nothing better than sleeping with you in my arms. I was even thinking about moving back home for a while.”
“Really?” I’m surprised to hear that.
“Yeah. Since we spoke to our parents about everything, Dad and I had a chance to talk. Even about the stuff he refused to talk about during family therapy, right after Bridgeport. We’re in a much better place.
Eventually, it would be nice to move out again, but when that happens, maybe we could do it together. The four of us.”
I smile, imagining how it would be to live with my three men full time. “That sounds perfect.”