Chapter 14 RideDie #2
Until then, he kept his composure and turned into the small parking lot.
Most of the spaces were full, the evening routine of most city-goers lining up with Anika’s.
But on his bike, it didn’t matter. Slipping between cars, he found her Kia and maneuvered his motorcycle beside it. It was a tight fit, but he managed.
Anika’s car was farther from the closest streetlight than he would’ve chosen for himself, but the shadows allowed for a place to lurk. He killed the engine and remained astride his bike, feet firmly planted.
Minimal foliage allowed for him to see across the street and into the large panes of glass fronting the gym.
Searching for her, Mikko tapped his gloved fingers on his gas tank impatiently.
Evening air brushed past him, his body hardly noticing it beneath all his layers.
Risking a portion of his face being exposed, he popped his visor open about an inch.
Ah, much better.
Chilly October air grazed across his heated face, providing momentary relief.
Pressing the button on his Bluetooth, he stopped his music all together. His senses prickled on high alert, his eyes scanning for Anika when—
“Have a good night!” a feminine voice called out, her tone light as it echoed off the hardscape around them. Anika.
“You too, I’ll see you next week,” another woman answered back. Mikko craned his neck to see her over the tops of the cars in the parking lot. He caught the back of a woman’s head, a blonde ponytail swinging as she walked away. “Don’t even think about canceling!”
Anika’s head shook playfully before she crossed the street. Her own hair was pulled back to reveal the angles of her face and the lethal set of her brows and nose.
His heart fluttered.
Fuck, I’m acting worse than I did in grade school.
Although, he never stalked anyone then…
Despite the steadily cooling wind blowing off the nearby river, Anika’s workout outfit didn’t reflect that.
Deep emerald green leggings hugged her muscular legs and a matching tank top showed a sliver of her skin.
A skintight shrug hugged her shoulders, ensuring her toned arms were on display even if her skin was hidden behind a layer of fabric.
And the closer she walked, the more Mikko’s mouth dried up.
Glancing over her shoulder, she noted her surroundings before cutting through the gap between the nearest car and heading straight for him.
He should’ve slouched, leaned into the inky depths around her car—anything really—but he was frozen. Why was it that every time he saw her, in person or through a screen, his body glitched.
He was in deep, deep shit.
A smart aleck comment tried to form on his tongue, but nothing. Mikko’s words were suddenly failing him and—
“I hope you didn’t scratch my paint,” Anika stated, voice dark as her keen eyes spotted his hulking form. It sounded nothing like her friendly goodbye moments before. “Since you deemed that an adequate parking spot.”
Clicking his visor into place with his gloved hand, he reminded himself she didn’t know it was him. With a smirk, he spoke. “Have a lil’ faith in me, yeah?”
“Last time I trusted a man, it didn’t end well”—she looked him up and down while walking closer—“for him.”
Mikko’s grin turned into a full blown smile. So devious. Out loud he said, “I think I can hold my own against you.”
“Well, let’s hope we don’t have to test that,” she said, stopping by the hood of her car, keeping the hunk of metal between them. “Until then, I’ll wait,” she gestured for him to move.
“If you’re expecting me to move, I just got here…”
“Shame, I needed to put these things in my passenger seat.” She held up her empty protein shake bottle and small duffle bag.
He nodded to the back of her car. “Trunk’s still an option.”
“For my things? Or you?” Anika cocked her hip, defiance written all over her glistening face. From this distance, he could see the thin layer of sweat coating her skin. The frizzy flyaways framing her countenance made him picture her with a dark, wicked halo.
Fitting, he thought.
Turning his handlebars and putting his kickstand down—the distance between their vehicles closing even more—Mikko got off his bike. Maybe his height would be more persuasive…
But even from where he now stood, he’d forgotten Anika was much taller than most women. Her strong and lithe figure still reached his jawline.
Ignoring her insinuation, Mikko slipped past his motorcycle and closed in on her. Even though she should’ve seceded, she didn’t. Her sneakers remained firmly planted on the asphalt, resistance etched into her alluring features.
And that fucking money piece—a sliver of light amongst the darkness. A drop of salvation. It was reminiscent of the slash of a crescent moon hanging low in the sky
My little moon.
The nickname fell into place before he could stop himself.
“You’re quite bold for being out here all alone,” he said, voice low from beneath his helmet.
“Are you threatening me?”
He leaned against the ebony paint of her vehicle like it was his—like he was right where he needed to be. Little did she know, he was. A soft breeze whispered across the lot, the evening wind carving through the tall buildings around them. And for a split second, he swore he smelled her.
Beneath the perspiration, a faint fragrance transported him back to that fateful night at the club. Sultry sweetness, whiskey steeped vanilla beans melting into a light and spicy pink pepper scent. Mikko licked his lips, hunger gnawing at his gut—one he was sure food wouldn’t cure.
“Weren’t you literally just threatening me by saying you’d put me in your trunk?” he finally responded, letting the air hang heavy between them.
Scoffing, she dropped her gym bag and tossed her bottle on top of it. “It wasn’t a threat,” she stepped closer, her anger palpable, but Mikko couldn’t find it in himself to care, “more like a promise, Suit.”
The nickname struck a cord in his chest. He’d been discovered.
Of course.
Anika was too clever for her own good. Leaning back, his gloved palms flat against her car’s hood, he chuckled. “Do you call everyone Suit, or is that nickname reserved just for me?”
“Just you.” Anika stepped closer, unaware of the monster she was slowly provoking. “You might not be in your typical costume, but I recognize you.”
“How sweet.” His hands formed a heart which she promptly swatted away. “But what if I’m not the Suit you think I am?”
“Oh, you are. Your voice and height give you away.” Shit. “And my gym is a women’s only gym, so unless there’s something you want to tell me, you’re not welcome here.”
Double shit.
In all his excitement, he hadn’t thought to look into the details of her gym. He’d been more focused on her and trying to masturbate his way out of this infatuation.
“It’s not nice to make assumptions.”
Her eye roll nearly made him laugh, until, “Get the fuck off my car.”
He snatched her wrist, the heat of her skin seeping through his glove, when she gestured at him.
It almost made the ever-present ache in his left hand fade.
With a harsh yank, she fell into him, his legs bracketing either side of her hips.
She barely caught herself, somehow preventing the rest of her body from pressing against him.
“Although, are you sayin’ you’ve been checking me out? That you know my body? My motorcycle?” He chuckled. “Careful now, you might inflate my ego if you keep doing that.” He couldn’t resist taunting her more.
“I think it’s big enough as is,” she mumbled.
“You could say that about my di—”
Her glare was enough to end his words, but he chuckled regardless.
Mikko continued, “Such mixed signals, Anika. First, you degrade me only to follow it up with a compliment.” Mikko’s grip tightened if only to watch her struggle—to see the fire in her eyes blaze hotter.
Saying her name relinquished some of his leverage, the flash of curiosity in her eyes evident.
It seemed she was figuring out that he also had his ways of gaining information.
“It’s no wonder I followed you here regardless of the consequences. ”
“Let. Me. Go,” she hissed.
“Oh, now you don’t want to play games?”
“No.”
“A shame honestly,” he crooned, eyes catching on the bead of sweat rolling down her neck and settling into the hollow of her throat. The urge to lick it overwhelmed him. “I thought we were going to have fun, me and you.”
“As if.” Anika tried to knee him in the crotch, but his other hand blocked it.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, that wasn’t very nice.”
“I’m never described as nice.”
Mikko cocked his head. “Really? Because I remember you being very nice the night we met.”
“Mikko.” It was one word, but he couldn’t help but relish in the way she said his name, her lips forming around the syllables. “I won’t ask again; let me go.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Anika.” Her brows scrunched. “While you’ve been out here living your life, I’ve been unable to scrub that moment in the club from my mind.”
Pulling against his hold, he released her this time, not wanting to cause too much of a scene. And it was satisfying to see her stumble backwards, her eyes wide for a moment before settling into their telltale annoyance.
“Obsessed much?” She flicked her ponytail over her shoulder, the muscles in her arms catching in the distant street lamp light.
“I consider myself more…diligent than anything.” Standing again, Mikko looked down at her. “Besides, I’m protecting what’s mine.”
“What?”
“My company, my friends, me.”
“You don’t get out much, do you?”
Did she and Cristiano hang out? Pick from the same vocab?
He ignored her. “If you fuck with me, Anika, I hope you’re prepared for what’s to come.”
A muscle in her jaw clenched, her teeth holding back whatever retort was resting on her tongue.
He used her moment of indecision to walk back to his bike, heart racing and blood thrumming in his ears.
He needed to leave before he did something he regretted.
Before he let her in more than he already had.
Her claws were sharp, and he hated how he found himself enjoying the sting.
Swinging his leg over his motorcycle, he spoke one last time. “I’ll see you around,” his kickstand clicked up into place. “Consider it a precaution.”
Anika reached for him as the roar of his engine echoed throughout the city block, drowning out whatever she tried to say. It didn’t matter anyway. He’d be in the shadows regardless.
Obsession or precaution—it mattered not for him.