Chapter 10
GAUGE
Waking up with Riley pressed against my chest was easily the best fucking moment of my life.
I lay still for a few minutes, soaking in the quiet pleasure of having her body cuddled against mine, her silky dark hair splayed across my pillow, and the lingering scent of her skin and our shared heat surrounding me.
Her breathing was slow and steady, a faint flush still coloring her cheeks from the night before, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how she’d come apart beneath me, her brown eyes locking on mine with a vulnerability she hadn’t shown me until then.
Nothing had ever come close to the intensity of what Riley and I had shared last night, and now that I’d had her, there wasn’t a chance in hell I was ever letting her go.
But even as I savored the soft warmth of her against me, a more demanding tension began to settle deep inside my chest. Riley was here in my bed, trusting me with her body, but she still hadn’t given me her secrets.
I wanted to demand that she tell me everything so I could finally understand what had sent her running scared and kept her glancing over her shoulder.
It ate at me knowing something made her guarded enough to be ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.
If I was going to keep her safe—and there wasn’t a fucking question that I would—I needed to know what we were dealing with.
Protecting her required knowing exactly what she was running from, and the more I thought about it, the more my possessiveness surged, leaving me restless and frustrated.
I brushed a strand of hair gently away from her cheek, my thumb lingering against her soft skin as her eyelashes fluttered.
She stirred slightly, shifting against me, her body warm beneath the sheets.
Then her eyes slowly opened, their soft, drowsy expression locking onto mine, and something inside my chest clenched painfully.
She looked content, vulnerable, and trusting in a way I’d never seen her before.
It made my throat tighten, and I knew I couldn’t push her this morning.
I could give her just a little longer to come to me willingly with the truth even though patience had never been one of my strongest virtues.
Fuck, waiting would be hard as hell, but if it meant keeping her exactly where she was right now, it would be worth it.
“Good morning.” Her voice was soft and slightly hoarse from sleep. A faint smile curved her lips as she stretched slowly beneath me, sending a hot surge of lust through me. “How long have you been awake?”
“Long enough to know this is how I want to wake up every damn day.” I lowered my head and softly kissed her mouth.
She responded immediately, her lips parting beneath mine, and her body pressing closer to me in invitation. I deepened the kiss, my tongue sliding over hers as my hand slid down her side to grip her hip, pulling her closer until the heat of her body melted perfectly against mine.
It didn’t take long before every coherent thought vanished, replaced by the overwhelming need to bury myself deep inside her again. To claim every inch of her as mine.
As I shifted my weight fully over her, my hips settling firmly between her thighs, I felt the warm, sticky evidence of last night coating her skin, and it hit me that I’d taken her without protection.
The idea of her carrying my child struck something primal deep within me, a satisfaction that tightened every muscle in my body.
I liked the thought of her bound to me in that way, carrying proof of the bond we’d formed.
At the same time, I knew that if she ended up pregnant, it would make it that much harder for her to leave.
The thought should have made me pause, but it only intensified my hunger for her, my cock growing painfully hard as I pressed against her.
Riley was mine now, and I intended to make sure she stayed that way by any means necessary.
She must’ve felt the change in my energy because her eyes widened slightly, and she drew in a shaky breath as she looked up at me. Her eyes darkened with need, and her thighs parted instinctively, welcoming me closer.
Fuck, there was no holding back now.
“Ryot.” The sound of my name on her lips nearly broke the last thread of my restraint. “I need you.”
Capturing her mouth again, I growled low in my throat as I shifted my hips forward, sliding against her, the friction making us both groan into the kiss. “I’m right here, baby. I’ve got you. You’re mine. You know that, right?”
I slid into her slowly, the slick heat of her body gripping me so tightly I had to force myself to go carefully, giving her time to adjust to the thickness and depth of me.
Riley gasped, her eyes fluttering shut as her fingernails dug into my shoulders in a way that made my cock harden even more inside her.
Every muscle in my body tightened as I fought for control, struggling not to move until I was certain she was ready. When her hips lifted to meet mine, urging me deeper, I knew my patience had finally paid off.
Her voice trembled when she spoke, breathless and needy. “Ryot, please—”
That was all the encouragement I needed, and I began moving in long, slow strokes that filled her completely, burying myself to the hilt and grinding deep inside her.
I pressed my forehead to hers and watched the pleasure unfold openly across her face.
Riley’s breath hitched each time I thrust into her, her hips rolling instinctively, perfectly matching the rhythm I set.
“You’re fucking perfect,” I groaned against her mouth, feeling her pulse race beneath my lips as I kissed down the sensitive skin of her throat. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted you exactly like this. Under me, taking every fucking inch I give you.”
“Ryot.” Riley moaned, the sound making my hips drive harder and deeper. Her legs wrapped around my waist, locking me close, and I shifted the angle just enough that every stroke drew a shuddering gasp from her lips.
Her nails raked down my back, a delicious bite of pain mixed with the intense pleasure.
I pressed her thighs wider, spreading her fully open to me, needing to possess her completely in every way.
Every thrust brought her closer to the edge, her soft cries becoming desperate as she clung tighter to me, her body gripping me like a vise.
“Give it to me, Riley,” I urged, grinding harder against her, needing to feel her lose control beneath me. “That’s it, baby. Ride it out. Let me feel it. Let me fucking feel you come.”
She gasped, her body tightening around mine as her climax shattered through her. Her back arched off the bed, eyes squeezed shut, lips parted on a helpless cry of pleasure as she trembled beneath me. The sight of her completely undone pushed me over the edge instantly.
I groaned as my own orgasm slammed into me, releasing deep inside her, my body shaking with the force of it. It felt primal, claiming her in the most undeniable way possible, and I knew at that moment she was truly mine.
Afterward, I held her against me, both of us breathing heavily, our skin slick with sweat, hearts pounding together in a perfect rhythm. I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, savoring the sensation of holding her close.
There was no way in hell I’d ever let her walk away now. Riley had no idea yet just how deeply she’d gotten under my skin. I was head over fucking heels for this woman.
Her breathing eventually evened out, and I felt the moment she drifted off to sleep again.
I tightened my hold around her, determined that no matter what came next, we’d face it together.
Riley had walked into my life unexpectedly, and I intended to make sure she stayed exactly where she belonged.
By my side, in my bed, and thoroughly, permanently mine.
Two weeks later, I was sitting in my office at The Pit with Kane and Nitro, trying like hell to keep my attention focused on the meeting and failing spectacularly.
Kane was leaning against the wall near my desk, arms crossed over his chest. Nitro lounged comfortably in the chair opposite my desk, one ankle propped casually on his knee, his eyes tracking the conversation with that same intense awareness he brought to everything.
Both men had been talking shop, but my focus kept slipping toward the window overlooking the garage floor.
Riley was out there, standing beside a racer’s bike in bay three, her dark hair pulled into a messy ponytail, and her eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she spoke. Watching her work was always satisfying, but lately, it had become something closer to an obsession.
Ever since our first time together, Riley had spent every single night in my bed. The sight of her in my space each morning hit me hard enough to steal my breath, and I made sure she fell asleep tangled in my arms, thoroughly spent and knowing exactly who she belonged to.
We’d fallen into a domestic rhythm neither of us had expected, and the ease of it caught me off guard every time I paused long enough to think about it.
Breakfast together in the mornings, dinners at night if we were both home, casual touches and stolen kisses in between.
She’d joined me at Brake Point Run a few more times, talking comfortably with racers and pit crews, smiling easily at jokes, and absorbing the racing culture like it had always been hers.
Hell, she’d even come with me to the clubhouse on a few occasions, blending into the chaos of brothers and old ladies with surprising ease.
Riley fit into my life so smoothly that I couldn’t imagine it without her anymore, and that realization tightened my chest every time I allowed myself to acknowledge it.
She never pushed me for details when I had to step away for club business, which should’ve reassured me, but it had begun to frustrate me instead. It meant I hadn’t had an opening to push back.
I’d given her more patience than I thought I had in me, but I had officially reached my limit. I wanted her secrets. Whatever she was running from had become my problem, and I wasn’t going to tolerate being kept in the dark much longer.
“You even hearing me right now?” Nitro asked, snapping my attention abruptly back to the present.
His mouth twitched with barely restrained amusement, and his eyes flicked knowingly toward the window, where Riley stood, oblivious to the scrutiny.
“You keep staring at her like you’re worried someone’s going to snatch her right out from under your nose. ”
Kane didn’t smile, but his expression softened ever so slightly, one eyebrow arching in subtle agreement.
“He’s got a point. You’re scowling every time another guy so much as looks in her direction.
Should we just start tossing mechanics out now, or wait until they actually make eye contact with her? ”
Nitro laughed, clearly entertained, and I narrowed my eyes at both of them. “Funny. You assholes are just as bad with your women, and you fucking know it. Neither of you should be running your mouths.”
Kane grunted, a rare flicker of amusement crossing his otherwise severe features. “Never said it was wrong. Just saying you’re fucked, same as the rest of us.”
Nitro’s smirk widened. “Never thought I’d see Gauge this deep.”
“Yeah, laugh it up,” I muttered, turning back toward the window despite myself. “But you’re not wrong. I’m not letting her go anywhere.”
Kane pushed off the wall and moved to stand beside me, his gaze following mine to the window. He studied Riley in silence for a moment, watching as she confidently gestured toward the bike, the racer nodding attentively as she explained something with calm authority.
When he finally spoke, his voice lost its teasing tone.
“She’s impressed the hell out of me, Gauge.
I didn’t expect to find another mechanic who could stand shoulder to shoulder with you and Century, but she’s more than capable.
We need her at Redline. Don’t waste any more time putting your property patch on her.
Honestly, if you’re smart, you’ll put a baby in her too.
That’d make it damn near impossible for her to think about walking away. ”
My pulse spiked at the image he conjured—Riley heavy with my child, her body soft and lush beneath my hands, permanently tied to me in the most primal, undeniable way possible.
A rush of possessive satisfaction surged through me at the thought, tightening every muscle in my body and making my cock stir.
I dragged in a slow breath, working hard to keep my voice steady as I turned back to Kane. “Already working on it. As for the Redline Holdings contract, I’ll talk to her soon. I just want to make sure when she signs, it’s because she wants to stay, not because we’re throwing a nice salary at her.”
Kane nodded thoughtfully, his gaze assessing as he studied my expression. “Fair enough. But don’t wait too long. Talent like hers won’t stay unnoticed forever. We need to lock her down, officially.”
Nitro chuckled again, clearly enjoying himself. “Pretty sure Gauge already has that handled, but sure, put it in writing. Might as well make it official before he starts tossing guys off the roof just for breathing near her.”
“Keep pushing.” I glared at him even though I knew he wasn’t wrong. “You’ll find yourself first in line.”
Nitro smirked and stood, clapping me on the shoulder as he headed toward the door. “I’ll take my chances. Try not to get arrested before you get a ring on her.”
I shook my head as he left, turning back toward the window just in time to see Riley laugh at something the racer said, her eyes bright with enthusiasm.
I tightened my fists at my sides, jealousy flaring hot in my gut, my body already tense with the need to cross the garage and stake my claim again.
Kane moved to the door, pausing briefly to glance over his shoulder. “She’s good for you, Gauge. Don’t fuck it up. Find out whatever she’s hiding and handle it. I don’t want this shit blindsiding us later, and I don’t want her getting spooked enough to run.”
I met his eyes, determination settling heavily into my chest. “She’s not running. Not anymore. She’s mine, and nothing’s going to change that.”
Kane nodded, satisfied, and disappeared down the hallway, leaving me alone in the office, watching Riley below.
I’d been patient long enough, given her time, let her ease into trusting me.
Now it was time to uncover the secrets she’d kept buried for too long.
Riley was mine, and I’d do whatever it took to make sure that truth was as undeniable to her as it was to me.