Chapter 39
Chapter thirty-nine
March, Indianapolis
Bryce had been having a super day hanging out with the Apex team and Pilot.
He loved watching Tate race, too. They’d practiced some during their off time and Tate was quick to give him all kinds of pointers that would help him.
Bryce couldn’t wait to get back on the bike, on the dirt, for race day.
He still had a few races on the East Coast to wait out, but when they were back in the West, he’d be ready.
His team had sent him a new bike that he’d been practicing on, so he knew he was good to go, and beyond ready to be racing.
He had worried about his team a little, afraid they’d drop him after the injury, but Tate had been right. They wanted him to keep racing.
“Hey, you ready to go? The Main Event is about to start.” Pilot grabbed Bryce, holding him tight, but leaving him unsure if Pilot was just loving him or accidentally strangling him.
But, no. He was angry that Tanner had threatened him and was still loose.
He acted like he couldn’t stand letting Bryce out of his sight, and he’d been doing that tight hug thing a lot the last few days.
“Yeah.”
Almost everyone in the pit was getting ready to go down to the track to watch both Tate and Davey race.
They were amazing to watch together, like they were born to ride with each other.
Some of that probably came from training together, but part of it was just that they were both so talented and driven.
Pilot grabbed Bryce’s hand and laced their fingers together. This was a side of Pilot that Bryce hadn’t seen much of, and his face must have shown his surprise. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m sweet.”
“I guess, when you want to be.”
Pilot leaned over and kissed the side of Bryce’s head. “I want to be.” He led Bryce out of the pit area set up in the parking lot and into the main stadium. They’d be able to watch from the edges of the stadium seating, close to the track.
“I’m glad and I get it, but I’m not going to just disappear on you.”
“I know. Humor me.”
Tyler walked up beside them and nudged Pilot’s arm. “Protective much?”
Pilot just growled at him and Angel busted out laughing.
Bryce shook his head. He would put up with the behavior until they caught Tanner.
It made him feel better anyway. Made him feel protected, but more than that, it made him feel like he meant something to Pilot.
He meant more than just a sexy fuck to share with Tate.
Since he’d been back, both Pilot and Tate had gone out of their way to make him feel included.
He hoped they’d get to the point where he just felt included without trying, though.
When they got to the track, he stood close to Pilot, but let go of his hand.
He was too excited when the gates dropped and Davey and Tate raced neck and neck, but Bryce knew something that probably no one else did.
The stress of the situation and the issues that Tate faced made him race better.
There was no way in hell Tate could lose this one, despite Davey’s best efforts.
Tate put all his shit—stress, fears, worry, all of it—on the dirt.
Bryce had seen it when they practiced. He understood it.
Tate became a better racer because the dirt flowed in his veins, was a part of him, and he sacrificed all his problems, all his love, all his fears to the track.
“Damn! Look at that. I don’t know who to root for.” Angel hollered and put her arm around Bryce, shaking him a little. “Tate is kicking serious ass out there. Come on, Davey!”
Bryce relaxed in her grip. He really liked the Apex team.
They felt more like a family than a race team.
His team was good, professional, and he liked everyone and got along with everyone—even after they found out he was gay, which was inevitable after Tate had been attacked.
But, they weren’t like this. Here with Apex there was more than just getting along professionally.
They shared a genuine fondness for each other.
Even the girl they had racing 250s, Bolster.
She was quiet and didn’t hang out as much, but they all treated her like a sister when she did get to hang around.
She was younger, still a minor, so her parents were with her a lot.
Bryce knew what that was like. He’d only just left his own parents.
That connection helped them get along, and they were starting to become friends.
He basked in the glow, enjoying the race, thinking of how his life had gotten so much better, even with the Tanner issue still hanging over their heads. Tate and Pilot were awesome boyfriends and they were just getting started.
The race wound down to the final two laps. Excitement joined the warm feeling in his gut and Bryce stretched up on his toes. “Go, Tate!” he screamed, even though he knew Tate couldn’t hear him.
The crowd cheered wildly. Everyone loved Davey.
He was like the boy next door, but Tate had been proving himself on the track this season, and it was exciting to watch these two go head to head.
Tate played the underdog, giving it his all.
Davey was the golden boy champion, determined to hold on to that red “one” plate.
The press and the fans ate it up. This race was no different.
In fact, they proved their prowess on the track with each turn and jump.
They ripped through the final rhythm section and onto the main straight that led to the finish line.
Tate out maneuvered Davey, pulling ahead.
He stayed on the throttle hard and in the next set of jumps, he scrubbed a triple, but Davey didn’t and that put him another half second behind.
Tate could to do it. Bryce knew it. He was totally focused on the race, when someone grabbed his arm and spun him around.
“I’m gonna kill you for what you’ve done to me. Faggot!”
Warren Tanner.
Bryce’s eyes went wide and his heart lurched. He couldn’t breathe. He took a step back, bumping into Pilot. Then Tanner’s eyes went wide and he took off, pushing through the crowd. Pilot trailed right behind him.
“Shit! Shit!” Bryce grabbed Angel by the arm. “He’s gone after Tanner!” He pointed in the direction they’d run. Angel stretched up to look and started cussing under her breath, then tapped on her phone.
Bryce’s heart thumped wildly in his chest. “What do I do?”
“Stay here with Tony. I mean it.” She pointed at him and then at Tony, who was Davey’s personal driver. He was always around and he was a big guy, though not as big as Pilot.
Davey’s bodyguard, Broady, stayed posted closer to the track in case either Davey or Tyler needed him there.
Tyler was in the mechanic area with his whiteboard, helping Davey through the race.
Stewart was up in the tower. Bryce knew he would be safe with Tony, but he suddenly felt alone.
His hands trembled, so he shoved them in his pockets.
“It’s going to be fine. Relax. Angel can handle her shit. Okay.” Tony put his hand on Bryce’s shoulder.
Bryce nodded and sucked his bottom lip in between his teeth. He tried to focus back on the race, but it was over. “Shit. Who won?”
A stranger leaned over. “Tate by seconds. How’d you miss that? It was incredible!”
Bryce didn’t bother answering. “Come on.” He nodded for Tony to follow him. They were going to see Tate and Davey and fill them in. He had to do something, or he’d be going after Pilot.
By the time they got to the press area, Tony had a text from Angel. “They got him. Pilot held the fucker down until the cops came. I don’t know how he held himself back, but he didn’t beat the fucker’s head in or anything. Just held him down.”
Bryce nodded and pushed through to where Tate stood with a headset on, talking to the press. Bryce didn’t care about any of that. He needed comfort from his boyfriend. He pushed between two camera men and their crew and launched himself at Tate.
“What is it?” Tate asked, wrapping his arms around Bryce without any hesitation. He could hear the reporters in the background going nuts, asking if they were boyfriends. Tate ignored them and cupped Bryce’s cheek. Tears had leaked out. “God what?”
“They caught him. Tanner. Pilot caught him.”
Tate pulled him in tighter. “Thank, God.”
The reporters screamed out their names and questions all at the same time.
Tate must have realized the chaos was building around them.
“Sorry. This is personal. You’ll have to talk to the Apex team for an official statement.
We have to go.” He pulled the headset off and thrust it at some guy, probably an assistant, not looking to see if he caught it.
Then they left, Davey, Tyler, Broady and Tony right behind them.
Pilot’s heart hammered more from the anger boiling through his veins than from the effort it took to chase after the ass wipe.
Tanner was not getting away if Pilot had anything to do with it.
He pushed through the crowd, watching as Tanner shoved people out of the way.
He closed the gap between them with every long stride.
Near the end of the row of race pits, he could see Tanner only a few feet in front of him, and the crowd broke.
Before he could sprint away, Pilot turned on the speed and lunged for him as soon as he was close enough.
He grabbed at Tanner’s shoulders, throwing his force into his back.
He used his signature move from fighting to tangle their feet and legs, tumbling them both to the ground with Pilot on top.
Tanner twisted and fought to get loose, but Pilot shoved his face into the ground.
He wanted to really hurt the bastard, but he knew he wouldn’t get away with it.
Angel had no doubt already called security.
Pilot put his knee in the small of his back and grabbed his arms, pulling them just enough to get Tanner’s attention.
“Get off of me fucker!”