Chapter 2
CECILY
My alarm pulled me from a deep sleep a few hours before sunrise.
I silenced it before the second beep, rolled out of bed, and stood even though I wanted to pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep.
Trudging into the bathroom, I dabbed some coconut oil into my palm and rubbed my hands together before running my fingers through my hair.
Chlorine was brutal, even with a swim cap, and the Florida humidity didn’t help with the frizz, either.
Once that was done, I braided my hair and wrapped the thick rope into a tight bun, pulled on my team sweats, and popped into the communal kitchen of the dorm where I was staying for training camp.
By five, I’d eaten enough protein and carbs to get me through what was going to be a brutal morning and was already starting warm-ups and strength conditioning. An hour later, we were in the pool for our first session of the day.
Eight of us moved as one, our legs flashing above the surface in perfect unison. I held the center base position, my core locked tight. The music thrummed through the underwater speakers as we spun into the lift. For those few seconds, nothing else existed except for the need to be flawless.
Coach’s voice cracked across the deck the second we surfaced. “Hold…hold…break!”
I sucked in air, treading water as the team regrouped. My shoulders screamed, but a good performance was worth a little pain.
“Hayes,” Coach barked, her eyes locked on me. “You were half a beat late on the opening spin. Almost doesn’t count. Push harder.”
I dipped my chin. “Got it, Coach.”
She was being harder on me than any of my teammates, but I knew that was because she held me to a higher standard since I was the best swimmer at this camp.
Jennie treaded water beside me. At sixteen, she was three years younger than me and glowing with fresh talent. “At least the lift felt really solid this time. You made it look easy holding the base, Cecily.”
She was improving so fast it was impossible not to notice. The prodigy everyone was already whispering about, just like they’d done with me. It was great to see her growth.
“Thanks, Jennie. You’re killing it lately.”
Her smile widened. “That means a lot coming from you.”
Coach clapped her hands to gain our attention. “Again. Full routine. Let’s get this right before the sun comes up.”
I dove deep, letting the cool water swallow me whole. I’d spent so much time in the pool that it felt like home to me, so it was my happy place.
We ran the routine four more times. By the time Coach finally called it after two brutal hours in the water, the sun was up.
My arms felt like jelly, and my lungs were raw, but I’d hit every mark in the last two run-throughs. And I was determined to do better during our next session. I was my own hardest competition, always trying to surpass my previous best.
I hauled myself out of the pool on shaky legs and grabbed my towel from the bench. Water streamed down my skin as I dried off. I reached for my phone, expecting a check-in text from Mom.
Instead, the screen lit up with a message from an unknown number.
Unknown
You disappeared on me yesterday.
My breath caught in my throat as I leaped to the conclusion that the text was from the guy I hadn’t been able to get out of my head for longer than was appropriate.
As the treasurer of the Redline Kings MC, Tyre’s world was the complete opposite of mine.
I was swimming pools and had very few friends because of my training schedule, while he was motorcycles and a growing circle of club brothers.
And he was more than a decade older than me.
But that hadn’t stopped my fantasies about him over the past couple of years.
I had never paid much attention to the bikers in Crossbend.
They were just always kind of around for the past eight years, becoming a part of the fabric of our town.
I started competing on the national level only a couple of years later, so my focus had been on artistic swimming and getting good enough grades so my parents didn’t have any reason to limit my pool time.
Then I noticed Tyre one day when I was having dinner with my parents at The Racing Line, a steakhouse owned and frequented by the Redline Kings, and I was finally interested in a guy. Not that any woman could blame me with how sexy he was.
I’d once heard my mom joke to a friend of hers that the club president must only recruit hot guys, but I hadn’t fully appreciated what she meant until I started to crush on Tyre.
His dark hair and bright blue eyes were a killer combination, especially with his tanned skin and short beard.
When you added in how tall he was, all those muscles, and the hint of a tattoo on his upper right arm I’d glimpsed beneath the short sleeves of his shirt…
he was the kind of guy who commanded attention from women.
I hadn’t ever given him my number—or even talked to him—so I shoved my hope down and typed out a quick reply.
Me
Who is this?
Three little bubbles popped up almost right away, and I stared down at the screen as I took off my swim cap.
Unknown
Tyre
My gasp was inaudible, thanks to the control that had been drilled into me from a young age. After darting a glance around me to make sure nobody was paying attention, I sent him another text.
Me
I’m not sure what you mean about me disappearing on you?
His reply was quick again.
Tyre
Got called into a meeting. You were gone when I was done.
Whoa. That sounded like he’d been looking for me.
But it couldn’t possibly be for the reason I was hoping it was. Since he was the treasurer, maybe he had a question about the swim lessons I was doing at the pool they’d recently put in at the compound.
Me
Is there a form you need me to fill out for insurance or something, Tyre?
Those little bubbles popped up right away again, but it took longer for his reply to come through this time.
Tyre
Call me Ares.
I gawked down at my screen, my mind whirling over him wanting me to use his real name. I’d been around a few of the married couples in the club enough to get that it was a huge deal.
Me
Really?
Ares
Yeah, baby. What are you doing right now?
I sank onto the bench, my towel dropping onto my lap as my cheeks started to burn.
Me
Just finished training for the morning.
Ares
You wear the same swimsuit as when you do lessons? Still can’t stop thinking about you in it.
The heat in my face started to spread lower. I pressed my thighs together, glancing around again to make sure nobody was watching. Then another message came through.
Ares
Wasn’t thrilled my brothers got to see you in it, though
.
I shook my head with a soft laugh, wondering if I’d hit my head on the bottom of the pool at some point because this conversation couldn’t possibly be real.
Me
I was working. Nobody was paying any attention to me.
Ares
Wrong. I sure as fuck was.
I bit my lip so hard it hurt. I was way out of my league with him, but I liked it.
Then another bubble popped up that sent heat streaking through my body.
Ares
What are you wearing today?
I laughed under my breath even as butterflies swirled in my stomach.
Me
I’ll only tell you if you tell me how you got my number.
Ares
Wasn’t hard. It’s on your invoices.
I rolled my eyes.
Me
Right. I should’ve known.
Ares
Now, answer my question.
Me
Just another athletic swimsuit.
Ares
There’s nothing “just” about other people staring at my girl in practically nothing.
Me
The only people here are my teammates and coach. No guys. Happy?
Ares
Not even close. Only if I was there with you.
My breath caught in my chest.
Ares
But that will have to do for now.
The coach blew her whistle, signaling for us to go get changed and head to breakfast. I sent a quick text back that I had to go, and he replied that we’d talk later.
My heart skipped a beat, but I told myself that even if this was what I might have wanted, I should end it.
I couldn’t afford to be distracted by a guy right now.
But when the texts continued to come in over the next two weeks, I kept answering. They started easy, with a little teasing and a cute cockiness that made me smile. But as time went by, and we got to know each other a little better, our conversations became flirtier and more intimate.
He sounded more possessive, which probably should have made me bristle and cut things off. Instead, it made my skin tingle and long to hear him whisper those things to me in person while his hands explored my body.
The day before camp ended, he told me he wanted to see me the day after I got home.
Me
I’m not sure that’s a great idea.
Ares
It’s a fan-fucking-tastic idea. Dinner. Night after tomorrow.
My body felt too hot, every inch of skin tingling as though he was right here watching me.
Me
You’re very sure of yourself.
Ares
I’m sure about you. I’ll pick you up at seven.
Me
Just dinner. Nothing else.
His answer was cocky and made my toes curl.
Ares
Whatever you need to tell yourself, baby. I’ll see you then.
I dropped the phone onto my towel and buried my face in my hands, breathing hard. It looked like my fantasy about dating him was coming true. And I probably shouldn’t be so happy about it, but there was no denying that I was.