Page 17 of Fall onto me
I already dipped my toes into the poison waters, and I can only hope that he’ll only ask me to do a few more little things before he’s repaid.
One thing I can breathe easier about is that the outsiders don’t know who I am; it was shadowed and dark and I was wearing a mask.
They’ll assume it’s any of the hundreds of racers that will be on the strip tonight.
* * *
I steadymy breath when I zip into the parking lot. Skyler is patiently waiting on me, standing beside Kate. I put the foot peg down and swallow the guilt of my double life, and when I come to a stop and lean in to kiss my girl, I wonder for a moment if she can taste the sting of betrayal from my lips.
We promised to communicate, but what’s the point of scaring her? We both knew that when the Keeper came for me, it was over, and I would have to follow through. She should sleep better at night thinking he hasn’t commanded my attention.
“I missed you,” she sings, adding a melody that nearly washes away all of my worries.
“I missed you too, Shadow.” I grin, watching with satisfaction as her eyes melt with love. She’s wearing a pair of white cotton shorts with a black crop top, and over her shoulders lays her jacket with my patch. I love when she wears that, and she knows it.
A small click alerts me. It’s a quick, pitched tone that tells us to line up.
“Where’s Ryder and Cal?” I ask Kate and she shrugs.
“Probably in the lineup. Me and Skyler got here just a bit ago.”
I pull up to the starting line, my nerves in a ball as I imagine about forty racers stranded at the cliffs. They should be here, racing, even the dickhead who hit on Sky.
But all of that fades away when the girl lays down the flag and we take off. My singular focus is winning, staying alive, and getting back to Sky.
Even through all this bullshit, racing grounds me. Like a reflex I was simply born with, I twist and turn through the sharp curves, leaving everyone in my taillights.
There’s a fleeting moment, as I come to the fork. Right is the finish line, and straight is out of town. A weak moment where I nearly just keep going. Leave all of this behind me like I left the racers. I have enough gas and money in my wallet to get a few states away, and my girls will be safe without the burden of my existence.
But I couldn’t do that to them, so I turn.
As I cross the finish line, I try to tell myself it was pointless for the other guys to race anyways, since I always win. But I know I’ve left a lot of riders stranded in unfamiliar territory, and they’re going to have to dish out a fair amount of money to ride again.
I note Skyler walking alone to pick up our tacos, where they hide the winnings underneath the deliciousness, and make my way over to Kate and Ryder. He’s leaned against the hood of his car, a blanket of anger melted onto his face.
I rip off my helmet, ready to fight whoever he needs me to. “What’s going on? Where’s Cal?”
He gestures to Callum, who is crossing the line now. “Someone trashed my fucking bike.”
“Oh,” I breathe out, stepping off my bike. “Where at?”
He shakes his head, clearly annoyed. “The cliffs.”
Just like I would for Skyler, I would do anything to protect Ryder. He’s like family to me, and I destroyed something he loves.
“Damn, man. I’m sorry.” I can’t fight myself, so instead I lean against the hood with him and pretend like everything’s okay when Skyler returns.
But there’s one thing I have to question more than anything else.
Why was my best friend with the outsiders on the cliffs … and is it he who gave the Keeper the intel on when they would be there?
Is Ryder involved in this too?
7
SKYLER POV
As much as we like to pretend that our lives are finally on the uphill, I can’t deny that I avoid dark, shadowed areas. I check over my shoulder much too often.