Cade
As soon as we took off, I knew the race had been a bad idea. My back was aching—the vertebrae in my spine hurt so damn badly that I felt like the bones were going to pop out of the skin—and my head was killing me. But I was spurred on by thoughts of Vanessa. Thoughts of Vanessa bound and gagged, at the mercy of the Demon Catchers. I couldn’t let that happen. I’d die before I let that happen.
Bruno was a tough son of a bitch. He set a fast pace that I tried to match and almost immediately fell behind. I knew that for the bulk of the race, I had to let him lead. After all, I didn’t know the course. The terrain out here was bulky and full of rocks and trees. And while I’d mocked his giant bike before, now I understood that he was probably at an advantage.
At least the shocks on my bike had been replaced recently. That was about the only thing I had going for me.
Bruno led us through the woods and down a narrow path where I had to follow him. I stayed hot on his tail, desperately trying to think of a way to edge into the lead. My back was starting to hurt so much that I saw stars flash across my field of vision and I gripped down tightly on the handlebars in an attempt to stay conscious. My head was swimming. All I could think about was Vanessa. Her name was like a mantra that kept repeating in my brain. Vanessa, Vanessa, Vanessa….
Bruno let out a loud yelp and I saw his bike rise into the air and then land solidly down on a patch of grass a few feet away. Grimly, I braced myself for the same jump. There was a small stream with tons of rocks in the middle and I yanked on the handlebars of my bike, soaring through the air until we finally hit the ground with a loud mechanical crash. I winced at the sound of something snapping inside my bike—no idea what it was, but it wasn’t like I could stop to check it.
We raced across a field and I recognized the area as where we’d started. My stomach flipped over and I knew that soon, we’d be closing in. The race was almost over. Who would win? What would happen?
Suddenly, as if by miracle, Bruno seemed to slow down. He cursed and spat and began beating at the back of his bike, but undeniably he was losing speed. With a grin, I twisted my bike into the highest gear and sped ahead of him. The ground of the field was soggy and wet and I could feel the rubber tires on my bike churning out clods of grass and dirt as I raced in front of Bruno. Vanessa and the others came into view, and without a doubt, I knew that I’d made it.
Somehow, I’d done it. As I soared across the finish line, the grin on Vanessa’s face was so wide that her little cheeks seemed to spread apart. Tears were openly streaming down her face and I couldn’t slow down fast enough to leap off my bike and pull her into my arms.
For the first few seconds, I didn’t feel anything. Vanessa’s body flung against mine and she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me close and kissing me hard. I felt her teeth smash against mine and I gripped her by the waist and lifted her into the air.
“I knew you would win,” Vanessa whispered hotly in my ear. Behind me, Bruno and Dante were screaming and cursing but their sounds meant about as much as the sounds of a gnat. They were nothing. They were trash. They were garbage, and I was fucking done with those assholes for the rest of my life.
“I wasn’t so sure,” I whispered back as I crushed Vanessa to my body and kissed her fiercely. Her heart was slamming against her ribs, and despite the cool air, her skin was hot and sticky.
Vanessa pulled away and wiped her lips. Suddenly, she looked bashful again.
Rudy grinned and strode over to us. “Congrats,” he said. He clapped me on the shoulder and glanced down at Vanessa. “I knew you could do it, man.” He grinned at me again and shook his head. “Mitchell, that was one hell of a race. I’m real fuckin’ proud of you.”
I grinned back—his energy was infectious. My adrenaline was pumping high and the pain in my back had all but disappeared. “Thanks,” I said. We half hugged and then I pulled Vanessa to my side once more.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Tyler said. He sidled up to me with a big, goofy grin on his face. “I know a clubhouse full of beer and we can order a pizza.”
“Like a fuckin’ middle school dance,” Boulder said, but he was grinning too. The two of them climbed on their bikes and roared off.
“Vanessa, come with Cade to the clubhouse,” Rudy said, looking the part of the strict lieutenant once again. “We have some things to talk about.” Without another word, he climbed on his bike and roared off behind Boulder and Tyler.
Vanessa gazed at me. Her blue eyes were wide with wonder and excitement, and she was trembling. As I reached out to push her soft brown hair away from her forehead, she bit her lip and snuggled close.
“What’s going to happen now?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know, baby, but we’re in this together. You got that?”
Vanessa nodded slowly. I climbed on my bike and she got on behind me, putting the small cap-shell helmet on her delicate head. As she wrapped her arms around me and cuddled close, I felt her chin rest on my shoulder.
“I told you, everything would be fine,” I said with a grin as I started my bike. “And now everything is.”
We slowly rode away from the Demon Catchers hideout. Bruno and Dante were kneeling over Isaac in the grass, cursing and wailing loudly. I couldn’t help but grin. Payback might have been a bitch, but damn if she didn’t always feel righteous.
As I pulled up to a stoplight, I felt Vanessa push up against my back. Her breath was hot against my ear as she whispered, “Will you marry me?”