I threw up a middle finger and chuckled as I revved the engine of my ATV again, speeding up even more. I continued racing by or getting passed by Deacon, Tak, and Skittles over the next thirty minutes, until I caught sight of the low gas level on my ATV. I pulled off the track to where the five gallon fuel containers sat, for times like this.
“You want to tell me what the hell is going on?” Pit asked as I pulled my helmet off my head after climbing off my rented vehicle.
I shrugged. “Ran out of gas. Need to reup,” I said casually. I leaned down to pick up one of the containers and moved around to the gas nozzle.
“That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it. In the six days you’ve been here, we’ve gone skydiving twice, bungee jumping, rock climbing, and today it’s ATVs.”
I didn’t respond as I refueled.
“Don’t ignore me.”
Waiting until I finished fueling up, I placed the plastic container back on the ground and looked at Pit. I peered over his shoulder, to see Tak climbing on his own ATV. Before he could get on, Deacon stopped him, handing him the same black helmet we all had as part of our rental package for the afternoon.
I snorted, wondering what the hell that was about. Slowly, I looked back at Pit. “What’s the damn problem? Your ass getting too old to hang?”
“Motherfucker, you wish. But what you’re not going to do is act like you didn’t bring your sorry ass back to Vander as a death wish. If a certain trainer has you up in your feelings say that shit. We don’t have time for this childish shit.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Syd, has nothing to do with this.”
He let out the biggest laugh I think I’d ever seen him take. “Lie to yourself but don’t try that bullshit this way. Your sad ass has women problems written all over you. Never thought I’d live to see the day you’d get bent out of shape over a broad.”
“Syd,” I said firmly. “Her fucking name is Syd.” My stomach muscles tightened at the mere mentioning of her name, but I hated to hear him call her abroad.
He laughed again. “Skittles was right.”
“About what?”
He gave me a cocky look. “She thinksSydis actually in love with your grouchy ass, too.”
“How the hell would she know that?” I asked, folding my arms over my chest and peering over at where Skittles raced around the dirt track, closely trailed by Tak’s ATV.
“She went to visit your girl.”
I speared Pit with a look.
He smirked. “Yeah, she was about to beat ‘ol girl’s ass. You know how she gets about us.” He shrugged. “But she came back singing a different tune.”
I bit my tongue so damn hard to keep from asking what Skittles said, I nearly bit the tip of it off.
“She didn’t touch her, did she?” I finally had to ask, again looking over at Skittles as she sped by again.
Pit chuckled, grating on my nerves. “Maybe. You know how she is. Anyway, you need to get your shit together. You’ve got a title fight in a week and a half and your ass hasn’t been to the gym once since coming back.”
“I’m good. I already know how to fight. Besides, I’m tapering.”
He pursed his lips. “Be hardheaded if you want. Just don’t come crying this way when Rodriguez puts you on your ass.”
“I know what I’m doing,” I said, staring off in the distance.
“Be sure you do,” he replied before walking away.
I watched his back as he headed for Skittles’ ATV which was now parked at the center of the track. Something funny moved through my chest, making it difficult to breath when I stared as they shared a kiss.
You do it to everyone.
I thought back to the words she yelled at me in that last argument. They’d been taunting me every day since she first said them. Whenever I slowed down, even a little, they returned to my mind, as if waiting for me right where I’d left them. I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was right.
“Are you tapping out?” Deacon asked as he approached, gesturing to the helmet in my hand.
