KIERA
Even as thebike slowed to a stop, my heart threatened to beat right out of my chest. I’d hoped that I could hide my surprise — Spencer didn’t need to know that I’d been to Valemont before — but even her daredevil driving couldn’t explain away the tremor in my hands.
The second the bike was parked, I scrambled off the back, tripping over the curb as I ripped off my helmet. I needed air. I needed space.
I need to hurl.
My body keeled over, my palms slamming to my knees in an attempt to keep myself upright. Bile rose in my throat, but I swallowed it back down before it could surface.
“Whoa, whoa, are you okay?” Spencer killed the engine and flung down the kickstand, rushing to my side.
“I’m alright,” I lied, sucking in deep breaths. I forced my eyes up, trying to orient myself in the real world instead of the pavement.
Over the mountains in the distance, the sun was just starting to rise. It was fucking early. Too early to be thinking about my dad and this place.
Spencer flicked open her visor, resting a firm hand on my back. “Did I go too fast?”
I met her gaze, surprised by how beautiful her deep brown eyes were. Even with a hint of guilt flickering behind them.
“No, no. It’s not you. I just… got in my head. Been a while since I’ve been out in the real world.” There was a hint of truth in that. Enough, I hoped to assuage her concern.
Dom’s mansion felt like a world of its own, isolated from all external concerns. The break from the real world was kind of a relief. But I knew that it wouldn’t last forever.
Spencer’s touch was doing wonders to calm my panic. She rubbed gentle circles into my back, studying me with narrowed eyes as she guided me through some deep breaths.
Once I seemed steady, she helped me stand up straight, lacing her strong fingers with mine. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.”
My eyebrows raised, as I looked down at our hands. “Take me to dinner first.”
In a grumbly morning voice, Spencer smirked. “Relax, it’s all a part of your cover. Anyone who knows you would be shocked to see you holding hands with a woman. Instant disqualifier.”
“Thin.” I smiled back at her. But my grip tightened on her hands, desperate to ground myself in that moment.
I wasn’t sure when she’d taken off her bike gloves, but I liked the way her fingers wrapped around mine, enveloping my hand. There was no way to run away from her, which was exactly what I needed right now.
At the metal gate, Spencer dug into her dark jeans’ pocket with her spare hand before pulling out a huge ring of keys.
“Jesus, what are you? A landlord? How does that thing even fit in your pockets?”
“Men’s pockets, Bunny.” Spencer laughed, flipping through until she found the key she was hunting for. “And not thefirst time you’ve been surprised by the size of something in my pants.”
Bending down before I could roll my eyes at her, Spencer unlocked the gate and grabbed the handle. As she stood, the gate rolled up to reveal the arcade’s glass door.
With a new key in hand, Spencer unlocked the main door and held it open for me. “Ladies first.”
Obliging, I dropped her hand and walked forward onto a black retro carpet with white speckles. It looked like a sky of stars had been spilled over the floor of this small town arcade.
As I peered into the dim room, there was no doubt Spencer kept this place cleaner than any arcade I’d ever been to before. But that didn’t stop a wave of arcade smell from washing over the place: a stale, warm scent that felt like childhood.
I didn’t get the full picture until Spencer popped on the lights by the entrance.
The dark blue of the overheads mixed with the orange light of the sunrise, washing the place in an otherworldly glow.
The only bright light was at the back of the arcade, where the display case and cash register invited customers to part with dollars and tickets alike.
“Welcome to The Glass Cannon, Bunny.” Spencer squeezed past me, placing a firm hand on my lower back.
My gaze drifted from the vintage posters on the walls to the game cabinets filling the floor. There was everything from modern games to 80s classics.
