Sure, there was a safety net suspended just below the tall retaining walls where the crowd couldn’t see, but I had very little faith in its ability to catch me and my bike without busting through.
But even as I focused, I couldn't help but glance toward the sidelines where Lucy stood, her silvery hair catching the red-tinted lights and appearing nearly pink, her face a mixture of terror and fascination. She was the reason I needed this jump to be flawless—not just because being torn apart by crocodiles would be a shitty way to die, but because I couldn't bear to see the devastation in those green eyes if I failed.
I revved the engine one last time, acknowledging the crowd's roars with a slight nod, though their faces blurred into an indistinguishable mass. Only Lucy remained in sharp focus. I hated turning my head and losing sight of her. The only thing that gave me the strength to do so was the fact Kane stood beside her now.That was good. If something went wrong, he'd shield her from the worst of it.The thought sent a chill through me that I quickly suppressed. No room for doubt. Not here. Not now.
I sucked in a deep breath, fortifying myself with the Cirque air. Gasoline. Fire. Sweat. My mind calculated distances, angles, wind resistance—all the variables that would determine whether I'd be celebrating tonight or becoming reptile food. The jump itself was approximately seventy feet—child's play under normal circumstances. But add in the Rock Solid Backflip and the writhing mass of prehistoric predators below, and the margin for error became microscopically thin.
The announcer's voice faded to a distant buzz as I made my final mental preparations. Sometimes, it felt like I'd been performing stunts since before I could even walk, pushing the limits of what was possible, what was safe. But tonight, it felt different. My reason for doing this had shifted.
Before Lucy, the rush of adrenaline was chased by an inevitable emptiness. The high never lasted, always leaving me hungry for something I could never define. Now I knew what that something was. She gave the danger purpose beyond the thrill. I wasn't just risking my life; I was proving I could protect hers.
Unfortunately, I also cared more about surviving than ever, and I couldn’t let that rob me of my edge, not if I wanted to keep being Xander of DemonX.
I released the clutch and gunned the throttle.
The motorcycle shot forward like a bullet, eating up the distance to the ramp in heartbeats. Wind tore at my jacket, trying to slow me down, but I leaned lower, becoming one with my bike. The front wheel hit the base of the ramp, and suddenly I was climbing, accelerating up the incline, the angle pushing me back against the seat.
Time slowed, stretching infinitely.
I’d done this a million times. Yet, right now it felt like the first time.
The front tire broke free of the ramp, and for a suspended moment, I hung between earth and sky, neither falling nor flying but something in between. Below, the crocodiles sensed movement, their ancient eyes tracking my shadow. One particularly massive beast slapped its tail against the water, as if daring me to fall.
Not today, you scaly bastard.
In the middle of the jump, at the maximum rise, I pushed off from the foot pegs, separating from the motorcycle. My body rotated backward, the world spinning upside down. The backflip was over in seconds, my hands grabbing the bars and pulling me down against the seat. Then I went for the second trick, angling the bike down to the right as I pushed off, extending my legsto the left. Two heartbeats exactly, and I pulled the bike back, straightening out and slamming my ass into the seat.
These were the moments I once lived for, when I was weightless and free, when gravity seemed more like a suggestion than a law. I took one hand from the bars, extending my arm in a brief wave to the crowd.
But it wasn't for the crowd at large. It was for Lucy.
Several heartbeats later, the bike was slamming onto the down ramp. Rear tire first, which meant it was a good landing. I felt a slight wobble in the frame when the front wheel hit, but I strong-armed the machine to keep it on the straight and narrow.
Relief and triumph surged through me simultaneously as the ramp gave way to solid ground. The crowd's roar swelled, washing over me in waves, but I was already turning, circling around to drive to the only thing that mattered. Not the screaming crowd, not the adrenaline high, but Lucy.
Gunning the engine, I headed straight for her. The look on her face—that beautiful mixture of relief, pride, and lingering anxiety—was worth every second of risk. I skidded to a dramatic stop, kicking up dirt.
I yanked my helmet off, sweat-dampened hair falling across my forehead. Cool air hit my flushed face. My senses were alive tonight, reveling in more than just a successful jump. My heart still hammered against my ribs, but now for reasons that had nothing to do with adrenaline and everything to do with the woman standing before me.
"That was for you, Venom!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. “Only for you!”
Her smile started small, tremulous at the corners, before blooming across her face. She blew me a kiss, and it felt like her lips actually hit my damn cheek. Those remarkable green eyes looked at me with love that I didn’t deserve. I was so fucking lucky.
I hated putting the helmet back on and leaving her, but I wasn’t done pleasing the Cirque crowd. The next two jumps went smoothly, and then I zoomed out of the arena. I rode through the back areas, past talent trailers and concession stands, until I was at the gate closest to where Lucy and Kane had been watching.
But I didn’t have to venture past the gate. Lucy was already outside, standing alone, looking around and waiting. Waiting for me. This stunning creature was part of my life now.
I dismounted, closing the distance between us with two long strides. My hand found the small of Lucy's back, feeling the leather of her Venom jacket. I pulled her into me, hungrily inhaling her Omega perfume.
“I knew you’d do amazing,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around me.
"Liar," I murmured, close to her ear. "There was fear written all over your face.”
She tilted her chin up, defiance sparking in those eyes. "Can you blame me? Those weren't exactly rubber ducks down there."
I barked out a laugh. "Crocodiles or rubber ducks, the principle's the same. You just need enough height and speed."
"You're insane," she said, her tone affectionate.
