I snort once again before making a shooing motion with my hand. “You may be an emo fuck, but you’re not allowed to die. Off you go, princess. The adults want to play now.”
I watch as he swings his leg over the bike, only to stalk toward me and pull at one of my braids roughly. “I’ll show you how to play, Marley.”
My eyes grow heavy through my helmet as my gaze rakes down him as he turns away, only to flit to Maddox and find he’s watching me intensely. His posture is relaxed though, and it helps ease some of the guilt coursing through me.
But not all of it.
I sigh as I turn toward the heavily pregnant woman wobbling toward us.
I may not know exactly where Ashley is now… but I’m definitely going to hell for that one.
CHAPTER
FOUR
MARLEY
“God, it’s so fucking hot. How the fuck do you people wear all these heavy biker leathers in this heat?” Sloane says before the sound of her camera shuttering follows suit. “I think I would rather die. Or even be run over by one of your bikes.”
I laugh as I pose against my Ducati. I kept my helmet on, desperate to show off the pink devil horns it sports, but I disconnected the Bluetooth to talk to her easier. “It’s not that bad, actually. But these are specific summer-based leathers. Or perforated leathers, if you want the technical term.”
Her head twists to the side. “Perforated?”
My lips smack as I think. “Um. Jackets with vents. Or holes?”
A man sneaks up behind Sloane, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her belly. Maddox chuckles beside me as she melts into him, moaning loudly as the weight is taken off her. The man speaks roughly. “Someone mentioned holes? I like holes. Specifically hers, though.”
Sloane smacks his shoulder roughly before blowing some of the white wisps of her hair out in a dramatic breath. “Shut up, Rhodes.”
Another man walks forward with a faux grumpy expression on his face. “Don’t talk about my wife’s holes.”
Rhodes turns toward him, slowly lowering Sloane’s belly back down. “Would you prefer I talk about yours?”
The sound of Sloane smacking her forehead roughly really makes me giggle. “Would you two go away so I can work?”
Another woman comes out from who-knows-where and smirks at the men before reaching up on her tiptoes, pinching their ears, and all but dragging them away. They both groan and squeak, as she says, “Leave our girl alone. Asher is being a good boy and talking to bikers. Go join him, dogs.”
Once again, I thank God that my face is hidden behind my helmet because my mouth drops open in shock at her words. Somehow, she’s scarier than the two heavily tattooed, muscular men… and I kinda want to be her friend.
Maddox whistles slowly. “You got your hands full, woman.”
Sloane groans. “Tell me about it. And they’ve already talked about making me pregnant again when I haven’t even had this one yet! I’m doomed.”
It’s my turn to whistle. “Can’t say I envy you there. Respectfully.”
She laughs. “Girl, I don’t envy myself. But… I love all of them so fucking much. It’s worth it.”
I turn to Maddox and smile beneath my helmet. He turns to me, and while I can’t see his facial expression, I simply know he’s smiling back at me.
That, we do understand.
Sloane’s camera makes a few more shuttering sounds before she speaks again. “Alright, friends. I believe our time is up for the solo shots. Just the race now, right? Unless y’all want some others?”
I mull it over for a moment before I turn to find Zander watching us in the crowd of bikers, ever the pessimisticintrovert. He’d rather watch his friends have fun than join or talk to those around him. But I can’t find it in me to leave him out, ever.
I turn back to Maddox. “Think we could get a couple shots of Zander backpacking? We may never get the opportunity again.”
Maddox turns toward Zander without another word to us, and Sloane and I both laugh as we watch Zander’s face somehow light up and drop all at the exact same time.
