“We appreciate you being straight with us,” Holden said. “It’s sure as hell not snitching. It’s trust and loyalty. You just showed me you’ve got our backs, and that means a lot.”
Gray slapped my back. “Hell yes. You’re an honorary brother today. Good lookin’ out, Flynn.”
“He probably wouldn’t have even come here if not for me,” I said, uncomfortable with their praise.
“No, you did good,” Holden said. “You were honest. That’s all I ask.”
I hadn’t been honest about being with Bailey, though. I couldn’t be. Not without breaking Bailey’s trust.
He wanted to tell his brothers when he was ready. That was fair. We’d hardly started this relationship, and for all I knew, it could fall apart tomorrow.
But working with them every day, while flirting with Bailey on the phone every night, was doing my head in.
This Snake shit was just compounding it even more. I was starting to wonder if I’d be better off if Holden did fire me. At least then I could date Bailey with a clear conscience.
I liked Holden, Gray, and Axel too damn much to walk out, though. I liked the work too. They’d given me a great opportunity.
I just hoped they didn’t come to regret it.
CHAPTER 17
Bailey
I watcheddice tumble on a YouTube video and checked the calc formula written in my notebook. It took my eyes a minute to focus. At first glance, these formulas always looked like a foreign language I couldn’t understand.
I listened to the instructor on video, breaking down each component, walking me through finding the derivative of a function defined by an integral.
It wasn’t easy, but the dice game helped me connect the abstract concepts to real strategies for game play, and I’d always been a competitive guy.
Things were starting to click. I just needed to?—
“There you are.” Owen dropped a large box onto the student rec table, where I was catching up on homework before class. “Answer your texts, man.”
I hit Pause on the video. “Sorry. Kinda busy right now.”
Owen tapped the box. “Well, you’re about to get busier. Got the nitrous oxide injector kit for the car.”
I flipped my notebook shut. “About time, man. I thought you found another mechanic.”
He chuckled. “We both know another mechanic would charge me triple what you will because you like the work too damn much. You get off on it.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t like itthatmuch. I prefer to get off on my boyfriend.”
His eyes flared with surprise, but he just laughed. “Whatever revs your motor, man. Just get it done. The next race is the weekend after next. I need time to test-drive it.”
“Have I let you down yet?”
“No,” Owen said. “Better keep it that way.”
I smirked. “Or what? You gonna try to kick my ass again?”
“Don’t tempt me,” he said dryly. “Just fucking deliver so we can keep being besties.”
“Wanna braid my hair?”
He stood, flipping me the bird. “Help me win the race, and I’ll braid your hair while you suck my dick, if that’s what you want.”
“Thanks, but you’re not really my type.”
