Zara’s temper has the best of her. “Watch me.” She walks right to his face and pushes on his chest with both hands.
Chance has over a foot and a hundred pounds on her, and he doesn’t budge. “I love you, baby. And I’m gonna protect you whether you like it or not. But you’re cute when you’re mad.”
That was the wrong thing to say.
“Oh my God.” Zara gasps. “I thought the asshole between us was Ares, but you’re even worse than your brother.”
“Gee, thanks.” Ares chuckles, partially offended and partially amused.
Zara’s lips tip into the beginning of a smile at Ares’s reaction, but she returns her glare to Chance. “I’m not cute. I’m fucking mad. And calling me cute makes it worse.”
My best friend doesn’t back down. “You can call me an asshole all you want, baby. But that doesn’t change the situation. At the risk of repeating myself, I love you so much that it makes me crazy.”
The air in the dilapidated hangar is charged with electricity as Zara and Chance stare each other down.
She lunges at him and for a second, I debate if Ares and I will need to pull her off Chance, but there’s no need.
Rather than hit him, Zara crushes her lips on his. “I love you too.” She pants as Chance lifts her and holds her against him by the backs of her thighs. “But don’t ever call me cute when we’re arguing.”
He nips at her bottom lip, squeezing her toned, leather clad ass with both hands. “Then stop being cute. But I don’t think it’s possible.”
“Guys.” Ares raises his voice, his hands on his hips. “I hate to interrupt your argument—and by the way, sorry, princess, you are fucking cute—but the race will start soon. Sorry again, Zara, but I like Lev and Chance’s plan. If that bike comes back, your safety is our priority.”
Zara jumps out of Chance’s embrace, turning around to argue with Ares too, but I pull her close, wrapping one arm around her shoulders.
“Don’t worry, Zee.” I kiss her temple. “Chance and I will be careful. On the other two times, the person on that bike was at an advantage because we were surprised. This time when he shows up, we’ll be ready to react.”
She lifts her face to look at me. “If you got hurt trying to protect me, I?—”
I silence her with a kiss, and she melts against me. “I know. After all, you decided to get involved and resurrect JJ Smith to watch over me and Chance, right? So you understand our need to watch over you.”
It isn’t a question, and Zara has to admit it. “It’s true. Just… be careful.”
“Right back at ya.” I say, handing her helmet to her before I grab mine. “Now, let’s get out there and get this done. Then we can go home. I don’t care where we stay, but I missed having you in my arms last night.”
Chance
We push our bikes out of the hangar, headed to the starting line where Angela is getting ready to drop her scarf to signal the beginning of the race.
The deputy mayor’s daughter whispers something in Fox’s ear, and he slaps her ass with a wolfish grin before covering his face with his helmet.
I’ve known Angie since we were kids, but I can’t really say that I know her. She’s never talked much, content with being Heather’s sidekick. Atlas used to tease his girlfriend about needing to get a third friend to complete her mean girls crew. Not that Heather has ever been that mean to anyone, but she was definitely one of the most popular girls in our school, and Angela enjoyed that popularity by association.
Zara’s arrival in town has been like a hand grenade to their friendship.
Heather made no mystery of her fondness for Zara. But the final nail in the coffin of their friendship was that Heather didn’t warn Zara off dating Lev. Angela has had a crush on my best friend ever since I can remember, despite Lev never giving her the time of day.
I don’t know if now she’s hanging out with Fox in a misguided attempt to make Lev jealous, but I hate seeing her with that douchebag.
Maybe I should speak to Heather and ask her to say something to her former best friend. For once, she could use her big mouth for good rather than for evil.
My eyes drift to my side, where Zara has pushed her Ducati to take her starting spot.
I meet her gaze, and she nods at me, the corner of her lips lifting in the beginning of a smile.
I can still taste her on my lips. The way she kissed me in the hangar when I called her cute went straight to my cock, and I’ve been fighting a hard-on since then.
She was so mad at me. I hope it’s just because of mine and Lev’s plan to put ourselves between her and that bike. I askedher a few times if she’s mad that I didn’t tell her about the huge mistake I made when I slept with Heather.
