When I stop, he clicks off his stopwatch. “Fastest time yet, babe. You’re sure to make the trials tomorrow.”
I’m breathing heavily, staring at him. I want to believe him so badly. “Do you mean that, or are you just saying that?”
He grabs the base of my helmet just under my chin and pulls me toward him until his forehead presses against the helmet. He stares intently into my eyes.
“You’re good, Six. Always have been. You’ve got the skills to do this. You just have to believe it. Now say it.”
“I believe it.”
“And?”
“And I’m going to win that damn race.”
He grins. “There’s my girl. Now let's load up and go get a shower, some food and fuck our brains out. Not necessarily in that order.”
“I need to save my strength,” I tease.
He huffs a laugh. “That’s okay, babe. I’ll do all the work.”
That night, we get a room.
Keno keys the door and we enter. As soon as we’re inside, I move to the windows of our third-floor room. I can see the track across the highway.
The sun in sinking and the riders have disappeared for the day. I spot some in the parking lot, loading their bikes up.
Keno presses against my back, his hands closing over my upper arms. “Worried about tomorrow?”
I shake my head. I’m worried, but not about that. I’ve been wrong to keep the truth from him. He deserves to know that my brothers are in Durango.
If I don’t trust him, how are we going to make this work? We don’t stand a chance.
A man like Keno can’t have a woman who doesn’t believe in him. It just won’t work. Not a chance in hell. I know that. So why did I mess everything up by lying to him? Am I sabotaging my own happiness for some fucked-up reason? Deep down, do I think I don’t deserve him? Or do I think I’m not good enough for him, that I will never be enough to make him happy?
Perhaps that isn’t it at all.
Maybe if I’m being honest with myself, I need to admit I’m scared, and a part of me is still all twisted up with him leaving me. And what I’m really afraid of is that he’ll leave me again.
Is this all some fucked-up test I’ve devised in my subconscious mind to see how far I can push him? To see if this time nothing will push him away?
His lips nuzzle my ear. “What’s wrong, babe?”
“I need to tell you something. Something I should have told you right from the beginning.” I turn my head to the side and watch his body language from the corner of my eye.
He lifts his head, shifting his weight. “What is it?”
His voice is colder, all the softness gone.
“I lied to you.”
“About what?”
“Well, maybe not lied. I just didn’t tell you something that you need to know.”
“Then tell me.”
I take a deep breath and pray this doesn’t ruin things between us. “Derek and Remy are in Durango.”
“What?” The word is spoken low and vibrates with condemnation.
