“I’m just kidding, Dad. I’ll probably read and try to convince Misha and Yuri to take me for some fish and chips.” And becauseI really hate lying, I throw in a half-truth and add, “Maybe I’ll go for a ride later.”
He gives me a slow nod that I almost falter under before he finally says, “Well, be careful and have fun. Don’t go riding on your own at night, okay?”
“I won’t,” I tell him, because at least that part is true. I’ll have about twenty guys right on my ass the whole time.
When Misha and Yuri walk in, I drink my tea and let them take over the conversation. They’re much better at the whole scheming thing than I am. Our mom joins us a few minutes later, and our dad gives a low whistle when he sees the dress she’s wearing.
Kissing her, he says, “You look beautiful,kiska.”
Misha raises a dark brow at me, but I refuse to let him fill my head with more of our parents’ kinky shit. My dad has always called our momkiska, and he’s always insisted it means kitty. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized it also just means pussy.
I swear, keeping my family G-rated in my head is becoming a full-time job. I’m not sure I have the mental bandwidth for this.
“We’ll be back late,” our mom says. “I think we might take a walk when we get back.”
I refuse to look in the direction of my brothers, even though I can feel them mentally begging me to.
“We won’t wait up,” Misha says.
Yuri laughs and points a finger at our parents. “You two go have fun, but not too much fun. Don’t embarrass the family name.”
Our mom laughs while our dad says, “Impossible. They’re too afraid of us to laugh at anything we do.”
“Well, I’ll try my best to not do anything embarrassing,” our mom says while she pats our dad’s chest.
“Just don’t dance on any tables,” Yuri says.
“That wouldn’t be embarrassing,” our dad says, “but it would make me kill every man in the place.”
“No dancing on tables it is,” our mom says.
Our dad grins and gives her a wink. “Well, maybe later.”
“And with that I’m leaving,” I say. “I love you guys. Have fun but please never tell me about it.”
My parents laugh and give me a hug, both of them kissing my head and telling me they love me before I head back to my room to get ready.
It’s time to go win another race.
Chapter 9
Damien
Ev and I stand with Bran, watching the crowd grow as the top of the bluff we’re on fills with motorcycles and trucks hauling dirt bikes. Rap music blares from someone’s speakers, mixing with the laughter, and a few feminine squeals start up when one of the guys revs their dirt bike engine, making the classic braap noise that carries on the air and reminds everyone of why we’re here.
I look around, still unable to find Sitka. It takes me a second to recognize the anxious feeling I’m having as worry. The wind whips around us, and when I turn my head, all I see is a dark expanse that stretches to the limits of my vision. I can’t see it, but thanks to Bran, I know the Pacific is a 250-foot drop right over the cliff that’s not nearly as far away as I’d like it to be.
When I scrub a hand over my jaw, Bran nudges my arm and signs,They’ll be here in five.
We haven’t talked about him inviting me over for breakfast, but he seems to have picked up on the fact that I like his cousin. Him not punching me for it while also giving me updates on her whereabouts feels a lot like he’s giving me the green light. That’s how I’m taking it anyway.
“There they are,” Ev says, and I look over in time to see the large black truck make its way through the crowd that’s gotten bigger in the last few minutes.
When I don’t see Sitka’s green bike in the back, I sign to Bran,Where is she?
He grins, like he finds me worrying very amusing.They drop her off so no one sees her with them.
I follow to where he’s pointing, and sure enough a few minutes later, I see her come up the hill and park near one of the trucks by the drop-off. She’s completely hidden from view, face obscured by her helmet and goggles, body covered in a form-fitting black outfit and tall leather riding boots, and I’m surprised by how hot I think that is. Her tinted visor turns to me, and she gives me the barest wiggle of her fingers to let me know she sees me.
