Page 177 of Bend

I hear it before I let myself understand it.

Andre does too, because his eyes close for the briefest second before snapping open again.

“You have road,” he says. “Use every fucking inch of it.”

Wolfe lets out a breath.

“Doing my best.”

Thorne’s voice cracks through the channel. “You’re not fucking doing this, Wolfe.”

There’s a pause.

Then Wolfe laughs.

Barely.

Just enough that I recognize him.

“Bossy bastard.”

“Fuck you.” Thorne’s voice breaks on the last word. “You keep the fucking thing upright and you can tell me that to my face.”

Another rough burst of static.

I hear Wolfe breathe out hard.

“Thorne.”

“No.”

The answer comes instantly.

Wolfe doesn’t argue.

“Thorne.”

“I said no.”

Thorne sounds furious now, but the anger is thin and ragged around the edges.

“You don’t get to start talking like that. Keep your eyes on the fucking road.”

“I am.”

“Then shut up and ride.”

Thorne’s voice breaks on the last word, but he keeps going before anyone else can speak.

“And you get that bike back to this fucking pit, you hear me? You get back here, you bastard, because I love you. All right, mate? I fucking love you, and I don’t give a shit who hears me say it.”

For a second, the whole channel goes still.

Then Wolfe lets out a breath that almost sounds like a laugh.

“Knew you did.”

Thorne makes a broken sound. “Cocky prick.”