Page 57 of Bend

Then a voice I know way too well says, “What the fuck?”

I look up, and Draygon is standing just inside the bay door, helmet in one hand, dark eyes fixed on me like he’s trying to decide whether I’m real or if he’s somehow still half asleep, and judging by the way the entire room goes tight all over again?

Shit is about to really pop off, and just like that, every single nerve ending in my body lights up.

Because as much as I hate it, I knew coming here meant coming face to face with Draygon, Wolfe, and Thorne.

The Holy Trinity of my terrible judgment.

I lower my head over the engine a little farther like maybe I can disappear into it through sheer force of will and he stops dead, like someone pulled his power.

For one beautiful, terrible second, the whole garage goes weirdly quiet around us.

Then he says, “Ain’t no fucking way.”

Nobody answers.

Sayshen does eventually, because he’s apparently decided today is the day he becomes a martyr. “Sup bro. You’re fucking late.”

Draygon doesn’t take his eyes off me. “Wait. Baby Shaw, you said you were bringing your sister in this morning…Echo is your sister?”

“Yep. Wait, hold up. You know each other?"

He laughs once, sharp and disbelieving. “Sure, yeah you could say that.”

“Shit,” I say, tightening a bolt I no longer need to be tightening.

“Someone better fucking explain,” Sayshen says automatically.

Draygon points at him without looking away from me. “Chill a sec will you,”

Honestly? Fair.

He takes a step closer. “You made out with me in a bar bathroom. Text me for weeks,” His brow lifts. “And this somehow never came up? How long have you known I was your brother's team mate?”

I open my mouth.

Close it again.

Because okay, in my defense, I was dealing with approximately twelve emotional nuclear disasters at once.

But also, yeah, it sounds bad when he says it out loud.

Before I can answer, two more engines pull into the lot.

My soul leaves my body as Wolfe and Thorne walk in together.

Wolfe clocks me first. “Echo? What are you—?”

Then Draygon’s head snaps to Wolfe, just as Wolfe scans the room, clearly picking up on the thick as fuck tension.

He stops.

Thorne takes one more step before realizing Wolfe isn’t moving and follows his line of sight, but the second he sees me, his whole face changes.

Oh god.

It’s all there in one flash—shock, dread, humiliation, anger, the immediate instinct to armor up.