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“Hey, Everly,” he said, stopping me.
I turned to face him and finally looked at him. He was still lying back, his arms behind his head, and his beautiful body on display.
“Yeah?”
“I lied earlier. Itwasbecause of you.”
My body warmed with his confession, and again instead of speaking, I nodded. A small grin tugged at the side of my mouth, but before he could see it, I left his room and disappeared into the hall bathroom to wash my hands and hide until I felt like I could breathe again.
I didn’t see Aiken again for the rest of the night. He stayed in his room, and I stuck to Zada’s side. She was too drunk to drive me home, so I stayed at her house since it was just a couple of doors down and across the street.
I couldn’t sleep since I was in a strange place and there were barking dogs outside. Instead, I lay there on the couch and thought of my time with Aiken. I thought about the way the night had played out. I was starting to think there was more to him than just The Skull, The Strip, the drugs, and the parties.
Maybe there was something more profound.
15 Everly
THE STRIP WAS PACKED.I had never seen so many people there before, and the number of bikes racing was insane. The noise was deafening. Had I been anywhere else, I would have already been shaking with a massive panic attack. I didn’t do that at The Strip for some reason, but I wasn’t about to start questioning my newfound freedom.
I stuck with Zada and Reggie along the side of the road in a spot we had started claiming every Friday night. A crowd of people who were beginning to remember my name joined us. By the end of the night, when the races were over and the bikers were stunting, I would be surrounded by people talking and laughing. Most nights, they included me in their conversations.
For the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged. It was a great feeling.
Standing on the side, I kept my eyes on Aiken as he laughed with his boys and did stunts on his bike. He was good at it. The things he did with a motorcycle were unbelievable, and his boldness was sexy.
The strength in his arms when he did handstands on the moving bike. The power and control he had over his muscles when he did wheelies while holding his body out to the side.
I could watch him stunt for hours. He was amazing.
Occasionally, his eyes would connect with mine, and I would look away and watch another rider, but I was sure he knew I was there to watch him, and part of me felt like he was performing for me only.
“You think he knows you’re watching him?” Zada asked at my side, drawing my attention away from Aiken.
“Who?” I pretended to be clueless.
She tilted her head to the side and pursed her lips at me. “Really? Is that how you’re going to play it?
I rolled my eyes and grinned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She laughed. “Uh-huh. Just be careful, girl. Guys like Aiken are known to tear girls apart. Body, heart, and mind.”
I didn’t have as much experience with guys as Zada did—especially guys like Aiken, but I knew what she was saying was true. I didn’t stand a chance against a guy like Aiken, but he was like an unfortunate accident waiting to happen, and I was having problems looking away.
Zada’s words flowed through my mind on repeat. I was sure Aiken and I would never be more than acquaintances, but I knew if we ever became more, I wouldn’t survive him.
He was ruthless.
Unfeeling.
Cold.
At least on the outside.
But I had gotten a few peeks at what he hid. The small grins. The fact that he had taken up for me. Little things I was sure I was turning into big things, but still, there was good inside him.
I tried to keep my attention away from him for the rest of the night. Instead, I watched from my little spot on The Strip as people began to slow down and settle. The crowd thinned, and I knew it wasn’t going to be long before we left, as well.
I looked over the remaining people, and my eyes landed on Erik. He was across The Strip leaning against his new bike. I hadn’t seen him ride it yet, but I saw it in the driveaway at home at least a few days a week when he would come home and grab clothes.
