Page 203 of Ruthless Kings of Havoc

“Dominant side?”

“If you had the opportunity, you’d ride me like I’m a rodeo bull. Cuff me and enjoy every second of it.”

I’m trying to fathom it, and it’s even crazier because my core heats at the thought.

“I rest my case,” he hums into my ear and kisses my cheek. “Let’s ride, Dolcezza! We have three minutes.”

“Th-Three minutes?!” I gasp and watch as he lifts his arm to show the watch that has a countdown. “Yeah. The instructions gave us a thirty-minute time limit.”

“S-So, we’re still doing a challenge?!” Why did I think it was just his way of surprising me? “This hill is steep! How far after this is the house?”

“Hmm… probably five minutes,” Zander thinks about it, only for me to press on the handles. He lifts his feet off the ground at the right moment, anticipating my panicked reaction because we’re moving while I’m ranting.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” I seethe. “We won’t make it!”

“Have I noted it’s such a turn-on to see you angry?” he notes in glee. The thrilling buzz in his voice irritates me as he prompts the bike to move faster.

Zander ends up moving his hands to my waist, holding me while my center focus is getting us up this steep hill before venturing onto the road.

It takes us less than a minute, and once I see the gravel straight line decorated with tall trees, I ramp the speed further, until everything is morphing into a blur. Despite the ticking clock, I embrace that trickling feeling of anticipation as my adrenaline rises at the thrill of our speed. To be moving so fast that the world fades away and the high of moving so effortlessly sparks joy deep inside me.

I can just envision the little me.

The nerdy girl admiring the various bikes in the car magazines, wondering which one I’d be able to save and acquire when I reached sixteen.

It’s a bit laughable how something so important faded away just as fast. The joy in imagining all the things I could do when I was older.

The vision boards, the excitement surrounding adulthood and growing up with the power and control over your life.

So much of that drive got taken away, leaving me empty as I dealt with all the bullying and pain that came with it. By the time I switched schools, I had lost sight of what I wanted.

What I yearned for…

Yet, look at me now, inching to 150 mph with a man who encourages this madness. To acquire those lost ambitions and strive to enjoy them here and now.

To the world, these men are ruthless, but to me… they’re my saving grace.

“Up ahead, Eva,” Zander prompts, snapping me out of my thoughts so I can glimpse at his clock, which shows 0:50 seconds.

“On it!” Seeing our G-wagon next to a vast lake and cottage sitting further up on the mountain space proves we’ve made it to the destination of the challenge.

Slowing to a stop next to our car, I promptly get off, leaving the balancing and safety of my new beauty to Zander as I see the flicker of the paper come into a similar-looking chamber that has to be the mailbox for this place.

That was where the other papers came from!

Reaching it in no time prompts me to open the glass door and whisk the paper out of the chamber. I read the instructions out loud.

“Hit the red dot, and you win?” I gasp and look around, desperately trying to figure out the meaning of it.

“Red dot?” I hear Zander’s voice next to me before he’s scanning around, just like me. “Wait. Ares?”

I follow where he’s looking, seeing Ares in the lake, holding a red balloon. His back is facing our direction as he floats in the calm waters, looking relaxed. He’s staring at the sunset sky, proving he has no idea we’re here yet.

“Time, Zander?” I’m already stripping out of his joggers, thankful my hair is still in a ponytail.

“30 seconds.”

I jolt into a sprint to reach the edge of the water in ten seconds. Swimming may not be my strongest, but give me a challenge, and I’ll do everything in my power to achieve it.

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