Page 98 of Breakaway

“Aw, I played you like a kid, Pashkevich,” he says between fits of laughter. “Go, meet your wife. Looks like you’ll be moving back home in no time”

“Fuck off, Rodgers,” I huff, turning on my heel and sauntering to the front door. And yet, a smile blooms on my lips, because he might be right.

The soundof the engine reverberates through my body, making my skin hum as I move faster and faster through traffic. The ride brings me joy, a happy smile plastered to my face. The freeway isn’t overloaded with cars, and I think I might be home in less than fifteen minutes. It’s sunny out, and I speed up even more, leaning forward as I near another turn.

The screeching of tires makes me tense. I dip my chin slightly and notice a car heading straight at me after another one slammed into its right side.

Well…fuck.

The revving of the engine becomes deafening as I speed up, praying with everything I have I’ll make it out of the path of the vehicle. My body is rigid as I concentrate all my attention on the road ahead of me.

Barely escaping the oncoming car, I speed up even more. And just when I think I’m safe, I realize that it’s an illusion. Losing control of the motorcycle, I try my hardest to stay seated. There’s only one way…and fuck, I hate it. My nerves are like chords when I manage to lay my Kawasaki down and slide along with it. The scraping sounds of metal and the screeching of tires are all I hear, but when my body drags along the bike, a pained groan comes out of my parted lips.

Fucking hell, it hurts everywhere.

My motorcycle comes to a controlled stop, and I rise to my feet, pressing my palm to my ribs. I’m breathing hard as my eyes roam over the road. Cars are stopping, and people are running over to check on me and the driver of the car that was coming at me. Its hood is wedged into a pole. There are skid marks on the road from my Kawasaki, and broken glass from one of the mirrors, but other than that, it seems fine. I feel okay. Except for my ribs, but that might be a simple bruise.

I turn my head, and everything in me stills. Even my heart stops beating. With shaking hands, I take off my helmet and peerat the space between two cars, where I just saw my brother. No one is there, and my knees give out. I take a few steps forward, then slump onto my ass on the curb.

Did Maksim save me?

1 ????? — Son

Chapter 38

Everlasting

NEVAEH

When I hearthe door close, I quickly put my mug on the counter and walk out of the kitchen. The sound of Roman speaking Russian sends shivers down my spine, my anxious heart thrashing against my rib cage. But the fact that he read my texts and didn’t reply doesn’t give me much hope.

I halt in my tracks the second my eyes land on Roman. He’s holding his phone to his ear, and…Colton Thompson is standing beside him with his hands hidden in his pockets.

“Hey, Nevaeh,” Colton says, his dark brown eyes coasting over my face.

“Hey,” I mumble weakly, watching hopelessly as Roman stomps past me to his bedroom. He’s still on the phone when he closes the door behind him.

Sigh. His behavior definitely doesn’t indicate a readiness to listen to me. Quite the contrary, actually. Forcing a smile onto my face, I focus my attention on Colton instead. “Is everything okay?” I blurt.

“Yes.” He nods, shifting his weight from his heels to his toes. “Everything is fine.”

Silence stretches between us, and my skin starts to itch. It’s so uncomfortable, I want to scream. I glance over my shoulderat Roman’s closed bedroom door and then return my gaze to Colton. “Are you guys going somewhere?”

“No, I gave him a lift home,” he tells me, his eyes softening. “Roman crashed his motorcycle, and he was in the hospital?—”

“What?” I yell, my hand flying to my mouth.

Colton instantly steps closer and puts his hands on my shoulders, dipping his head to look me in the eyes. “He’s alright. He has some cuts and a nasty bruise on his right side, but that’s all,” he says confidently. “I’m his emergency contact, so I came to the hospital as soon as I got the call and brought him here once he was cleared…Your man is a lucky guy, and a very skilled driver.”

“Is he really alright?”

“Yes,” Colton says with a small grin. “Trust me, if that wasn’t the case, I would’ve never let him leave the hospital.”

His calmness transfers to me, and my heartbeat slows down. Colton has no reason to lie to me. With a curt nod, I take a step back, right as the door to Roman’s room opens. My eyes snap in his direction, roaming around his body, trying to see if there are any visible signs of the crash. When I bring my gaze to his face, I see a soft smile on his lips as he saunters over to me.

God, it’s been less than twenty-four hours since I’ve seen him, but it feels like an eternity passed. My longing for him takes a hold of my throat, and I’m struggling to produce even a single sound.

Roman stops by my side and looks at his friend. “Thank you, Colt. Again.”

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