Page 17 of Send It
I look at Colson and shrug, “Cost me two weeks of riding.”
He doesn’t look at Reiss, in fact, his eyes never leave mine. “Why do you like riding so much anyway? None of your friends ride, none of them even hang out at the track, and you’re a girl, Linc. Shouldn’t you be doing girl shit? Not constantly cock blocking us and smelling like race fuel.”
I grit my teeth and search for a comeback, but I don’t say anything. The answer to his question is simple, but not something I can say aloud. I always liked riding because ofhim.
I wanted to be close to you, you idiot.
9
Colson
The weekend was pure torture. My leg throbbed the entire second moto, and I rode like absolute dog shit. We only came to the race for extra practice, but I barely even placed in the top ten. In a race where I would easily win otherwise. It sucked.
Reiss was on top of his game, though. As usual. He’s healthy and not a single thing gets in his head. Too bad I can’t say the same.
My head was all over the place. My thoughts were occupied by his baby sister’s lips. Which is fucked up. I know.
The only way I knew to get her out of my head was to ignore her. So that’s what I did for two solid weeks. Until last night, when she basically took care of me like some kind of little mommy. Which oddly enough turned me the fuck on.
Blame it on my own mommy issues I guess.
I hate the way I loved her taking care of me. I liked it too much, but I know that this is just how our relationship is. Or was, before I decided the only way not to be attracted to her was to push her away.
I would sit next to her at every supercross race our dads were in and hold her hand because she was afraid her dad would get hurt. I didn’t do it because I felt an obligation either. I did it because I cared. I did it because I liked the way she depended on me.
In fact, I would’ve left the racing scene a long time ago if it wasn’t for Lincoln. Sure it’s fun, and Reiss is like my brother and we have fun doing it together, but I’m not sure it’s worth the risk. Everytime I sit down on my bike, I’m afraid.
Afraid of another injury. Afraid of another surgery. Afraid that one day I won’t be able to even walk at the park with my own kids.
I want that. My own family, kids that know that I want them, and a wife that I can be unapologetically obsessed with. Truthfully, I don’t see a future in riding. Not like my dad, and I don’t want to beanythinglike him. I don’t want my kids growing up in the circut, being dragged around the country in a fucking bus. I want a fucking house. I want my kids to experience school. I want normalcy.
But more than all of those things, I want Lincoln. Right now, racing means Lincoln Bane. So that’s what I’m doing. Racing. Beyond that, I don’t know.
“Lincoln’s birthday is next week,” Reiss says from across the shop, dragging me from my thoughts, like I didn’t already know.
Trust me, I’m well aware of baby Bane’s eighteenth birthday.
“Are you doing something for her?” I ask, knowing damn well he’s got something up his sleeve.
“Stassie wants to go to the lake house for the weekend. Thought maybe the four of us could chill. Mom and Dad are going to LA for a charity event.”
Just the four of us. Alone. The thought races through every part of my brain but mostly how I’m supposed to act around Reiss knowing I want his sister.
“You and Stassie, ey?” I tease, even though it’s the other way around.
“Stassie hates my guts,” he laughs. “Trust me, I’ve been there and tried that.”
I grin, “She really does hate you, doesn’t she?”
He shrugs, “I think the time I put the Harry Styles cut out in the backseat of her car was the final nail in the coffin.”
I nearly choke on my water as I chuckle, “That shit was legendary. Especially since she loved One Direction so much back in the day.”
He shakes his head, “I kinda feel bad about it. Linc said it scared her to death, and now she shines her phone flashlight in the windows if it’s dark outside to make sure nothing is in there.”
“Yeah, I don’t think all the pranks helped your cause my man.”
Dropping the wrench he’s holding to the tray he sighs, “Definitely not. So are you in?”
