Page 25 of Reckless Rival

Nami was too shocked to respond as she processed the expression in his eyes.

“So, it’s obvious you are still at your game of—”

“I’m racing too… with Aryan. I’m his riding partner in the heavy bikes race.” She grit her teeth and held her chin high, refusing to give in to the intimidation.

He scanned her face like he wanted to burn her down with his eyes. “I will see you on the track.”

“See you, Rana,” Nami called out almost in a taunting way and turned to look at Ramya standing at a distance confused with their expressions. “Let’s go.”

“Go where?” Ramya asked as Nami came to stand by her.

“I want to race with Aryan.” Nami was shaking on the inside but put on a brave front.

“What was that between you and Rana?” Ramya was good at picking up dynamics between people.

“Nothing. A small bet for him to take me on a date. Let’s go find Aryan.” Nami may have dodged the bullet with Ramya, but she knew she had to tell her cousin everything at some point.

“Are you sure about this?” Her usually easygoing cousin sounded worried.

“Yes, no going back now.” Nami had enough of his tantrums, and it was time to show him he couldn’t just assume whatever he wanted to. She wasn’t going to take his tormenting anymore.

Shortly after, she shook on the inside even as she smiled and waved at the crowd as they cheered on for what was going to be a short but intense race. Heavy-weight bikes, two riders, and a straight, short distance.

Even as she put on her helmet with shaky fingers, she made sure to keep smiling at Aryan so Rana saw her interaction with him. She hoped he didn’t, in his delusional state, think she was there to seduce him as he had accused her earlier in the week. She knew he had his eyes on her even as he prepped for the race.

“I want you to win this, Aryan,” she said smiling, although she felt sick to her stomach.

The guy was in his zone. “I need this. I’ve never won a race over Rana Simha. I could use one.”

“I could too,” she mumbled to herself, mustering up the courage to get on a bike and trust a guy she had met less than an hour ago with her life.

“If I win, you will be my lucky charm, and I will beg you to join me every time.” Aryan seemed to have newfound confidence. He led her down the hill toward the straight one-mile track and added, “It’s a safe track, and I’m a good at this.”

“Okay,” she said even as her mind told her not to get carried away and do things out of spite. But she needed Rana to back off, and she didn’t see any other way.

As she debated, her awareness grew, and she instantly knew he was looking at her. Fighting her need to meet his gaze, she put her hand on Aryan’s shoulder and said, “Can you show me how I should sit on the bike?”

“Sure,” he said, excited that she was so interested in the race.

Nami was only half listening as he talked about how amazing his bike was with all the safety and comfort features. Her ears perked up when he said, “Some of the riders sit with their back to the biker and taunt the folks on the bikes behind them.”

“Oh!” The conniving side she didn’t know existed surfaced. “I want to do that.”

“Wow, are you sure?” he asked and added, “That would be so cool. I’ll set your safety harness to face backward.”

What the heck did she get herself into?

“Yes, let’s do this.” There was no going back at that point. She only hoped she walked away from it with no broken bones.

Even as she stood by Aryan’s bike lost in her thoughts of all the possible outcomes and everything that could go wrong, she was more excited about being able to look at Rana from his opponent’s bike to show she wasn’t there to woo, trap, or seduce him as he had accused her.

Her message to him had to be loud and clear.

I don’t care about you. Leave me alone.

Nami was in a haze as she climbed on the back of Aryan’s bike, her back to his and her fingers wrapped around the metallic bar on the back. Another student set up the safety harness that would keep the riders secure while on the bike.

Her heart thudded as if in warning, but she ignored it all. She was scared and angry at the same time, and all she could think about was to cry out in frustration. The perfect guy she met turned out to be a rival. Why did things have to be this way?

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