“I love you,” he had said to me, while using his thumb to remove a tear from my cheek. “And I’m not okay with you turning down such a great opportunity because of me.”
So, I’m going—with Mom and Dad for a month vacation, and then to settle in and study. Eli, Oz, and Cyrus have plans to visit me while I’m there, then Breanna and Violet are planning a girls’ trip, but none of their visits will be for long enough. As much as I’m excited to live in Paris, I’m equally sad. I love this entire group of people, and it’s hard to think I can’t see them anytime I want for the next year.
“Come away with me,” Oz whispers in my ear.
I want to, so much. It’s been too long since we’ve had any intimate time alone. I pull back from our hug, glance around and I’m surprised to find everyone gone. Oz and I are standing alone in the grass near my car. Over Oz’s shoulder, I watch as the group of guys who had been welcoming me home head to the clubhouse, so Oz and I can spend time together.
“I haven’t said hi to Eli or Cyrus yet.” But the words are empty as my blood warms with Oz’s gentle caress up and down my arms.
“I’ll bring you back. Just an hour, Emily.”
With another brush of his lips against mine, the decision is made—I’ll say hi to them later, and I’m saying yes to Oz now. I lock my fingers with Oz’s and smile up at him. A sexy smile touches his mouth, and he tugs on my hand to guide me forward.
We walk side-by-side, our shoulders and arms touching with our strides, as we head to Oz’s motorcycle. There are few places that I love as much as being on the back of Oz’s bike. I love my arms wrapped around him, the heat created by our bodies being pressed so close, the wind in my hair and the feeling of flying.
Right as Oz digs his keys out of his jeans’ front pocket, Razor calls out to us, “Oz!”
Oz groans, and I completely understand the feeling. I don’t want to get sucked into the clubhouse, because then we’ll never be alone. I squeeze Oz’s hand. “Let’s run.”
He grins down at me. “You sure?”
“Definitely.”
“Oz,” Razor calls out again. “I know you want time alone, but Chevy’s talking to Isaiah to see if he can fix Eli’s motorcycle before he figures out what happened to it.”
My head tilts to the side as I take in Razor’s words and the look of dread on Oz’s face. “What does he mean about Eli’s motorcycle? Has something happened to it?”
Oz rolls his neck. “Have I ever told you I suck at babysitting?”
“No.” There’s no way any of this is good.
Chapter 40
Rachel
Behind the clubhouse, Isaiah and I stare in shock at Eli’s motorcycle. Adelaide struggles in my arms as if there’s a gravitational field calling her towards the bike, but I don’t think her going near it is a good idea. From what I’ve gathered, she’s the one who caused the damage.
“What do you think?” Oz asks. “Can you fix it?”
Isaiah glances at me from the corner of his eye and I give him the same knowing glance back. Yes, it can be fixed, but it will require a complete repaint. Something we can do at Tom’s garage, but nothing we can do here. And nothing we can do before Eli wants his motorcycle this evening.
As Isaiah starts to shake his head, I place a hand on his arm. Another glance at me and he knows I have something I need to say to him. With a tilt of my head, he knows it’s something I want to say in private.
The Reign of Terror family has learned how Isaiah and I conduct subtle conversations in body language. Razor takes Adelaide from me, and they quietly fall back—giving us space.
“I know that look,” Isaiah says. “You think we can take this on, but we can’t fix it here. Even if we had the tools, a paint job like this takes time.”
“I’ve done a few paint jobs,” I remind him then scan the area to make sure that Emily stayed in the clubhouse. She’s not around so I continue, “So I know all this. The whole point is that Eli will be mad, right? Even if he doesn’t show it, Oz and Emily are going to