Chapter 8

Miss You - Bryce Savage

There's a deep pain in my chest. Driving away from Bexley today was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. But even I know I can't force her to leave him. It has to be her choice. All I can do is hope that in time, she'll make the right one. When I get back to the trailer, Cruz, Wolfe, and Thorne are posted outside. Wolfe and Thorne are filming some shit on their phones for TikTok while Cruz and Lena are busy grilling us all up some burgers for dinner. The racing for us is done for the day, meaning we all get to chill out for the rest of the night.

"Here, it looks like you could use it," Lena adds, handing me a cold beer from the cooler. She'll come around, just give her time."

Confused, I look up at Lena, who tilts her head toward Cruz. "He tells me everything, you should know that by now," she laughs.

"Of course he does," I smirk, popping the cap off my beer. I bring the bottle to my lips, guzzling down the cool liquid. Lena's a pretty girl. Thick long blonde hair and big blue eyes that could cut you like knives. She's sweet, most of the time, but I can't say I'd ever want to be on her bad side. Girl can fucking land a punch, and her tongue smacks so hard sometimes you'd think she was actually spitting venom. Her and Cruz have been together so long now that she's practically one of us. She even rides, though she enjoys the stunt side of riding rather than the speed. She's always just fit in, so perfectly with the team.

After I left Christian's, I took the bike out to the back of the track to get away from everyone. No one goes back there since it's all swamp and forest, but it was just what I needed to cool off. It's quiet, secluded, and there was no way I was processing the shit that went down today surrounded by crowds of people.

Especially when my brother is one of those people.

Once the guys told me Reign and Talon were out looking for me, I sent a quick text letting them know I was fine and that I was back at the trailer. Reign is already on his way back, but Talon never replied, which is unlike him.But I have no doubt he's ready to lay into me. I already know he's heard about me and Christian, and if I know my brother, he's ready to chew me out about how my blowing up on Christian is probably fucking shit up for the team.Typical.

Pulling one of the small stools closer to me, I prop my feet up on it as I lean back in my chair and take another swig of my beer. It's early evening and still scorching hot outside, especially under the black tarp tent next to our trailer. Don't even get me started on the humidity. I'm sweating buckets just sitting here.

"Sayshen," my brother's stern voice booms over the noise of the radio.

Here we fucking go.

I take another sip, preparing myself for the lecture I know I'm about to get, before placing my bottle on the ground next to my chair. Turning my attention towards my brother, I freeze when I see he's not alone. Bexley is with him, and they are hand in hand as he pulls her under the tent.

What the fuck.

"Bexley?" I shout, jumping up from my chair and I rushing toward her. She instantly lets go of my brother's hand and rushes to me. Wrapping my arms around her, I can feel her small and fragile body trembling. Looking over her head, I lock eyes with Talon as I pull her in close to me.

"What the fuck is going on?" I ask. Lena and the guys all crowd around us, equally eager to know what the hell is happening.

"Where's Draygon and Reign?" Talon asks with panted breaths. He itches his nose with his hand allowing me a clear view of the fresh cuts and swollen knuckles.

He had to have hit Christian.

Which means it was fucking bad. Talon looks around the area before resting his hands on his waists.

"Reign is on his way back from looking for Sayshen, and Draygon is back at his trailer with some chick he met, but if it's important, I can go get him─" Wolfe explains with a calm tone.

"No, it's fine. You can fill him in after." Talon adds.

"Fill him in on what exactly? What the fuck is happening?" I ask with annoyance. Whatever it is, I know it isn't good. By the way that Bexley is shaking in my arms, I have no doubt some serious shit went down, and it's taking every ounce of my self-control not to go off right now.

"I was walking through the pits, looking for you. I heard about you, and Christian─"

I scoff aggressively, "Yeah, well, that fucker had it coming."

"Don't fucking cut me off," Talon shouts, pointing his finger at me. "This isn't a fucking game. Shit is about to get real, little brother. So I hope you're fucking ready for it."

"We're all ready for it," Cruz cuts in. "This isn't just Sayshen's problem, and whatever is coming, we handle it together. We're a fucking team. A family. No one is facing shit alone," he adds, and the rest of the guys step forward in agreement. Bex turns her head slightly to the side so she can see what's happening.

Talon takes a deep breath to calm himself before continuing. "I was looking for you. I heard about what went down, and when you didn't come back, I knew you had to be fuming. I didn't want you to make any more stupid decisions," he explains, eyeing me. "Anyway, I was walking past Cordova's trailer when I heard some shit. I went to investigate cause I was worried it was you and him brawling it out, but instead I found him with Bexley. He had her pressed up against the trailer." His eyes moved from me to Bex before locking with mine again. "It wasn't fucking good."

She sobs, and I pull her closer. Wrapping my arms around her tighter as I rest my chin on the top of her head, "You're okay, Bex. I have you now," I whisper softly, hoping it will calm her.

"So what's the plan? When do we get to give this piece a shit what he deserves?" Wolfe asks, clearly as eager as me to lay into Christian.

"We don't, not yet. For now, we need to get Bexley out of here," Talon replies. "Go pack a bag, get Bexley out of here for a few days. Cordova isn't going to just let this go, and I don't want either of you around when shit pops off."

"What about tomorrow's race?" Bexley whispers in a cracked voice. "Doesn't Sayshen race tomorrow?"

"We'll cover that, love. Don't you worry about that?" Thorne adds with a gentle tone.

"Yeah, you just worry about yourself, okay, Bexley. Let the rest of us worry about the races while Sayshen gets you away from that piece of shit," Wolfe chimes in from where he's standing. Lifting my eyes to his, I can see a mirror of my rage flowing through him.

Cruz wraps his arm around Lena, pulling her into his chest before looking toward Bexley "You're one of us now, Bex. Might as well get used to it."

"Here," Lena says as she leaves Cruz and makes her way toward Bex, who's still in my arms. "Take this with you," she adds, handing her Demons hoodie over to Bexley. Slowly, I free her from my arms, allowing her to take the hoodie from Lena and wrap it around her shoulders like a blanket.

That's when I got a really good look at her. She's a mess. I don't know all that went down today, but I do know it had to be bad if Talon stepped in to stop it and fuck if that doesn't both break my heart and fuel my hatred for that piece of shit.

"Oh, thanks," Bex replies. "I didn't realize how cold I felt until now." Unable to hide the pity she feels for Bex, Lena pulls Bexley in for a supportive hug, whispering reassuring things in her ear.

"Well, you just went through some traumatic shit, girl. Your body is probably in shock after all that, I"d say it's normal," Wolfe adds, reaching our side.

Bex smiles. It's small, but genuine.

"Thanks for that super helpful lesson, Dude," I add, smacking my hand down on his back. "Fucking smart ass. Here, Bex, sit down." I guide her to the chair I had been sitting in earlier and kneel down in front of her. "I'm going to go grab my shit real quick, and then I'll get you out of here, okay?" I explain with a soft tone. I tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear as we lock eyes. Her eyes are red and puffy from crying. Her plump lips are cut open and speckled with dried blood.

"Okay." She nods, pulling the hoodie around her tighter. Seeing her like this is destroying me inside. Not that I will show it. Showing it will only hurt her, and she's suffered enough. But one thing is certain… Christian Cordova is a fucking dead man.

"Wolfe, go fill Draygon in. I don't want to take any chances. We don't know how Christian is going to handle this, but I know it won't end here. We all need to pay close attention to him and watch his every move. He can't be trusted," Talon explains as he makes his way over to me.

"Got it," Wolfe adds before taking off down the pits in a light jog. I never really realized how close these guys all are. I mean, Christian and his team aren't close like this. They don't consider themselves a family, and they sure as fuck wouldn't go to bat for each other. Not like these guys. They don't even know me, but are ready to fight for me, defend me, all because one of their own has deemed me important to him.

I didn't even know Sayshen had a brother, let alone one that is as good-looking as Talon is. He has to be 6'2, and based on the fact that he's Sayshen's older brother, I'd say he's about twenty-seven if I had to guess. If Cece were here, she'd be squirming in her chair over his tatted-up body alone, and don't even get me started on those broad shoulders and chiseled jawline. The way he just ran up and hit Christian stirred something in me. Something about these Shaw men has my jaw on the floor and my thighs clenched. The way they take no shit and give no fucks. Are just ready to defend those who matter to them is something I've never experienced before, not from a guy at least.

I could feel his anger. His rage for Christian when he saw what was being done to me. What is even more confusing was that he is a total stranger to me, yet I feel so incredibly safe with him.

Sayshen exits the trailer with a bag on his back and his helmet in his hand. Talon grabs a helmet off the seat of an H2R which I assume is his, and slowly steps toward me. He offers me his hand and I take it as he helps me to my feet. The wind blows by, softly carrying his scent to my nose. Oak, Sandalwood, and something else, cedar maybe. It's woodsy and warm. Cautiously, he brushes my hair away from my face, before sliding the helmet over my head.

"It's going to be a bit big on you, but it's better than nothing," he explains, guiding my chin up and buckling the helmet. I lift my eyes to his face, taking in his features as he messes with the helmet straps. Where Sayshen has brown eyes, Talon's are a piercing deep blue color—like the deepest parts of the ocean. I find myself drowning in them, unable to look away. His features, though similar to Sayshen's, are more mature. Full lips and a jaw that could cut glass.

"Bex, take what you need out of that bag and stuff it in mine. We can only take one bag with us," Sayshen explains, tossing his bag at my feet. The weight of the bag hitting my legs startles me, and I jump, but Talon's hands grip my shoulders, holding me still.

"It's okay. You're safe now," he whispers. His eyes soften as he looks down on me, but he clears his throat, and backs away.

I turn toward Sayshen and find him sliding his helmet on his head. Kneeling down next to his bag, I move whatever clothes I need from mine to his, some leggings, a change of underwear and socks, a few t-shirts, and my favorite neon green bikini. I grab my small bag of toiletries, a hair brush along with my pencils and sketchbook, laying them across the top before zipping the bag closed. Rising to my feet, I slide my arms into the Demons hoodie from Lena and zip it up before sliding Sayshen's bag onto my back.

The guys are all talking amongst themselves quietly. I watch them, reading their body language. It tells me they"re all on guard. Ready to act on a moment's notice. Lena is cuddled up to Cruz, and I find myself wondering if it's always like this for them. It must be different to have people around you who always want to protect you and have your back. Chrisitan was never that for me. Looking back, I don't even know what I ever saw in him. I mean sure, he was sweet in the start, and I may have fallen for the fake act he put on, but I'll never understand why I didn't leave the first time he showed me the man he really is.

The first time he hurt me.

Maybe I was just lonely. Leaving home and losing the love and support of my parents left me with no one but Cece, and while she's always going to be my favorite person in the world, part of me just needed more.

Craved more.

I never should've settled for Christian. I never should've let the shit that happened happen. I watch them, fascinated by this group of strangers for whom I find myself so thankful. Because without them, without Sayshen, Talon…I would have never been brave enough to leave Christian on my own.

Sayshen climbs onto his R1 and starts it up. Talon approaches my side and cautiously guides me to the bike, and I climb behind Sayshen.

"Do you have somewhere you can go?" Talon asks with a concerned tone.

"I─I can go to Cece's," I answer.

"Does he know where Cece lives? Has he been there before?" Sayshen asks over his shoulder. I nod in response.

"Take her back to the beach house for a few days, that way shit can settle down before you take her to Cece's. If he's going to go there looking for her, it will be in the next couple of days. He's not going to wait. Assuming that's okay with you, Bexley," Talon questions.

I nod in agreement, unable to find words for all the thoughts flowing through my head. Would Christian go to Cece's looking for me? I mean it's clear he never cared about me, so why would he waste his time going through all the trouble of finding me?

"If anything happens in the meantime─" Sayshen adds, meeting eyes with his brother.

"Nothing is going to happen, Baby Shaw," Draygon adds as he joins the group with Wolfe at his side. "We'll handle shit here, and you just get Bex the fuck out of here. The Demons ain't afraid of a little Viper venom, are we boys?" he laughs, wrapping his arms around Thorne and Talon's necks.

Sayshen revs the engine, and my nostrils fill with the scent of exhaust. He looks over his shoulder as he takes my shaky hands.

"I'm assuming you've ridden as a backpack before, yes?" he asks. I nod in response as he wraps my hands around his waist. "Okay, hold on, Bex." I do as he tells me, gripping the thin fabric of his T-shirt in my hands as they wrap around his toned stomach. He flicks his visor closed and starts to back out as the guys move out of the way. Before I know it, we're speeding down the pits aisle and heading onto the highway.

I don't know where this beach house is he's taking me to, but I do know anywhere is better than where I was.