Chapter 7

Seven

Rook

H er mouth dropped open, as her eyes scanned my face, probably taking in the face paint. Or maybe the blood splattered across it.

It had already been a busy night, and I had one more thing left on my to-do list.

And now she stood right in front of me.

Her long pink hoodie clung to her hips and her thighs. The perfect curve of them made me remember my hands there, and how much I would enjoy my head between them. I wondered if there would be anything under it or if the hoodie served its purpose as a complete dress.

The night felt cool. Fall temperatures were here and made it bearable to ride with helmets and jackets on again. If she minded the cold on her legs, she didn't show it.

I had been thinking about her for days and not being able to figure any information out about her had driven me to the brink of madness.

"If you are looking for Elliot, he ran off when he heard you pulling up," she said.

I laughed, already waving Aiden over. "Shocker." Aiden idled over, pulling his helmet off.

"What's up?"

"Elliot. He's here and ran off. Which way?" I asked her. She bit at her lower lip, her eyes wide as her hands wrung together.

She still seemed nervous around me, which might work in my favor.

"Towards Hellfire Bar down the street. He goes there a lot lately."

Aiden nodded, already shoving his helmet on and heading towards Hellfire Bar with the rest of them.

"Look at you, already ratting out your ex."

"Well, if him being around means you keep showing up, why wouldn't I tell you?"

"You've been hiding from me."

"And?"

"I don't like it. You don't tell me your name. Make me drop you off at a random house. How am I supposed to find you?"

"How do you know it wasn't my house?"

"Not hard to figure out who lives there when I have the address."

She took a deep breath and straightened up her shoulders again. "What do you want from me? I don't owe you money or anything."

"I want your name."

"You can't have it," she snapped back.

The wave of pleasure rolling over me was a surprise. I had been planning to find her to see if she would continue what we started on my bike, but her words spurred a deeper part of me. A part of me which appreciated someone who liked secrets. A part of me that already liked how she had stayed to face me the night we met. And even more than those, a part of me which seemed to be entirely turned on by the rich girl playing tough rebel.

How far down could one prim and proper girl want to fall?

"My whole world is wrapped up in selling information," I said. "I find it cute how you already know how important a name could be to me."

Her nose scrunched and her eyebrows furrowed. "How do you…sell information?"

"I get valuable information. I sell it." I shrugged, leaning down onto my helmet perched on my gas tank.

"And that's your job ?"

"Among other things."

She took one careful step back, but I rolled the bike closer to her again.

"Your name, Rebel. Give it to me."

"Why would I if you are going to use it to…I don't know, ruin my life or stalk me or something?"

I bit at the inside of my cheek, the metallic taste of blood coating my tongue when I bit down too hard.

"The last person to deny me information today is now lying on the side of the road."

"So it is blood."

"I thought it added a level of authenticity to the outfit."

"It adds a level of lunatic to it."

She stepped away again, creating more distance between us until she stumbled against the curb. Her foot caught, making her fall onto the sidewalk. I got off, extending my hand to help her up, but she only eyed it.

"Is there blood on them, too?"

"I'm not an animal. I did wash my hands."

"But not your face?"

"Who could ruin this work of art?" She pushed off the ground, smacking my hand out of the way.

"Going to run away from me again?" I asked, smiling as she scowled.

"Yes."

"My favorite. Run, run, Rebel. I can chase you all night."

"You have nothing better to do?"

"No, and how else would I learn who you are? You won't willingly tell me."

"Why? I don't see what the big deal is. It sounds like I made the right choice."

"I don't like being lied to. I also don't like being felt up by a girl on my bike, and she doesn't even tell me her name."

"That sounds like a personal problem," she said, smiling now.

"Oh, it is," I said, leaning down further. Her eyes moved over my face, looking at the paint and blood again. "It's deeply, deeply personal, and I plan to take care of it myself."

"How?" she asked, her words a little more shaky now.

"Run, and if I catch you within the next hour, I get your name."

"And if you catch me, but I don't give it?"

It was a question I could have only dreamed she would ask me. My chest rumbled at the thought of forcing it out of her. "I'll take it."

"Take… Take my name?" she asked, stumbling over her words.

"Take you until you give me your name."

"So if you catch me, I either have to give you my name or be kidnapped?"

She tried not to meet my eyes. I trailed a gloved hand down her face before grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at me again.

"You are so smart, Rebel, and so pretty." I leaned down to her ear and heard the sharp intake of breath. She didn't move, and I wondered if it was out of fear or want. Her hands moved to my biceps, using me to steady herself now.

I turned, biting down on her neck hard. She screamed, her fingers digging into my shoulders, pushing me away.

"And delicious," I added.

"Rook!" she yelled. I didn't move, though, kissing the spot instead as her body relaxed. I finally pulled back, looking at the angry red spot smeared with black and white paint.

"See? Beautiful," I said, stepping back.

I swung a leg over my bike, my helmet strapped to the seat behind me. I wanted her to watch my face, see my eyes the moment I caught her. Her fingers went to her neck, wiping at the paint to stare down at it as her nose scrunched.

"Hey, Rebel?" I asked, right before starting the bike.

"What?"

"Run."