John ran up to the group and told them to get ready. Ryan stepped away from Caryn, but she closed her hands around his bicep and pulled him back. She kissed his cheek and smiled coyly.

“Good luck,” I read her lips.

He nodded before jogging to join John and Luke.

That night, when Ryan climbed in my window and crawled into my bed, he was so excited about doing well and being invited to a big race the next weekend, I decided not to spoil his happiness and ask about Caryn.

Instead, I chose to ignore the nagging feeling that something wasn’t right and shoved her from my thoughts to focus on the guy beside me.

My mistake.

I shook my head to get rid of that painful memory and turned around to walk away, but Caryn grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

“Come here, you bitch. I’m not done with you!” she yelled.

I didn’t think, just acted. I threw my iced coffee at her face and chest. Shocked, she released me, and stared down at her top. “I’ll kill you!” she snarled.

I raised my arms to defend from the punch I was about to receive, but strong arms closed around my waist and pulled me back.

Jason appeared between us. “Hey, hey, stop it!”

I looked down and saw the arm still firm around me. My breath caught when I recognized the tattoos on his skin.

“I’ll kill her!” Caryn bellowed, pushing against Jason.

Jason spied over his shoulder. “Take her to the truck.”

Instantly, the arm around my waist pulled me farther back, and I stumbled against his chest. Gently but firmly, Ryan held my arm and helped me turn, aiming for the truck.

“Are you okay?”

I nodded, fighting the shaking wave that was threatening to overcome me.

“Ryan!” Caryn yelled. “She’s a bitch, Ryan!”

“Shut up, Caryn,” Jason hissed.

“I’ll kill her,” Caryn yelled again.

“Ignore her,” Ryan said, his voice low. While crossing the street to the truck, he kept his face low, and I noticed that we had gathered quite the audience. He was hiding, probably embarrassed to be seen with me.

I pushed against his hold and gave a step away from him. “I’m fine.”

He stared at me for a second, and then nodded.

I dashed to the truck and slid inside through the passenger door. In front of the coffee shop, Jason still tried to reason with a neurotic Caryn, while Ryan leaned against the truck and waited.

A few moments later, some worker or owner from the place came out of the building and talked to them, his face none too happy. Jason turned away and left Caryn yelling alone.

I put my hands over my mouth and held back a sob. Jesus, I wasn’t one for crying, not after I moved to Cleveland, but I hadn’t expected such a scene. The anger, the guilt, the disappointment, and all the memories took me by surprised, and I suddenly found it hard not to cry.

Jason stopped by the truck’s door. “Come on,” he said to Ryan.

Ryan shook his head. “You know that’s not a good idea. I’ll walk to my apartment.”

Apartment? What happened to his parents’ house?

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

Jason glanced at me, and I averted my eyes. “All right. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

Nodding, Ryan walked away, in the opposite direction Caryn was headed.

Finally, Jason joined me inside the truck. “Are you all right?”

I glared at him. “It’s your fault. If you had been here on time, I wouldn’t have run into her.”

“Hey, what did you expect?” He inserted the keys into place and turned the truck on. “To come back and not see anyone from your past. Newsflash, but you’ll probably have to face a hell of a lot more while you’re here.”

I let out a frustrated scream, and Jason watched me with disturbed eyes.

“And what was he doing with you?” The question was out before I could make good reason of it.

An eyebrow cocked, Jason pulled the truck into the street and drove away. “He was helping me with my bike. I planned on leaving him at his place before picking you up.”

I bit my tongue before I could ask what “his place” meant. I was too deep in this mess already. I didn’t need to bury myself more and more.

I wiped the unshed tears and stared out the window, not really seeing anything.

Jason’s hand covered mine. “You still didn’t answer me. Are you all right?”

“Not really,” I said, amazed at how honest I was.

“I’m sorry.” He squeezed my hand. “About it all.”

I sighed and returned the squeeze. “Me too.”

Chapter Eleven

Ryan

I heard the truck’s engine roaring to life and driving away as I walked to my place. It was only three blocks away. I had insisted Jason dropped me off before going to pick up Jessica, but he was already late. I had hopes that he would park the car in front of the office and she wouldn’t be there, giving me time to slip out and leave before seeing her.

What I hadn’t expected was to see Jessica and Caryn going at it.

One block from my apartment, I heard her voice and cringed.

“Ryan, wait up,” Caryn said. The sound of her heels clicking on the pavement got closer and closer, until she stopped jogging and walked beside me. “Can you believe that girl? Showing her face in this town after all she did to you?”

I clenched my jaw and fished for my keys, intent on ignoring her before losing my temper.

Giving Caryn my back, I unlocked the garage door then pushed it open. She stepped right in, as if I had invited her.

I suppressed a groan and lunged into work. Working on my Harley always calmed me down. I sat on a low stool beside my bike and started taking some pieces apart.

Caryn leaned against a working table. “How can you even get that close to her like that? Hasn’t she done enough? If I were you, I would even avoid her brother, so not to risk it. And maybe Luke too. After all, they are cousins, and you guys are always together.”

She went on and on, and I tuned her out. It was better than getting angry and yelling at her. It wouldn’t be the first time, but if possible, I would like to avoid it. Most days, I could simply let Caryn be. She would stand by my side, flirt, or talk, but there were days … Shit, she was too clingy, too needy, or just purely annoying.

Like now.

Caryn knelt beside me, her body strategically turned to mine. She ran a finger down my arm. “After all, she was just a game, right? What could an inexperienced child have done for you?” She laughed, her finger sliding down to my stomach. “I, on the other hand, can do a lot of things for you.”

I pried her hand from me and stood. “Leave,” I said simply, not trusting my temper. If I opened my mouth for another word or two, I would say things I would regret.

Her eyes wide, she stood. “What happened?”

I took several steps back. “Just … leave.”

She frowned. “Why do you hate me so much? I have done nothing more than love you. I stood by your side; I was there for you. I am here for you.” She put her hands on her hips and stuffed her chest, jutting her breasts out. “You don’t have to be strong all the time, Ryan. Let me take care of you.” She advanced a step and I retreated another. “You can’t—”

“Caryn,” I said through gritted teeth. My jaw was set and my hands clenched. “Leave.”

She must have seen the anger in me, heard it in my voice, because her shoulders sagged and with a huff, she spun around and left.

Finally.

I reached for the compact fridge and grabbed a Coke, wishing, as I always did, that it was a beer. A beer would have been much better for my tension. After downing my Coke, I walked to the garage door, to close it up and work alone for the rest of the evening, but then, a car drove by. A car driven by a guy I didn’t know. A car with Brianna in the passenger seat and Lindsey in the back with another guy.