Page 50 of Endo
I raise an eyebrow, leaning back slightly. “If they show up late, I don’t wanna hear about it. Everyone knows Cece takes forever getting ready.”
Lena laughs at that, shaking her head. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, well, you’re brave,” I say with a mock serious tone. “But just don’t blame me if you end up showing up late, too. I’ve warned you.”
“Uh-huh. I’ll handle it,” she says with a wink, brushing past me. “But thanks for the offer, Romeo.”
I want to argue, offer to drive her there myself, but she’s already got it handled. I just give a short nod, trying to hide the way my chest tightens.
“Alright, I’ll see you there,” I say, keeping my voice as casual as possible.
She takes a moment, standing there with her bike, looking at me like she wants to say something more. But then she just gives me one last look, a little softer this time, before turning and walking over to where the others are waiting.
I climb into my Mustang, the engine rumbling to life beneath me, but the weight of the night hits me as soon as I settle into the driver’s seat. I pull out of the lot, the road stretching ahead, but something’s off. The air feels thick, charged—like it’s holding its breath. My hands tighten on the wheel, and I can feel the tension creeping in around my chest.
The night’s still young, but I can’t shake the feeling that something’s about to shift. Something’s about to change.
The night kicks offthe way most nights do when the Speed Demons try to unwind—loud, chaotic, and full of banter so thick you could cut it with a knife. The usual suspects are all here;Lena, Wolfe, Talon, Revel, Cece, Draygon, Bexley, Sayshen, and Thorne, each one adding their own flavor to the mix.
Bexley’s sprawled across Sayshen’s lap, laughing like a maniac as he cracks one of his usual dry jokes. Talon’s got his arm around her waist, looking half-amused, half-annoyed at something Thorne’s muttering about the world’s lack of decent whiskey.
“Honestly, mate, you callthatwhiskey?” Thorne scoffs, swirling his glass around. “This is bloody piss water. What happened to the good stuff?”
Wolfe, always the troublemaker when the liquor hits his system, snickers. “At least it’ll get you drunk. Who cares about taste when you’re trying to forget you’re aging like a damn raisin?”
“Old?!” Thorne spits out his drink in mock outrage. “I’ll have you know I’m in my prime, you cheeky bastard.”
“Sure you are, grandpa.” Wolfe grins, leaning in with a teasing glint in his eye. “Keep drinking that piss, though, you might actually catch up to your age. Could use a nap, maybe?”
Talon, despite always acting like the father figure to the team can’t hide the smile tugging at his lips. “Honestly Thorne, might be a good idea to take a nap before you pull something pretending to be young again.”
Bexley laughs, shaking her head. “Oh Thorne, don’t tell me you’re still pretending to be the youngest in the group. You’re just one bad hangover away from calling it quits.”
Thorne smirks, leaning back in his chair. “You’d know if I was slowing down, darling. After all, your man isn’t that far off either.” He glances over at Talon with a playful grin. “Some of us still know how to keep the pace, even if the old timers try to hide it.”
Talon rolls his eyes, giving Thorne a shove. “Keep dreaming, Thorne. We’ll see who’s still standing when the night’s over.”
Revel leans in, his usual confident grin spreading across his face as he fixes his gaze on Cece. “So, how about it, Cece? Dinner sometime? I know a place that does the best tacos in town. You like tacos, right?”
Cece gives him a look, her eyebrow cocked, clearly not impressed. “Tacos, huh? What, is that your big move? Cause if you’re trying to impress me, you might wanna step it up a notch.”
Revel laughs, not missing a beat. “Oh, come on. Tacos and me, we’re a killer combo. You know you’re curious.”
She crosses her arms and leans back, shaking her head. “Please. I’ve seen better pitches from a five-year-old trying to sell lemonade. You gotta do better than tacos if you want a date with me.”
Revel grins wider, clearly not ready to give up. “Well, I could always throw in a margarita. Maybe that’ll sweeten the deal.”
Cece shrugs, clearly enjoying herself. “Margaritas, tacos… You know what? Keep it. I’ve got better plans. Like not going out with you.”
The group bursts into laughter as Revel throws his hands up in mock defeat. Everyone knows he’s not backing down, though. Since he met her, Revel’s been after Cece like a dog with a bone. Lena’s told me all about it—the girly gossip. She says Cece’s shut him down every time, but Revel’s still not ready to take no for an answer. I’ve got to give the guy credit. He’s persistent as hell, and honestly? He needs to be. Cece isn’t some soft chick. That girl’s got a mouth and a temper that would test even the strongest of men.
Lena, though, she’s off tonight. She used to be one of the first to jump into the banter, slinging insults like it’s her job, especially when she’s picking on me. But tonight? She’s distant, colder than usual, at least when it comes to me. She’sstill talking, still laughing with the group, but there’s this wall between us.
I catch her glancing my way a few times, but every time our eyes meet, she quickly looks away. No teasing, no flirty spark like usual. Just... coldness. It stings, but I try to brush it off.
It’s whatever, right?
I sip my drink, trying to ignore the way the tension is creeping in.
