Page 16 of Bend

I snort.

“She said to tell you to text her,” he says. “She’ll send you the details.”

Sayshen watches me for a second, then shifts gears like he’s giving me an out. “Also—Andre’s been looking for a mechanic.”

My brows pinch. “Who?”

“You know… the team,” he says, like I might be pretending not to. Yep I definitely am. “The Speed Demons. Andre, our coach, has been hunting for a mechanic. Someone reliable for the upcoming season, who actually knows their way around a bike.”

“And you think that's me?”

He folds his arms loosely across his chest, one brow lifting at me in quiet skepticism.

“I might’ve taken a second to admire your Ducati on the way up,” he adds casually. “Öhlins rear shock. Aftermarket ECU. That’s not fucking stock mapping, Echo, and those aren’t cosmetic fairings, that’s carbon fiber. You don’t drop that kind of cash if you’re a rookie.”

My jaw tightens slightly before I can stop it.

He smirks.

“And don’t think I didn’t clock the braided steel lines and that quickshifter setup. Pretty clean install too from what I could see. Whoever tuned it knew what they were doing.”

I stare at him.

He holds my gaze without blinking, relaxed and irritatingly pleased with himself.

“You’re fucking serious,” I say.

He huffs a quiet laugh. “You’re really gonna sit there and tell me I’m wrong?”

He tilts his head, studying me like he fucking knows he’s got me.

“You’re a Shaw, Echo. Bikes are in your fucking blood.”

“Okay,” I say, lifting a brow. “Let’s say I do know what I’m doing.”

“What kind?” he asks.

I tilt my head. “What kind of what?”

“Don’t play dumb. What kind of bikes,” he clarifies, arms folding loosely. “Don’t give me the vague answer you give everyone else.”

I roll my eyes slightly. “Sport bikes. Mostly Japanese. That’s my lane.”

“Oh come on, be more specific.”

“Yamaha R6. CBR600RR. ZX-6R. GSX-R750 if I’m feeling nostalgic.” I shrug. “I don’t waste time with cruisers. I like bikes that are actually built to move.”

His mouth twitches with cockiness.

“Okay,” he says. “So let’s fucking play.”

I narrow my eyes. “Play what?”

“2021 R6,” he says smoothly. “Full titanium exhaust, flashed ECU, quickshifter, with a tuned suspension. Versus a 2023 ZX-6R, stock internals but upgraded air intake and Power Commander. Quarter mile.”

I don’t even hesitate.

“R6,” I say.