Page 37 of Bend

I hold her gaze. “So either we take you home, or we stand here arguing until you let us.”

Her mouth curves, slow and pretty.

Thorne jerks his chin toward us, grin sharp. “Might as well, love. If you’ve got any sense, you’ll take the offer from the two fittest bastards here. I mean, riding off with one of the Speed Demons is basically half the fantasy round Tampa, innit? Only problem is, I didn’t bring a spare helmet.”

“She can wear mine,” I say.

That gets a look from both of them.

Thorne’s grin turns crooked. “Of bloody course she can.”

I ignore him and hold Echo’s gaze.

“You’re riding with me.”

She studies my face for a second, probably checking whether I’m joking.

I’m not.

Then she says, “All right, cowboy.”

The nickname lands warmer than it should.

Thorne snorts. “Cowboy?”

“Canadian,” I correct automatically.

Echo smiles, bright and wicked. “Close enough.”

We head for the front, weaving through the tail end of the party, and the night air hits warm and damp the second we step outside.

Our bikes are still lined up in the driveway with the rest of them, polished and posed the way they’ve been all night for the sponsors, gleaming under rented lights and camera flashes that have mostly died down now that the party’s tipped into something looser.

I head straight for mine with Echo and Thorne beside me, the humid night pressing warm against my skin.

Then I reach for my helmet where it’s hooked over the handlebar and turn to her.

It’s a black Shoei, glossy under the light, green demon flames curling up the sides.

Echo takes it from my hands, turning it over once before glancing up at me. “You’re seriously making me wear yours?”

“Yeah.”

Her fingers trace one of the green flames. “What about you?”

“I’ll survive.”

Thorne laughs, already swinging a leg over his bike. “Look at him. Proper gentleman. Bit nauseating, really.”

I shoot him a look. “You done?”

“Not even slightly.”

Echo laughs under her breath and starts to lift the helmet, but I take it gently from her hands before she can.

“Hold still.”

Her eyes flick to mine, but she does.