Renegade Path

“Yeahhh,” Pax drawled, slow and mocking, “Those girls ain’t here to race and y’all know it.”

It was more than the two girls Torch and Spoons named. Like a backwoods racetrack version of clown cars, at least four half-dressed young women extracted themselves from each vehicle.

“Jealousy’s an ugly color on you, old man.” Torch slapped Pax’s shoulder and dashed off to meet the new arrivals.

“Living dangerously, that one.” Pax shook his head.

Spoons smirked and took off to join his friend.

The girls who didn’t stop to talk to Torch and Spoons studied our table with an almost predatory interest. I curled myself around Roman’s arm and pretended not to notice.

Remy leaned over the table. “Racing brings all the girls.”

“No different from the ring bunnies showing up to the fights,” Griff added in a bored tone.

Roman curled his arm around my shoulders. “Sounds like fun.” His tone made it clear he thought it was anything but.

“Duh.” Remy smacked the side of his head, his lips tilted in apology. “Forgive me, Juliet.”

I shrugged.

“Eraser, Keely keeps asking about you.” Remy wriggled his eyebrows.

Eraser answered with a glare and a clipped, “I’ve got a girl.”

Remy opened his mouth—to shove his foot all the way down his own throat, maybe—but Griff elbowed him in the side.

“Don’t go there,” Griff warned just loud enough for me to make out the words. The two of them ended up wandering over to join Torch, Spoons, and the fan club.

Pax grunted and stood, clearing the empty plates from our table.

Eraser turned to watch everyone for a second. “Once the soap opera dies down, we’ll get to racing.”

“We have to get going soon,” Roman said.

“Shoot. Forgot you’re both working tonight.”

“I definitely want to watch you race one day,” I said.

Eraser grinned. “You’re welcome back here anytime. And if you ever want to give it a go, I’ll find a car for you.”

“Oh no.” I shook my head vigorously. “I don’t think I could do that.”

“You can do anything you put your mind to.” He tapped the side of his head. “Just have to visualize it.”

Roman groaned. “Not this.”

“Mock me all you want. But those nights when we were bruised and hurting, I was picturing exactly this.” Eraser spread his arms wide. “And now here we are.”

I reached across the table and squeezed Eraser’s hand. “Thank you for including Roman in that picture.”

He nodded and stood.

I burrowed closer to Roman and he tightened his arm around me. “Sorry.”

“For?” I lifted my head and raised an eyebrow.

“Them. I don’t know.”

“I like the guys.” Despite the teasing, the undercurrent of brotherly affection they had for one another was evident. “The few family dinners I can remember before my mother and aunt died were always full of gossip and fights. It was always ugly and my mother would be upset the whole way home.”

“I’m sorry.”

I laughed. “At least these guys insult each other to their faces and it seems to be done with love.”

“Yeah, I guess.” His expression brightened. “I’m glad you’re here with me.”

“Me too.”

He leaned in and captured my lips. His hand cupped my cheek and I angled my body closer.

“Woo! Go, Roman!”

He groaned and pulled away. “Wrong place.”

I swooped in and planted a kiss on his cheek. “I don’t care who sees how much I love you.”

“I don’t either. I just don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

“I’m fine.”

This time, he leaned in and planted a softer kiss on my forehead. “Let’s get going. I know Ulfric doesn’t care if we’re late, but I don’t want to abuse his good will.”

“Never know when we’ll need the extra time,” I agreed.

We stood and said goodbye to Pax. Roman took my hand and led us over to the row of cars where Eraser was checking out a red Camaro.

“You two headed out?”

Roman nodded. “Gotta get to work.”

Eraser pulled him in for a hug and slapped his back. “Glad you could make it.” He released Roman and gave me a quick embrace too. “You too, Juliet.”

“Thanks for having us. This was fun. We’ll have to invite you guys over to our place soon.”

“Roman’s got my info now.”

Griff jogged over and hugged Roman tight. “Don’t be a stranger.”

We said our goodbyes and made the long trek back to the parking lot to our car.

Roman dangled the keys in front of my face. “Still want me to drive?”

“Sure.”

This time we took the Thruway—the fastest route to get us to work on time. I waited until we’d cleared the toll booth to ask my questions.

“What did Remy mean about there being no rules at the Castle? And how does he know you’re a skilled fighter? What does that even mean? I know you did martial arts when you were a kid, is that what he was talking about?”

Silence, so thick I couldn’t take a breath, filled the car.

“Griff taught me to fight. Bare-knuckle, dirty fighting. Eraser too.”