Page 92 of Bend

My life is ridiculous.

“All right,” Andre says, snapping the folder shut. “One more thing.”

Everyone looks back at him.

“You can bring the girls.”

Revel immediately brightens. “Fuck yes.”

Andre points at him.

“But.”

Revel’s face falls.

“There it is.”

“If they can travel on this notice and they want to come, fine. Bring them. But I mean what I said about focus. No fucking around,”

He looks around at all of them.

“This is not a vacation. I don’t want anybody showing up late because you were out drinking. I don’t want anyone hungover. I don’t want relationship drama spilling into the paddock, and I definitely don’t want to hear that one of you did something fucking stupid because you forgot why we’re there.”

Revel slowly raises his hand again.

Andre closes his eyes.

“What now, St Clair?”

“What if the relationship drama is motivational?”

“Put your fucking hand down.”

Revel lowers it, completely unfazed. “I’m just saying, Cece’s attitude really gets the fire going. Great motivation for the track.”

Reign snorts, and Sayshen shakes his head.

Draygon reaches over and shoves Revel sideways by the shoulder. “Bro, shut the fuck up.”

Revel catches himself, laughing. “What? I’m being dead ass.”

“That’s what makes it worse,” Draygon mutters.

“I’m serious,” Andre says, and this time there’s no room for anyone to joke. “The TT is a big fucking deal. That course is thirty-seven miles of public road. No runoff. No gravel traps. You miss your line, you’re looking at stone walls, houses, trees.”

The room settles.

Andre looks around at all of them. “More than two hundred and sixty competitors have died racing on that Mountain Course over the years. Just last year, guys were leaving qualifying with broken spines, shattered ankles, head injuries. This year, a newcomer died during qualifying.”

That wipes the last of the smiles away.

Even Revel goes still.

Andre taps the folder against his palm. “So yeah, be excited. You should be. Getting invited is fucking huge. But understand what you’re signing up for. This isn’t one of our normal circuits where you push too hard, slide out and bitch about the fairings afterward.”

His eyes move across the group.

“One mistake over there can be the last one you make.”