Page 185 of Revv

She’s standing a few feet away with her arms folded across her chest, and the second I look at her properly, the grin starts slipping off my face.

This isn’t her usual don’t be a dumbass look.

She’s actually worried.

I try anyway. “You here to tell me how pretty I look in leather?”

“No.”

“Damn. Kinda thought that was coming.”

She walks closer, but there’s no real bite behind her expression. Her eyes flick toward the bike, then back to me, lingering there a little too long.

“Don’t do anything stupid out there.”

I let out a small laugh. “That narrows it down.”

“Revel.”

That’s what gets me. Theres no sarcasm or Spanish insult.

Just my name. Said soft enough that something in my chest pulls tight.

I stop fucking around.

She comes to a stop in front of me, arms unfolding as she looks up.

“I know you know what you’re doing. I know you’ve done this a million times. I know all of that.” She swallows. “I just…don’t want to stand here and watch something happen to you.”

Fuck.

The paddock noise seems to drop away around us.

I lift a hand and cup her jaw, thumb brushing slowly over her cheek while I hold her eyes.

“Hey.”

She exhales through her nose, trying to hold herself together like she’s annoyed she even let me see this much.

“I’m coming back.”

Her eyes tighten slightly.

I lean closer. “I mean it, Mama. I’ll be right back here when this is over.”

She looks at me like she wants to believe that and hates how badly she needs to.

So I give her more.

“I’m not going anywhere.” My thumb moves under her cheekbone. “Not today. Not after this race. Not even when shit gets hard. I’m always going to be here.”

Her lips part.

I keep my forehead close to hers.

“You’ve got me, Cece. I’m not leaving you.”

That does it.