Page 80 of Revv

He’s standing on the other side of the workbench with a wrench in one hand and the same annoyed expression he wears for basically everything.

“What?”

His eyes narrow. “Did you hear anything I just said?”

“Yeah.”

“What did I say?”

I look down at the brake caliper in front of me, buying time. “Something about the bike.”

“Great. Incredible recall.”

Sayshen laughs from where he’s crouched beside his own. “Dude hasn’t heard a fucking word in ten minutes.”

“I’m focused.”

“You’ve been staring at the same bolt like it holds the secret map to get in Cece’s pants,” Talon says.

I glance at it.

He’s not wrong. I’ve had the wrench against it for so long my hand is starting to cramp, but I haven’t turned the damn thing once. Little does he know I’ve already been there and I got that roadway fucking memorized.

Because instead of working, I’ve been thinking about Cece.

Again.

I finally turn the wrench. “I’m multitasking.”

“Thinking and working?” Thorne asks from behind Echo’s bike. “Careful, mate. Might pull a fuckin’ muscle.”

“Piss off,” I reply, grabbing a grease coated rag and tossing it at his head. “See?” I point the wrench at Talon. “I’m listening now.”

“Yeah, to the British boy band mascot, not me.”

“Still fucking counts.”

The garage is louder than usual today. The bay doors are open, letting in thick afternoon heat and the sound of somebody testing an engine outside. Tools cover both benches, spare fairings lean against the wall, and half the team is spread across the floor getting everything ready for next weekend.

Their race next weekend.

Not mine.

Andre followed through on his threat and suspended me for one event. I argued for maybe thirty seconds before he reminded me I’d nearly taken Ajax and myself into a wall after he specifically told me not to force the pass.

Still worth the win.

Also worth the slap from Cece that somehow ended with her in my bed and me learning getting hit can have a pretty fucking great payoff.

Apparently, none of that was Andre’s point.

So now I get to help everyone else prep while they remind me every ten minutes that I’m not riding.

A beautiful lesson in humility.

Fuck humility.

Echo rolls out from beneath her bike and sits up, pushing loose hair away from her face with the back of her wrist. “Can someone pass me the ten millimeter?”