Clutched (Wild Riders) (25 page)

“You could use a little finesse on your whoop section,” I offered up to Link, hoping that the little jab would get him to turn his attention from Chayse. “You look like you're riding a bull out there, not a dirt bike.”

That'll show him
.

I might not be able to cut him down about talking to Chayse, but I could tell him what I thought about his sloppy sections on the track. That's why they were paying me the big bucks, right? To knock punks like him down a notch.

“Thanks,” he said with a genuine smile.

“And your holeshot is mediocre at best.”

“I'll work on it.”

Son of a bitch.

He took my comments as constructive criticism. Exactly like he should.

“I think you could teach me a lot,” he added. “I really hope that we get a chance to work together next season,” he said.

“I think it would be a really good fit,” Chayse imparted her opinion which had my teeth clenched—grinding against one another to not let my opinion out. She tilted her head slightly as if to say I needed to give Link a break.

“We'll see,” was all I could mutter out. I turned from the two of them and their conspiracy to get me to coach Hoffman and made sure all of the bikes were secure in the rig I would be pulling back to Mill Valley the next morning. Right now, I just wanted to get back to the hotel and away from having to watch Hoffman interact with Chayse the way I wanted to.

“Hey McCade,” I heard Fulton's voice call out from the end of the trailer. He was one of the other riders that had recently signed with Throttled. I liked him. He minded his own and hadn't so much as glanced in Chayse's direction. “There are a few fans out here asking if you would take pictures with them,” he relayed.

“Sure,” Chayse said, exiting the trailer with a smile. She had said time and time again that she didn't really like the spotlight, but I knew that she really did enjoy meeting fans. Especially the young girls with stars in their eyes about motocross. She was a role model whether she wanted to be or not.

“It's crazy how fast she's rising, huh?” Link said when Chayse was out of the trailer.

“She's good,” I said. “She works hard.” My observations were short, but I was at least talking to the guy.

“Because of you.”

“You don't have to kiss my ass, Hoffman,” I said turning to face him.

“Oh... okay.” He looked confused. “I guess... I just...”

“Out with it,” I said pointedly.

“I just don't know how to read you,” he said. “I can't tell if you hate me or what.”

“I've been told that before,” I said, feeling a little smile tug at my lips. Wasn't too long ago that Chayse was telling me the same thing. Her words were about ten times more colorful than Hoffman's, but still. “Look,” I said. “I'm considering working with you. I've just got a lot going on with McCade at the moment and I need to focus my attention on her until our contract is up.”

“Yeah, I know,” he said with a nod. “I just want you to know that I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get you on my team. I want to be the best and I'll put the work in, I swear.”

“Then stay the hell away from her,” was what I wanted to say. Instead I just told him “good to know.” As soon as I spoke, we heard Chayse yelling from outside and both of us darted out to see what had her pissed off this time.

“I don't want you here,” Chayse told the man responsible for her current outburst. Rick McCade was standing there with a smug grin on his face as his daughter read him the riot act. “You've never been a part of my life and you never will.”

“You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for me,” he said, throwing in a chuckle to down play the full on family drama that was taking place in front of a handful of fans.

“What happened?” Link asked Fulton.

“She was taking pictures with fans and he was trying to weasel his way into the shot,” he told us. “She wasn't having it.”

Clearly.

The mother of one of the teens asking for Chayse's autograph and picture tugged her child away from the argument, but there were still quite a few bystanders unable to take their eyes of the train wreck occurring.

“Oh, fuck you,” Chayse said. Her body was rigid with disdain. The way her jaw ticked and nostrils flared as she spoke to him was a clear indication that she'd reached her limits. “I'm here because I deserve to be here. Your last name might have gotten me in the door, but don't think for a second that I didn't bust my ass after that.”

I was proud of her for telling him off and the smirk on my face was proof. It didn't mean that I thought it was a good idea though.

“Should we stop her?” Link asked. “Some people have cameras out,” he pointed out the cell phones pointed at Chayse and Rick's interaction.

“Probably,” I said. Chayse's self-control seemed to be a little better these days and a part of me wanted to let her lay in to him. I knew she had years of pent up frustration for that man. He deserved to hear what his daughter actually thought of him. Unfortunately, it wasn't the time or the place. Link and I walked over hoping that we could get her out of there before any more of a scene was caused.

“Listen here, little girl,” Rick said stepping toward Chayse who was standing proudly with her hands on her hips. She didn't waiver or back down as he approached. “I can ruin this for you,” he said. “I know your secrets. I know things that you don't want the big guys to know,” he said. “I will tell them about what you do when you think no one is watching. I will tell them—”

My fist connected with his jaw before he had a chance to finish the thought. Chayse's self-control was spot on, mine on the other hand needed some work. Something inside of me snapped the second I heard him threaten her... and me by default. I was like a wild beast that had been walking the perimeter of its cage just waiting for its chance to escape. Rick McCade had opened the gate and I let everything I hated about my current situation with Chayse exit my body via my fist. The lying to myself and everyone. The constant battle of
should I, shouldn't I
. I couldn't let him finish that sentence. Not when I knew exactly what he was getting ready to say.

I will tell them about you locking lips with Hoyt.

I will tell them about you and Travers swapping spit in the shed.

I will tell them you are fucking around with your coach.

This list of possibilities was endless on how exactly Rick would have worded his blackmail, but it was all the same in my book.

The crowd's collective gasp as Rick fell to the ground and the look on Chayse's face—albeit satisfied that I'd just knocked her father out—spelled trouble for me and I knew it the second my hand started throbbing.

“Let's get you two out of here,” Link said, grabbing my arm and tugging me back to reality. A bleak reality at that. There were cameras. There was a man rolling around on the ground screaming.

“Big mistake, Travers,” Rick yelled as we walked away. “Your bosses will be hearing about this!”

I'd never been the kind of guy to punch people. Hell, I was usually the one talking my brother and Brett down from fights.
“It's not worth it,”
I would tell them. I should have told myself that same thing, but deep down in my core, I felt justified in delivering pain to that lowlife.

He didn't deserve to be in Chayse's life. It was starting to look like I might have just lost my position there as well. I knew that the second those videos of me punching him hit the internet I'd be in some serious trouble. Throttled Energy was all about being tough and ready for anything, but I don't think physical violence was on the list of approved extreme sports.

When I climbed into the cab of my truck, I let out a frustrated grunt and slapped my hand against the steering wheel. How could I have been so stupid? There was no way this wasn't ending badly. I'd fucked up.

Just as I was about to drive out of the lot and get as far away from this situation as I could, the passenger door opened and Chayse slid into the seat. She closed the door and without so much as a word took my hand in hers. It was a thirty-minute drive back to our hotel and neither of us spoke the entire time. There was nothing to say.

“C
ome back to my room,” I said softly before we climbed out of the truck. I wanted to comfort him. I wanted to tell him that everything would be okay. I wanted to apologize for getting him into this mess. My father had deserved to be punched, but I knew Hoyt was beating himself up over the situation. It was my fault. I shouldn't have provoked Rick. I should have just walked away and ignored his existence liked I'd done for most of my life.

The side door of the hotel led straight to the hallway where my room was located. No one would see us together and even if they did, it didn't matter anymore. I knew as well as Hoyt did that come tomorrow, everyone at Throttled would know about what happened with Rick.

We can be together
.

The thought had crossed my mind, but it didn't feel right. It wasn't what we had planned. It wasn't the right way of doing things. We'd both been so careful since we'd gotten back from our trip—a couple little slip-ups aside.

Hoyt didn't say anything as we walked into the hotel. It wasn't until I took the key card from my bag and unlocked the door that I even knew if he'd heard my invitation. He paused and waited as I opened the door and followed me in.

“I'm so sorry,” he said as soon as the door latched behind us. “I shouldn't have—”

I turned to face him and threw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

“You don't have to apologize to me,” I assured him. “I'm the one who's sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper with him. I shouldn't have provoked him.” I felt the hot sting of tears on my cheeks. I hated that I was the reason Hoyt was in this position. I hated that he was beating himself up for a situation that I let get out of hand.

I loosened my arms as he pulled back to look at me. He placed his hands on each side of my face and let his thumbs wipe my tears away.

“Guess we made a mess of things, huh?” The helpless smile that he gave me as he shrugged sent my heart through a wringer. The man I loved—the man I wanted more than anything—was hurting and so was I. Soon, our secret would be out. Rick had promised to tell everyone his story and I was sure that he'd include the part about Hoyt and me in a compromising position. Everyone would soon know that the reason Hoyt assaulted him was because of me. And that it was way more than just a coach looking out for his rider.

“What are we going to do?”

“I don't know, babe,” he said. “There's not really anything we can do.”

“We can say that he's lying,” I suggested. “His word against ours.”

“I'm tired of lying.” He pressed his lips to mine softly. “I'm tired of hiding the way I feel about you.”

“So we just let the chips fall?” I was tired of lying too. Tired of pretending that I didn't want to be with him. If the truth was out, we might as well own it. I knew that it meant our reputations would be tarnished, but in the grand scheme this wasn't the most scandalous thing to ever happen. In a few months, this would all blow over. I might be out a sponsor and on my own, but I'd come back from worse.

“We let the chips fall,” he agreed. “I don't want to talk about this anymore,” he said as his hands dropped to my waist. “I just want to be with you tonight.”

If that was what he needed in that moment, I'd let him have it. I missed the feel of being in his arms. His lips fell back on mine and I graciously welcomed them. His tongue swept through my mouth and I reveled in the moment. We might not have ended up in this room under the best circumstances, but for the time being, I was pushing all of that to the side.

My heart was pounding and my breath was short when he took my hand in his and led me to the bathroom. As he turned on the water to the shower, I started undressing. The dust from the day's race was stuck to my skin and my hair was a tangled ponytail that required two hands to remove the elastic holding it in place. By the time I was down to my bra and panties, Hoyt had pulled his shirt over his head and the room was filled with steam and desire.

I reached for him, tucking my fingertips into the waist of his pants as I moved my body to his.

“I've missed you,” I said before kissing his neck. “So much.”

“I know,” he answered, working the button on his pants free as I let my mouth explore his skin. “I've missed you too.”

We finished stripping ourselves bare and were under the downpour of hot water within minutes. We ignored the doom that seemed to be surrounding us and let it be washed down the drain with the dirt and sweat that was clinging to our bodies.

He worked up a lather in his hands before he caressed my curves—gently washing each and every inch of my body. I returned the favor, saving my attention on his cock for the end. I ran my fingertips up and down his shaft, before gripping him firmly and stroking him from base to tip. His eyes fell shut as I worked my hand back and forth. He throbbed in my hand and I could feel wetness between my legs that wasn't from the shower. My body ached for his in a way that was driving me crazy from the inside out.

“Fuck that feels good,” he said, dropping his hand to mine and guiding me. His grip tightened on my hand until he'd stopped my motion. “Turn around,” he said, taking my hand off his body. I turned, placing my hands on the back wall of the shower as he reached around me and took my breasts into his hands. Kneading and massaging them as he rolled my nipples between his fingertips. I cried out under his touch, wanting him to continue. He worked his mouth over the back of my neck and shoulders and I could feel the firm press of his cock against my ass.

The cool air that was hitting my skin in combination with his hands and mouth had my skin rippled with goosebumps. When he placed one of his hands between my legs and circled my clit with his finger, I felt like I was going to implode.

As I braced myself on the wall, he used his other hand to center himself. The tip of his cock, teased my entrance as I arched into position. I pushed my body back, feeling him enter me inch by inch. I let him control my body and movements until I couldn't take the tease anymore.