Page 17 of Nitro (Redline Kings MC #3)

JANA

T he calendar didn’t lie. Neither did the twist in my stomach when I counted the days again.

My period was late.

I sat on one of the leather couches in the main area of the clubhouse, thinking about how I’d found myself in this situation.

Torin and I hadn’t used protection, but I didn’t really think that I would end up pregnant.

Other than in the heat of the moment, we hadn’t even talked about the chances we were taking when we had sex.

We were both risk-takers, but what we’d been doing had taken that to a whole new level.

One that might’ve made a baby, tying us together forever.

I’d come to Crossbend to prove myself and carve out a place no one could take from me. I hadn’t come to get tangled up in a man. And getting tied to one in such a permanent way had not been anywhere on my radar at all.

But I wasn’t as freaked out as I probably should’ve been.

Part of that was because there was a possibility that stress might’ve messed up my cycle. Or my new schedule with its late nights, adrenaline, and different eating habits. Yet in my gut, I had a feeling that wasn’t the case.

I was still trying to wrap my head around the likelihood that I was pregnant with Torin’s baby when Ashlynn waddled past, her rounded belly straining against her shirt.

She stopped with a dramatic sigh, one hand braced on her back.

“The third trimester sucks. I can’t even make it ten minutes without running to the bathroom.

I told Mason he’s gonna have to install one right next to the couch if we ever do this again. ”

I imagined dealing with that at the garage, and my eyes widened as my head jerked back.

Her grin faded when she clocked my horrified expression. “Don’t worry, it might seem like it with Savannah and me so close together, but you can keep drinking the water around here without having to worry about your bladder. Pregnancy isn’t contagious.”

I knew she was teasing, but the joke didn’t land. She was wrong about me not needing to worry. “I’m late.”

“Oh.” Her brows shot up, and she pulled out her phone. “Don’t worry. I know what to do.”

As her fingers flew across the screen, I asked, “What are you doing?”

“Savannah’ll be here in ten with a pregnancy test.”

My palms went damp as I stared at Ashlynn’s phone, equal parts scared and relieved. In ten minutes, my life might change forever.

True to her word, the prez’s old lady breezed in long after, handing me a small pink box with a teasing smile. “It’s a good thing Cage decided to start stocking these.”

“Don’t worry.” Ashlynn leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “I told her not to be sneaky.”

Savannah shrugged, her blond ponytail bouncing. “It wasn’t even necessary since Cage was busy in his office. Nobody saw me grab it.”

“Thanks,” I whispered, gripping the test between clenched fingers.

“Go,” Savannah urged, waving me toward the nearest bathroom.

“Before I have to run there yet again,” Ashlynn muttered.

“It’ll be free for you if you need it,” I reassured them with a weak smile. “I’m gonna head to Torin’s room.”

Savannah nodded. “Good call.”

I strode away from them and didn’t stop until I reached the place in the clubhouse where I felt the most comfortable.

Slipping inside, I shut the door behind me.

For a long beat, I just stood there, clutching the test box like it was about to bite me.

Then I inhaled, my tension easing a little as Torin’s scent filled my nostrils.

I’d told myself I came here for privacy, but that was a lie. The truth was that I felt safest with Torin—even when he wasn’t here.

My knees wobbled, and I headed over to the bed, dropping onto the edge. The mattress dipped under my weight, springs creaking faintly. I set the box on the nightstand with trembling hands.

Motherhood had never been part of my plan.

Not because I didn’t love kids—I did—but I’d never imagined myself being someone’s mom.

My own childhood had been too fractured and full of shadows.

My dad’s temper, his MC’s chaos, the way he broke my mom’s heart until she had no hope.

She had tried her best to protect me, but even her love couldn’t erase the scars left by the man who should’ve been my first example of safety.

Then my brother had proved, yet again, that blood didn’t guarantee loyalty.

So I’d sworn I’d stand on my own. I’d build my life, my career, my future without leaning on a man.

Now here I was, sitting on Torin’s bed with a pregnancy test in my hand, wondering how he’d react if it came out positive.

“No use sitting here wondering,” I mumbled to myself.

Dragging in a shaky breath, I tore open the box. The cardboard gave with a rip that sounded way too loud in the quiet room.

The wrapper crinkled as I pulled out the plastic stick. I could keep my hands steady at 200 miles per hour, but now they shook so badly I nearly dropped it.

My eyes skimmed over the instructions, pausing on the last line. I had to wait three minutes for the results. Behind the wheel, that was practically nothing. But while my future hung in the balance, it was bound to feel like forever.

The only thing keeping me remotely calm was the bone-deep knowledge that Torin wouldn’t react the way my father had when my mom got pregnant. He wouldn’t think I was trying to trap him.

If this test came back positive, I wouldn’t be facing it alone.

Torin would never let that happen.

And my confidence in the man I’d fallen for scared me almost as much as it soothed me.

The door creaked open without warning.

I jolted, the instructions slipping from my lap as Torin strode in like he somehow knew I needed him.

His gaze cut straight to the box clutched in my hand. He didn’t need to ask what it was. The truth was written all over my face and in the tremble of my fingers.

A beat of silence stretched between us, and then the crooked smile that had undone me from the start curved his mouth. Satisfaction rolled off him in waves, and a nervous laugh slipped out of me.

“Good.” He stepped closer, his gaze never leaving my face. “You’re mine. Now I’ll make sure everyone knows it.”

“Torin…” My voice cracked on his name.

I wanted to tell him this wasn’t the plan, but he didn’t give me the chance.

“You think I’d let you run now, sweetheart?” He crouched down in front of me, bracing his forearm on his thigh, dark eyes pinning me in place. “Not a chance. You’re mine—every single part of you, including the baby I might’ve put in you.”

I shook my head. “But?—”

His hand shot out, steady and sure, tilting my chin as his thumb brushed my jaw. His touch was rough but grounding, and the fear inside me eased.

“No buts.” His tone left no room for argument. “I want this. I want you. And nothing about that test is gonna scare me off.”

My breath hitched, and his thumb stroked once more, softer this time. His crooked smile returned, bigger than ever. “So quit lookin’ like the world’s endin’, baby. If it’s positive, then all it means is I get to claim you in a way nobody can question.”

His words stitched over a wound I hadn’t even realized was still bleeding.

My legs wobbled as I pushed to my feet, the test clutched tight in my hand. Torin followed as I headed into the bathroom.

Setting the test on the counter, I hesitated.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured, his broad frame filling the doorway as he flipped the switch on the wall.

The light above the mirror flickered on with a buzz, harsh against the tremble in my hands.

I tore the wrapper open, fumbling with the stick, and went through the motions with my back to him, cheeks hot with nerves.

It felt strange, but oddly not too intimate, considering he was basically in the room.

When I set the test on the counter, my breath shuddered out of me. Torin’s arm wrapped around me from behind, his hand closing over mine and grounding me. “We’ll look together.”

The next three minutes were the longest of my life. We didn’t move or speak, just stood with my back pressed to his chest, his thumb stroking my knuckles while the seconds dragged.

The faint buzz of my phone alarm finally broke the silence. My heart leaped into my throat as I turned my head.

There were two pink lines. I was pregnant.

My knees buckled, but Torin caught me instantly, holding me steady like he’d known I would fall. He held me close as he met my gaze in the mirror, and his panty-melting smile widened.

“Fuck yes.” He gently turned me so we were facing each other and hauled me against his chest. Both hands bracketed my face as he kissed me hard, sealing the moment with his mouth. When he broke away, his breath was ragged against my lips.

“We’re having a baby,” I whispered.

A tear slipped down my cheek, and he caught it with his thumb. His expression softened, even as the fire in his eyes burned hotter. “You’ll never face anything alone again, Jana. Not while I’m breathing.”

The words gutted me. In the best, most terrifying way.

I was stunned but grounded in a way I’d never known before. The girl who had sworn she’d never need a man’s support again was wrapped in the arms of one who would happily fight the world for me. And I realized that was exactly what I needed.

Running wasn’t even an option anymore. I didn’t want it to be.

The thought of my racing career barely flickered in the back of my mind. Not as a loss, but as something that suddenly felt small compared to this moment. To the way the entire planet had just shifted under my feet.

Torin’s arms tightened around me, and I didn’t just feel claimed. I felt safe.

I’d come to Crossbend to prove I could win alone, but wrapped in his embrace, I finally admitted the truth. “You and this baby are the finish line I really want.”