Page 41

CHAPTER 41

ARIELLA

"Y our choice." Zaiden's shoulder pressed against my car door, casual as a predator sizing up prey. "We can do this the easy way, or we can do this with zip ties." A switchblade smile played on his lips.

"Move." My keys bit into my palm, metal warm against my skin. "I mean it, Zaiden. I'm done playing your games."

"Games?" He uncoiled from the car. "Baby, if I were playing games , you wouldn't be standing here arguing."

A chill raced up my spine. "Zaiden," I growled, squaring my shoulders. "Get out of my way. I'm taking my car without you in it."

I thought we'd moved past the whole fear of the football team gangbanging me but apparently not.

"No, you're not," he said. "You're getting on this bike with me, and it's up to you how you get on."

My lip curled into a snarl. "I liked it better," I snatched the helmet off the bike, "when you didn't care what happened to me."

He huffed out a laugh as he grabbed his helmet and leaned into me. "I've always cared what happened to you." The corners of his lips curled into a devilish grin. "No one is going to touch you but me. Not for any reason." He shrugged. "That's always been the rule. Why do you think no guys talked to you in high school?"

My brows pulled together. "Because of you?" He nodded. "You're a dick."

"College." He rolled the word like it tasted bitter. "Different crowd, same game. Which is exactly why I had to put you on your knees in front of everyone. EJ wasn't getting the message."

"Don't." My nails dug crescents into my palms, fighting back the hot sting of humiliation. "You did that because you wanted to ruin my life."

"I did that because you are mine, and there was only one way to make that happen." His knuckles whitened around the bike's handlebars. "I just didn't anticipate EJ and his pack going after you instead of me."

"You're being ridiculous." I shifted away from the intensity rolling off him in waves. "EJ isn't going to do anything. "You're seeing monsters where there's just?—"

"Just the guy whose specialty drink had you stripping out of your clothes?" Zaiden's voice cut like glass. "That kind of harmless?"

My stomach turned. "You don't know if it was him or anyone on the football team."

"It's not a risk I'm willing to take, princess." His breath ghosted across my cheek, warm against the morning chill. "Get on the fucking bike. Before we are both late to class."

He released me.

I stood there, keys still digging into my palm.

With a heavy sigh that felt like surrender, I climbed onto the bike.

I honestly didn't know what EJ was capable of, but having Zaiden shadow my every move felt like trading one cage for another. I wanted him gone, needed him gone, except for those traitorous moments when his presence made me feel untouchable. Safe. The way he used to before everything imploded. Those moments were the most dangerous of all.

The bike vibrated to life before we both pulled on our helmets. I sat up straight with my arms crossed, pouting that he'd won, but there was nothing new about that.

Zaiden always won.

"Hold on," his voice crackled through the helmet speaker. I kept my arms crossed, the cool air biting through my jacket. His hands found my knees, one sharp tug erasing the space between us. "You really like to do things the hard way, don't you?" My lip curled even though I knew he couldn't see it. "You can admit it. You like it when I tie you up."

"I do not. I don't even want to be on this bike with you."

"Would you prefer rope or handcuffs?"

"For—What?"

"To secure your hands around me."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, Zaiden. Let's go." I wrapped my arms around his waist, hating how familiar it felt.

"That's better." Satisfaction coiled off him in waves, thick enough to choke on.

"Let's just go." The words came out clipped, brittle.

The bike lurched forward—tires catching gravel, spinning, then finally gripping asphalt. I hadn't meant to, but my fingers betrayed me, digging deeper into his jacket with each acceleration.

At the red light, the bike idled. "When is your first class?" Zaiden asked, his voice unnaturally casual.

I stared at the back of his helmet, seeing only my own reflection. "Why? Planning to escort me to my desk, too?"

His shoulders tensed beneath his leather jacket. "I'm going to drop you off, and then I'll be back before you get out."

"Come on, Zaiden." The morning sun caught his visor, turning it mirror-bright. "Even if I thought EJ might try something, it's not going to be at school." A black truck with windows tinted midnight black crept up beside us, the diesel engine's low growl making my skin prickle. "There are too many people around."

The light flashed green, and Zaiden surged forward, the bike's engine purring beneath us. "Doesn't matter. This is just how—" His voice cut off, head snapping left. "What the?—"

I saw it before he did, the black truck's tires angling toward us.

Time stretched. First came the sound—rubber screaming against asphalt. Then movement—the truck lunging into our lane like a beast claiming territory. The bike bucked beneath us, a wild animal fighting for balance as we veered off road.

My fingers clawed desperately at Zaiden's jacket for one breathless second before the force ripped me away. And then—nothing beneath me. Only my body spinning through empty air.

The world tumbled in fragments: sky, grass, concrete, sky again. The truck's engine roared in triumph as it disappeared, leaving behind only the stench of burnt rubber and diesel.

My body slammed into the ground. The impact rippled through me, each wave bringing fresh pain. My lungs seized, trapped between inhale and exhale. Each heartbeat pulsed against my bruised skin.

"Ariella!" Zaiden's voice cracked through the fog of pain. Gravel crunched under his hands and knees as he crawled to me. I'd never heard that edge of raw panic in his voice before. His fingers fumbled with my helmet clasp, trembling in a way that didn't fit with the Zaiden I knew. The helmet lifted away, and cool air kissed my face, carrying the metallic tang of blood from where I'd bitten my cheek.

"Ari, are you okay?" His hands cupped my face with a gentleness that felt foreign, like being touched by a stranger wearing Zaiden's skin. His palms were warm, but his fingers were ice-cold with fear.

"I'm okay," I managed, my words scratching past my throat like lies usually do.

My chest finally remembered how to expand. Air rushed in too fast, making the world tilt, or maybe that was the aftermath of flight and impact still spinning through my head. The truth was simpler: nothing felt broken, but everything hurt.

"Are you sure?" His eyes met mine before dropping to catalog every scrape, every future bruise, every place my body had met the ground.

The mask of arrogant control had shattered, leaving behind something raw and real that scared me more than our near-death experience. Because Zaiden showing fear meant we were in deeper trouble than I'd imagined. "What hurts?"

"Is everyone okay?" A shadow fell across us, belonging to a man hovering at the edge of the grass.

"We're good." Zaiden's body shifted, angling between me and the stranger.

Pain spiderwebbed through my ribs as I pushed myself up, grass staining my palms.

"Good." The dark-haired man's gaze darted between us, and the skid marks scarring the road. "Because that almost looked intentional." It felt intentional, but at the same time, why would anyone want to hurt Zaiden or me? "Should I call the cops?"

Zaiden's jaw ticked. "No. We're good here. Thank you." Steel wrapped in velvet—a tone that discouraged further questions.

"Okay, if you're sure." The man made his way back to his white car, still running on the road. Thankfully, we'd been moving at a slow speed, and he merged us into grass and not concrete or asphalt.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm a little sore, but I'm okay." My eyes lifted, meeting his. "Are you okay?"

"I'm good."

My back pocket vibrated at the same time Zaiden's phone chimed. He dug into the pocket of his jacket, and I shifted my weight to pull my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans.

"It's Mila," Zaiden said, staring at his phone.

Mila: I need everyone to meet me in the library before class.

My gaze lifted, locking with Zaiden, holding for a long moment. "She must have found something she doesn't want to text," I said, and he nodded.

"Do you trust me enough to get back on my bike?" I wrapped my hand around the opposite arm that was still throbbing.

I swallowed hard as my gaze shifted from Zaiden to the bike still on its side. I was terrified.

"Ariella," he extended his hand. My eyes lifted from his hand to him. "I promise I will get you to school safely, and I'll get my truck after, so no more bike."

"Tell me the truth," I whispered. "Do you think that was an accident?"

He sucked in a heavy breath as his gaze shifted in the direction the truck disappeared and shrugged. "I don't know."

"But if it wasn't, we are safer on the road than sitting here waiting for a ride."

I nodded, putting my hand in his. "Okay." He tugged me up, and I grimaced as pain shot through my arm.

"You're hurt."

"It's nothing." My voice stayed steady. "Just bruised."

His jaw worked, gaze fixed on my shoulder like he was seeing a different injury, a different day. "Zaiden." The name fell softly between us.

"Kacie," he breathed. My chest ached. This triggered something for him. Something bringing back Kacie's death. His breathing increased, and for the first time since I'd been back, I saw that Zaiden was human. He was hurting like the rest of us.

"Zaiden." My voice came softer than intended as I reached for his face. His skin felt cold beneath my fingers as I forced him to look at me. "I'm fine."

My gaze dropped. Without thinking, I grabbed his hand, the same hand that had threatened me with zip ties less than an hour ago, and pressed it flat against my chest. Beneath his palm, my heart hammered out the steady proof: alive, alive, alive.

His breathing synchronized with mine. Gradually, his pulse slowed beneath my fingertips, his eyes clearing as they lifted to meet mine.

"I'm okay," I whispered.

His throat bobbed on a hard swallow, and he nodded as he slowly came back from where he'd been.

"We are both okay, Zaiden."

"I'm okay." He said more as a question than a statement.

I nodded, and he pulled his hand away, twisting to get his bike.

He guided the bike back onto the asphalt. Thankfully, this was a back road that was usually pretty slow unless there was an accident on the main roads. I swiped my helmet off the ground and followed him to the road. He kicked the stand down, holding the bike up.

Strolling up, I stopped behind him. "Do you—" He spun around, his hand gripping my face, and his mouth slammed against mine, swallowing my words. After the initial shock wore off, my eyes closed as I melted into him. His hand dove into my hair, gripping tightly as he tugged my head back, giving him better access to my mouth.

This was what he needed, and maybe I did too.

He pulled out of the kiss, his ragged breath fanning across my face as his forehead dropped to mine. "I thought you were dead."

"I'm not. I'm just a little sore." He nodded. "Let's get out of here."