Breaking the Cycle (Rocking Racers Book 1)

by Megan Lowe

  “I’m more than good.” She smiles.

  “Are you hungry?”

  “A little.”

  “Good, because I’m starving. Do you want to go over to the diner? Best burgers in town!” I throw her a cheesy grin.

  “Sounds like a plan.” She goes to get up.

  “Uh-uh,” I scold, and go to get her clothes.

  “Reed, I’m perfectly okay to dress myself.”

  I lean down and kiss her. “Shh, I’m taking care of you.”

  We dress, or I dress us, and give her another piggyback over to the diner. We enter through the back and when we come into the dining room where my family are gathered, we are met with cheers and whistles again.

  Chris, who has woken up, rushes to Bria and pulls on her leg. Luckily, it’s the uninjured one.

  “Just be careful, buddy. Aunty Bria hurt her leg,” I say, dropping her onto a chair at the table we’ve taken up.

  “You’re hurt?” he asks her, and his chin wobbles.

  She scoops him up and puts him on her lap. “I’m okay, buddy. It’s just a little scratch. I’ll be fine. How are you? Are you okay?”

  He nods and snuggles into her lap while I go and order us some food.

  I get back to the table and Chris is still on Bria’s lap, setting up for the long haul. As much as I love the kid, this really won’t do. I lift him up and hand him to Pop. I’ve got to admit he goes pretty easily; I think he’s too tired to argue.

  I then pick Bria up, take her seat, and pull her back down on my lap, my chin resting on her shoulder, my arms tight around her waist. My family have amused smiles on their faces, the fuckers. I kiss her neck and she snuggles into me. Jax brings a tray of shots over and hands them out, but I take Bria’s.

  “Dude,” he says, “that’s for sis.”

  “Dude,” I mimic, “she’s on antibiotics. They don’t mix.”

  “Oh,” he says.

  “But thanks for the thought,” Bria says in her sweet voice.

  Then Mav comes over with another tray with two glasses of milk: one for Bria, one for Chris. He sets it down in front of her and winks.

  Pop stands and we all quiet down.

  “We’ve had quite a week. An attack here, the bombing of the garage at the track, but most importantly of all, we welcome a new and already very loved member to this family.” He nods to Bria.

  “She may not have been with us very long, but she has slotted in seamlessly and taken to us like she was born into this family. So, all things considered, I’d say we ended this week ahead.”

  “Hear, hear,” we yell, and down our shots.

  Yep, my girl is well and truly stuck with us now.

  Chapter Seventeen

  BRIA

  Oh. Holy. Fuck. Nate’s toast? Total tear-jerker. I shoot my milk—how cute, by the way—smile, and try to hide the fact there are tears in my eyes. Behind me, Reed gives me a squeeze and kisses my cheek.

  In my pocket, my phone rings. I fish it out and see it’s Grayson calling.

  “Hey, lady,” I answer.

  “Lady? What the fuck, Bria! I had to hear about the explosion at the track on the news. Please tell me you weren’t anywhere near it.”

  I swallow awkwardly. “Er, okay, I won’t tell you.”

  “Jesus fucking Christ, Bria, first the diner and now this?”

  “Hang on a sec,” I tell her. “I’m gonna take this outside,” I say to Reed, who looks concerned.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “My best friend heard about the explosion and she’s a little upset.”

  “A little upset?” I hear Grayson yell. “You’re goddamn right I’m fucking upset.”

  “Can I talk to her?” Reed asks.

  “Yeah, put him on, I’ll give him a piece of my mind,” she says.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I bite my lip.

  “Angel, give me the phone. Your best friend has concerns and I am willing and able to address them.”

  “You don’t have to do this,” I say, handing him the phone.

  “Hello,” he says into it, “this is Reed Ryan. Who am I speaking with?”

  “I’m Grayson Dean, Bria’s best friend, and you are putting her life in danger.” The way she’s shouting, I can hear her clearly. The phone’s volume is loud but my BFF is louder.

  “Hi, Grayson, it’s nice to talk to you. Bria has told me lots about you.”

  “Oh, don’t give me your player charm, Reed Ryan. I’ve heard all about you. You riders are all the fucking same, scum of the earth.”

  “Hey now,” he says, trying to placate her.

  “Is Bria hurt?”

  “She has a small cut to her leg that required a few stitches. She was looked after by the race organisation’s doctor, who cleaned the wound, stitched it, and prescribed antibiotics to prevent infection.”

  “How many stitches?”

  “Not many.”

  “How many fucking stitches does she have, Reed?”

  He sighs. “Four.”

  “Four fucking stitches. You motherfucker, how dare you put her in danger!”

  I go to grab the phone from him but Reed holds up a finger.

  “It kills me that Bria was anywhere near that explosion and I damn near lost it when I saw she was hurt, but don’t you dare accuse me of putting the woman I love in danger. If it were up to me I’d lock her away and keep her to myself, but I know that’s not a possibility; at least, not one she’d let me entertain.” He winks at me.

  “You love her?” Grayson asks. Even through her angsty pissed-off shout I can hear the shock.

  “I do.”

  “You’ve told her this?”

  “Many times.”

  “And she loves you back?”

  “By some miracle.”

  “Oh please, I’ve seen you and your brothers around. What’s not to love?”

  At this, Reed chuckles and I tuck my head in between his neck and shoulder and hug him tightly.

  “Listen, Bria and I are having dinner with my family at our diner. Why don’t you come down? You can have a good meal and see for yourself that Bria’s okay.”

  “Is this meal on you?” I hide a smile.

  “I’ll speak to the owners. They’re friends of mine.”

  “Fine, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. But be warned, Ryan, I won’t be impressed by your playboy charm.”

  “I have no doubt. We’ll see you soon, Miss Dean.” He hangs up the phone and hands it back to me. “She’ll be here soon.” He smiles his wicked smile.

  I’m not entirely sure he knows exactly what he’s invited upon us.

  The hurricane that is Grayson Dean sweeps into the diner eight minutes later.

  “And how many speeding tickets should we expect in the mail?” I ask.

  My BFF might be tiny but she’s fierce, and she takes a seat at our table in between Liam and Jax, making herself at home.

  “Pfft, please Bri, you know I can talk my way out of a paper bag,” she says.

  “Fine, but just remember, you’re the one who wants that pair of Jimmy Choo boots. A speeding fine will put a major dampener on that.”

  “Oh please.” She waves a hand in the air.

  Jax laughs and Liam tips his head. “The biker ankle boots? Pointed toe, silver buckles and riveting?” Grayson nods. “If they were my style, I wouldn’t let a speeding fine get in the way of them either.”

  Grayson arches an eyebrow at him. “A racer with taste? And who might you be?”

  “Liam Ryan.” He sticks his hand out for her to shake.

  “Oh, the star. Well, it’s nice to meet you, Liam. Pity you couldn’t race today. You’ve had MacCoy’s measure the past few races. I was looking forward to seeing his response.”

  “I think I’m in love,” Jax mutters.

  Grayson turns her attention to him. “And you are?”

  “Jax Ryan.” He takes her hand and kisses it.

  “The charmer, I see.”

&nb
sp; “No, that’s just the Ryan gene,” I say, and the Ryans all snicker.

  “I can see why you’ve all but disappeared on me, Bri. They are quite a bunch up close.”

  “They are indeed. Now let me introduce the rest of them to you. Liam and Jax you’ve met. Next to Liam is Mav, then Nate and Chris, Jay, and Parker is in the kitchen,” I say, going round the table, “and my ever-comfy chair is my boyfriend, Reed. Ryans, my best friend and roommate, Grayson Dean.”

  Grayson focuses her attention on Reed and the others chuckle. I smile and lean into him further. Grayson’s just about to say something when our food arrives.

  “But I didn’t order yet,” I say, confused.

  Reed kisses my cheek. “I know, angel. I did.”

  “But how did you know what I wanted?”

  “I remembered what you ordered the first time you came here and took a gamble that that’s what you’d like.”

  “You remember her order from four days ago?” Grayson asks disbelievingly.

  “It’s what I ordered,” I say, picking up an onion ring and popping it in my mouth.

  Grayson’s eyes narrow and Reed laughs. “You can scowl at me all you like but you can’t scare me away from my girl.”

  “Your girl?” she scoffs.

  “Yes, she’s our girl,” Nate says, “and since Bria clearly has no objections to being called that then I really don’t see what reason you can have for questioning my son or his feelings for Bria.”

  “Okay,” Grayson says cheerily, and picks up a menu. “So who do I see about getting some food around this place?”

  I think we all sigh in relief before Mav voices what I know they’re all thinking. “I have no idea what the fu— what the eff that was, but you are one crazy chick.”

  “Thank you,” she says happily.

  “What can we get you?” Park asks.

  “I’ll take a triple cheeseburger with mac and cheese, chili fries, garlic bread, apple pie, and a chocolate sundae. Oh, and a Diet Coke, thanks.”

  We pause for a minute before Park says, “Right,” and gets up to place the order.

  “So Bri, show me this leg.”

  I lift my leg to show Grayson the bandage.

  “Careful,” Reed says. “You don’t want to pull a stitch.”

  I playfully elbow him in the side. “For God’s sake, Reed, it’s fine.”

  “It’s my job, remember?”

  “Oh, I remember,” I purr.

  He growls and tickles my sides. I squirm in his lap, his dick stirring to life beneath me.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see Grayson watching us like a hawk.

  Reed pulls my face towards him, cupped between his hands and kisses me.

  “Come on, let’s eat. I’m starving.” He turns me round in his lap.

  In between bites of burger, Reed and I feed each other our sides, sharing as we did that night at Mike’s. Only this time, neither of us is content to let the other do the work.

  “You two are too fu—” Grayson remembers Chris. “Too effing cute. How do you stand it?” she asks my family.

  “Personally,” Jax says, “I happen to find it both amusing and heart-warming.”

  “It’s sickening, is what it is,” Grayson argues.

  “That too,” Mav agrees.

  “Leave them alone,” Jay scolds. “If there’s one thing us Ryans know, it’s when we’re on a good thing, and there’s no doubting Reed has got himself a very good thing in our girl Bria.”

  “Thank you, Pa,” Reed says. “And as for the rest of you, you’re jealous.” He points to his brothers and they laugh.

  Grayson gets along with everyone great, a little too well in the case of Jax, who spends the evening flirting with her.

  Reed is constantly touching me, running his hands over my thighs or up my sides and casually grazing my breasts. It’s driving me crazy but I can tell from the smug look on his face he knows what he’s doing and is doing it on purpose.

  Not wanting him to get the upper hand, I begin to surreptitiously grind myself against him. I grin when he hardens beneath me.

  “Angel,” he warns.

  “What?” I ask and flutter my eyelashes at him innocently.

  Just then, the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen—sorry, honey—walks into the diner and my mouth drops.

  Grayson notices and asks, “What is it?” but I can’t answer, so she turns in the direction I’m looking. From the corner of my eye, I see her mouth drop as well. The guy in question is taller than Reed, maybe six four, but not as built, probably somewhere in between him and Liam. But that’s not what’s got Grayson and me speechless. No, this guy is a dead ringer for Jamie Dornan. Jamie Junior walks straight over to our table, seemingly towards Grayson. It’s only when Liam gets up that I realise who he was heading for.

  “Hey, sweets,” Liam coos as he embraces Jamie Jr.

  “Love,” Jamie replies.

  Behind me, Reed shuts my mouth.

  “Who is that?” I whisper to him.

  “Do my eyes deceive me, or do the Ryans have female company?” Jamie asks.

  “Mase, this is Reed’s girlfriend, the lovely Bria Adams.” Liam points to me. “And this is her best friend, Grayson Dean. Ladies, my boyfriend, Mason Evans.”

  “Oh, so you’re sis,” Mason says to me.

  “I seem to be.” I shake his offered hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “You need to get the fuck out,” Grayson exclaims. Thankfully, Parker took Chris off to bed a little while ago. “It’s not fair that there is this much handsomeness in one place.”

  Liam and Mason chuckle while Reed squeezes me tighter, and Jax leans over to her. “I’d be more than happy to take this party elsewhere.”

  “Not so fast, junior,” Grayson says, pushing his face away. Reed and I both laugh; Jax smiles but doesn’t look deterred. Lord help her.

  We sit, eat, and chat well into the night before I start yawning and Reed decides it’s time I go to bed. I’m "allowed" to walk around the table to hug Gray before Reed offers me his back again and insists I hop on. Him carrying me this way reminds me of our first date at Mike’s and riding his bike, so I don’t mind that much. Okay, I still think it’s over the top, but if this gorgeous, loving man wants to look after me, who am I to argue?

  Reed walks us over to his house and into his room, gently lowering me onto the bed before kneeling down to take off my shoes. He then pulls me up, undoing my shorts, taking off my shirt and bra and throwing an old Ryan Racing shirt over my head before pulling back the covers so I can get in. I watch as he takes off his jeans and shirt and climbs into bed in only his boxer briefs. He pulls me to him and I rest my head on his chest, my fingers tracing the patterns inked into his skin, his arms around me, one at my hip, the other running through my hair.

  “So Grayson’s a trip,” he says with humour.

  “She can be a handful but that’s mostly a front. When she was with Rome, she was so soft and caring. The end of their relationship really did a number on her.”

  “How long ago did it end?”

  “Four, almost five years ago.”

  “Has she dated since?”

  “Not seriously. She’s been with guys, but none for more than two weeks.”

  “She really loved him.”

  “They loved each other, but there wasn’t room for her and Devil in his life and he chose Devil.”

  “I’d say that’s total bullshit, but knowing Hunter, he’d want his riders 100 percent devoted to him.”

  “Have you guys ever thought about taking on riders outside the family?”

  “Not really. I mean, there’s enough of us to keep the team going, but maybe when Liam decides he wants to retire we will. The same with Mav and Jax in their disciplines. We’re not really a big team, nowhere near a factory team despite being successful. The guys don’t get paid as such. They don’t get a salary, but their bills are paid and they get a small amount of spending money each month, but that’s it. We
can’t afford the massive salary a non-family member would demand.”

  “So now that you don’t race, you work at the diner, the garage, and with the team?”

  “Yep.”

  “And you’re happy doing that?”

  “For the moment. Eventually I’d like to take over Ryan Racing from Pop, see if I can make us financially competitive with the factory teams. I don’t think it would take much; a little networking, a little promotion, and I think we could do it. I’m slowly talking Pop around, but like most things, you need money, and we don’t have it.”

  An idea starts forming in my head. I’ll need some help from Grayson, but I think I can pull it off. I snuggle further into Reed and fall asleep in his arms, our future slowly building in my mind.

  Chapter Eighteen

  REED

  I wake to Bria’s mouth wrapped around me and I barely have time to think before I’m coming hard. She licks me clean and makes her way up my body to me.

  “Good morning,” I say and kiss her nose.

  “Good morning.” She smiles a shy, sweet smile.

  “So, not that I mind, but what did I do to deserve that wake-up?”

  “Just my way of saying I love you and thank you for looking after me yesterday.”

  “No need to thank me, angel. I told you, it’s my job.”

  “I know. I just wanted you to know I appreciate it. You’re not the only lucky one in this relationship.”

  I pull her closer to me and nuzzle her neck, inhaling her sweet, fruity scent.

  “I never gave any thought to settling down or the type of woman it would take to get me to do that, but even if I had, you’re so much more than what I could ever come up with.”

  “Reed,” she says quietly, leaning back so she can look me in the eyes.

  “I’ve been with my fair share of women,” I tell her. She freezes in my hold, but she needs to know. “I don’t have a stellar reputation when it comes to women, none of my family do, well, except for Chris and Liam.” She chuckles and I smile before continuing. “I know there might be some backlash from some of the women around. They’ll be jealous and disbelieving and I wish I could shield you from that, but I imagine some of this is going to come from girls on campus.” The last thing I want is to sound arrogant. The women and everything that comes with racing was something I happily went along with and enjoyed. But, I also know the women in the circuit well enough to know they can be bitches when they want to be. My line with them was always set: I wasn't interested in commitment. Of course, I never planned for Bria.