My Fake Boyfriend Is the School Bad Boy novel Chapter 26

12:46 Fri, Jul 10

My Fake Boyfriend Is the School Bad Boy

Chapter 26 First Ride Through the Night Air

6 81

Ryder didn’t slow his pace. He kept my hand firmly encased in his, his grip the only thing keeping me anchored to the pavement. If he let

go, I was entirely sure I would simply float away, completely unmoored by the adrenaline crash wrecking my nervous system.

We reached the bike.

Ryder finally released my hand. The sudden absence of his heat made the biting March wind feel ten times colder. I wrapped my arms

around my chest, shivering, my teeth clicking together as I stared at the motorcycle.

“I’ve never been on one of those,” I admitted. My voice sounded thin, stripped raw by the cold air and the leftover panic.

Ryder didn’t look at me. He unzipped his heavy leather jacket halfway, reaching toward the handlebars. He grabbed a matte-black helmet

that had been resting on the leather seat.

“There’s a first time for everything, Petrova,” he muttered.

He turned and held the helmet out to me.

I reached for it. My hands were shaking so badly that my fingers fumbled against the smooth, hard shell. I nearly dropped it.

Ryder let out a low, quiet breath. He didn’t mock me. He didn’t sigh in annoyance. He just pulled the helmet back, stepping directly into

my personal space.

“Look at me, he commanded softly.

I lifted my chin. His face was entirely unreadable, the harsh lines of his jaw set in stone, but his hazel eyes were incredibly focused. The dark bruise on his cheekbone looked stark in the fading afternoon light. He raised the helmet, sliding it carefully over my head.

The interior was lined with thick, soft padding. It smelled intensely of him. The helmet muffled the sound of the wind, creating a sudden,

isolating bubble around us.

He didn’t step back. He lowered his hands to my throat, grabbing the two nylon straps hanging from the sides.

I froze, the breath catching tight in my lungs. His large, calloused knuckles brushed directly against the sensitive skin of my jaw. He

focused entirely on the small metal D-rings, threading the black strap through the loops.

The heat radiating off his chest seeped through my thin navy blazer. I stared at the collar of his faded t-shirt, unable to look him in the

eye. My heart hammered a frantic, uneven rhythm against my ribs.

He pulled the strap tight, securing the heavy helmet beneath my chin. He let his fingers linger for a fraction of a second against my

jawline before he dropped his hands.

1/3

12:46 Fri, Jul 10

Chapter 26 First Ride Through the Night Air

“Take the bag off,” he said, stepping back to break the heavy tension between us.

I blinked, my brain moving a step behind. I shucked the heavy canvas backpack off my shoulders. He took it from me, his arm flexing as

he swung the heavy weight of my textbooks over his own shoulder, letting it rest against his back.

He swung his long leg over the leather seat of the motorcycle. The heavy machine groaned under his weight, the suspension settling. He

reached down and kicked the kickstand up with the heel of his heavy boot.

He gripped the handlebars and turned the key.

The engine didn’t just start; it exploded into life. The deep, guttural roar completely shattered the quiet of the empty parking lot. The sound vibrated through the asphalt, traveling straight up through the soles of my shoes and settling deep in my chest.

Ryder looked over his shoulder. “Get on.”

I swallowed the dry lump in my throat. I stepped closer to the bike, the heat coming off the metal exhaust pipe warming my freezing calves. I awkwardly hiked up my plaid uniform skirt, completely abandoning the Crestview dress code, and threw my right leg over the

back of the seat.

There was barely any room.

The passenger pillion was small, forcing me to slide forward until my knees bracketed his hips. The physical contact was absolute. There was no space for a polite distance. The heavy wool of my blazer pressed directly against the thick, stiff leather of his jacket.

“Where do I hold on?” I yelled, my voice barely carrying over the aggressive idle of the engine.

Ryder grabbed my wrists. He didn’t hesitate. He pulled my hands forward, wrapping my arms around his torso, and flattened my palms directly against his stomach.

“Right here,” he yelled back, looking over his shoulder one last time. “Do not let go. Do not lean away from me when I turn. You move

exactly when I move.”

I gave a jerky nod, though he couldn’t see my face through the dark visor of the helmet.

81

My hands were planted against the faded cotton of his t-shirt, completely trapped between his body and my own. The muscles beneath my palms were incredibly hard, completely tense. He wasn’t relaxed. The casual, bored posture he wore in the school hallways was entirely

gone.

He kicked the gear shifter down with his toe.

The bike lunged forward.

I gasped, a sharp, involuntary sound completely swallowed by the roar of the exhaust. The sheer force of the acceleration threw me backward. My grip tightened purely out of survival instinct. I crushed my chest flush against his back, my arms locking around his waist

2/3

12:46 Fri, Jul 10

Chapter 26 First Ride Through the Night Air

like a vice.

((

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify