Chapter 40 40

Chapter 40 40
  ~TESSA~
    It was yet another beautiful day at the bike shop.
    The phones would not stop ringing.
    “Bishop Motorcycles, Tessa speaking—uh, yes, we do tune-ups. Yes. No, we don’t repaint scooters. Sorry.”
    Click.
    I sighed and hung up.
    Across the counter, Casey smirked and slid over a small, battered notepad. “You’re not allowed to threaten customers until week two.”
    “I didn’t threaten him,” I muttered, brushing my hair behind my ear. “I was firm.”
    He shrugged. “Never said you did.”
    By mid-morning, I’d messed up two invoices, accidentally scheduled a tire rotation for a guy, and spilled coffee.
    But still... when Gus walked past, he tossed me a dirty rag and grunted, “You’re doin’ better than the last one.”
    I blinked. “The last what?”
    “Reception girl. Left crying. Lasted a day.”
    “Oh.”
    “You haven’t cried yet.”
    “Not yet.”
    He nodded once, like that meant something important, and shuffled off.
    I stood there with the rag in my hand and a phone ringing again behind me.
    And somehow… I smiled.
    ~
    ~RYDER~
    Tessa was so fucking hot, even when she was busy working. 
    Just today, I was sure I'd stolen a thousand quick glances of her.
    Nothing.... absolutely nothing mattered to me now... compared to the sound of Tessa laughing right now with Gus over by the parts rack.
    She was wearing one of our branded tees now. Tied at the waist. Hair tied back loose, sunglasses pushed up like she’d forgotten she had them.
    She looked like she'd been doing this for ages. 
    Honestly...
    Hell, maybe she did.
    I turned into the showroom to grab a service manual off the counter... and found her standing there, staring at the vintage matte-gray ’67 Royal Enfield we’d just restored.
    She hadn’t noticed me yet.
    She was running her fingers lightly across the handlebars, eyes soft with something that looked a lot like peace.
    I stepped up behind her.
    She smiled without turning. “Caught me daydreaming?”
    “Caught you stealing my bike.”
    “I was thinking how fast I could ride it away before you caught me.”
    I wrapped my arms around her waist. “Two blocks. Max.”
    “You’re giving me two?”
    I kissed her cheek. “One and a half.”
    She turned in my arms, eyes flicking up to mine, and kissed me.
    Soft.
    Brief.
    Perfect.
    I didn’t even realize how quiet it had gotten until I pulled back and glanced out through the tall front windows.
    A figure.
    Not a customer.
    Not Knox.
    Just standing there, on the other side of the fence, next to the curb... hood up, phone out.
    Face obscured.
    But he wasn’t looking at his phone.
    He was looking at us.
    And not blinking.
    I released Tessa slowly and moved toward the glass.
    But by the time I got outside...
    Gone.
    Again.
    ~
    ~TESSA~
    Ryder's mood changed... Suddenly.
    He still smiled.
    Still kissed my forehead when he passed the desk.
    But something behind his eyes had gone still and sharp... like he was listening for a sound no one else could hear.
    The change was subtle. But I felt it.
    When I asked him about it, he brushed it off with a grin and a kiss on my hand.
    “Just watching my territory,” he said.
    I let it go.
    But not really.
    Later that day, I offered to take the trash out... just to stretch my legs and maybe shake off the nerves.
    The alley behind the shop was quiet.
    I tossed the bag into the dumpster, wiped my hands on my jeans...
    And froze.
    It was on the back wall.
    In thick black spray paint. Still fresh. Still wet in some places.
    SHE’S STILL MINE.
    The letters were jagged. Angry.
    Slanted upward like they were yelling at the sky.
    I stared at them.
    My stomach turned cold.
    My heart thudded slow and loud.
    I stepped back once, twice.
    What the heck was this? Let it not be what I was thinking...
    That was my only prayer.
    A door creaked behind me... Ryder.
    He didn’t say anything.
    He just saw my face.
    Then he looked at the wall.
    His jaw locked.
    I waited for him to say it wasn’t a big deal.
    That it was a stupid prank.
    That it meant nothing.
    But he didn’t say any of those things.
    He just pulled me into his arms and held me so tight it almost hurt.
    “I'm sorry you saw that,” he whispered.
    But I wasn’t sorry.
    I was scared.
    For first time in days, I wasn’t sure we were safe anymore.
    ~
    ~RYDER~
    I didn’t sleep that night.
    And I sure as hell didn’t let Tessa walk anywhere alone the next day.
    I told the guys the graffiti was some punk kid trying to be clever. Told Tessa the same. Something to brush off. Nothing to worry about.
    But my gut said otherwise.
    By noon, I’d called Knox.
    We met out back... just the two of us, standing in front of the wall.
    He whistled the words low through his teeth.
    “Still mine,” he muttered. “That sounds personal.”
    “It is,” I said.
    Knox lit a cigarette and nodded slowly. “You want him found.”
    “I want him cornered.”
    We talked through it quietly.
    We’d leave the back camera down... make it look like we hadn’t noticed the wall yet. 
    We’d hide a motion sensor in the alleyway, one that fed directly to Knox’s burner.
    I’d adjust my schedule... leave late. Let Tessa leave early.
    Bait the hook.
    “He’s still watching,” I said. “More than once. Same guy, same stance, same distance. He’s planning something.”
    Knox took a long drag. “You want me to be here tonight?”
    “No,” I said. “Let him come. Let him think we’re asleep.”
    Knox smiled with just the corners of his mouth.
    He tapped ash onto the gravel. “You tell Tessa yet?”
    I paused.
    “No.”
    He nodded.
    “You get one shot at this,” he said. “Don’t miss.”
    I looked up at the wall one last time.
    She’s still mine.
    Not anymore, motherfucker.
    Not ever again.