Chapter 8

TESSA

I walked back to the booth, holding my face together like nothing had happened, even though my pulse was still all over the place. I slipped into my seat beside Nova, keeping my eyes on the table.

She caught me right away, of course. Her smirk was already waiting for me. “Took you long enough. What, you got lost?”

I rolled my eyes, grabbing my glass. “Nothing happened.” My voice was flat, and I hoped the drink would wash the storm out of me. It didn’t.

It only took a minute before Jaxson showed up. He strolled back in like he owned the place, smoke drifting around him, and slid into the booth. He leaned back, slow and relaxed, picked up his drink, and didn’t even pretend not to look at me. His eyes locked straight onto mine, steady and deliberate, like he was daring me to flinch.

Cole caught it immediately. His grin spread across his face like he’d just been handed free entertainment. His gaze bounced between the two of us, and he let out a little laugh. “Well, isn’t this cozy?” He dragged the words out, pointing at the air between us without lifting a finger.

I kept my mouth shut. Nova did too, though I felt her nudge against my side like she wanted to say something.

Cole looked like he was about to make another joke when Ryder leaned forward, setting his glass on the table with a soft thud. That was all it took to quiet everyone.

“That’s enough,” he said. Calm and firm. His eyes didn’t move to Cole, but it was enough to shut him up. Ryder waited for a second, letting the silence breathe, then spoke again. “Tomorrow night isn’t just another ride. It’s a big match.”

The table shifted all at once. Nova straightened, Cole leaned in, and Jaxson’s stare finally dragged off me to focus on Ryder. The guys at the end who’d been halfway through lighting cigarettes froze mid-motion. Drinks stopped halfway to the lips. It was like everyone leaned closer without meaning to.

“The Red Fangs,” Ryder said, his voice even but sharp. “Damien’s crew. They called us out. Seven of us against seven of them. This isn’t about speed alone. It’s about territory, respect, and who runs the streets.”

The energy cracked instantly. One of the guys on the far end slapped the table, laughing like he’d been waiting for this all week. “Finally. Been dying to smoke those bastards.”

Another guy leaned back, letting out a low whistle. “They are fast, sure. But sloppy. We’ll eat them alive.”

Cole’s grin spread wide as he threw his arm across the booth behind Nova. “Exactly. About damn time we remind the Red Fangs who owns this city.” He lifted his glass and clinked it against Nova’s, looking smug. She rolled her eyes but drank anyway.

The others fed off the buzz, voices overlapping. Some were loud and cocky, already bragging like the win was guaranteed. Others kept quiet, sharp-eyed, the kind who didn’t waste words but carried just as much weight. The whole booth hummed with the smoke, the heat, and the fire in their voices.

And then Ryder cut through again. He didn’t raise his voice, but the tone dropped heavier.

“Tessa will be one of our seven.”

The words landed like a stone in still water. The noise died in an instant. Even my breath caught.

Me?

For a second, I thought I’d misheard him. My heart slammed so hard against my ribs I thought it might break through. I have pictured this moment before, riding for something that mattered, proving I wasn’t just the girl tagging along at the edges, but I never thought Ryder would be the one to put me forward. And not like this. Not against the Red Fangs.

Excitement twisted with fear so fast I couldn’t separate the two. I tried to keep my face steady, but inside it was chaos.

Nova’s mouth dropped open. She looked at me, pride flashing in her eyes, but there was worry there too, heavy enough to choke on.

Cole burst out laughing, slapping the table like Ryder had just told the best joke of the night. “Good one.” His grin stretched, but when Ryder didn’t so much as blink, the sound fell flat. The grin faltered too.

Jaxson’s jaw tightened hard. His head snapped to Ryder, then to me, his stare so sharp it felt like it sliced right through me. “No.” His voice was low, hard, final. “She’s not ready. She’ll get herself killed. This isn’t a game.”

Heat shot through me before I could stop it. My back straightened, the words flying out on instinct. “I don’t need your permission.”

The moment I said it, a cold wave hit my spine. My face stayed set, but my stomach turned. Fear slipped through the cracks no matter how tight I held myself together. What if he was right? What if this wasn’t a chance but a mistake that would chew me up and spit me out? I forced my breathing steady, keeping my chin high, even as doubt scraped inside me.

Ryder didn’t move. He didn’t even blink. “It’s decided,” he said, calm like it was already carved into stone. “She’ll ride. She wants to prove herself, let her. This is her chance to show if she belongs here, or not.”

The table rippled with reactions. Cole let out a sharp whistle and leaned back like this was better than any show. Nova’s hand brushed against my arm, soft and steady, her way of telling me she was with me even if her eyes were still worried. A couple of the guys traded uneasy looks, muttering under their breath, not sure what to make of Ryder’s decision. The air thickened, pressing in on me from all sides.

Jaxson leaned forward, his stare locked on Ryder. His voice dropped, deeper than before. “You’re making a mistake.”

Ryder met his gaze, steady, unshaken. “No, Jaxson. This is my call. And it’s final.”

The music still thundered around us. Smoke curled heavily through the air. But inside the booth, everything felt tight and sharp. The energy had shifted completely. I could feel Jaxson’s eyes on me, burning, loaded with anger and something else I couldn’t name.

Ryder leaned back, finishing his drink like the matter was closed, like nothing else needed saying.

Nobody spoke. Not Cole with his constant jokes. Not Nova. Not even the guys at the end who always had something to add. The silence pressed down hard, the weight of tomorrow night hanging over all of us.

And me? I sat there with my glass in my hand, pulse still racing, caught between the rush of finally being given the chance I’d dreamed about and the fear of what it meant if I failed.