Sitting in the back seat of Zane's Challenger, Bailey cradles me against his frame. He won't let me out of his arms, and I am more than happy to oblige. Zane continuously glances at us in the rearview mirror, but I ignore him. Riette follows in Bailey's Cheyenne with Reynold tied up and wrapped in tarp in the bed of the truck. Supposedly, Connor is taking care of the Mallory situation, but will meet up at their regular spot, whatever that means.

"It's over, Bay," I murmur so only he can hear, "it's all over, I swear it."

"Shouldn't I be comforting you?" He blows Skittles breath over my neck, sucking in my scent.

"We can comfort each other, Dark Prince."

He cocoons me harder, "if I hadn't just watched you get assaulted, I would make love to you right now."

I giggle, allowing him the distraction, "even with Zane in the car?"

"Even with Zane in the car, princess."

"I always thought our nicknames were ingenious, but Golden Boy sounds like a superhero name now," Zane grumbles from the front.

"Change it," I shrug, nibbling at Bailey's earlobe.

"Stop it," Bailey mutters, though he doesn't really want me to.

"I can't just change it. It's been my title since seventh grade when we picked them."

"You guys picked them?" I release Bailey's ear and swivel to peep forward, but Zane is busy turning onto a dirt trail, "can your car handle this road, Z?"

"I'll park," he steers off the path and switches off the engine, "we'll all have to squeeze in with Riette." Zane climbs out and shoves his seat forward, so we can climb out, "at least Connor will join us and we can ride back in his Bronco, so you two can fuck like rabbits."

"More like lions, roar," I giggle, waiting for Bailey to join me and Zane locks up the Challenger.

"Come here," Bailey's voice is low and sultry as he boosts me off the ground and follows Zane to Riette, driving the Cheyenne, "you can sit on my lap, baby."

"I know that," I kiss him while we wait for Zane to grumble about the stick shift and get comfortable, "my favorite place."

"Maybe you can ride me later," he doesn't bother to remain quiet.

I squeal and giggle the way he likes as he settles us in the seat and slams the door shut. Riette doesn't make a face, but eyes us calmly and shifts into gear. The road is bumpy and distracting, but Bailey and I continue to cover each other in kisses and swap adoring, dirty words.

"You'd think I want a girlfriend since this shit turns me on now," Zane grimaces in the dark.

"Voyeur," Riette chuckles, "you're as sick as me, Z."

"They're just distracting each other from what's really going on tonight," Zane decides angrily, crossing arms like there is more to it than simple jealousy.

"Zane," Bailey warns.

"What?" Zane snarls, glaring at him.

"Brothers, chill," Riette barks over both of them, "this is not the time for this shit."

"It's never the time," Zane elbows Bailey, flicking eyes at me briefly and turning them out the windshield.

"What the fuck is going on?" I peel my lips off Bailey's collarbone.

"Nothing at all, baby," Bailey nudges my chin till I face him and captures my lips.

"Careful, brother," Riette murmurs to Zane under his breath.

Zane huffs and shifts away, actually moving a leg to straddle the gear shift. If I didn't know any better, I would think this has to do with whatever has Zane acting weird lately. Whatever is going on, Bailey wants it to leave it alone, but Zane wants to confront it. Now is not the time, though. Riette is right about that.

💀

No idea how much time passes before Riette pulls off the trail and parks in the shadow of looming trees. Deep in the woods, Reynold bumps around in the back, trying to unravel the tarp. Zane darts out the driver's side behind Riette and they pin Reynold down, knocking him out again.

"What's going on?" I whisper to Bailey before he can climb out of the cab.

"What?"

"Don't play stupid, Bay," I chide, turning his face to me, "look at me, love. Tell me what is going on between you and Zane."

"We tend to agree on a lot of things," Bailey shrugs.

"And this is something you don't agree on?"

"Not exactly, but it's between us, okay?"

"What is it?"

"Baby, just trust me. It's nothing that concerns you. Let my brother and I figure it out on our own."

"Maybe I can help," I don't like this.

"I think it will make things worse," Bailey closes his eyes, so he doesn't have to look at me any longer.

I huff, "fine."

"Thank you, baby," he caresses my cheek and pecks the other slowly, "I love you."

"I'm yours, Bay," I assure him, and slide down to the ground.

"You're killing me," he bangs the door shut, clutching me firmly and shoves me into the cold metal, "don't start begging me for shit tonight. I have to stay focused, baby."

"I wouldn't dream of it," I smirk, enjoying his rough nature.

A growl thunders in his chest, "keep it up, princess, and I'll have my way with you against a goddamn tree."

"Mm, sounds perfect."

"Are you two through?" Riette infiltrates the zealous moment, "one of you needs to carry the shovels and the other has to carry the axe."

"Axe?" I thought we were using a gun.

"We always chop down a tree to cover our tracks, and give the earth time to settle," Riette explains with a shrug.

"Always?" I quirk an eyebrow at Bailey, who saunters away to grab the tools leaving me with nothing to carry.

"I've got the stuff. Just don't trip, baby," Bailey directs.

"Use a phone for a flashlight," Zane suggests, adjusting a gun in the back of his pants and lifts Reynold's feet over a shoulder.

Riette has the top half in his arms just as Connor slides in next to the Cheyenne and hops out. His face is red and sweaty from whatever happened with Mallory and I can't wait to get the scoop.

"Scared the shit out of the bitch," he chuckles, handing me a real flashlight, so I flick it on. He passes another to Bailey, swapping for the axe, and clicks one on himself, "I'll take the rear and cover Zane. Bailey lead the way."

Bailey moves ahead and I fall in step behind him. Riette is next with Zane, jerking each other around and not caring if they harm Reynold's unconscious body. He won't be breathing for much longer and that makes my chest tighten painfully. I said I want this, but reality is setting in and it's a little overwhelming.

"Fuck..." I mutter.

"What?" Riette mumbles so no one else can hear.

"Just... Just overthinking," I divulge.

"You don't have to help, Sawyer. You can stay in the pickup if this part is too much for you."

"It was my decision," I retort loud enough for everyone else to hear, "I'm not sitting in the damn pickup."

"That a girl, Max," Zane has used my first name a few times before, but neither Connor nor Riette ever have.

Bailey grumbles, but no coherent words hit my ears. The shit between the two definitely is about me. I want to glance back at Zane and see his expression like that will make it clear. Yet, I don't need to see his face to really understand.

I've noticed him observing me and always stepping up to have my back when Bailey can't. Bailey repeatedly shoves me into his arms to protect me when he has to do something. Connor is the one with crude comments, but he's just an ass because his heart is bruised. Zane is the one demanding they respect me as much as Bailey does.

Shit.

I can't keep lying to myself that I haven't seen it.

The damn boy has a crush on me.

"Where are we going?" I have to get my mind off this.

There is no way this is what I've been seeing. It can't be. Zane isn't this stupid. My mind is running rampant with strange thoughts because of what we're about to do.

"Not very far," Riette admits, breathing heavily behind me, "no one comes up here, and it's not like they'd suspect we would be lazy and bury a body close to the trail."

"Given this a lot of thought?" I struggle for air.

"Just had practice."

"What?"

"How did we come up with the hopeless knight?" Bailey calls back to Riette diverting the conversation.

"I always wanted to be a knight, but I was hopeless at being the good guy," Riette chuckles, "hopeless."

"I thought the girls came up with that for you," I play along.

"We came up with our own titles, Max," Zane puffs for air, shifting Reynold's legs to the other shoulder.

"The golden boy was given his title by his parents. He thought it was ironic that he was anything but the golden child they wanted," Riette snickers, tapping my shoulder, and I peek back to see him waggle eyebrows, "now, I think he regrets picking the title."

"It's a superhero name," Zane repeats from our conversation in the Challenger earlier tonight.

"Not a superhero, brother?" Bailey teases, though there is strain in his voice.

"Fuck no!"

"None of us are!" Connor shouts from the back.

"Just criminal for you, though, Connor," I point out, "nothing fancy."

"No point in pretending to be anything but what I am, Sawyer."

"What about the dark prince?" I return my attention to my love as my knee starts to throb.

"Mom used to call me her prince, but I'm not prince charming," he shrugs, adjusting the shovels in his hands, "Zane came up with the dark part. He says I brood too much."

"You were always brooding over a girl," Zane chuckles, but abruptly cuts it short, "only ever the same girl, though."

"That's right," Riette agrees as if making a bigger point, "Bay's been dreaming about you since seventh grade, Sawyer."

"Can't believe it took him so long to catch you!" Connor chimes in to break up the tension.

They're all aware what's going on between Bailey and Zane. Though, Bailey doesn't want me a part of it, now I can't deny to know what's going on. He doesn't want me to know, so that I won't blame myself for Zane's feelings. Or maybe he feels slightly threatened. He doesn't need to worry. Zane is his brother and won't doing anything to fuck him over. And he should know my heart will only ever belong to him. He's the only one I trust with it.

"I got fucked over getting involved with Cassie," Bailey reminds them.

"Bitch knows where she stands now," Riette chortles, tapping my shoulder again, "the Blood Princess saw to that, Bay."

"How long have you all been friends?" My legs quake and I'm ready to collapse on the ground.

I can't remember the first time seeing them all together. It feels like they've always been the Ghost Riders. I don't know where it started.

"Since seventh grade," Bailey slows his pace and drops the shovels on the soft ground, "that's when Riette moved here. Zane and I were friends since like third grade. Connor became our friend in sixth grade and then Riette in seventh."

"That's why we came up with the titles," Connor moves up next to us, "just a bunch of rowdy boys looking to be the cool guys, but none of us ever wanted to be the heroes. We all wanted to be the villains."

"You all planned to be assholes then?" I tease, flashing a roguish grin.

"Girls like bad boys," Riette's voice is soft and sultry, "so that's what we wanted to be."

"Bad boys? Hardly... You're dangerous as fuck."

"Insidious," Riette agrees in a long hiss.

"How are you doing, baby?" Bailey stares at me intently.

"My knee kills and I'm not even carrying a body," I wave to Riette and Zane.

"Are you prepared for this part, Max?" Zane's voice is filled with concern.

How have I never noticed the tenderness he directs to me?

It hurts now that I know he has feelings for me. I am blaming myself like I've sent the wrong signals. The boy doesn't stand a chance compared to Bailey, but that doesn't mean I won't feel guilty. He's never done anything outright wrong or crossed any line. Clearly, after seeing the video, he's having a hard time not blurring the boundaries.

"Why don't we dig the hole first, Zane?" Riette snatches the shovels, "and then we'll discuss the next part."

"Fine," Zane grumbles, but starts digging with Riette.

"That's right, slaves. You two carry the body and dig the hole," Connor snorts.

"Shut it," Bailey snarls quietly.

Connor shoots him a frown and then his eyes shift first to me and then to Zane. Zane's secret is out, but none of us are actually discussing it. Apparently, for Zane's sake, we are not saying it out loud. Maybe even for Bailey's sake.

It's Zane's problem and he'll have to figure it out. It's not my place to reassure him that he'll find the right girl someday and she sure as hell won't be me.

"Bay, is it time for another pill?" I turn into him.

"Probably past time," he digs out the bottle and hands me a Tylenol.

"Are you eating lots of yogurt for the Ibuprofen?" Connor asks.

"Milk. Not a fan of yogurt."

"Good. Is it working?"

"Does the trick. Bailey helps me with the PT and massages my knee sometimes. Who knew my condition isn't as bad off as my dad made me think?" I roll my eyes dramatically.

"Shit dads run in the group," Connor shakes his head, "except for mine."

"Mine's not a shit dad either," Bailey shakes his head.

"Nah, he just forgot you," Riette teases.

"Does that bother you more than you show?" I murmur to Bailey.

Bailey turns his gaze to me, soft and adoring, "it used to really fuck me up. That's why Riette gives me shit about it. I've gotten used to it, though, baby."

"Does he like you?" Connor steals my attention again.

"His dad?"

Connor nods and glances at the other two digging the hole. I've only had one interaction with him. It was in the middle of the night when I was still reeling from the memories of my assault. I haven't talked to him at all, but he's been around the house. He's used to me being there, but I suppose he's used to Bailey, too. He doesn't even remember his own son.

"I don't know," I shrug.

"He would if he could remember," Bailey assures me, draping an arm around my shoulders.

"Have you ever watched someone die before?" Connor asks warily.

All the boys stop and stare at me. I almost shrink in on myself, but this is the part where I shouldn't be afraid. It's not new to me to watch someone die.

"Yes."

"What?" Bailey's grip on me constricts.

"My mom died on impact, but... Jamie didn't."

"Jamie?" Zane shoves himself out of the hole, "someone else was in the car with you?"

"Yeah... She was my best friend since forever, and her sister hung out with us sometimes. I think she transferred schools after the wreck."

"How did she...? How long did it take?" Connor urges me.

"She drowned in her own blood. Her lungs were pierced and one was collapsed. I couldn't move. I was pinned because of my knee and could only sit there and watch. It was... Forever."

Bailey bows his head into the side of mine. I swallow back the ache in my throat. Zane fishes out the gun from the back of his pants as Reynold starts shifting around in the tarp again. He kicks his legs and he falls still. Riette hastily finishes the hole on his own.

"Do you want to do it, Max?" Zane eyes me, breathing rapidly.

"No," I blink back the itch in my eyes.

"Bay?"

"Yes," he releases me.