My eyes bugged, and I looked away. “Well, that’s…great.”

“Did you say cock?” Vin asked. He grabbed his junk in his right hand and adjusted himself through his pants. “I’ve got some for you right here, baby.”

Sydney smiled sweetly. “Let me think about it.” She tapped her lips twice and then dropped her smile. “Thought about it. No, thanks.”

I shifted, so I couldn’t see the glares passing between Vin and Miller. Having Sydney here was dangerous for everyone involved.

“So, what crazy plan does Grant have cooked up?” Sydney asked. “I’m sure you’ve heard rumors or some shit, right? Is he going to fucking jump out of a cake? Is he bringing strippers? He’s not answering his damn phone, and I want the juice.”

“You’re asking me? I’m the birthday girl. I didn’t even know he was throwing this party.”

“How could you not know? He’s been planning it for a month!”

“Well, we’ve been kind of…” I didn’t know what to say or why I was even considering confiding in Sydney. “We got into an argument about the band.”

“What about the band?”

I sighed. I didn’t really want to talk about this right now. “Nothing has happened yet, but they’re still being scouted pretty hard by Pacific.”

“What? That’s amazing! I can’t believe Miller hasn’t said anything!” she cried. “I mean…not that we’re talking.”

She tried to play it off so cool that I instantly knew that Sydney wasn’t just fucking around with Miller. She liked him as much as he liked her.

Oh, boy.

“God, you two shouldn’t be fighting over that. You should be fucking celebrating! Where is Grant fucking McDermott? We need to drink!” She dug around in the bag hanging at her hip. “I’m going to give him another call. He should be here by now.”

Yeah…

My eyes searched the crowd again as if I could make him appear out of thin air.

Why wasn’t he here?

I couldn’t move.

What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck?

My eyes slid open, and I stared up into the night sky. My brain had turned to mush. I could barely think. How long had I been out? It was hard to tell since it was so dark outside.

I scrambled to come back to my body, but it was as if I was treading through water. I blinked rapidly and then tried to make sure nothing was broken. I twisted around in the snow, and while everything hurt like a bitch, I didn’t feel like something had snapped. I could still be in shock though.

With a deep breath that seared my chest, I tried to push myself into a sitting position, and I cried out in pain when my hands touched the freezing ground. The gloves I’d been wearing were destroyed on the palms and fingertips, which had been scraped up when I tried to stop myself. I forced myself up anyway, ignoring the lingering aches and pains on my body.

My leather jacket was torn, and I had a visible gash along my left arm where the material had been shredded. My neck hurt like hell. I could barely turn it from side to side without wincing. My breathing remained labored, but at least it didn’t seem like I’d punctured a lung or anything.

I was lucky that when the motorcycle had fallen, I’d been thrown from the seat, so the weight of the bike hadn’t crushed my legs. My legs seemed to be the most functional part of my body, especially compared to my upper half.

Against my better judgment, I attempted to stand, but I fell forward onto my knees at the effort. My legs were jelly.

My whole body was trembling. I’d never felt so shaken and helpless. I couldn’t even stand. I could hardly breathe. I couldn’t see. I had no idea where my motorcycle was.

My breathing came out in short gasps as panic set in with the shock.

Oh my God, I was going to die out here, all alone. I’d never make it out of this embankment, and even if I could, I had no idea of the condition of my motorcycle. If it were half as bad as me, I wouldn’t be able to drive the thing home.

I’d never get to talk to Ari. I wouldn’t get to tell her that I was sorry and that I loved her. I wouldn’t get to see her smiling face.

My stomach twisted at the thought.

How could I have been so stupid?

God, I was a fucking idiot. I should never have driven out on these roads. I should never have taken the chance.

All I knew was, I needed to get back to her.

Please just let me get back to her.

A bright light fell down onto me, and I squinted up at it.

“Are you okay down there?” a woman called.

My eyes lifted to the road where an older woman stood, holding a flashlight. I raised my hand and then dropped it back down.

Shit! I hurt everywhere.

But at least someone was here. I wasn’t going to die—not yet.

“Down here,” I groaned. “I’m fine. Just a little banged up.”

“Stay put. Don’t try to move! I’m going to call an ambulance!” she yelled.

“No,” I croaked. I didn’t do hospitals. “No, hospitals, please. Please don’t call for an ambulance.”

She wavered with indecision before calling back down to me. “Let me send my husband down there to help you up. Don’t try to move.”

A few minutes later, the woman’s husband was hauling me up the drop-off. I hated to admit how much I was leaning on him. I was too shaken up to assess my injuries, but it could have been so much worse. Aside from my wounded pride, I suspected my arm and neck were the worst of it.

“Oh dear,” she cried when she saw me. “We should take you to a hospital right away. Look at you.”

I took a deep breath and then stood on my own two feet. I rocked back and forth before regaining my balance. “I’m really…I’m okay.”

“You most certainly are not!”

“Please, I don’t want to make this a big deal.”

“You just fell off a motorcycle and down a hill!” the woman cried. “It is a big deal.”

“I’m sorry. I appreciate you helping me, but I avoid the doctor’s office at all costs.”

“Joe, tell him!” she sternly said to her husband.

“Sherry, we can’t force him to go to the doctor.”

“Yes, we can!”

“Thank you for your help. Honestly, I don’t know what I would have done without you, but I feel fine,” I lied. “How is my bike?”

The couple both frowned at that question.