His Biker Girl, Her Biker Prince.

TESSA.College is supposed to be the best years of your life. For me, it feels like prison, just without the orange jumpsuit.Every class is the same. Professors who think they’re gods, students who act like they’re auditioning for reality TV, and me, stuck in the middle wondering how the hell I ended up here. I didn’t come to Westbridge College to make friends or wave pompoms at football games. I came because it was far enough from home that my mother couldn’t breathe down my neck every second.Not that it’s been much better here.Take last week, for example. Business Ethics, Monday morning, and I was already late. I slipped into the back row wearing a short skirt, a cropped top, and my favorite black boots that click way too loudly on the tile. Half the class turned their heads, and I swear I could feel the judgment dripping off them like cheap perfume.Professor Grant paused mid-sentence, pushed his glasses up, and let his eyes crawl down my legs in a way that made my skin crawl. H

TESSA.My hands were still shaking on the handlebars, but I refused to let anyone see it. When I pulled off my helmet, silence fell like I had just slapped the whole damn club in the face.I knew I was going to lose. He was faster, smoother, and everyone knew it. The thought of eating his dust in front of the whole Serpents crowd made my stomach twist. I couldn’t let that happen. So I baited him. I bent low, pushed my ass up, and threw one look over my shoulder. The kind of look no man like him could ignore. And I saw the tiny twitch in his grip, the way his focus cracked. That half-second of weakness was all I needed. While he stared, I took the win.I let the rush of cold air hit my face, the taste of gasoline and smoke still clinging to my tongue. Then I smirked, lifting my chin just enough to make it sting.“Didn’t expect to lose to a girl, did you?”A ripple tore through the crowd. Some laughed, some cursed under their breath. A couple of guys shouted, “No way in hell!” while ot

TESSA.I walked into the lecture hall the next morning, earlier than usual.Scanning the rows, I spotted Nova in the middle column, headphones on, bobbing her head slightly to whatever track she was drowning in. A smile tugged at my lips as I slid into the seat beside her and tapped her shoulder.She tugged one earbud free, with a surprise look on her face. “You came early.”I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, because I passed out immediately I got home yesterday and didn’t wake up until five this morning. Yesterday drained me.”Nova smirked. “Not easy being a campus celebrity.”“Don’t even start,” I muttered, pulling out my phone. “I hate the attention. I just want to be invisible again.”Her grin widened. “You made it worse yesterday. Damien’s never gonna let that slide—”The room fell silent before she could finish.I glanced around, confused, and found every pair of eyes fixed on the door. Before I turned, Nova nudged my leg and murmured, “Speak of the Devil.”A hand landed on my shoulder, c

TESSABy midnight, I had already pushed the day behind me. School, the whispers, Damien’s smug face were all pushed down so deep it almost felt like it hadn’t happened. My throat still burned a little when I swallowed, but I refused to let it slow me down. I wasn’t giving Damien or Jaxson the satisfaction of living rent-free in my head.Nova wouldn't shut up until I agreed to go with her. “It’s time you got introduced properly,” she’d said. Over and over until I finally caved. So that’s how I ended up walking through the doors of their club.The place was bigger than I expected. Dark walls, low lights, music thumping steadily through the speakers. A haze of smoke drifted near the ceiling, and two guys by the door passed a joint between them like they’d been standing there all night. This wasn’t the kind of club you stumbled into by mistake. You either belonged here, or you were dragged in by someone who did.The minute I stepped inside, eyes turned. I felt them crawl over me. I didn't

TESSA.The lot was already packed when we pulled in. Cars filled every corner, headlights cutting through the night, and people were everywhere. Some leaned on hoods with bottles in their hands, others moved around in groups, their voices rising over the music blasting from somebody’s speakers. I’d seen races before, but standing here tonight felt different. It wasn’t just another ride. Everyone knew it.Ryder called out the names of the seven riders, his voice carrying over the crowd. Jaxson, Cole, four of the others, and then me. My name still didn’t sound right mixed in with theirs. The others had been at this for years, some of them legends on these streets, and then there was me, still proving I deserved the seat I was in. My stomach flipped, but I didn’t let it show.We rolled our bikes closer to the line. People stepped back to give us room, but I could feel their eyes on me, judging already. Some of them looked curious, some amused, like they couldn’t wait to see me crash. I k