Chapter 122
¥32%盤
I turned to see a man in his forties approaching us, well–dressed but with the weathered hands and confident stance of someone who spent serious time
around motorcycles.
There was something in his eyes that made me instantly wary – not threatening, exactly, but calculating.
“Hi,” he said, extending his hand for a shake.
“Hi,” I replied, but kept my hands at my sides. Something about his approach felt too familiar, too presumptuous.
“Fierce. I like that,” he said, apparently amused by my refusal to shake his hand.
“Sam, what do you want?‘ Derek’s voice had taken on a protective edge as he moved slightly between us.
“Just wanted to say hello to your rising star here,” Sam replied, but his eyes never left mine. “I’m Sam Rodriguez, and I have performance out there. How come I haven’t seen you race before?”
There was something in his tone that suggested this wasn’t just casual interest. This felt like a business approach, like he was sizing me up for
something.
by your
“Thank you,” I said simply, then turned to Derek. “I need to head home.”
The adrenaline was starting to fade, and suddenly I felt exhausted. The emotional and physical intensity of my first real race was catching up with me,
and all I wanted was the quiet sanctuary of my apartment.
“I’ll take you home,” Derek said immediately, then looked back at Sam. “If you’ll excuse us, I need to take my girlfriend home.”
I didn’t bother correcting the girlfriend reference. Derek had been using it as a protective measure for weeks now, and frankly, I was too tired to care
about the details.
Sam nodded, but I could see he wasn’t giving up entirely. “Perhaps we can talk another time,‘ he said to me. “I think you have potential that goes far
beyond these local races.”
The ride home was quiet, both of us processing what had just happened. Derek walked me to my door but didn’t push to come inside, sensing that I
needed space to myself.
The moment I reached my bed, I collapsed onto it fully clothed and fell asleep instantly.
The past few weeks had been a whirlwind I never could have imagined. That first victory hadn’t been a fluke – I’d won five more races since then, each one building my confidence and reputation in the racing community.
The attention was both thrilling and overwhelming. I’d had different people approach me after each race, wanting to be my manager, my sponsor, my
gateway to bigger things.
One man had even suggested I consider going international, racing in competitions across Europe and Asia.
“You have natural talent that can’t be taught,” he’d said. “With the right suppert and training, you could be competing at the highest levels within two
years.”
The offers were tempting, especially when they came with financial packages that would set me up for life. But something held me back from making
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20.23 Thu, Jang – an
Chapter 122
any commitmentss
火包 32%日
Maybe it was the fear of losing the simple joy 1 found in racing, or maybe it was the practical concern about what would happen if Orion and Tristan
found out.
So far, I’d managed to keep my racing secret from both of them. Our schedules never overlapped – Tristan raced on different days, and I’d been careful to avoid any events where he might appear.
At work, we maintained a coldly professional relationship. He avoided me like I carried some contagious diseas, and I was grateful for the distance.
But I knew I couldn’t keep this hidden forever. If I wanted to take racing seriously, to maybe pursue some of those international opportunities, I’d need Orion’s blessing.
He was my family, someone whose opinion mattered to me, even if I was determined to make my own choices.
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20:33 Thu, Jan 8
The Biker Alpha Who Became My Second Chance Mate
