Chapter 140
He was right. Under his guidance, I found myself improving rapidly, gaining confidence and skill I hadn’t known I possessed.
This routine continued for days. Training sessions that left me breathless and exhilarated, rides home where the tension between us grew thicker by the day. and mornings that started with flowers and ended with barely restrained desire.
Derek and I still talked, but something had changed. He was more distant, more professional.
I suspected it had something to do with the new rider he was training, but I didn’t pry. The dynamics between the three of us were complicated enough without adding more drama.
I’d decided to follow Sarah’s advice about giving Tristan a chance, but that didn’t mean I was going to make it easy for him. Mate bond or not, he needed to
earn my trust again.
And he was earning it. Every day, he was melting my defenses a little more, making me fall deeper despite my best efforts to maintain some distance.
Today was my eighth race since I’d started, and I was more nervous than I’d been for any of the others. This wasn’t just about proving myself anymore. This was about proving that Tristan’s training had been worth it, that his faith in me was justified.
The competition was fierce tonight. I could see it in the way the other riders moved, the aggressive confidence in their posture. These weren’t amateurs looking for a thrill. These were serious competitors who didn’t appreciate some newcomer winning race after race.
I ran through my pre–race ritual, checking Claire’s engine, adjusting my gear, centering my breathing. Tristan stood nearby, not hovering but present, ready
if I needed anything.
*Remember what we worked on,” he said quietly as I pulled on my helmet. “Trust your instincts, but don’t let emotion override technique.”
I nodded, feeling more focused than I ever had before a race.
The starting signal echoed across the track, and we were off.
This race was different from the beginning. More aggressive, more dangerous. Riders were taking risks they shouldn’t have been taking, making moves that prioritized winning over safety.
By the third turn, I understood why. There was money on tonight’s race. Serious money, the kind that made people desperate and reckless.
I held my position in the middle of the pack, waiting for my opportunity. Tristan had taught me patience, had shown me that sometimes the smartest move was to wait while everyone else exhausted themselves.
As we approached the final section of the track, I made my move. The gap I’d been waiting for opened up, and I shot through it like Claire had been launched from a slingshot.
The crowd was on their feet as I crossed the finish line, but something felt wrong. The other riders weren’t celebrating good sportsmanship like usual. There was an ugly energy in the air, something dangerous that made the hair on my armys stand up.
I parked Claire and pulled off my helmet, immediately looking for Tristan.
I couldn’t find him but I saw Derek and he was walking toward me with what looked like pride shining in his eyes, but there was something else there too. Something that looked like concern.
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15:19 Sat, Jan 10
Chapter 140
“Great race,‘ he said when he reached me, but his voice was tense.
“What’s wrong? Where’s Tristan‘ I asked, reading his body language.
“He said I should stay with you for a while, he needed to take care of something.”
‘What is going on?” I asked through gritted teeth. “What’s wrong?” he said nothing but looked at me with pity.
And I hated that look of pity.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
