Chapter 142
I looked between the two of them, completely lost. “Say what? What’s going on?”
Derek made some kind of hand signal and walked away without explanation, leaving me alone with Tristan and three unconscious men on the ground.
“Let’s go home, Tristan said, but I didn’t move. I stood my ground because I needed answers about what had just happened.
Tristan looked at me with a slight smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “You really want to know?‘ I nodded firmly.
“During the last part of your race, I heard people in the crowd whispering among themselves. They were saying you were sleeping with I and Derek, and that’s why we are allowing you to race even though you were supposedly just starting out. They were spreading rumors that your wins weren’t legitimate.
But I’ve killed the source don’t worry.”
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I stared at him, feeling mortified and angry at the same time. The accusation was both ridiculous and insulting, but I could see from the murderous look on Tristan’s face that he was taking it much more seriously than I was.
“You don’t have to let it get to you,” I said reasonably. “You know it’s not true, and I know it’s not true. That’s what matters.”
“It gets to me, Ath. Anything that’s said against you is said against me. Anyone who insults you insults me directly.”
“I understand that, but you can’t always react with violence. We’re among humans here. What would you do if you overheard regular people saying something like this about me?”
Tristan’s smile turned predatory. “Don’t underestimate me, Ath. I have influence and power in both worlds.” I knew, I never doubted him once.
I looked down at the man lying motionless on the concrete. “He’s not dead, is he?”
“His saving grace was that you were here to witness it, Tristan replied darkly. “Otherwise, this conversation would have had a very different ending.”
“What are you going to do with him?”
‘He’ll be joining his friends somewhere they can think about the consequences of running their mouths.”
I didn’t ask for details, and he didn’t offer any. I could read between the lines well enough.
‘Not just him, Tristan continued. “His two followers will be escorting him to the same destination.”
I didn’t say anything, and surprisingly, I didn’t feel any pity for them either. Every action had consequences, and they were about to learn that lesson the hard way.
I trusted Tristan to handle the situation appropriately. There were times to be strong and independent, and there were times to let the man you cared about take charge and protect you.
This was definitely one of the latter times.
‘Can we go now?” I asked.
Instead of answering with words, Tristan scooped me up into his arms like I weighed nothing at all.
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15:20 Sat, Jan 10 GR
Chapter 142
I yelped in surprise. What are you doing?”
‘Taking my woman home, of course. You won your race tonight, and you deserve special treatment.”
If this was the reward for winning races, I made a mental note to keep winning every single one.
Tristan carried me bridal style away from the unconscious men, leaving them lying there like discarded trash. I was grateful that this section of the racing center was deserted, because I would have died of embarrassment if anyone had seen us.
I made another mental note to ask Tristan about Derek later. There were clearly things about him that I feel was hidden, and his sudden shift from pursuing me romantically to protecting me for Tristan’s sake raised a lot of questions.
When we reached Tristan’s motorcycle, he managed to maintain his hold on me while retrieving our helmets with one hand. The man had impressive
coordination when he wanted to show off.
The ride to my apartment was surreal. Being carried like a princess, then riding behind the man who had just defended my honor with swift and decisive violence. It felt like something out of a fairy tale, if fairy tales included werewolves and underground motorcycle racing.
When we arrived at my building, Tristan carried me the same way up to my apartment. He even managed to unlock my door with one hand while keeping me securely held with the other, a feat of dexterity that shouldn’t have been as attractive as I found it.
I didn’t protest or ask to be put down. When would I ever have another opportunity to be treated like this? Most people never found someone who respected them enough to treat them like they were precious, someone who used their strength to protect rather than control.
Tristan carried me directly to my bedroom and gently laid me down on my bed. But instead of stepping back immediately, he stayed there, hovering over me with an expression I could read clearly read.
He was staring at me like he wanted to kiss me, and God help me, I wanted him to. Badly.
His eyes dropped to my lips, and I felt my stomach flip with anticipation. The air between us was charged with want, heavy with unspoken desire and the kind of tension that made it hard to breathe.
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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.
