The Biker Alpha Who Became My Second Chance Mate Chapter 60

I stared at him suspiciously. That cough had sounded fake to me, like he was trying to cover up laughing or maybe keep himself from saying something he shouldn't say.

"Let me get you some water," Sarah called from the kitchen, having heard all the commotion.

"I'm fine, really," Tristan said, but his eyes were still watering from all the coughing.

"Mommy, can we play house now?" Lily asked, clearly bored with all the adult conversation happening around her.

"Sure, sweetheart. Why don't you take Uncle Tristan and Aunt Athena to your playroom?" Sarah suggested, wiping her hands on a dish towel as she came into the living room.

"Come on, come on!" Lily wiggled in my arms until I put her down, then grabbed both my hand and Tristan's hand to drag us toward the back of the house.

As we walked, I caught Tristan looking at me with this expression I couldn't quite figure out. It wasn't exactly amused anymore, but it wasn't serious either. It was something in between, something that made my heart speed up all over again.

"Just like any other night, huh?" he said quietly, so only I could hear.

I felt my cheeks get hot again. "Shut up," I whispered back.

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to."

He laughed softly, and the sound made something flutter in my chest. Even when I was embarrassed and flustered and completely out of my comfort zone, he could still make me feel like maybe everything was going to be okay.

During the play session, I watched the way Tristan was with Lily and couldn't help but stare at him. He'd have been such a good dad.

It was heartbreaking to think he never got the chance to hold his own child. My eyes started to water, but I held back the tears.

"Mommy, come here!" Lily called me, making me pause a little. Tristan's head shot toward me immediately, his face worried.

But I smiled instead of getting sad. Even though I'd lost my child, I had children in Lily and Liam. They filled a space in my heart I thought would stay empty forever.

"I'm here, baby," I said, walking toward her and tickling her. Her laughter filled the room in seconds, bright and infectious.

I didn't know how long we stayed in that playroom, but Sarah had to drag us out because lunch had turned into dinner without any of us noticing.

I lifted up Liam immediately when I saw him and kissed his chubby cheeks, making him giggle. "Mama wanna eat," he said, his words still unclear but his meaning obvious.

He loved food just like his dad and uncle. Some things definitely ran in the family.

Tristan and I spent the whole day at Orion's place. We finally decided to leave when it was getting late and because Tristan had a race to get to.

When we got to the racing center, I parked my car in their lot. The parking fee was huge, but if you didn't pay it and something happened to your car, that was your problem.

I made a mental note to never bring a car here again. Maybe I should get a bike instead. The idea actually excited me.

"Good luck," I called after Tristan as he headed to the starting point. I knew he didn't really need it because he was incredible at what he did, but I wanted to say it anyway.

I had another reason for following him here tonight. I wanted to watch how he raced, see how he balanced through all those dangerous turns.

I also just loved watching him ride. There was something about the way he moved with the bike, like they were one machine instead of two separate things.

There were seven riders today, and I silently prayed they weren't all planning to gang up against Tristan like the last time.

I focused my gaze on the starting line as the whistle echoed across the arena. All the bikes shot forward together like bullets from a gun, but my eyes never left Tristan.

The track was brutal tonight. Sharp turns that could send you flying into the concrete walls if you took them too fast.

Long straightaways where riders could hit dangerous speeds before having to brake hard for the next curve. Jumps that launched the bikes into the air, and if you didn't land just right, you'd go tumbling across the asphalt.

Tristan started in third place, but I could see him calculating his moves. He wasn't rushing, wasn't trying to push ahead too early. He was being smart about it.

The first turn was coming up fast, a sharp right that am sure had claimed more than one rider over the years. The guy in first place took it too wide, and Tristan slipped past him on the inside like it was nothing. Now he was in second.

"Damn, he's good," someone said beside me, and I glanced over to see a man in his late twenties with dark hair and an expensive leather jacket.

His brown pretty eyes looked familiar but I didn't bother trying to figure out where we'd met, I turned my gaze back to what or who was truly important.

He was watching the race, but I could feel him looking at me too.

I didn't respond, keeping my attention on the track. Tristan was closing in on first place now, staying right behind the lead rider through a series of S-curves that made my stomach clench with worry.

"You're Athena, right?" the man continued, moving closer. "I'm Demon. We met the the other night, remember?"

"Mm-hmm," I mumbled, not really listening. The riders were approaching the first big jump, and my heart was in my throat.

Tristan hit the jump perfectly, his bike sailing through the air in a smooth arc. He landed clean while the guy next to him wobbled dangerously, almost losing control.

That was Tristan's opening, and he took it, pulling into first place as they entered the next turn.

"He's something else, isn't he?" Jake said, apparently not bothered by my lack of attention. "Been racing here for five years, and I've never seen anyone ride like that."

The other riders weren't giving up, though. I could see them regrouping, working together to try to box Tristan in. Two of them moved up on either side of him while another stayed close behind, waiting for their chance.

This was the dangerous part. When riders worked together against one person, things could get ugly fast. I'd seen crashes before where someone got squeezed between two bikes and went down hard.

"Come on," I whispered under my breath, my hands clenched into fists.

They hit the back stretch, and that's when the other riders made their move. The one on Tristan's left tried to push him toward the wall while the one on his right closed in from the other side.

It was a classic squeeze play, designed to either make him back off or force him into a crash.

But Tristan didn't panic. He never did. Instead of fighting the squeeze, he did something I'd never seen before.

He suddenly braked hard, letting both riders shoot past him, then immediately gunned it and slipped between them before they could react.

In the span of about three seconds, he'd gone from being trapped to being free and clear in front of both of them.

The crowd erupted, and even I couldn't help cheering.

"Incredible," Jake muttered, shaking his head. "How the hell did he..."

"Shh," I hissed, not wanting to miss anything.

The final lap was starting, and the other riders were getting desperate. One of them tried to ram Tristan from behind going into a turn, but Tristan saw it coming and swerved at the last second. The guy who'd tried to hit him ended up going too wide and nearly crashed into the barrier.

Two more riders tried to sandwich him again on the home stretch, but this time Tristan was ready for it.

He waited until they were committed to the move, then suddenly accelerated beyond what should have been possible. His bike shot forward like a rocket, leaving both riders behind to fight each other for second place.

He crossed the finish line a full bike length ahead of everyone else, and the crowd went absolutely crazy.

I was jumping up and down, screaming his name, completely forgetting about Damon or anyone else around me. Tristan had won, and he'd made it look easy even though I'd watched six other riders trying their best to take him out.

As he did his victory lap, he pulled his helmet off and shook out his dark hair. Even from the stands, I could see him grinning. When he looked up toward where I was sitting, our eyes met across the arena, and he raised his fist in the air.

My heart did this crazy flip in my chest, and I found myself grinning back like an idiot.

This was the second time I'd watch him race but it felt like it was the first.

"You two make a cute couple," Jake said, and I suddenly remembered he was still there.

"We're not a couple," I said quickly, feeling my cheeks heat up.

Jake just laughed. "Sure you're not. That's why you've been ignoring me for the past twenty minutes to stare at him like he was something special."

I was something special. He was special. I wanted to say to him but I held myself, it'll look suspicious if I do.

"The last time we met, Tristan introduced me as his sister." I said turning my gaze back to Tristan who was heading towards me.

Yes, I remember him. The moment he said his name, I remembered he was the handsome dude that wanted to get close to me that night.

Tristan friend and partner.

"So that means I have a chance then?" I turned my face towards him immediately, with a raised brow.

"I'd like... us to go out one day..."

"What is going on here?" I heard Tristan voice from behind me.