The Biker Alpha Who Became My Second Chance Mate Chapter 80

Tristan's POV

I'd paused, staring into Sarah's eyes. She'd raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to respond to her question.

I'd nodded slowly, but apparently that wasn't enough for her.

"No, Tristan." She'd shaken her head firmly. "I need you to use your words. Do you love Athena?"

I'd stayed quiet, understanding exactly what she was doing. Sarah knew that if I said it out loud, if I actually spoke the words, I'd have to stand by them. She knew I wouldn't be able to stop until I'd made Athena mine.

"I'm waiting, Tristan. I need to get home to my husband. When you're ready to be truthful with yourself, you know where to find me."

She'd picked up her purse and headed for the door again. As her hand touched the handle, I'd finally found my voice.

"Yes. I love her."

The words had felt like they weighed a thousand pounds, like they'd been sitting on my chest for years waiting to be spoken.

Sarah had turned back with a raised eyebrow. "I can't hear you."

"I said I love her." My voice had gotten stronger, more certain with each word. "I love Athena Slade. I love Orion's little sister. I love her with every single thing I have."

I'd been breathing heavily as the words rolled off my tongue, like I'd just finished running a marathon. Sarah had smiled at me with what looked like pride mixed with relief.

"I don't think I'm the one you need to tell," she'd said before walking out, leaving me standing in my living room, panting like I'd just won the most important race of my life.

She was right. She wasn't the one I needed to tell.

I'd picked up my phone with shaking hands and dialed Orion's number. It rang once, twice, before he picked up.

"Hello, man. If you're calling to tell me you're drunk again..." Orion's voice had carried that familiar note of concerned irritation.

"I love Athena," I'd said, cutting him off completely.

Silence stretched between us like a canyon. I was already heading outside my room, my phone on my left ear as I tried to lock my door

"Hello? Are you there?"

"Does Athena know?" he'd asked finally, his voice surprisingly calm.

I'd been so shocked by his reaction that I'd almost dropped the phone. "What?" I asked searching for Sarah, who was no where to be found.

"I asked if you've told Athena how you feel."

"No. Wait, you knew?"

There'd been another pause before he'd spoken. "Of course I knew. I'm your best friend, aren't I?"

"And you said nothing?"

"What should I have said? Should I have forced you to see your own feelings?"

"So you're okay with this?" I'd asked, already heading for my bike keys.

"Who's my wife?"

"Sarah?"

"And who is Sarah?"

"Your wife?" I'd heard him let out a frustrated groan as I sat on my bike.

"Your cousin, you idiot." That had made us both laugh despite everything.

"You didn't refuse when I asked to marry your cousin. Why?"

"Because I trusted you with her."

"Good." I'd known he was nodding even though I couldn't see him.

"Because you knew I would never hurt her, right?"

"I knew you'd rather die than watch anything happen to her."

"I know that about you too. So stop hurting my sister before someone else starts treating her right."

"Thank you, man. That means everything to me, but I have to go."

I'd hung up before he could respond, already starting my bike and heading toward wherever Athena might be.

But then my phone had started ringing again.

I'd had to pull over to answer it, frustrated by the delay when all I wanted was to get to Athena and make things right between us.

"Hello," I'd said impatiently.

"I need you to come to the racing center. There's this new rider I want to sign and take international." It was Sam, one of my main sponsors, but I wasn't in the mood for business right now.

"Tomorrow."

"I need you to come now. This can't wait. I won't waste your time, I promise."

I'd hung up and reluctantly changed direction toward the racing center. I'd figured I could see whoever he was talking about quickly and then get back to the important business of winning back the woman I loved.

When I'd arrived, the race was already starting. Sam had walked toward me immediately, pointing toward the track with obvious excitement.

"That's her. The rider I want to sign and take international."

I'd followed his gesture and then stopped dead in my tracks, my blood turning to ice in my veins.

There, on the starting line wearing a black mask that covered everything but her eyes, was a figure I would have recognized anywhere.

Athena.

My Athena was racing? When had she started? How had she learned?

This was something I'd never known she could do, something she'd been hiding from me for weeks. From Orion too, I was sure he wasn't aware of this either.

My blood began to boil as the reality of what I was seeing hit me. This was dangerous.

Racing came with so many risks - I knew because I lived with them every day. I knew how many times I'd been injured, how many close calls I'd had, how easily everything could go wrong in a split second.

She could get hurt. She could lose her life.

I couldn't let her do this. Not when I'd just realized my feelings, not when I'd just admitted to myself that I loved her. I couldn't lose the person I loved again. I didn't think I'd be able to survive it.

But as I stood there watching the race begin, as I watched her lean into that first turn with perfect form, as I saw the natural grace and fearless determination that made her shine even among experienced riders, I'd felt my heart swell with pride and love and absolute terror all at once.

She was magnificent. She was brave. She was everything I'd always known she could be.

For a moment, despite my fear, I was proud of her. I was rooting for her.

She moved through the pack like she'd been born on a bike, taking calculated risks that paid off, making split-second decisions that kept her ahead of riders with years more experience. She was a natural, and it was beautiful and terrifying to watch.

When she crossed the finish line first, I found myself yelling and jumping happily despite the fact that I was furious with her for putting herself in danger.

I was so proud of how she'd held her ground, how she'd proven herself against tough competition. But we definitely needed to talk about this.

Then my eyes caught sight of her bike as she pulled off her helmet, smiling and waving at the cheering crowd. It looked familiar - exactly like the one I'd given to Derek because his girlfriend had wanted to learn racing.

Wait. If this was that bike, then...

I slowly took a step toward her, confusion and realization dawning at the same time.

But then I watched as she smiled and ran toward someone specific in the crowd. I watched her throw her arms around Derek, as he spins her around like she belonged to him, like she'd always belonged to him.

I watched them smile at each other like they shared some private joke.

Watched when he said something that made her laugh, that bright, genuine laugh I'd fallen in love with.

I watched when he lifted her mask a little off her face, no her mouth. And then he kissed her. He kissed her.

At that moment, everything inside me died.

It didn't hurt this much when I'd found Jess cold and lifeless on our dining room floor. This was different. This was worse.

This was a pain I couldn't name, couldn't understand, couldn't bear. It felt like someone had reached into my chest and torn out everything that mattered, leaving nothing but a gaping hole where my heart used to be.

My steps faltered and I stumbled backward, unable to process what I was seeing.

The woman I'd just confessed to myself of loving, the woman I'd been ready to fight for, to make everything right, was in another man's arms.

This was all my fault.

I'd lost her before I had the chance to make her mine. I'd lost her.

Only one word could come out of my lips, broken and barely audible.

"Athena."