Page 131 of Rogue Riders Duet

My throat feels too dry, too tight as I register that. Yeah, I absolutely added to the shit sitting on his shoulders, even if he doesn’t know it yet.

I jolt out of my introspection when I realize Alaina is already two seconds in the green by the next split.

Two fucking seconds.

A buzz starts to hum beneath my skin, so intense it’s pushing away the guilt and nausea that have been there for the last four days. That’s what watching her tear down that mountain like she owns it does. And we’re the lucky ones who get to witness it.

No matter how fucked up things are between us, no matter how hard I’ve tried to shove her out of my head, out of my heart, it doesn’t stop this feeling from curling hot in my chest.

I’m so fucking proud of her.

She drops into the root section next, the one where most riders ease off to play it safe because no one wants to botch it here, not this close to the finish, but not her.

Full risk. Full send. No hesitation.

She barrels through it, and when she shoots out the other side, it’s not only clean, it’s faster.

Dane chuckles under his breath. “Holy shit, Speedbump.”

“Rookie! Rookie! Rookie!” The crowd erupts, the noise swelling so loud it rattles my chest.

Austria lives and breathes mountain biking, and the fans have shown up in droves, packing the sides of the finish stretch tighter than I’ve seen all season. Goose bumps lift along my skin.

The next time comes up green as well, and now she’s four seconds faster than Luc. I glance his way, half-expecting to see cracks in that cocky grin of his, some sign that watching his lead get torn apart is getting under his skin.

But he’s standing, arms thrown high above his head, cheering right along with the crowd, like she’s his goddamn hero. His eyes are lit up with no bitterness or jealousy, just pure, unfiltered joy.

What the fuck?

I blink hard and drag my eyes away, glancing left. Mason is slouched low on his seat per usual, arms crossed, chin tucked, but even the grumpy fucker has got a big-ass smile across his face.

The hell is going on?

At least Raine is predictable, scowling as he glares at the screen, maybe thinking he can stare hard enough to slow her down.

Not going to happen, asshole.

I tear my eyes away from him just as Alaina barrels into the final stretch, with one jump left, the biggest one on the circuit this season so far, maybe the biggest since Snowshoe.

The one that broke her.

I watch her approach that lip, my heart pounding so loud I can feel it in my ears, but she doesn’t even flinch.

She sends it, launching off that lip so fast, the drone camera lags behind for a heartbeat, struggling to keep up with the sheer speed she’s carrying. The feed stutters before it locks back onto her as she hits the ground clean, tucks low, and rockets toward the finish line.

First place, five whole seconds ahead of Luc.

Five.

The announcer’s voice cracks over the roar of the crowd, losing his mind as he shouts over the noise. “This is history, folks! Fastest time ever raced in Leogang!”

I’m still frozen in awe when Dane pulls me into his side, yelling over the crowd cheering, “Did you fucking see that?”

I knew it. Felt it in my bones.

That wasn’t just a win. That was Alaina Crews burning the whole damn mountain down.

She stays low over the bars, folded into herself, like she spent every ounce of strength she had getting to that finish line.