Page 376 of Rogue Riders Duet

The finish corral is blurred around the edges from sweat and adrenaline, and maybe the fact that my body is one heartbeat away from collapse. I ride it out, arms locked, knees loose, chain still dragging uselessly.

And then it’s all finally behind me.

The finish line.

The season.

Everything.

The speaker blares, the words somehow sounding like they’re underwater and crystal clear at the same time.

“Unbelievable! Number 21, chainless, and still into the green!”

One breath, another.

“We have a winner in Snowshoe, and the new overall World Cup champion. Mason Payne!”

The crowd detonates. Screams, chants, chainsaws, and something that sounds suspiciously like fireworks drown out the pounding of my heart, but it’s still there, still kicking like it wants to crack open my ribs and climb out into the sunlight.

I don’t celebrate.

I don’t scream.

I just sit back on the bike, chest heaving, hands shaking, and let it hit me like the mountain hasn’t already.

I won.

I fucking won.

“Holy hell!” the announcer shouts over the speakers. “I have never, never seen anything like this. A privateer winning the World Cup overall? And chainless? History was written today, folks!”

My entire existence flips into slow motion as I turn and see it.

Green.

One point two seconds faster than Luc.

The width of a tire.

Shite.

He’s going to hate this.

But then Luc barrels across the finish line and yanks me off the bike like I weigh nothing, arms locked around me in a full-body tackle, proving me wrong. We hit the ground, and he grins at me like he won, eyes shining with victory.

“You fucking did it!” he shouts before yanking off my helmet and goggles. Then he pushes my sweaty hair back, our eyes lock, and the world around us stills. Luc glances at our position, then cocks an eyebrow as if to say, Remember when I tackled you like this at the beginning of the season?

I run my gloved hands all over him, anywhere I can reach, and hope the look on my face says, I can’t believe we’re here now, but I couldn’t be more thankful for it.

His eyes warm, and just like that, I know⁠—

We’re fine.

Better than fine.

Finn and Otis rush to us, elated grins on their faces. Together, they haul me off the ground and onto their shoulders. The world spins, the noise roaring louder than any coherent thought.

But then I hear her over all of it. Alaina is screaming my name with both fists in the air. Finn and Otis run me to her, and she grabs my ankle, holding on tight with those big Bambi eyes glistening.