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Before he could ask, she said, “When you fought Kingston, you were taunting him the entire time. Why didn’t you taunt Jagger or Hays when you fought them yesterday?”
He glanced at her. “I taunt everybody when I fight. Unless I need to keep quiet like when I took out Jorge and his guards.”
“That’s what I suspected. You love to taunt and joke. Were you too focused on winning?”
He thought about the fights yesterday and why he hadn’t taunted. “Usually I like to get in somebody’s head and prove that I can joke and still be the top fighter, but yesterday …” He looked at her and admitted, “I only cared about winning for you and I didn’t want to waste any time.”
“Thank you.” She gave him a brilliant smile.
He nodded and knew he should probably delve into why he’d acted differently when he was fighting for Chalisa. “Can you double time?” he asked, getting more anxious by the moment.
“Do you hear them?” She looked spooked.
“Not yet, but they’ll be coming at double our current pace.” He could feel their lead being eaten up. “They’re trained to run for miles wearing all their gear and carrying equipment and weapons. Running downhill like this, with no added weight, will be a piece of cake for them.”
“I’m not really a runner, but I can definitely try.” She picked up the pace and raced off at a near sprint down the riverbank.
Aiden smiled. He caught up to her and easily kept pace with her. Within minutes, she was breathing heavily.
“Slow down a bit and get into a rhythm,” he coached. “Focus on running smooth and let the decline help you. Lean into it.”
She listened, and though they slowed their pace, it wasn’t significant. Her breathing didn’t sound quite as laborious. He didn’t want to push her too hard, but he wanted her to win the money for her charity. Knocking a couple of SEALs down a peg or two would just be a bonus.
He could see the castle spires through the thick trees, and he started feeling even more optimistic, and then he heard it … footsteps. Racing toward them.
“They’re coming,” he said.
Chalisa let out a cute little squeal and ran faster. He kept pace with her. Maybe a quarter mile was all they had left. The footsteps were louder behind them. They were gaining.
“Chalisa, climb on my back.”
She kept running. “You can’t go fast enough holding me,” she panted out.
“Oh, yes I can.” He grabbed her arm and tugged her to a stop. She swung onto his back, clinging to him.
“There they are,” West yelled.
“Hoo-yah!” Lemuel crooned.
Aiden didn’t waste his breath throwing a taunt back. He took off at the fastest sprint of his life with Chalisa wrapped around him. Precious cargo for sure, and he had to beat the SEALs for her.
Lemuel and West’s pounding footsteps came behind them, louder than the river, but Aiden had been at a slow pace, not an almost-sprint for over two hours like they had. Now his muscles were warm, and he had plenty of reserves of energy. He also had more motivation to win. The SEALs were only fighting for their pride. He was fighting for the woman he loved.
Aiden reached the bridge that led into town and pounded across it. His footsteps slapped loudly on the cobblestone street. Seconds later, he heard Lemuel and West’s footsteps change to cobblestone as well. He upped his pace, each step a bit different than the last. Dangerous, but he overcame danger every day.
It was still early, but the streets were lined with people. They cheered loudly for Aiden and Chalisa. Aiden used their cheers and Chalisa’s weight to fuel him even more. He flew across the cobblestone and toward the final bridge leading to the castle. There was no pain in his legs, no shortness of breath that could slow him down. He was a machine, just like his dad had taught him to be.
He darted across the bridge, the SEALs both hot on his heels. He couldn’t hear their footsteps over the yelling of the crowd, but he could feel them.
Faster, faster.
He raced through the courtyard, seeing the surprise and joy in the faces of Kingston, Stuart, and Wes as they pounded up the castle steps and he almost slammed into the castle wall. He and Chalisa each slapped a hand on it.
West and Lemuel collided with the wall a fraction of a second later.
The crowd went insane. Everyone pressed in around them. Aiden slid Chalisa around to face him, slid off both of their headcams and handed them to somebody, and he kissed her. Nothing else mattered to him but her. Nothing.
They broke apart, gasping for air, and everybody wanted to talk to them, touch them.
