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ALEXANDER

W hen we arrived at Anna’s, Gia came barreling toward Lucia the second the door opened, her little arms outstretched.

“Mama!” she squealed, wrapping herself around Lucia’s legs.

Lucia scooped her up, peppering kisses all over her face. “Hey, baby girl. Were you good for Anna?”

Gia nodded vigorously, her curls bouncing. “We had a tea party!”

Anna appeared behind her, looking exhausted but smiling. “She’s a whirlwind, but she’s a sweetheart.”

“Thank you,” Lucia said sincerely. “I owe you one.”

Anna waved her off. “You owe me nothing. Go enjoy your day.”

I reached out to ruffle Gia’s hair. “You ready to hang out with us, kiddo?”

She grinned at me, her big green eyes lighting up. “Yes! Can we go to the park?

“Park it is,” I said, glancing at Lucia. “What do you think?”

She nodded, her smile soft but full of something that made my chest feel too tight again. “Sounds perfect.”

The day passed in a blur of laughter and easy moments. At the park, Gia dragged me onto the swings and made Lucia push us both, her giggles filling the air. We built a castle out of sand, which Gia declared was “the best ever.” I didn’t have the heart to correct her.

Lucia watched us with that quiet, loving expression that melted me every time. She joined in, of course, chasing Gia around the grass until they both collapsed in a heap, laughing.

By the time the sun started to dip, the three of us were sprawled out on a picnic blanket, Gia half asleep against Lucia’s side, clutching her favorite stuffed bunny.

“This,” I said, glancing between them, “is a pretty good day.”

Lucia smiled at me, her eyes soft. “Yeah. It really is.”

I didn’t know what the future held, but at that moment, I didn’t care. All I knew was that I wanted more days like this. More mornings waking up beside her. More afternoons with Gia’s laughter filling the air. More moments where everything felt this simple and right.

It was interrupted by my phone ringing. I peered over, wondering who would be calling when I had had Anna clear my schedule for the day.

“Hello?” I said into the phone.

“Wright, it’s Paul. I am here with Claudia and the rest of the team. We wanted to officially tell you the good news.” I felt my heart rate pick up.

“The contract will be hitting your inbox soon, but the Belen team would like to extend a two-year renewal to you as a valued member of our team.”

“Thank you so much, sir,” I replied. “It’s an honor, I’ll be sure to look over the contract as soon as possible.”

“We look forward to hearing back from you.”

“What is it?” Lucia whispered to me, nudging my shoulder. I pulled the phone down after saying goodbye.

“I got it.” I sighed, and her eyes widened. “I fucking got the contract!”

“You did!” She jumped up, her eyes were gleaming, and she jumped into my arms. I smiled in surprise, holding her close. “You did it.” She whispered it this time into my ear.

I took her into my arms, squeezing her close, then pulled back and kissed her. Kissing Lucia was like stepping into a moment that the world seemed to create just for us. It wasn’t hurried or uncertain; it was intentional, magnetic. The first brush of her lips was soft, tentative, like she was testing the waters, but even that small touch sent a charge through me.

She tasted like something familiar and entirely new all at once—sweet, warm, and intoxicating. Her lips were impossibly soft, but there was strength in the way she kissed me back, like she wasn’t holding back anymore. It made my chest tighten, my pulse spike, because I’d never wanted anything more than to be right here with her.

The way she leaned into me, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt, made every nerve in my body come alive. I let my hands rest on her waist, feeling the subtle curve of her body and the warmth of her skin beneath my fingertips. I couldn’t help but pull her closer, like I needed her to know how much I wanted her in this moment.

When she sighed softly against my mouth, it was like the last bit of restraint I had dissolved. It wasn’t just a kiss anymore—it was a language, a way of saying everything I hadn’t found the courage to put into words yet.

You’re incredible.

You’re all I think about.

I’m so damn lucky.

But it wasn’t just about me; it was about her too. The way she kissed back, the little hesitations, and then the boldness—it felt like she was saying something too. Maybe it was, I trust you . Maybe it was, I want this too.

When we finally pulled back, her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at me like I was the only person in the world. Her lips were a little swollen, her cheeks pink, and it was impossible not to grin at her.

“I don’t think I’m ever going to get tired of that,” I murmured, my thumb brushing over her cheek.

Her shy smile grew into something brighter, and damn, it was like I was seeing the sun for the first time. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t need to. Her hand slipped into mine, and that quiet, unspoken connection between us said everything.

“Alex, Alex!” Gianna’s voice broke through my thoughts as she ran over to us. I smiled at the little blonde whirlwind and reached out for her. “Look!” Gia’s excited voice brought me back to the moment. She had managed to build a surprisingly tall tower, her little hands holding the precariously balanced blocks in place.

“Whoa, look at that, Gia! That’s taller than you!” I said, making a show of how impressed I was. She giggled, delighted with herself.

“Taller than you too!” she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes, her gaze traveling up my seated frame.

“Are you saying I’m short?” I teased, raising an eyebrow. “Because I don’t know about that. I think I might still have you beat.”

Gia giggled even harder and dramatically shook her head. “No, silly! You’re huuuuge.”

I leaned forward conspiratorially, dropping my voice to a whisper. “Well, I am a giant, then. Do you know what that means?”

Her eyes widened, and she leaned closer, utterly captivated. “What?”

“I’m the best at knocking down towers!” I growled, and with one swift motion, I toppled the blocks with a playful swipe. Gia let out a delighted squeal and immediately set to rebuilding.

From the blanket, Lucia laughed again, shaking her head at the two of us. “Really, Alex? You couldn’t let her bask in her victory for more than ten seconds?”

“She’s a competitive spirit,” I said, shrugging with mock seriousness. “Gotta keep her sharp.”

Gia puffed out her cheeks at me. “I’m gonna build a bigger one this time, and you can’t knock it over!”

“Oh, it’s on,” I said, crossing my arms and pretending to look skeptical. “But it better be strong, or it’ll meet the wrath of the Block Destroyer!”

She gasped dramatically, her tiny hands flying to her cheeks before she dissolved into giggles. “Mama, help me! He’s too strong!”

Lucia got up and joined us, kneeling beside Gia and whispering some strategy into her ear. The sight of the two of them, heads close together, plotting against me, made my chest tighten in the best way. This was it—this was the kind of simple, unfiltered joy I didn’t know I needed until now.

Lucia glanced up at me with a smirk, her eyes sparkling. “We’re forming an alliance. You don’t stand a chance.”

I held up my hands in surrender, grinning. “All right, all right. I’ll let you two geniuses have this one.”

Gia cheered, and Lucia laughed, leaning back on her heels. Watching them like this, the ease they brought to my life, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude. The track, the pressure, the spotlight—they all felt miles away in moments like these.

As Gia threw herself into the task of rebuilding, glancing up at me with determined little smiles, I realized something else: I didn’t just care about Lucia. I cared about this—about them.

* * *

It was qualifying day in Brazil, and the energy in the garage was electric. The team buzzed with anticipation, fine-tuning the car after some upgrades that promised to push us higher in the standings. Qualifying well today could mean a podium tomorrow, and everyone was dialed in, myself included.

I was mid-conversation with Simon, mapping out race strategy, when I caught sight of her. My blonde whirlwind. Lucia walked into the garage, wearing a Belen Racing jacket that fit her like it had been made for her. My heart kicked up a gear. The way she moved, her confident stride, the easy smile on her face. It did something to me every single time. We hadn’t had a real conversation about this fake-to-very-much-not-fake thing we had going, but I had every intention of making that crystal fucking clear after the race. I wanted her to be mine.

Then there was Gianna, beaming up at everyone, clutching a Barbie dressed in a racing suit I’d found for her weeks ago. She held it high like a trophy as they weaved their way toward me, the crew parting like the Red Sea to make way for them.

“My favorite girls,” I said, a grin splitting my face as they closed the distance. Gianna didn’t hesitate, launching herself into my arms with the kind of boundless energy only a toddler could manage.

“How’s my girl?” I asked, poking her chubby little cheek.

“Good!” she squealed, her laugh filling the space around us. Her tiny hands latched onto my neck, her fingers brushing over the tattoo spread across my throat. She poked at the inky wings etched into my skin, her big eyes full of wonder.

“Will your wings help you win?” she asked earnestly.

“I sure hope so,” I said, trying to keep a straight face as my heart melted a little.

Lucia reached us then, her smile soft as she watched us. I extended an arm toward her, and she didn’t hesitate to step into me, her warmth pressing against my side. With Gianna in one arm and Lucia tucked into the other, the rest of the world faded away. It was just us—my two favorite girls.

Here, like this, I felt unstoppable.

“Good luck out there.” Lucia raised up on her tiptoes, brushing a kiss to my cheek, but I didn’t want a chaste kiss on my cheek, I wanted her lips, so I trailed my finger along her jaw and tipped her chin to me and kissed her.

“Thanks, angel,” I said lowly before kissing her forehead and turning to face Gianna. “All right, princess, be good for your mum, okay?” Gianna nodded as she held out her arms for Lucia, who took her.

“We’ll be cheering you on from here!” She waved.

The moments before a race were always the same: the controlled chaos of the grid, the hum of engines warming up, and my own heartbeat, steady but electric. This was my world. As I settled into the cockpit, the weight of the helmet pressing against my head felt grounding. I was exactly where I needed to be.

The engineer’s voice came through the radio, crisp and clear. “Final checks complete. You’re good to go, Alex.”

I flipped the switches on the steering wheel, my gloves firm against the grip, my focus narrowing as the lights on the gantry began to light up, one by one. The roar of the crowd melted away, leaving only the pulsing red lights in front of me and the snarling engine beneath me.

When the lights went out, the car roared to life. The wheels spun for a fraction of a second before finding grip, launching me forward. The g-forces pushed me back into the seat as I surged toward turn one.

The opening laps were a blur of precision and aggression. I slipped into a rhythm, each corner a calculated move—braking late, clipping apexes, and throttling out onto the straights. The car felt incredible, perfectly balanced, as if it were glued to the track.

The corners came fast, each one demanding complete focus.

By the final laps of qualifying, it was me versus another driver, fighting for P1. Every move was a gamble.

The last lap was a crescendo. My hands were steady on the wheel, but my heart pounded. Coming out of the final corner, the crowd was a deafening blur of color and sound. The car in front of me made a slight mistake, a wobble on exit. I held my breath as we nearly touched.

“P1, Alex! Incredible drive!”

I let out a yell, a flood of adrenaline and triumph coursing through me. The cooldown lap was a blur.

When I pulled into the parc fermé behind the P1 marker, I climbed out of the car, standing on top of it to soak in the cheers. Now everything came down to tomorrow; if I won one more time, then my points would be well ahead of Theo, making the sixth world title just a little closer.