Page 198 of Knot So Lucky

I watch him disappear down the corridor, my heart breaking for the pain he's carrying.

"Should we go after him?" Cale's voice drifts from the still-open conference room.

"Let him cool off first," Elias suggests. "He needs space to process, not us crowding him with good intentions."

"Fuck." Cale sounds exhausted. "I had no idea about Sera. He never mentioned her."

"Some grief is too heavy to share easily," Adrian says softly.

Roran tugs on my hand, gesturing that we should leave before the others emerge and find us eavesdropping. We move silently through the compound, finding an empty equipment room that provides privacy.

The moment the door closes behind us, I let out a shaky breath.

"Did you know?" I ask Roran quietly. "About Sera?"

He shakes his head. "Rumors, maybe. Whispers in the paddock about Luca losing someone years ago. But nothing concrete. Nothing like what we just heard."

I lean against the wall, processing the revelation. Everything about Luca's behavior suddenly makes horrible sense. The way he pushes me away then pulls me close. The fierceprotectiveness mixed with deliberate distance. The anger that masks fear.

He's terrified I'll die like Sera did.

"I need to talk to him," I say, pushing off the wall.

"Later," Roran advises. "Let him cool down first like Elias suggested. But actually, I have something to tell you."

The shift in his tone makes me focus on him properly. There's excitement mixed with apprehension in his expression, his ozone-and-linen scent carrying notes of both emotions.

"I officially got the deal," he says, and despite the heavy conversation we just overheard, genuine happiness breaks through. "Axel Creed's team."

Axel Creed—legendary racer turned team owner, known for developing young talent and building championship-winning operations. Being courted by his team is a massive opportunity, the kind most drivers would kill for.

But it also means Roran leaving.

Joining a different organization, potentially competing against me directly.

"That's amazing," I say, and mean it despite the tightness in my chest. "You deserve it. You've worked so hard for this."

"I'm torn," Roran admits, running his hand through his hair in a gesture I recognize as anxiety. "It's an incredible opportunity, but it means leaving you mid competition. Abandoning you when things are getting dangerous and complicated."

"You're not abandoning me," I argue immediately. "You're pursuing your dreams. That's completely different."

"Is it?" His storm-green eyes—identical to mine—search my face. "Because it feels like I'm choosing my career over my sister's safety."

The vulnerability in his voice makes my chest ache.

"I could step back," I offer quietly. "Let you take the spotlight this season. You could?—"

"Don't." Roran's voice is sharp, cutting me off. "Don't you dare suggest sacrificing yourself for me. We've had this conversation before, Aurora. This isyourtime. Your opportunity to prove what you're capable of."

He steps closer, gripping my shoulders with gentle firmness.

"I think Luca and the pack need this too," he continues. "They need to see you succeed, to validate their dedication to protecting you. And you need to prove to the world that you can actually win this competition—that you're not a sympathy case or a publicity stunt or any of the other bullshit people are saying."

His words hit hard because they're true.

"So you're going to go all the way through with this season," Roran says firmly. "You're going to race your heart out, win as many competitions as you can, and show everyone that Aurora Lane is a force to be reckoned with. Understand?"

I nod, not trusting my voice.