Page 22 of Twisted Trails (Rogue Riders Duet #2)

I think about how she told me what the loss of her husband did to her, and I nod. “I get that.” And then I hesitate, but I ask anyway, because I need to know. “What about Mason?”

Luc’s hands tighten on the wheel again, just for a second, but I see it. “Payne…” he says, thoughtful. “Mason was different, yeah, but I never considered him a friend.”

“What then?” I ask, bracing for the answer.

He exhales through his nose. “More like a hate-love thing? I don’t know. We fought. A lot. But it never felt empty. We sparked.”

“Okay.” I try to stay casual even as my brain is whirring. “Do you think of him as a friend now? ”

Silence for a beat, then another, until a weird feeling in my chest rises, but Luc’s eyes are on the street in front of us.

“You said you were stupid for me, but stupid for Greer too. Right?” he asks hesitantly after so long, I almost thought he didn’t hear me.

“I did,” I admit. And I still feel shitty for it, even though it’s the truth.

“What would you say if I told you I feel the same? About you… and Mason.”

What?

I blink at him. “You do?”

“Yeah, I think I do, and I get it, what you feel for Greer, even while you still feel the same for me. I’m not going to ask you to choose, Petite .

I don’t want you to choose.” I stare at him, my heart swelling and breaking at the same time.

“I want you to have everything you’ve ever wanted and needed in this life, Alaina.

Everything that’s good because you deserve it.

You need it, and I need all the help I can get to make you the happiest person on this planet. ”

I choke up, my throat tight with tears that sting but don’t fall.

“And if that’s with Mason beside me…” Luc says, voice softer now, “… as a friend, or more, that’s your decision.”

Wait, what?

“Why would that be my decision?”

“Because I’m not putting my happiness over yours.”

I stare at him in disbelief for a long moment, then snap, “Oh, shut up.”

He glances over, his brows lifting. “What?”

“Shut the fuck up, Luc.” I laugh despite the emotion clawing up my throat. “As if I don’t want you to be happy. As if I don’t want Mason to be happy. As if I don’t…” my voice catches, “… as if I wouldn’t support the two of you together . ”

He huffs, shaking his head, smiling now. “Yeah. That was fantastic, by the way.”

“What was?”

“Your medicated brain yelling at us to kiss.” He smirks. “Very subtle.”

“Shut up .” I laugh, then ask before I can stop myself, “Did you… kiss?”

I don’t know if I want the answer. Or maybe I do. I just don’t know whether I’ll like it.

Luc glances over, then back at the road. “No. I wanted to talk to you first. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

Of course, he didn’t. I should have known that Luc would put my feelings over his in this matter, but how stupid is it that I feel this burst of relief? Like I’m clinging to some piece of him I don’t want to lose.

Would I lose him to Mason?

What if I’m the one left outside?

Still, I don’t let it show, for his sake. “The only thing that would hurt me is if you didn’t do that. I want you to kiss him. I want you both to be happy together. Kiss. Date. Do whatever. Be in a relationship if that’s what you want.”

I mean it. I think I do. It’s just, God, it’s hot when I think of them together, but when it’s not just a fantasy anymore? When it’s real, and Luc might fall for Mason the way I fell for Luc? The way I’m starting to feel about Mason too? But only for him.

I shake it off and push it down. That’s not what this is about. This is about trust, choice, and not being afraid of love just because it doesn’t look like everyone else’s.

Luc reaches over and takes my hand, his thumb stroking lightly over the back of it.

“I want all of that with you , too, Petite ,” he says quietly. “I want to be in a relationship with you . I want to be happy with you . ”

I look at him, heart suddenly thudding in a whole different rhythm. Part fear. Part awe. All tangled up in the stupid, complicated truth of what I want.

“Okay, then let’s be happy,” I say it like I believe it, and I’m not scared to death that I’ll end up third-wheeling the very thing I pushed for, but I do mean it.

I want them both to be happy. I want that for all of us, and maybe, if I say it enough, I’ll start to believe it—the idea that Luc can have the choice between the two of us and still choose me too.

He stills for a second. “You mean…”

I nod again, my heart thudding. “Honestly? Yesterday, I was still convinced my life was over in four weeks. Now, if I’m really committing to living this life, then I sure as fuck want to live it the way I want.

So yeah. You can be with Mason, and you can be with me.

You can have both of us, if Mason’s okay with that, I mean. ”

Luc smiles. “I don’t think he’ll have a problem, but I’ll talk to him.”

“Great.”

Is it though? I mean, yes, I love that for them. For us. But part of me is still bracing, afraid of what happens when lines blur and love starts multiplying. What if I just handed Mason over on a silver platter? What if Luc falls harder for him than for me? And what about Finn?

Before I can spiral too far, Luc speaks again—like he’s been eavesdropping on my inner chaos.

“And you can have Greer.”

I snort. “I don’t think I want him anymore.”

Luc snorts, too, louder than I just did.

“Fine,” I mutter. “I don’t let myself want him anymore, and I don’t think Dane would allow it anyway.”

Luc shrugs. “Let that be my problem.”

“Ugh. Whatever.” I glare at him. “You changed the subject. We weren’t done talking about your dad. ”

Luc smirks, not letting go of my hand. “Are you changing the subject now? From Greer?”

“Maybe.”

He squeezes my hand gently and lets me off the hook. “Well, there isn’t much more to say. He did what he did, and I can sympathize, but I’m not feeling that way right now.”

I nod, a little relief seeping through. “I’m glad to hear that. But… you did once?”

Luc’s voice drops a little. “I did last year. When shit happened with Mason. I felt so fucking bad. I pitied myself, you know? Because I lost that thing we had, the fire, the fight, and I think, somewhere in my head, I thought my whole career was over, and at that point, it was everything I had.” He laughs softly, self-deprecating.

“I was actually thinking about it, but I was also very sure I wouldn’t do it, mostly for my maman , but I felt like absolute shit.

Then, after a race, when the rumors were flying and everything was messed up, I was walking through Val di Sole and passed a pet shop.

I don’t know why, but I went in. I’ve never wanted a pet. Never been that guy.”

He turns onto a more rural road, and the car starts to shake and bounce over the cobblestones.

“I got to the cages, and they were all empty, except one. One cage, one rat. Tiny little guy. He looked miserable, sick, and alone. Like he’d already given up. Just like me.”

A soft smile tugs at Luc’s lip. “And I thought… non . We can do this together. Me and him. Toulouse taught me how to take care of myself because I had to take care of him . He saved me and kept me sane. At least until I met you .”

I don’t even try to stop the sting in my eyes. “Sounds like I’m gonna have to try to like that little guy.”

Luc huffs a laugh. “You already love him.”

I squeeze his hand, because yeah, maybe he grew on me .

“How are you feeling?” Luc asks softly after a beat of silence, still holding my hand. “You just said you wanted to commit to living this life?”

“I do.” I tilt my head and let myself think about it. “And right now I think I’m feeling strong enough.”

“But?”

“But I don’t know how it’ll be when the pain comes back. I mean, the heavy painkillers for my fingers are doing their job. I’m not feeling the hip, the ribs, everything that’s usually there. Right now, it feels doable, but when they wear off? I don’t know.”

“Okay.” Luc’s thumb strokes over my knuckles. “Then we make sure you get those painkillers until we’re through the season, and the World Cup’s over. I’m sure we can ask the doc tomorrow at your appointment.”

“Sure.” I agree easily because that was the plan anyway, since the fingers need six weeks to heal. What worries me is the aftermath, when the fingers are healed and the season is over. “But, what happens after?”

The car comes to a stop, and Luc turns to look at me fully. “After that, we find a way to keep you going. Whatever it takes. I’ve got you.” Something in me cracks, and I blink fast, halfway crying again, but he just adds, “We’re here.”

I look around, disoriented. Luc just cut the lights, it’s pitch-black outside, and I realize I haven’t paid attention to where we were going.

“Where are we?”

“It’s a surprise.” He grins. “Can you do me a favor?”

“Anything.”

My quick answer makes him grin. “I want you to close your eyes.”

He reaches across me, his fingers brushing the seat belt release. It clicks free, and I swallow hard as he leans a little closer.

“I’m going to get out and open your door, and when you hear it open, I want you to take a deep breath, hold it, and don’t breathe again until I tell you to.”

I feel my nerves jump. “Luc…”

“You can do that for me, right, Petite ?”

I nod, my heart racing. “Yeah. I can do that.”

His hand finds my chin, tilting my face to him, and his eyes glow in the dim cabin light as he whispers against my lips, “ Tu es parfaite. ”

Then he kisses me softly, a promise tucked between breaths, and I can’t help but lean forward, following his lips when he pulls away too soon.

When I hear his door shut, I don’t open my eyes. I stay still and wait for him to come back for me.

Like he always does.