And then Demitrios told me of Tia’s encounter with the shithead who’d approached her with his nasty proposition. The man had apparently been sent by Katalina. I felt my blood begin to steam.
“Where is he now?” I demanded.
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Konstantin said.
“When have I ever heeded that advice?” I asked him.
Then I spotted Katalina across the crowded lounge, her face twisted with malice. At the same moment I saw Tia. My Tia, working her way back through the crush of bodies, her figure almost gliding.
Beautiful and composed on the outside—a queen among commoners—but I saw stiffness around her eyes. She was hurt, wounded in some way, even though she was doing everything in her power not to let it show.
Without conscious thought, I pushed my way through the crowd, ignoring the startled exclamations and spilled champagne in my wake. I reached her just as she was about to disappear into another section of the VIP area.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Konstantin intercept Kayla. His hand touched her elbow, drawing her attention away from Tia and toward him.
The looks they exchanged spoke volumes. Something significant had changed in the last month. At any other moment, I would have been intrigued by this unexpected development, but right now, I could focus on nothing but Tia.
I grasped her shoulders, turning her to face me, then cupped her face in both hands. She looked surprised to see me.
“Santo! I thought you’d be with your team—”
I silenced her with a kiss, not giving a damn who saw or what they thought. Three days of longing, of physical separation, poured into that single moment of connection. I tasted champagne on her lips, felt her body yielding to mine.
“You won,” she whispered, when we finally broke apart.
“I had something worth winning for,” I replied, pulling her against me again, inhaling her scent. “I love you, aggelé mou.”
“I love you too, Chrys.”
Gradually, I became aware of the crowd forming around us. The members of the press corps that had followed me in from the racetrack were jostling for position, their cameras raised.
I heard the rapid-fire click of shutters, saw the blinding flashes reflecting off the glass and chrome fixtures of the lounge. All eyes were upon us, a hundred gazes burning into my back, and I knew those images would be transmitted around the world before the night was over.
I was happy about that and dropped to one knee. I kept my face tilted upward so my eyes never deviated from her face, making sure she could see me and nothing but me in this moment that would define our future.
Around us, gasps echoed and flashbulbs exploded, but I paid them no mind. This was something I needed to do, and nobody in the world was going to distract me from doing it.
Tia’s lips parted, and she began to shake her head. Her fingers came up to touch her lips and I knew she was overwhelmed.
A single tear escaped, tracking a glistening path down her cheek. But at least she didn’t run. That was a good sign.
There’d be people who thought this was too soon, that I was being hasty. My father would be furious. Racing sponsors would question my focus. But I was always audacious, on and off the track.
The difference was now, for the first time, I was absolutely certain about what I wanted. Right now, I didn’t give a damn about anything but the woman before me.
“I’ve raced all over the world, aggelé mou, but every finish line leads me back to you. You’re my victory, my championship, my everything.” My voice carried clearly through the sudden, breathless silence falling over the crowd. “Marry me.”
I slid the ring onto her finger, watching the diamonds sparkle. The world had narrowed to just her face, her eyes, and we were completely alone despite the crowded lounge surrounding us.
“Tia?” I whispered, hearing the uncertainty in my voice. “Angel, you haven’t answered me.”
She remained silent. A camera flashed nearby, its shutter sounding unnaturally loud in the expectant silence. I’d never felt this exposed. Not even standing on podiums before millions.
“Take your time,” I said, still balancing on one knee and holding her hand. “I’d wait forever for you.”
My heart hammered against my ribs. The longer she hesitated, the more doubt crept in.
Had I miscalculated? Moved too quickly?
