Alaric

The kiss turned into something far more passionate than I had ever imagined it could be.

Our mouths moved together with a desperate, hungry rhythm, tongues sliding and tangling as if we were both trying to claim victory in this unexpected battle.

Before I even knew what was happening, my back met the soft mattress of the bed with a thud. Nico was suddenly on top of me, his knees braced firmly on either side of my hips, pinning me down with his weight in a way that sent a fresh wave of heat straight through my body.

Seeing him like that—hovering above me, dominant and in control—instantly dragged up every single one of his shady, cocky remarks from when I had announced my comeback.

All the jokes about the track, bending me over, and making me his. I couldn’t help it.

A surge of pure, stubborn pride and rivalry shot through me. Even though my sprained ankle was screaming in protest, I grabbed his shoulders, used every bit of strength I had, and flipped us over in one swift, determined motion until I was the one on top.

My ankle burned like fire with the movement, and I winced sharply in pain, but I refused to let it show too much. I had to stay on top, and I had to be the one in control right now.

"What happened?" Nico asked, giving me a questioning look with those intense brown eyes that always seemed to see too much.

"I want to stay on top," I growled, my voice rough with both desire and defiance.

Nico’s lips curved into a challenging smirk beneath me. "Oh, really? You think you can handle being on top, de Villier? I have never been at the bottom in my entire life. Not once. Not on the track, and definitely not in bed. I am the one who is the king of the track, remember?"

I laughed darkly, even as I felt my pulse hammering wildly. "That is funny, because I have never been at the bottom either, Park. Not once. I have always been the one calling the shots, the one overtaking everyone else before the accident happened. You really think I am going to let you pin me down like some rookie driver who cannot hold his line?"

Before he could answer, Nico grabbed my waist and rolled us again with surprising strength, putting himself back on top in a single smooth motion. "You talk a big game for someone who was just moaning into my mouth a second ago. Come on, admit it—you want me to take control. You have wanted it since that night in the corridor."

I immediately hooked my leg around his and flipped us right back, ignoring the sharp stab of pain that shot up from my ankle. "Like hell I do. You are the one who has been throwing yourself at me with all those stupid jokes about bending me over. Now that it is real, you cannot handle me being the one on top, can you?"

Nico grinned, eyes gleaming with pure heat and mischief as he reversed our positions again, his hands pressing my shoulders into the mattress. "I have never bottomed because I have never met anyone worth letting take the lead—especially not a rival who thinks he can just waltz back onto the grid and act like he still owns the place. But go ahead—try to stay on top. I dare you."

We kept turning each other over like this, rolling across the bed in a heated, breathless tangle of limbs and robes while the banter flew between us. Each flip brought us closer, our bodies grinding together, cocks hard and straining against the thin fabric that separated us.

The sexual tension between us grew crazier with every second, and every time one of us gained the upper hand, the other fought back harder, our mouths crashing together between taunts.

"You are so fucking stubborn," I panted as I pinned him once more.

"And you love it," Nico shot back, flipping us again with a low laugh that vibrated against my chest.

We kept going like that, neither willing to surrender the position, until my ankle finally gave out.

A sharp, searing pain exploded through my leg as I tried to flip us one more time, and I winced hard, my face twisting involuntarily as I froze above him.

"Are you alright?" Nico asked with genuine concern as he gently turned me over.

I shook my head, still grimacing from the sharp pain radiating through my ankle.

He looked down at my injured ankle and let out a long sigh. "You are not supposed to move it like that. It should be healing, but because you were so determined to stay on top, you..." He tutted disapprovingly, shaking his head. "You are crazy, Alaric."

"Oh, shut up, Nico," I shot back, refusing to let him have the upper hand even in this moment. "There is no way I will let you be on top. We should settle this with rock-paper-scissors."

Nico’s eyes widened in disbelief, and then he laughed so hard that his face turned red. His curls bounced with every shake of his head as he doubled over, clutching his stomach. "What the hell? You want to do rock-paper-scissors to decide who should stay on top?" He scoffed, still laughing. "This is the second time you have asked to play this game, even though you were the one who called it childish the last time." 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"This would be the last time," I muttered stubbornly. I stretched my hand forward, ready to settle the matter once and for all. "Are you in or not, Nicholas Park?"

Nico rolled his eyes and let out a frustrated groan, but the heat and amusement in his gaze never faded. "Who would have thought that trying to fuck you would result in this game? I regret introducing you to it!"

I chuckled despite the lingering pain in my ankle and pointed at him with determination. "Are you ready?"

We threw our hands at the same time. Nico won with scissors beating my paper. He burst out laughing triumphantly, his eyes sparkling with victory. "I have luck in this game! I told you!"

"You cheated," I accused immediately, narrowing my eyes at him even though we both knew it was a fair throw.

Nico laughed again, the sound rich and warm as he clapped his hands excitedly. "We both saw it clearly. No cheating here." He leaned in closer, his expression shifting from playful to something much darker and more intense.

A sultry, crazy look filled his eyes as he stared down at me like I was his prize. "So, princess... how should I get started?"