3: He wants me

DEREK'S POV

The private chalet in the Swiss Alps is way too big for just two people, but somehow, Aleks still manages to take up all the space.

The driver brought us up the winding mountain roads two hours ago, dropped off our bags in the grand foyer, and vanished.

I drag my suitcase into the master hallway, glancing down the paneled corridor. Aleks is already standing in the doorway of the primary suite—the one with the massive balcony overlooking the snow-capped peaks and the king-sized bed.

"I'm taking this room," he says calmly, not even bothering to turn around as he unbuttons his coat.

"Like hell you are," I say, dropping my bag on the floor. "We toss a coin for it. That's how it works."

Aleks turns around slowly, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. His expression is completely blank, the exact same face he puts on for the post-race press conferences. "I arrived at the door first, Derek. It's efficiency, not competition."

"Everything with you is a competition, Mcray," I snap, taking a step closer. "You don't just get to claim the best bedroom because you walked faster. Move your stuff."

He looks at me for a second, his eyes tracking down to my chest before rising back to meet my gaze. An irritating smirk touches the corner of his lips. "If you want it that badly, you can try moving it yourself."

My hands clench into fists. He knows I can't start a physical fight here, Gunnar made it clear that any scandal during this trip means getting benched for the rest of the season. Aleks is baiting me, pushing my buttons just like he does every time.

"Keep the room," I bite out, stepping back and grabbing my suitcase handle. "I hope the mattress gives you back pain."

I kick open the door to the smaller guest room across the hall and slam it shut behind me.

By nightfall, the temperature drops drastically. The chalet is cold, and as much as I hate to admit it, I need to figure out how the heating system works in the main living space downstairs.

I pull on a hoodie, padded quietly down the hallway, and head toward the kitchen to grab a glass of water first.

The lights in the corridor are dimmed, casting long shadows against the walls. As I pass Aleks' room, I notice the door isn't completely closed—it's resting on the latch, leaving a narrow crack open to the dark hallway.

I'm about to walk past it when a muffled sound stops me dead in my tracks.

It’s a low gasp.

I freeze, my hand hovering near the banister. I tell myself to keep walking, to mind my own business, but curiosity wins.

I shift my weight, stepping silently toward the sliver of light spilling out from the room.

Through the narrow opening, I can see the edge of the large bed.

Aleks is lying on his back, the duvet kicked down to his knees. His shirt is tossed on the floor, his bare chest slick with a light sheen of sweat under the bedside lamp.

One of his hands is gripped tightly around the headboard, his knuckles white, while his other hand moves fast on his hard dick.

His head is thrown back against the pillows, his jaw tight, his breath coming in frantic hitches.

He looks completely unraveled, nothing like the cold, perfect robot he pretends to be.

I shouldn't be watching. I know I shouldn't. But I can't move my feet.

Watching his smooth skin stiffen as his hand moves faster. I swallow hard, unable to look away as one of his hands moves to pinch his left nipple.

Aleks lets out a breathless moan, his hips arching slightly off the mattress as his movement quickens. His lips part, and a strained whisper tears out of his throat:

"...Derek... fuck..."

My heart slams into my ribs like an engine hitting the redline.

I pull back from the door so fast I almost lose my balance, my breath catching in my throat.

My mind is racing at two hundred miles an hour, the sound of his voice echoing in my head over and over again.

He was saying my name.

Aleks Mcray—the golden boy, the pristine driver, the man who acts like I'm dirt on his shoe—was lying in bed, getting off, and begging for me.

A slow grin spreads across my face as the shock slowly wears off.

Holy shit.

Mcray wants me.

I finally have something on Aleks Mcray.

Something he won't want anyone to know.