Chapter 1

Chapter One

Aiden

M y family is part of the Mancini Mafia. As a family, we’ve gone through a lot. Fourteen years ago, my twin nephew and niece, Lorenzo and Giovanna, were kidnapped. It happened because of the feud between our family and the Laurent family, which was at its peak here in Illinois. My sister, Graínne, still holds out hope they’ll be found. No one dares tell her any different, even though the kidnappers sent us proof of their deaths.

Through all of this, I’ve had my élodie by my side. Meeting élodie changed everything for me. She gave me a new purpose in life. When we met, she was running from an abusive husband. She had a two-year-old boy, Emerson. He became my son in every way that mattered. We’ve endured so much together, more than any couple should. But we’ve made it out together, as a family.

It’s been twenty years since the day I met élodie and my life changed forever. Motorcycle racing had always been everything to me. But it had an end date. With élodie, there’s never been an end date. From the moment I saw her, I knew she was mine and we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. She’s given me five beautiful babies. Emerson is now twenty-three, Elias is seventeen, our twin boys, Easton and Ezra, are fifteen and our baby Eden, she’s thirteen. They all ride motorcycles with me and I love teaching them everything I know about racing.

One year into our relationship, I got into a really bad accident during a race and I lost my memory for a while. élodie stayed with me through it all. She even had to take care of our children while dealing with me and the trauma I was going through. I don’t know how she did it, but she did and I’ll always be thankful for her. She’s my m’anam—my soul. Even after all that, she never once asked me to quit racing. In fact, I remember her asking the doctor when I can start riding again. She knew that was the first thing I would want to do.

This season is my twenty-fourth year in the MotoGP championship. So far it’s been the best year I’ve ever had. My two oldest sons are racing with me. Last season, Emerson won the Moto 3 championship and this year he’s in Moto 2. Elias made his debut in the Moto 3 class. Three O’Connor riders, we’ve made the history books this season. I’ve decided that this will be my last year competing. I could keep racing, but the injuries I’ve sustained over the years are starting to catch up with me. And I feel like it’s time to pass the torch to my sons. It’s their time to shine and I want to be able to cheer them on one hundred percent of the time. But sharing this last season with both of them is also something I’ve been waiting for. I haven’t announced my retirement yet, I plan to do that this weekend.

We have a week and a half before our next race and I’ve planned a mini vacation for élodie and me. My plan is to take her to Ireland where I’ve rented a castle for seven days. We always talked about a getaway for just the two of us. But between my racing schedule and our babies, there never seemed to be time. Now, there’s no excuses. And élodie has no idea…well I don’t think she knows. One whole week alone with my love. One week for her to not worry about anything. Just to enjoy herself and relax. I can’t wait. And the best pa rt is if she likes this castle, it will be ours. I’ve talked to the owner and they’ve agreed on a price if élodie wants it. We already have a home in Ireland. But this is a castle.

élodie

My life didn’t work out quite the way I thought it would. My first husband turned out to be an abusive asshole. If he had shown me who he really was earlier in our relationship, I never would’ve married him. When I look back, if I had known and left him? I may not have my oldest son, Emerson. He knows about Chad, my ex…his sperm donor. But the only father that matters to him is my Aiden.

I ran away from Chad when Emerson was two and a half. He says he has vague memories of him, but the real memories come from being with Aiden. From the moment we met, Aiden claimed Emerson and me as his. I was afraid at first, afraid of making the same mistakes I’d run away from. But Aiden is nothing like Chad. Aiden showed me—and Emerson—what being unconditionally loved was like.

Twenty years later and I still get that excited feeling when I see him walk into a room. Or when I see his face pop up on my phone when he calls or texts me. Aiden O’Connor is my soulmate, one I never expected to find when I ran from my ex. Being with Aiden not only brought me him, it brought me a whole family. His family took Emerson and me in and embraced us like we’d been there from the start. Aiden and I had four more babies. At first I told him maybe two or three was a good number. He wanted seven or eight. We stopped when we had our little girl, Eden. She completed our family.

Aiden is a motorcycle racer, he was already a champion when I met him. I feel like this year is going to be like no other. Not only is my husband racing, my two oldest sons are racing in the same championship as their da. They’re making history this year just by being in the championship together. I’m so proud of my boys.