Chapter 26
MIAMI, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
“ Y ellow flag in sector three,” AJ announced on the twentieth lap. “VSC.”
Virtual safety car. Meaning all twenty drivers had to decelerate and were forbidden to overtake until the green flag was brandished again.
Miles made haste to decrease his pace, listening to his ragged breathing as he held a firm grip over his steering wheel. He kept a safe distance from Rowan who was leading the race, following the route of his zig-zags to keep his tyres warm.
Rowan was extremely good on this track.
Miles would love to see his friend win, but he’d love to stand on that first step more. Off track, Rowan had become one of his closest friends, but the moment they were behind their steering wheel, helmet and racing suit on, they were rivals, fighting for the shiniest trophy. So, he would reclaim his initial position back once the yellow flag would end, and he was confident he could easily do it.
“What happened?” he asked, checking his rear-view mirror. Charlie was right behind him.
Good , he thought. Let’s make this a double podium for Imperium Racing.
“Two cars made contact. Nothing too bad. Just be careful with the little debris on the track.”
“Got it.”
Exiting the pit lane after a quick pit stop, Miles fell back into seventh place, right behind Hugo Bauer. He stayed aligned behind Hugo’s car to seek a slipstream, but the dirty air caused slight turbulences to rattle his car. When he gained the extra speed he wanted, he slipped on the inside of a corner and overtook, easily so.
Staying close, Hugo tried to attempt a similar strategy, but Miles was faster and swifter.
When Miles was close to overtaking the car in front, Hugo had managed to catch up, causing him to be sandwiched between two cars as they went through a turn.
Being able to anticipate Hugo’s moves, Miles accelerated and widened his trajectory as his rival almost touched his car with the rear wing of his.
“What the fuck is he doing?” he bellowed, drifting to the left to push Hugo out of his way. Their cars had almost come in contact, and the race could’ve been ruined. “He’s trying to go into me. Someone teach him to fucking drive.”
“Don’t curse on live radio,” AJ said. “And yeah, I saw.”
“Tell him to stay away from me, or else I won’t be gentle.” With a push on the throttle, he roared off the track, sparks igniting on the asphalt as he focused on claiming back his leading position.
“There’s something wrong with my tyres,” Miles said to AJ as he started the fifty-fifth lap. Three more to go.
Until now, the race had been quite boring save for his overtake on Rowan in turn seven as DRS had been enabled. He’d driven inside the corner, then put a gap of two seconds after passing in front and taking the lead.
“Checking,” AJ answered, unfazed.
Miles frowned as the back of his car lightly slipped when he drove inside a corner. “I just oversteered.”
“Everything looks fine… You already know that we’ve reduced the downforce, but I don’t think that’s the issue.”
“It’s not! I told you, it’s my tyres.”
“Check the management.”
He’d pitted about fifteen laps earlier. The hard compounds shouldn’t have degraded so fast. “I did.”
“Okay, Miles. Put mode fourteen on, and?—”
AJ couldn’t finish his sentence because Miles heard a hissing sound as his car trembled, then smoke came out from his front left tyre.
“Holy fuck,” he said, his heart pounding. Nevertheless, he kept on driving, maintaining the big gap between him and Rowan. “What happened?”
There was a beat of silence before AJ’s voice came through his earbuds. “Your tyre exploded. Like, literally.”
Miles didn’t know what baffled him the most: AJ’s nonchalance or the fact that he was still roaring off the track with only three wheels on.
“It blew off because of the heat,” AJ explained. “What’s your call?”
“What do you mean, ‘what’s my call’? I’m finishing the race and I’m winning it, man.”
“But—”
“Just fucking trust me.”
There were now two laps to go, and Miles was drenched in sweat, his head was pounding, and his heart was thundering too wildly for his own liking. He kept the grip on his steering wheel firm, his focus intact, and his determination unwavering.
End the race with one blown-off tyre? Challenge accepted.
Jumping out of the car, Miles pumped his fist in the air before sprinting towards his team that was waiting for him behind barriers. He got pulled in between arms and received pats of encouragement all over his back and helmet.
No matter how many races he’d won, his team would always cheer him on and treat him like he’d fetched the sun for them.
He slipped into his father’s arms who was smiling proudly—like he always was.
“Great job,” Henry murmured as he clapped the back of his helmet. “You impress me every day.”
“Thanks, Dad.” He squeezed his father tightly. “Love you.”
Henry smiled, pride glinting in his eyes. “Love you, man.”
Without his dad, Miles wouldn’t have been here. Henry had sacrificed so much, had given up everything to help Miles achieve his dreams. And despite the chaos in his own life, he’d never once lost faith in Miles.
Having his dad follow him around the world and cheer him on during races was a true form of encouragement, one Miles would always be grateful for.
He spun on his heel, planting his hands on his hips as he observed the damage on the black and gold car. He sighed, then chuckled when Rowan pulled him into his chest, clapping his back.
“You’re unbelievable,” Rowan said. “I was so close to catching up to you. How did you manage to be faster than any of us with a blown-off tyre?”
He unstrapped his helmet. “I don’t reveal my secrets to success.”
“Jackass,” Rowan muttered.
“When are you going to tell her?”
Finding whatever sliver of strength he could find deep within his bones, Miles looked away from Indy to find Ava’s curious gaze. The chatter continued to reverberate around the large table, but one particular laugh managed to fill his ears like music. Too powerless to fight the temptation, he glanced towards the end of the table where Indy and Thiago were laughing heartily.
He shrugged to answer Ava’s question.
“You like her, right?”
He sighed, unable to control the blush heating his face, and settled his attention on the plate that had just been deposited in front of him. “So much. I always have.”
“Ha! I knew it.” Ava nudged his elbow. “Took you long enough to admit it.”
Throwing a dirty glare at his friend, he grabbed a fork. “Just taking things slow. I can’t screw it up.”
“I’m rooting for you.” Rowan grinned from Ava’s other side.
“Thanks, bro.”
“Indy sort of got into an argument outside the washroom,” Ava informed quietly after taking a long sip of her wine.
Miles frowned. “What? With whom?” It wasn’t like Indy to pick up a fight unless she was provoked.
“Tara.” The mere mention of her name made annoyance roll down his spine. “I don’t know what the matter is with that girl, but she won’t leave Indy alone.”
“She’s just a jealous brat,” he bit out frustratingly. “What happened?”
“We were just leaving to come out here when Tara asked Indy if she was aware that dating you would discredit her objectivity.”
Scoffing, Miles met Rowan’s bewildered stare. “That’s bullshit.”
“Tammy needs to move on,” Rowan mumbled.
“You mean Tara?” Ava chuckled.
“Whatever her name is needs to stop acting like a child. Indy is allowed to date whoever she wants.”
“Did she take her claws out?” Miles asked, knowing all too well that Indy was perfectly capable of defending herself. She was excellent at staying professional, neutral, and objective when she was working. She would never let an envious coworker undermine her.
Ava smiled. “What do you think? Indy will always defend and stand up for you. She does it with so much class, too.”
He met with crystal blue eyes from across the room, bringing a smile to his mouth. That’s my girl. It would take so much more than petty remarks to let someone else step on her fire. Indy knew what she wanted, what she fought for, and there was nothing sexier to him than this empowering woman.
He winked, then turned back to Ava.
“Marry her,” Rowan said.
I will , his head responded.
Indy was slowly, yet surely, turning his cold heart into something that craved for a reason to beat. Consuming his every thought. Becoming nearly as important to him as racing.
His passion, his devotion for racing had never been beaten by anything or anyone. But his heart was screaming at him to give Indy the unoccupied space to be filled with something he had been craving for: happiness.
The realisation should have terrified him, but only now was he thrilled by this unnerving yet exciting feeling, helpless by the fact he wanted to be good for her. That he simply wanted her.
Step by step, he would hand out his heart to Indy. But was she willing to accept his demons? His scars? His past and broken pieces? The small smile she sent him from the other side of the table was proof that, yes, she wanted him. Armour and all.