Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
??LONDON, ENGLAND
S he hadn’t even bitten into her pain au chocolat when the door to her office burst open.
“Ava, what the hell is this?”
Not only was it Monday, but Nikki had to have the pleasure of tarnishing the start of her day by pointing out Ava’s faults.
Ava didn’t even know what she had done wrong this time.
She set her breakfast down, frowning. “What do you mean?”
“You don’t get to act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.”
Ava blinked. “I’m sorry, but I really don’t understand.”
Nikki’s footfalls echoed as she marched towards the desk and shoved her phone into Ava’s face. Ava thought she was about to collapse, yet she felt paralysed all at once.
Shit. Shit. Shit!
She blinked again. Inhaled calmness. Looked up at her boss only to see raw, pure rage etched upon her sharp features.
Before she could even try to explain herself, Nikki’s shrill reverberated off the walls. “This is unacceptable, Ava. Going out for drinks with your colleagues is one thing, but seeing the drivers outside of work is inadmissible. This kind of behaviour is not tolerated.”
Ava counted three heartbeats to process everything.
She hadn’t been aware that pictures of her and Rowan interacting on Friday were flooding the internet.
How could she have missed it?
She would have done anything to take most of them down. Would have done anything to protect Rowan’s image, because those pictures would certainly stain his reputation.
The blurry photo Nikki had shown captured the moment Rowan was busy pouring a shot down Ava’s mouth, his tattooed hand cupping her chin, their gazes locked.
Ava had no recollection of this particular moment, but in the back of her mind, she wished she did. To wonder what his hand would have felt like on her skin. To remember their banter. To properly thank him for everything he’d done afterwards.
Gabe had told her she had arrived home safely, thanks to Rowan.
“It won’t happen again,” was all Ava could utter. Because, honestly, what could she say? She knew her energy would go to waste if she tried to defend herself. Knew that no matter what she’d say, Nikki would still bring her down.
Nikki shoved her phone in the back pocket of her jeans and placed her palms on the desk. Narrowing her eyes, she pursed her lips whilst roaming her gaze over Ava’s frame, detestation brimming her pupils.
It was a true mystery why a woman in her mid-thirties loved tearing down her twenty-three-year-old employee.
Ava hadn’t been gifted with self-love and self-confidence, but she never allowed negativity and sombre thoughts to overpower her true self. But the way Nikki Bellinger looked at her made her want to crawl under her blankets and never see the light of day again. Made her feel like she wasn’t enough.
“Are you seeing Rowan?”
Ava reared back. Was that a hint of jealousy laced into Nikki’s voice? “Like, dating?”
Nikki dipped her chin in a sharp nod.
The accusation was pure madness. “Of course not. We just happened to be in the same pub and—”
“Good. You’re not allowed to date him.”
“I don’t—”
“Listen to me well.” Nikki was enjoying her power way too much—pointing her finger at Ava, using that patronising and condescending tone. “I won’t repeat myself. Interacting and fraternising with Rowan and Thiago outside of work is off-limits. This is a warning, understand? If you’re seen one more time having a drink, or playing golf, or shopping within a ten-metre radius of the boys, you’re out of here.”
Ava nodded frantically. “Totally understood.”
“It’s your job versus a man who doesn’t give a shit about you. Be smart for once.”
Right. The non-fraternising clause. No one on this team had ever taken that clause seriously. If Nikki knew how many of her employees slept together… Was she that oblivious? Nevertheless, Ava wouldn’t fight her.
Nikki didn’t add a word and turned around, exiting the room with the loud taps of her high heels resonating.
Ava breathed in. Breathed out. She needed to get her nerves settled before going into the first meeting of the day.
“You’re seriously going to let her talk to you like that?”
Cherry on top, Rowan Emerson had to bury his nose where it didn’t belong.
She met with hazel eyes, doubtful yet burning with flames of wrath, from across the room. He was leaning against the doorway with his hands in the pockets of his jeans, his expression hardening by the second.Angry, he looked dangerous. Lethal, almost. She nearly shivered.
“Get lost, Rowan. It’s none of your business.”
“That’s exactly where you’re wrong.” He stepped inside the office just as she leaned back in her seat, a lump building inside her throat.
“Elaborate.”
“If someone messes with you, you’ll be in a shitty mood, and then your performance at work won’t be as good as usual.”
Ava sighed. “I’m fine.”
“You’re fucking shaking, Avery,” he pointed out angrily, gesturing to her hands. “This isn’t okay. Why is she so mean to you?”
Ava had noticed that Nikki was this harsh only with her, and especially behind closed doors when her superiors weren’t around.
“I can’t answer that because I don’t know.”
“Tell you what,” he started. “I think she hates that you have such a good position and reputation around here. She hates not having the attention on her.”
She curled her fingers and dropped her hands to her lap—where he couldn’t see how badly she was trembling. “How much did you hear, anyway?”
She watched his jaw tighten, a tick in the muscle perceptible. “Pretty much everything.”
“I promise it’s fine. I crossed a line, so I’m just dealing with the consequences of my actions.”
Rowan took a seat on the chair opposite her, leaning back and spreading his legs. A lazy curl toppled over his forehead as he tilted his head and studied her, a furrow on his brows. “We both crossed a line.”
“I’m sorry.” She let out a long, heavy breath, freeing all the anxiety for a fraction of a second. She dropped her gaze to her untouched breakfast because she couldn’t bear the intensity, the unsolicited concern in his scrutiny. “I haven’t been on socials at all this weekend, but just know that I would have done my job to take those pictures down. I will get to it after my shift. I’ll make sure your reputation is still shiny.”
Too many heartbeats passed.
“Look at me.” There was nothing she could do with his demanding tone, the gruffness in his timbre, but to follow his command. “I don’t care about what they say about me, Avery. But the moment I see a fucking comment about you, I swear I’ll break a neck. They’ll have to go through me before even thinking of touching you.”
She swallowed tightly. “You don’t mean that.”
“I do. I’m the only one who gets to mess with you, you understand? If you see one mean comment about you, you tell me.”
She rolled her eyes despite the warm feeling flooding her chest. “I can defend myself.”
Rowan rubbed his jaw with ring-clad fingers. “I know you can.”
Ava cradled her cup of coffee—she needed to hold onto something. “That doesn’t mean I won’t do my job. You were seen partying with your PR officer,”—her voice caught inside her throat—“pouring some alcohol into her mouth. People might think you’re not professional. Or they might think something—”
She stopped herself because she couldn’t muster it out. Couldn’t even think about it.
Rowan seemed to understand the idea behind her train of thought and only nodded, jaw still taut with some sort of unreleased anger.
He lifted his hands in surrender. “I was out partying with my friends, end of the story. I promise you, sunflower,”—s unflower— “that it’s alright. It’s not a big deal. Nikki just reminded you of the non-fraternising clause and that’s fine. You’re a professional, you’ll respect those boundaries.”
She breathed out again, nodding.
Her mind was spiralling. She couldn’t fathom his sudden tenderness. Couldn’t think straight after what had just happened in the span of a few minutes.
Regardless, she appreciated how, slowly, he was starting to trust her. This was what their relationship was supposed to be about: trust—an F1 driver and his press officer; partners in crime.
Her voice softened as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Thank you, by the way. For, you know, driving me back home.”
His lips tipped upwards, that devastating dimple making its appearance. “Was it so hard to say? I’ve been waiting for your thanks all weekend long.”
“You were waiting for me to text you?”
Rowan’s gaze narrowed, but a glint of amusement was perceptible. “You should dream of more realistic things.”
“That’s basically what you admitted, though.”
“Stop being delusional, love.”
Silence fell, a slow smile spreading across her lips.
Damn him.
“You’re much nicer when you smile,” he stated with a wink, standing up and snatching the plate with her nearly-untouched pain au chocolat.“You should do that more often.”
Her eyes widened, but she couldn’t exactly ignore the tingles on her cheekbones. “Hey, that’s mine.”
His grin was smug, and he was back to being his usual self. “Not anymore.”
“I thought you were on a strict diet.”
Her remark elicited a wry chuckle. “Touché. See you at the photoshoot. And remember, I can snap a neck as quickly as I make the fastest lap around a racing track.”
Her day was ruined.
But Rowan would ruin her more than anything.