Chapter 7 #2
“Angel.” He smirks, kissing her cheek. “I missed you.”
“Got a bit of separation anxiety?” Ryder lifts a single eyebrow, leaning against the counter with an arm on either side of where his wife is sitting.
My brother scoffs. “You’re one to talk, King. When’s the last time you were away from Blake for more than a few hours?”
Ryder grumbles and Blake smothers her laugh. “We work together and we are married.”
“Excuses. Excuses. Excuses,” Jace sing-songs.
“Whatever. I’m obsessed with my wife and I’m not sorry about it.”
I snicker under my breath and dip my head. His cologne surrounds me a moment before I feel the warmth of him at my side as he leans against the counter.
“Hi,” I whisper.
Lawson smirks. “Hi.”
“How was the meeting?”
He opens his mouth to answer but the sound of thundering feet cut him off as my nephews rush into the kitchen.
“Mummy!”
“Mum!”
“I’m hungry.”
“Me too.”
“Me three.” Jace throws his hand in the air and looks around at each of us.
Kinsley backhands his chest playfully and smiles down at their boys. “Well you’re in luck. The soup is almost ready.” She looks up at the four of us. “I made enough for everyone if you all want to stay.”
Beckham sucks in a short breath and turns to us with wide eyes. “Please!”
Cooper hops next to him. “Yeah, please! Mummy made Granny Rose’s chicken and dummings.”
“Dumplings, sweetheart.” Kinsley brushes her son’s wild hair out of his eyes.
Blake shrugs, sharing a look with her husband. “Beats having to grab take away on the way home. Pretty sure there’s nothing but baking soda in our fridge right now.”
“Mmmm, what a great snack.” Jace fake gags. Ryder reaches across the island and grabs a loose towel, throwing it at him.
“Aunt Sydney?” Beckham comes over to my side, flashing me puppy dog eyes.
I sigh dramatically. “You know I can’t say no to your pouting face.”
“I know. That’s why I’m doing it.”
My jaw drops. “You cheeky little—fine. Of course I’ll stay for dinner.” I wink at Kinsley. “I’ve been drooling over the smell of it for the last ten minutes, anyway.”
Cooper slides over to the silent man on my right. “Will you stay, too, Uncle Lawson?”
He smirks down at the adorable boy and ruffles his hair. “Of course I will.”
When Kinsley announces that it’s ready, we all gather at the dining table. I suppress a moan when I take my first bite, the cozy flavors bursting on my tongue.
My brother doesn’t have as much restraint as me though.
“Lord, it’s like a warm blanket wrapped around my tummy.” He takes another heaping bite.
I catch Lawson shaking his head out of the corner of my eye and turn. We share a look and I smile, taking another much more reasonable spoonful of the delicious soup.
“So, how did the meeting go?” Kinsley asks, handing her fiancé a napkin without having to even look to know he’s got food all over his face.
Even his boys are getting more in their mouths rather than on them.
Lawson clears his throat. “Mitch was fuming at first.”
Jace swallows, wiping his mouth. “He had one of the articles printed out and everything. It was all very dramatic.”
“Essentially, he was on my side with how I reacted but he wished it wouldn’t have been as… publicized. Because although it was for the right reasons, this is all still bad press for the team since the whole story isn’t out there.”
“Maybe I can—”
“No.” He turns to me. “You telling the police is already more than enough. You don’t need to do this. You don’t owe anyone else anything.”
But I owe you… more than everything.
The tip of his finger brushes mine from where our hands lay on the table. “I don’t want you to do something you don’t want to do just because it’ll make me look better. All I care about is that you’re okay now. I’ll be fine. Okay?”
“Okay,” I whisper.
He nods and turns back to the table.
Ryder leans his elbows on the table. “So what’s the plan then?”
“He basically said that I need to revamp my image. I need to give the fans and the sponsors what they want.”
“Which is what?” I ask.
I don’t miss the uneasiness in his eyes as he turns to look at me. “More of me.”
My eyebrows furrow. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, they want me to do interviews, post on socials, basically all the shite I’m currently not doing. They want me to be more—”
“Approachable. Personable. Likeable. Someone you’d take home to nana.
Less dark and twisty.” Jace ticks each off on his fingers, pausing when he notices the entire table glaring at him.
He flashes a bashful smile. “They want him to be seen as more than just the brooding machine with a permanent scowl, essentially.”
Lawson’s jaw ticks. “Essentially.”
“I thought people loved the bad boy type?” Blake asks and I nod in agreement.
Hi, I am one of those people!
“It’s a balance, I guess. I can still be myself to an extent but any more bad marks and I can kiss the possibility of a renewed contract goodbye.”
“What?” we all demand at the same time.
He shrugs. “Makes sense, honestly. Why would they want to chance signing someone who taints the team’s image if they can get someone else who will jump on command without even asking how high.”
“But—”
“It’s okay, sunshine.”
“No. They want you to be something you’re not, for what? Views and reputation? How about the fact that you’re one of the top drivers in the world? Shouldn’t that be enough?”
“Apparently it’s not anymore.”
Leaning back in my chair, I cross my arms in determination. “Then I’m going to help you.”
“What? No. You don’t—”
“Yes I do. This is all because of me anyway. So, I’m going to help you clean up your image like they want. But we aren’t going to turn you into someone you’re not. They can have their ‘reformed’ Lawson all they want, but you’re still going to be you.”
Jace points at me. “Give ‘em hell, little sister.”
Smiling, I turn to Lawson. “Do you trust me?”
His eyes dance over my face and the corner of his mouth tips up. “Always.”