36. Everest
Everest
We’ve split into two groups again. The actors and other film crew on one side, and the team on the other.
I’m still in shock from the morning's events, and I’m finding it difficult to process even a normal conversation. I’ve already been told twice to leave because they think I’m ill.
Even though we made love for another hour, it still feels like it ended too soon. But I changed my clothes, wiped the car down, thoroughly mopped the floor and hid the roller in my truck so no one else could ever find it.
I’ve walked around wide-eyed all morning, and the only reason I refuse to leave is because Harmony is still in the garage, acting like nothing happened. Jaxx leans against his own car, watching her with the same smile on his face he had when he thrust into her mouth.
Standing there, I numbly hold a screwdriver, even though all the cars are already made up and ready to go.
I’m a train wreck. My routine was ruined. I asked Diego and two other technicians to check Maddock’s car so that nothing could go wrong. I don’t trust anything about myself today.
I don’t know how Harmony and Jaxx can both act so normal. Five hours ago we were lying on the floor, right where I stand, and Harmony was moaning on top of me while Jaxx and I came with her. She smiled at me like I was everything to her, and now she seems so far away that I might never reach her.
I shake my head, trying to get life back into focus, but it feels like I need to lie down for twenty years before returning to life.
“Everest.” I jump at the gruff voice beside me. “You don’t look too well.”
I feel like a cat that has fallen into a lake and has to wait for someone to rescue me. And Maddock won’t be the one to help.
“It’s been a long morning,” I croak. I’ve barely spoken to anyone because my throat is raw from moaning. I didn’t even know that was possible.
“How's the car?” he asks without a glance at his vehicle. His gaze is completely fixed on Harmony, and I can tell what he’s thinking.
She said she was Maddock’s scent match, but Maddock doesn’t know about all of us.
From the way he talked to me last time, he’ll most likely explode when he finds out. But all he does is stand right where Harmony’s knees anchored her on my cock and watch the way she talks and laughs with the rest of the film crew.
I clear my throat. “It should be ready to go in an hour. We need to run through the last tests and then I’ll clear the car for start up,” I reply, my voice monotone like a robot.
But he doesn’t notice. He doesn’t even see the way Jaxx looks at us both. His grin deepens, and he smirks at Maddock’s expression.
I really don’t want Jaxx to come over and start a conversation. I feel awkward enough as it is.
Maddock bends over the car, pretending to be interested even though his gaze is still on Harmony.
Until he freezes, and takes in a deep breath, and a low growl rumbles from him.
I don’t think my eyebrows can get any higher, but up they go as Maddock slowly rises and looks at me with quiet anger.
“Why does my car smell like this?” he asks, venom lacing his voice.
I freeze, my gaze jumping over the car. I cleaned it at least two times so there was no trace of her. There shouldn’t be anything left. I even ran my nose over it to make sure.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I reply flatly. “I can’t smell anything.”
If Maddock finds out about us now, the races could be ruined for the entire weekend. We have two more left, and all we need is 36 points for Maddock to win.
I’ve already betrayed him in one way. If I tell him and he loses the race, that will be like betraying him all over again.
Maddock presses himself against the car, running his nose over the edge. He slides back and forth, almost rubbing his body against the car the same way Harmony had rubbed her breasts on my chest.
He keeps sniffing deeply, and I swear at one point I even hear him moan. And all I can do is stand here and stare at him and try to work out what’s going on.
There are too many people in the garage, and I don’t want to draw attention by asking him to stop. The only two people who have noticed are Jaxx, who looks elated at whatever weirdness is happening before me, and Harmony, whose cheeks flush bright red as she watches.
Is there anything else I can do to stop him? From any other position, it looks like he’s rubbing his crotch against the cockpit.
I didn’t think I would ever have to physically remove a driver from the outside of his car because he was getting turned on and spreading too many pheromones. Some drivers love their cars, but not like this. Or at least not in front of people.
I repeatedly end up in awkward situations like these, and all I really want is to focus on my work.
Maddock suddenly shoots up as if he’s been struck by lightning.
“Everest,” he hisses, coming in close enough that I actually flinch. “Are you lying to me?”
I turn my head away from him, unable to avoid him.
“Tell me why the inside of my car smells of Harmony’s slick?” His voice is so quiet that only I can hear him.
I only cleaned the outside because I couldn't imagine her slick landing all the way in there. I’d been too overwhelmed by the entire experience to tell when I was cleaning if what I scented was slick or part of the afterglow.
I look to Jaxx for help, but he’s leaning back and enjoying himself.
“Everest!” Maddock raises his voice, heads turn, and my hand shoots out, grabbing his arm, squeezing hard.
“Please don’t be so loud,” I whisper, glancing around to see who noticed.
I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I wasn’t prepared for this.
Maddock, Jaxx, and Harmony have had media training and had learned how to address conflict.
But my only role is to give presentations on the different aspects of our team and vehicle performance.
How am I supposed to approach this when people are watching?
Maddock will be out on the track in five hours, and anger makes him reckless. But keeping him safe is one of my priorities, along with protecting Harmony.
“Harmony is…” My chest tightens as I try to force the words out. “Harmony and I…” I don’t want Jaxx to get in trouble either if I can avoid it.
I can’t breathe. It feels like my heart is being clenched by guilt as I try to meet Maddock’s eyes.
Harmony said that they had broken up three years ago, so why do I feel like this? Because he made it clear he still has feelings for her, and because I’m the one he trusted to talk to about his ‘friend’.
Jaxx has said multiple times that he wants to be a pack, but if Maddock joins the pack, will he ever actually forgive me?
Maybe I’ve ruined absolutely everything, maybe there’s no hope for us, maybe I should just stop thinking about it and try to respond to Maddock instead of having an internal meltdown.
“Maddock, Harmony and I are—”
“What are you two doing?” Jacob suddenly cuts in between us.
I gasp as the pressure releases, and Jacob claps a hand on Maddock’s shoulder, easing him away from me.
“We’re just having a friendly conversation,” Maddock says gruffly.
“Then why does Everest look like your prey?”
Maddock gives him an awkward look, and I want to thank Jacob for freeing me.
“Are you bullying poor Everest because you’re in a mood? He’s the reason you won first last time, so don’t have a go at him now.”
“He’s not the reason I won, and you know it,” Maddock growls, but Jacob just gives him a cheery smile.
“Are you okay?” Jacob asks me. “You really don’t look that well.”
If a third person says that to me, maybe I should listen, and take advantage and escape.
I nod, returning the screwdriver to my trolley with a clang.
“It’s been a stressful morning,” I agree as Jacob looks at me sympathetically.
“Don’t feel guilty for taking a day off. You deserve rest. And I need to talk to Maddock anyway.”
As I go to clear up, both Jaxx and Harmony send me questioning looks from their different places in the room. I shrug off my jacket, holding it up, shaking it so she knows I’m leaving it for her. I love the idea of her entire wardrobe covered in my jackets.
She grins at me, giving me a nod before turning back to her director, and I feel like I've done at least one good thing this morning.
Jaxx gives me a look as I leave the garage. I’m sure he wants to talk more about being a pack, but I just need time and space to adjust to what happened between the three of us. And prepare myself to tell Maddock what we did.