Chapter 22 #2
“Is a jerk.” I sniffle, a half laugh half sob catching at the back of my throat. “Just a bad angle, unfortunately.”
“Where are you now?” I can hear the concern in Nora’s voice.
“Standing outside the apartment block.” I sigh, tilting my head back and seeing the soft glow of the penthouses.
“I’ll buzz you up, and whatever you do, don’t go on your socials.”
“Okay, I’m walking in now,” I mutter, cutting the phone off.
Alexandre is on the door and greets me as I walk past. I try my best to give him a smile, but it doesn’t quite meet my eyes and I hate it. I duck inside, keeping my head down as I move for the lift. I know where I need to go, and I silently beg that I don’t bump into Royce.
Moving down the hallway, I knock softly on the door, and Nora pulls me into her embrace.
“You okay?” she asks me, dragging me inside and closing the outside world out.
“Yeah, I just feel stupid.”
She shakes her head, leading me into the lounge area. “Don’t feel stupid.” She sighs “I should have seen this coming,” she mutters as she lowers herself into the armchair.
I sit on the edge of the sofa. My brows furrow, tilting my head slightly to look at her. “Why?” Confusion laces her face.
“He asked me earlier to book you your own room…”
Nausea swims in my stomach. “What?” My voice is a whisper.
“But he made it sound more like it’s because he was worried. He was saying he would break the contract.”
I scoff a laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. “I’m done.” I hold my hands up, pushing from the sofa as I begin pacing the floor.
My fingers are pressed against my lips, my blood rushing with rage. My anger was simmering. Why was I so annoyed at him?
Because you caught feelings, my subconscious niggles at me.
“Don’t react.” Nora’s voice is calm, her fingers dancing over her phone.
“I’m angry,” I hiss, turning to look at her.
“I know… he is just being an idiot. I’ll get this cleared up.”
I shake my head. “I don’t want it to be cleared up. I want out.” My voice trembles. “I don’t want to be part of this anymore.” My voice cracks just as my phone begins pinging in my hand.
Hot F1 Driver, AKA Fake Boyf
Cowan?! WTF..
I roll my eyes.
Hot F1 Driver, AKA Fake Boyf
I swear, if those photos are real.
“Is that Royce?” Nora asks me, eyes burning into mine.
I angrily type back.
Me
What if they are? We’re not together… remember.
“Yup.” I toss my phone on the sofa as I tug my hair from its hairband and run my fingers through the roots.
“I’ll deal with him. Crash here for the night. I’m not asking you to go back to the original plan, but don’t fuck up your opportunity for your career because of a guy.”
I roll my lips. My phone beeps and I know I should ignore it, but I flashes with his name. It goes again. Diving my hand across, I pick it up and inhale heavily as I read his message.
Hot F1 Driver, AKA Fake Boyf
I did what was best for both of us. I can’t stand being this close to you without touching you, kissing you… fuck, baby… it’s too damn hard. I’m scared, Athena. Scared of these new feelings that are peeking through the darkest, deepest, crevices of my heart.
HoT F1 Driver, AKA Fake Boyf
You light the darkest parts of my soul, lucky.
My heart lurches in my chest. My lips turn down, my stomach rolling.
Before I can say anything, there is a knock at Nora’s door. Her eyes widen. She holds her hand up for me to stay where I am as she moves down the hallway. She snickers as she peeps through the spyhole.
“She’s not here, Royce.” Nora stands her ground
“You’re a shit liar, Nora.” His voice is thick and the sound of his feet moving down the hallway grows closer.
He looks frantic when his eyes land on me. Red rimmed eyes meet his, and I shudder on my intake of breath. Nora appears behind him and knocks her shoulder into him which causes him to tut.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers and I lock my eyes on my dark phone screen. “I shouldn’t have broke it off the way I did.” My throat burns at his words.
I’m so stupid getting upset over this. It wasn’t even real.
“I do still think it’s for the best, maybe not the breaking up, but the staying in the same room. We’ve got to be sensible, and fuck, Athena, I lose my mind when I am near you.” His voice sounds pained almost.
Nora stands behind him, looking slightly dumbfounded.
“But, staying away from you is unbearable.” He edges closer to me. “I can’t breathe when I am away from you.”
Nora whispers something under her breath.
“Don’t date Cowan. I get it if you don’t want to go along with this anymore, that’s fine. But don’t date him… anyone but fucking him.” The last part of his sentence comes out as a beg.
My heart throbs inside my chest. “I have no intention of dating Cowan.” I scrunch my nose. “But I would rather you just be honest with me. Nora told me about the rooms.” I pause as I stand up, stepping closer to him.
“Athena, I …”
I press my finger against his lips shaking my head softly. “It is a lot, and I would be lying if I hadn’t thought things have kind of felt different…” I trail off, my eyes burning into him hoping he gets where I am going with this.
He nods.
“I’ll still show up where you need me, but that’s as far as it goes.”
He goes to speak but I press the underside of my finger more firmly against his mouth.
“I came here to shadow you, learn the ins and outs of racing… and that’s all it will be.” My shoulders sag slightly as my finger drops. “Then, once I have everything I need, I will leave.” I swallow down the bile that is creeping up my throat, my eyes hazy as I lose myself in those crystal blues.
“Okay,” he mutters, pushing his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.
“I’ll sort a room out tomorrow, you can bunk with your friend now,” Nora says as she steps around us, side-eyeing Royce and I am struggling to read her expression. “The offer to stay here tonight still stands.” The words roll off her tongue and Royce’s eyes drop.
“Only if that’s okay?” I turn to Nora, giving him a soft smile.
“Of course it is.” She beams.
I am hoping that he asks me to stay with him one last night. But after the seconds turn into minutes, I realise it isn’t going to happen.
“Perfect.” I push a fake smile onto my face and step out of this awkward situation I have got myself into. It seems I am getting pretty good at faking it. “I am going to head up to my room and get an overnight bag. I’ll pack up tomorrow.”
Nothing. Again.
Nora mutters something as I walk for the door, and as much as I want to look back at him, I don’t.