Chapter 2
Chapter Two
ROME
I’ve managed to fly under the radar for the last two months, and it’s been refreshing. In Montreal, I couldn’t even go out with a baseball cap on without someone noticing me. But here, on US soil, not a single person has given me a second glance.
The strip is too busy to be noticed. Las Vegas is packed full of tourists, showgirls trying to make a buck, and a load of people who should check themselves into Gamblers Anonymous. Or it could be because no one expects to see me here unless I’m behind the wheel of my car.
Or worse, no one has noticed me because Rome Pierce is obsolete after the crash that left F1 fans stunned to the point of silence. It didn’t take long for my spot to be filled.
My father came out with a statement shortly after the wreckage: My son is recovering well, and he will be back to racing at the start of next season.
The crash was due to a malfunction with his brakes, something the Pierce team is working diligently to avoid in the future.
For now, my stepson, Beau Pierce, will be stepping in to drive. Thank you for your concerns.
A malfunction with my brakes.
What a load of fucking bullshit.
I tug my hat down farther as I step out of the Uber in front of Vince Halston’s home. It’s not as big as I thought it’d be, but Vince never was one for flashy things.
I glance down both sides of the sidewalk, skeptical that this meeting is just the two of us.
Everyone knows that Vanstone is a family-run team. Vince is the owner, naturally, but all four of his sons work closely together with him.
Then there’s Tessa Halston.
Vanstone’s Princess.
I rap my knuckles against the door, my chest tight.
It opens within a couple of seconds, like he and Rose were waiting for me.
“Rome.” Rose smiles, and it’s quite honestly a slap in the face.
Beatrice, the woman who stepped in to be my mother just months after my own passed, has never smiled at me like this, with warmth and love.
Actually, I’m not sure she’s ever smiled at me unless a camera was present.
“Mrs. Halston.” I nod at her, my voice cold.
My guard slides into place. I’m on edge.
Rose’s warmth stays intact as she ushers me inside their home. The door latches behind us, and I give her a tight-lipped smile before she leads me down the long hall. I take the opportunity to scan my surroundings.
Framed photos of every Halston spawn over the years line the wall, mocking me all the way to the dining room where Vince is waiting for me.
Our eyes meet, and he stands from the table.
“I’ll leave you two to talk,” Rose says, backing out of the dining room as quickly as she came.
I watch her go, only to turn to see Vince standing before me.
He sticks his hand out while the other grips me firmly on the shoulder.
Months ago, I would’ve flung his arm away.
But now? I let it rest.
With hesitation, I place my palm in his. Both being dominant men, our grips tighten as we shake hands. As soon as we make our point, we let go, and I take a seat across from him.
Vince drums his fingers on the table. “Well?”
I slip the baseball cap off my head and place it in between us. My jaw aches, the pressure of my teeth grinding giving me a headache.
Fuck, this is painful to admit.
I clear my throat. “You were right.”
Vince doesn’t bat an eye. He knew I’d confirm his claims, as if the wreck that nearly took my life didn’t already.
“And?”
And what?
Does he want me to tell him how angry I am? Does he want me to vocalize how my own father risked my life to win, just to beat Vanstone Racing? He tampered with my car so I’d have a better chance at winning, just to prove that he’s better than his former best friend.
I swallow the bitter taste of betrayal on my tongue and ask the one thing I’ve been wondering for the majority of my racing career. “Is this why you left Pierce Racing?”
Vince leans back in his seat, eyeing me closely. A slight nod is the only thing I get for confirmation, and it’s because he doesn’t trust me.
Just like I don’t trust him.
Not to mention, we were both forced to sign NDAs with Pierce Racing—even me, despite the fact that I’m blood.
“I promised myself that if I ever caught wind of your father cheating again, I’d make sure to stop it this time. Hence the altercation you heard on the radio.”
I narrow my eyes as skepticism enters the conversation. “Why didn’t you go to the FIA years ago if you knew he was cheating? An NDA can’t legally stand when the FIA is involved in something like that.”
Vince sighs, the answer already on the edge of his lips. “Because I chose to go with the settlement. There were strings attached.”
I don’t doubt it.
“Like?”
“Silence,” he says. “And silence is survival in this business, Rome.”
As much as I hate to admit it, I understand.
I’ve been tight-lipped since the wreck, and it isn’t by choice. I know that if I speak up about what happened outside of the walls of our shop, there will be consequences.
A lot of backlash.
My own name soiled, my racing career down the fucking drain.
There are too many unknown variables.
I stare at Vince, and he stares at me.
So much has changed over the years, but he still looks the same despite a few wrinkles and, of late, a less-than-stable heart.
I went from considering Vince a second father one day to calling him my enemy the next, and that’s how it has remained for the majority of my life. But now, I’m sitting at his dining room table with my heart pounding like a fucking racehorse, because this meeting isn’t just to clear the air.
A stillness settles around us with words left unsaid.
He shifts in his seat and reaches for a manila envelope. It slides against the table until it’s in front of me.
“Take your time,” he says, getting up from the table. “I’ll be on the patio when you’re ready.”
My throat tightens.
I wait until he’s completely out of view before pulling the envelope the rest of the way across the table. My heart pounds harder when my finger skims the paper. I scan the proposal quickly, my blood running hot with each word.
The letters blur together, and it isn’t until I reach forward to grab the pen that I breathe easily again.
What was it that Vince said?
Silence is survival.
I’ll stay silent with Vince.
That is, until we win, fair and square.