Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
ROME
I chuckle.
Is she serious?
Tessa’s hips sway with purpose toward the simulator. She stops right in front of it and flips her long hair over shoulder before climbing down into my seat.
“You’re done for the day, right?” she asks, feigning sweetness.
I meet her fluttering eyelashes and coy smile.
It’s a test if I’ve ever seen one.
She’s baiting me and trying to manipulate me into dragging her out of my car so I’ll keep practicing, but the only thing her fiery attitude is tempting me to do is throw her over my shoulder and plop her sassy ass on the desk to show her who’s really in charge.
I flick the image away. “And miss out on proving you wrong?”
She scoffs, and I’m drunk on excitement.
“Let's see what you’ve got, Princess.” I sit on the edge of the desk lined with monitors. I glance at the presets. They’re the ones she recommended yesterday. The same ones I argued with.
I should let her do her job, but coming from a different racing team, I have a wealth of knowledge that those at Vanstone don’t possess, unless, of course, the cheating was going on for far longer than I realized and all the things I learned were skewed in a way that isn’t possible.
The buzzing of the sim’s engine pulls me back to Tessa.
Why does she seem so comfortable in my seat, as if she’s born to do this?
She clearly trusts her abilities as a driver and engineer, which is what this is all about.
You have to trust your car…and your team.
As of right now, I trust neither.
Tessa takes off, and I sit back to watch silently, ready at a moment's notice to prove my point. Except, the longer she drives, the more agitated I become.
After the second chicane, I’m eating my words.
Fuck.
I glance at the monitor and then back to her driving.
The data proves it.
She’s right.
Fuck me–she’s right.
“Impressive, huh?”
I jerk against the chair, and Van comes into view.
When did he get here?
I lean farther back, and Beck is here too.
My body heats. I was so engrossed in Tessa driving that the rest of the world shut off. I no longer had control of my surroundings, kind of like when I’m in the middle of a race.
“She’s alright,” I say, refusing to fully agree.
“I heard that!” she shouts. “I’m better than alright, and you know it.”
Beck makes a noise of frustration. “I’m glad she doesn’t drive, ‘cause she’d be the star driver of Vanstone instead of any of us.”
Funny. I was wishing the opposite, because watching her drive like this is mind-blowingly hot.
Van clicks a few buttons on the computer, and sure enough, it improves things and completely derails my recommendations.
I can thank my father and the rest of Pierce Racing for that.
After she finishes, she jumps out of the sim and stares directly at me. I stay neutral, each muscle on my face steady and unreadable.
Nothing needs to be said.
She knows she won this one.
“Hey.” Van stands up from the computer, his hands digging into his pockets. “I need a favor.”
Tessa’s shoulders drop. “Vivi?”
He rubs at his neck, something I do when I’m stressed too. “Yeah.”
The angry lines on her forehead smooth, her expression softening. “I'll go get her. We’re done here anyway.”
Van’s eyebrows dip. “You are? I was going to stay and work out some kinks in exchange for your help with Vivian.”
Tessa shoots me a scornful look, and I know she’s about to throw me under the bus, so I quickly beat her to the punch.
“Tess said she needed a break,” I lie. “But I’m good to keep going.”
Her jaw drops, hands flying to her waist.
Van doesn’t notice. “Alright. Give me a few to grab the rest of the guys.”
Her brothers exit the room, leaving me all alone with their sister. Goody.
“What are you playing at?” she snaps. “Don’t you want to win?”
Is that even a question?
“Or are you just trying to sabotage Vanstone?” She huffs. “Why did my father bring you on to race for us? I don’t understand! Is this some stupid test to see if I’m capable?”
It’s a fucking test alright, but I’m not sure she’s the one being tested.
Tessa stomps past me. “Figure your shit out,” she grumbles. “We leave for the first prix in less than a week, and you’re not ready.”
I jut my hand in her direction, before she’s too far away, and collide with her hip. She pauses, her chestnut eyes flinging to mine.
“The car isn’t ready,” I argue.
Her pretty pink lips flatten into a scowl. “You’re wrong, Rome. The car is ready…” She shoves my hand away. “But we’re not.”
I force a hot swallow down my throat and watch her go.
She said we’re not ready, and I’m not sure how I feel about us being grouped together like that.
The door slams, and instead of our spat putting me on edge with worrisome thoughts of our upcoming prix, I’m buzzing with energy.
Arguing with Tessa is more exhilarating than it should be, and it’s beginning to fill my head with all sorts of insane thoughts when, in reality, I should be thinking about how I’m going to beat my father’s team instead of how I’m going to continue to drive my head engineer crazy.
Tessa’s right.
I do need to figure my shit out.
I shift my Lamborghini into park with the sun still hidden behind the night sky and walk toward the office. The building is wider than it is in height, the sign that reads Vanstone mocking me the entire walk toward the door.
It’s been weeks since I’ve joined my rival team, and where I should be getting more comfortable with them, it’s only gotten worse.
Even after attending another Halston Sunday dinner, things are rocky.
But only at the office. At Vince and Rose’s house, sharing another heart-healthy meal consisting of fish and a green leafy salad, the Halston siblings are on their best behavior.
Noah and Graham discuss strategies with me, Van pipes in when his daughter allows him to, and Beck looks me in the eye when speaking instead of off into the distance like before.
Then there’s Tessa.
She’s all sunshine and rainbows. She helps her mom in the kitchen, teams up with Van’s daughter on every subject, and makes sure the peace is kept while reminding her dad to take his medicine.
It’s all very conflicting, and I leave their home envious each time, just like I used to do when we were younger and our families were still affiliated with one another.
The Halston family split from Pierce Racing and continued on with their happily ever after, whereas I remained with my father and stepmother, who only showed me love when I won a race.
I climb out of my car with a horn sounding behind me.
Another horn echoes in the near distance, and a spark of excitement pulls on my attention.
I peek over my shoulder to look for Tessa.
I knew she couldn’t help but show up at the same time, just to further prove that she’s as hardworking as I am.
Except, her parking spot is empty, with another that’s taken.
My nostrils flare, and my fingers curl around the strap of my bag with tension.
He walks slow with purpose, clearly with the intent to intimidate me.
My heart beats right out of my chest, and as soon as he’s within distance, I speak up. “What are you doing here?”
My dad’s cheek lifts arrogantly with a smirk, and it’s clear the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
“Can’t avoid me if I show up to your new place of employment.” He cranes his neck to peer at the sleek Vanstone sign, nowhere near as flashy as the Pierce one on his building.
Modesty isn’t his vibe. My father has too much money for his own good, and he never misses an opportunity to flash his wealth, even down to the sign on his building.
There’s a hint of disgust lingering, and he gives me the same look I’ve seen each and every time I’ve disappointed him over the years. “Do you know how much shit you’ve stirred up?” he asks. “Do you know the rumors flying around because of your impulsive actions?”
I haul my bag up higher on my shoulder. “I don’t know why I’m surprised that you flew all the way to Vegas just to berate me.” I shake my head and sigh. “And I’ve read the rumors...”
There are speculations of something shady going on, and I can only hope the FIA doesn’t take them with a grain of salt.
“They’re not really rumors, though, are they?” I ask.
He acts quickly. His fingers wrap around my shirt, and I’m suddenly pulled toward him with force. I flex my jaw and attempt to lean out of his space so he doesn’t pull an old trick of his, like headbutting me.
“You won’t last long here.” His acrid coffee breath brushes against my face. “We’ll beat you in Bahrain, and the next race after that, and the one after that too. Pierce Racing wins races, with or without you, Rome.”
I look him square in the eye, shoving away any fear left inside my body that was purposefully put there when I was a young boy. “But is it really winning if you cheat your way to the finish line?”
The blue in his eye darkens. I prepare myself for the blow against my jaw, but nothing happens.
Instead, a hand lands on his chest.
Graham steps in between us, his glare steady on my father. “Leave, or I’ll get the FIA involved.”
My father, the arrogant bastard that he is, grins. He releases my shirt with a dark chuckle.
I take a step away, my anger following closely behind. I ache to hurt him, to make him bleed like he’s done to me a thousand times over again.
“Never thought I’d see the day where a Halston protects a Pierce.”
Graham shakes his head as he steps farther in between us. “I’m protecting Vanstone, Lucas. I know you’re unfamiliar with such a thing as loyalty.”
My ears ring from my father’s coarse laughter as he walks toward his rental car.
“Loyalty?” He scoffs over his shoulder, shifting his gaze to me. “What a funny thing to bring up.”
“Fuck you,” I blurt.
Graham’s shoulders tense, but he says nothing.
I turn away and stomp toward Vanstone’s building with sweat trailing my spine. Ellis is there to open the door, but he doesn’t look at me. He’s too busy glaring through the glass at my father and his screeching tires as he peels out of the parking lot as quickly as I did out of his a month prior.