Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ana?s
We’re up early for the race and the whole team is buzzing.
Me, Nora, and Rue all sit at breakfast, listening to the conversations that are floating around.
Neither Royce or Kai have shown their faces yet but before I tore Creed’s clothes off, I am sure he said something about them having a team meeting with Glenn, Pascal, and both radio engineers.
“How did the press conference go?” I ask, picking at my breakfast as I push the scrambled egg around the plate.
“As expected.” Nora sighs, dragging her large black coffee towards her as she takes a sip. “Royce was like a child, Kai wasn’t too bad. Plenty of grunts and groans but he participated. Royce just blamed everyone else. I’ve no idea why when we had such a good qualifying,” she shrugs her shoulders.
“You know what he is like,” I mutter and Rue eyeballs me then my plate.
“Not hungry?”
“I am, but I think the tiredness has kicked in. I didn’t sleep great last night.” I scoop a spoonful of egg into the tip of my fork and bring it to my mouth, chewing slowly.
“Well, we will get an earlyish night tonight.” Nora smiles and I smirk.
“I’m out with…” I pause, flicking my eyes up to her. “Date night.”
“Oh yes, date night.” She snickers and bites into her seeded toast that is lathered in butter.
“What’s the scene looking like for you two?” I take another mouthful of scramble egg before reaching for a slice of toast and taking a nibble.
“We’re going to watch a film, order room service, maybe a bottle or two.” Rue claps her hands, and I pout.
“What film?”
“Not sure yet.” Nora glances over at Rue and smiles. “Either How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days orrrrr….” She trails off.
“The Proposal.”
“Both amazing films.” I stick out my bottom lip.
“Cancel date night.” Nora wiggles her brows.
“Tempting.” I smirk just as Creed enters.
His eyes seek me out from across the room and my heart pitter patters deep inside my chest. He gives me a slow smile, and I drop my face, my cheeks turning pink.
“Yeah, she isn’t going to cancel date night,” Rue mutters into her cup of tea and Nora sighs.
“Nope, she is well and truly under his spell.”
Kicking Nora’s shin under the table, she hisses before her and Rue are bursting into laughter.
“Idiots,” I grumble, finally lifting my head and relieved to see Creed sitting at the table with Glenn and Pascal. My eyes roam around the room but there is still no sign of Royce and Kai.
We finish breakfast and take our plates to the counter before we disperse in different directions. I need to get some content of the build-up and Nora has to make sure Royce and Kai keep their selves in line.
“So, what’s the plan?” Rue asks as she walks beside me.
“I need to have a quick meeting with my boss and team and then we’re free to go and get shots of our drivers and the car.”
“I like the colours of the car,” Rue says softly as I push into the meeting room to see Collin’s, Dave, and Maura, sitting waiting for me.
“Stands out, doesn’t it?” I smile as the door closes softly behind me, Rue takes a seat in the corner and the meeting begins.
We’re back walking down the corridors and straight back into the garage.
“Does your boss like you?” she says softly as I start setting up my camera.
“Probably not but I don’t really care. He comes at me with these silly reasons for some of my actions but I see no issue. I just don’t think he likes me.” I sigh and hear the sound of footsteps approaching.
“You.” I hear Royce’s voice. “Unlikeable?” I smirk as I twist to look at him. “Never.”
“Hmm, well seems the jury is against you.” He walks over and rubs his hand in my hair, messing it up and I swat him away.
“Royce.” I beam, turning my attention to Rue. “You remember my friend, Rue.”
“I do.” He nods, pushing his hand out to shake hers and she goes all giddy.
“You all set for the race?” I ask and he nods.
“Hoping to hold my position.”
“I have every faith.” I smile. “We didn’t see you at breakfast this morning,” I mumble and he shrugs.
“I was in a mood after my bollocking.”
“Oh.” My lips purse.
“Yeah.” He sighs but doesn’t seem fazed.
He is dressed in his race skins, light grey and white, covered in the Saint Onyx logo and all of the team’s sponsors.
His race suit hangs loose around his waist, arms swinging down to the side of him.
The same light grey, white stripes are up the sides with fluorescent yellow specks over the top half.
“Eight more races to go. Do you think the team is gonna finish any higher than it is now?” I focus my attention on the camera and start snapping photos of the car.
“Probably not. I mean, the car is good enough but there are better teams and drivers out on the track. Red Force are dominating us at the moment, so is Montcroix. We don’t stand a chance.”
“That’s not the attitude to have,” Rue speaks up from behind us.
Royce turns his head to look at her, a boyish grin on his face as he eyes her up and down.
“What attitude should I have, sweetheart?” He is now fully facing her, and I straighten my back, turning in the same direction.
“A winning one.” She folds her arms across her chest, and he runs his tongue across his front teeth.
“Okay, let’s make a bet.” He steps towards Rue and her wide green eyes on him. “If I be more positive and keep my position, you’ll go out with me for dinner tonight.”
He takes another step so he is standing toe to toe with her and I push my tongue into my cheek as I watch on. I wait for her to back down or buckle under his intense gaze, but she drops her arms from her chest, rolls her shoulders back and stares him dead in the eyes.
“Deal.” She holds her hand out and he shakes it firmly. “But you won’t because you already have a shitty attitude towards it.”
I laugh quietly.
“Oh, don’t you worry about me, darling. You’ve just given me something even better than standing on the podium.
” He winks and I spin myself around and focus on the car.
His arm drapes around my shoulder as he presses his lips to my ear.
“You don’t mind me taking her out, do you?
Like, it’s not going to be weird for you, is it? ”
I turn my face to look at him and shake my head. “No, no, it’s fine.” I laugh it off
I mean, I can’t say anything because I am fucking his dad. But truthfully, it doesn’t bother me.
“Okay, cool.” He presses his lips into the top of my head.
“But.” I step away from him, and he rolls his eyes.
“Here we go.”
“Such a child.” I smirk as I hold my camera. “You can give me some shots of you getting ready for the race. Climbing into the car, getting out, putting your visor down. I’ll clip them in slow mo, it’ll look great.” I hold my thumb up.
He mumbles something under his breath followed by, “The things I do for you, kid.”
“Good boy,” I sing as he walks off, but not before blowing Rue a kiss and I giggle. Her eyes follow him out the room and once he is out of sight, she runs over to me.
“Oh my God, please tell me that you’re okay? I won’t go out with him if it upsets you.”
I look at her with a warm smile on my face, and I love that she is concerned.
“I am absolutely okay. Royce is a good man; he deserves to find his person.” I wrap my arm around her and pull her into me.
“I think it’s nice that you’re going out together, you’re both suited very well.
” I let her go and she knots her fingers together.
“I just felt like I may have been stepping on your toes.”
“No, babe.” I focus on the car. “I’ve moved on, so should he.” A warmness settles deep inside my chest.
“When are you going to tell Royce that you’re with his dad?”
And that’s when the sound of his voice floats through the garage.
“What the fuck?”
My skin blankets in goosebumps, a chill running up and down my spine and I feel like I am having an out of body experience. I want to move, want to turn to look at him, but I can’t. I am anchored.
“Royce,” I whisper, because it’s all I can manage.
The sound of his race boots drifts across the floor to where I stand.
His hand curls around the top of my arm as he spins me to face him.
His jaw is locked, eyes burning into mine, and I swear I see every emotion flash in his blue eyes.
I hate that I have done that. Hate that I have pushed every single thing he is feeling to the surface.
“Is it true?” His voice cracks, his face softening but his grip is still tight on my arm, fingers digging into my skin.
I nod, a tear rolling down my cheek.
“Fuck,” he whispers.
“We were going to tell you.” My voice is strained as the garage begins to fill. “Can we talk about this somewhere else,” I whisper a plea.
“No, I want to talk about it now.” His eyes bulge into mine.
“When were you going to tell me, Ana?s? When were you going to tell me that you were fucking my dad?” His words are loud and I wince.
The light chatter that was echoing around the room as now been replaced by Royce’s words and met with nothing but silence.
“Royce,” I whisper, hot tears rolling down my cheeks.
“Tell me.” His voice is low and slow.
“I told her not to say anything.” I hear Creed’s voice and instantly Royce drops my arm and turns for his dad.
“You,” he hisses.
He runs for his dad, shoving him back but Creed stands his ground. I am a sobbing mess.
Rue is next to me, fingers lacing through mine as I hear her whisper, “I am so sorry.”
I sniffle, shaking my head because that’s all I can muster.
Royce goes for his dad again and I cover my mouth and nose as I watch on, but I can feel the eyes that are on me, burning into my skin, removing each layer as they do. They’re going to think I got the job because I was sleeping with the CEO, but that’s not the case at all.
Glenn and Pascal are running down the pit lane towards the commotion and before we know it, the whole strip no doubt knows what the fuck is going on down at Saint Onyx.
Glenn manages to get Royce off Creed, dragging him away and Pascal ushers Creed out of the garage, just as Kai walks down, headphones on as he whistles completely unaware of the devastation that has just unfolded in here seconds before.
He slips them off his head when he reads the room and his eyes land on me.
Nora pushes past him and stands in front of me, checking me over then dragging me away with Rue following.
“What the hell did I miss?”
Seems little miss new girl only got the job because she was banging the CEO of Saint Onyx. What will happen now? Will Royce up and leave or will he stay for revenge and take them all down with him?
Let’s see how Royce races now knowing that his ex-girlfriend and his dad were having a secret relationship… The question on everyone’s lips is how long has this been going on?
Don’t miss a beat, sign up now for all the insider gossip – PaddockHotties xoxoxo