Chapter 22
CHAPTER 22
Nash
I t’s almost noon when I pull into the Guildford headquarters, my car skidding slightly as I take a sharp turn into the lot. I’m ready to get going on preparations for Suzuka, which is in a little less than two weeks. Today’s agenda includes a strategy meeting to discuss ideas for the upcoming race and then I’m going to get in a much-needed workout since I was a slug yesterday. I spent much of it sleeping to catch up on the jet lag, forcing myself to leave Bex alone. I know she’s got to work through her feelings and the only way she can do that is to continue to go through her data so she can come to the same conclusion that everyone already knows.
She took a calculated risk based on evidence and sometimes shit happens to make things go sideways. She’ll figure that out, accept it and we’ll move the fuck on.
And then, she and I can move on too, because I’m thinking it’s probably time to start accepting that we’re meant to be together. I’m glad my parents forced the conversation on me the other night and gave me the important reminder that I’ve faced scarier comebacks and should be willing to take risks. Just like Bex took the risk in that race, I should be willing to put my heart back on the line for her.
In fact, I plan on finding her before our first meeting and telling her exactly how I feel because to wait another minute seems silly.
Striding through the entrance, I smile at the receptionist, who beams at me. I whistle a jaunty tune as I head straight for Bex’s office, rehearsing what I’ll say to her about not giving up—about not letting Matthieu or Hendrik or anyone else make her doubt herself—and more importantly, I’m ready to jump back in with her.
When I get to her door, though, I stop short. The room is empty. No papers scattered across the desk, no photos on the shelves. No trusty laptop, which is her life.
Just a blank, sterile space and I’m utterly perplexed. Did she move offices?
“Nash?”
I turn at the sound of Alex’s voice. He’s holding a clipboard, his expression cautious, like he knows something I don’t.
“Where’s Bex?” I ask, my voice clipped.
Alex shifts on his feet, glancing at the empty office. “She resigned. Yesterday.”
“What?” The word comes as a harsh bark of anger, but I don’t care. “She resigned? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
Alex winces. “I thought you knew.”
“No, I didn’t know.” I move closer to him and lower my voice. “I can see you know what went down, so spill it.”
Alex looks left and right, but we’re alone for now. His voice is barely a whisper. “The word is that Hendrik went to Luca and demanded she be fired for incompetence. His argument was that neither he nor Matthieu had faith in her. My understanding is that Bex resigned rather than be terminated.”
Fury rolls through me and I’m not sure who I’m going to kill first, Hendrik or Matthieu.
“I also heard that Luca tried to talk her out of it, but… she was adamant. Packed up and left.”
My pulse pounds in my ears. Without another word, I pivot and head straight for Hendrik’s office, my steps echoing down the hallway like gunfire. His door is closed but I don’t care. I barge in, causing two aero engineers sitting there in a meeting with him to jump nearly out of their chairs when the door hits the wall. Hendrik’s eyes widen as he takes in my countenance and says to the other two people in his office, “Can you give me and Nash a moment?”
“Don’t bother,” I growl to the engineers who remain frozen with their digital tablets on their laps, then pin my attention to Hendrik. “I’m headed to Luca’s office right now to rectify this clusterfuck you’ve instigated over Bex. If you want a say in the conversation, because I’m going to be asking for your head to roll right along with hers, then I suggest you follow me.”
I pivot and head out of his office. I hear cursing, scrambling behind me, and if I’m not mistaken, the sound of his chair being knocked over backward in his haste.
I pass people in the hall and they take one look at the rage on my face, backing away slowly to give me room. If it wasn’t so fucking dire, I’d almost laugh at it.
The executive suite is contained to one floor, so it takes me less than a minute to reach Luca’s office. I feel Hendrik on my heels, although he doesn’t say anything.
Our team principal’s office is glass and I see him in there alone, reading something on his computer screen. His secretary starts to protest when I walk by, stating, “He’s busy,” but I ignore her.
I push open the door and Luca looks up in surprise. His expression darkens when he sees the look on my face but then Hendrik pushes past me, practically gasping as he wheezes, “For the record, I object to this meeting.”
“What meeting?” Luca asks.
Hendrik points at me. “He wants to talk about Toliver’s resignation and as the chief engineer of this team, I say it’s not any of his business. He doesn’t make hiring or firing decisions and besides that, there’s nothing to discuss since you accepted her resignation.”
Luca’s looks to me, his mouth pressed into a grim line. I can tell he does not appreciate this drama being laid on his doorstep.
“Why did you let her resign, Luca?” I ask, trying to keep my tone calm. “You should have denied it and worked with her.”
“She was adamant that she could not do the job,” Luca says calmly.
“Only because Hendrik and Matthieu made her job a living hell. She got no support or encouragement from them. What was she supposed to do when Hendrik told her that he was asking she be terminated? She had no choice but to resign so a termination wouldn’t go on her record. You should have stopped it.”
Hendrik throws his arms out. “She resigned because she couldn’t handle the pressure. That’s not on me.”
“Bullshit,” I growl. “She resigned because you and Matthieu made it impossible for her to do her job.”
“She made a bad call,” Hendrik says, his tone cold. “It cost us points. That’s what this is about.”
“It wasn’t a bad call!” I shout. “It was a smart strategy that didn’t work. That’s racing, Hendrik. You’ve been in this sport long enough to know that.”
“You’re just saying that because you’re sleeping with her,” Hendrik says.
I wheel around on him, giving him a slight push in his chest. “I’m only going to give you one warning… don’t go there. It caused Matthieu a sore jaw and it will be the same for you. My personal relationship with Bex has nothing to do with why I’m here now. I’m here for the good of the team.”
Not entirely true. I’m here for Bex too.
Luca raises a hand, trying to calm the escalating tension. “Nash, I don’t disagree with you, but Bex was clear. She doesn’t feel she can work effectively here anymore.”
“Because you let this asshole undermine her at every turn,” I spit, jabbing a finger in Hendrik’s direction. “And Matthieu? He’s a whiny little shit who can’t take responsibility for his own mistakes.” I bend over and place my hands on Luca’s desk. “Now you get on that phone and you get her back here.”
Hendrik’s face turns red, his composure slipping. “If she comes back, I’ll quit. And I’m not the only one. There are other engineers and mechanics who feel the same.”
I laugh bitterly, leaning forward. “Yeah? Name them. Because I don’t buy it for a second. You’re the only one who has a problem with her, and it’s because she’s better at this job than you ever were.”
“That’s enough,” Luca says sharply, standing. “This isn’t productive.”
“No, you’re right. It’s not,” I say, my voice low and dangerous. “Because if Bex doesn’t come back, you can count me out too. I’m done.”
Luca’s eyes widen. “You’re serious?”
“Dead serious,” I reply. “She’s one of the best in the field and this team will be worse if you don’t fix it. You’ve let Hendrik and Matthieu poison the environment, and now you’ve lost the best strategist you’ve ever had. Fix it, or I’m out.”
Luca sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. When he looks back at me, he nods. “I’ll call her, but Nash, if my opinion is worth anything, she won’t come back. I could tell… she was done.”
“Call her,” I say tersely. “Try your best.”
“I object to this,” Hendrik snarls.
“Fuck off,” I mutter to him as I turn on my heel and walk out, my heart pounding with adrenaline. I don’t bother to stop and collect my thoughts—I head straight for Bex’s apartment. I need to see her, to tell her what I’ve done, to convince her that we can fix this together.
When I reach her building, I park haphazardly and sprint to her door, pounding on it with urgency. No answer. I knock again, harder this time.
An elderly lady with curly gray hair steps out of her apartment, a curious look on her face. “You looking for Bex?”
“Yeah,” I say, my voice tight. “Do you know where she is?”
“She moved out yesterday,” the neighbor says with a sad smile. “Packed everything up. Said she was heading back to her family in London for a while.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. She’s gone. She didn’t just leave the team—she left me.
Luca’s words ring in my head. She won’t come back. I could tell… she was done.
Hendrik and Matthieu have made her life at Titans Racing hell. Hendrik wants her fired and is blaming Melbourne on her when that’s just not true. Luca accepted her resignation without any attempt to work things out. No wonder she packed up and went to London.
I take a steadying breath and pull out my phone, scrolling through my contacts. This isn’t something I can fix on my own—not this time, and I suspect Luca is right… Bex won’t come back if he asks her. My thumb hovers over the call button because it’s damn early in Pittsburgh, but I can’t worry about that now.
I push the button and Brienne Norcross answers on the second ring, her voice brisk but warm. “Nash. This is a surprise.”
“I’m sorry I’m calling so early,” I say.
“It’s quite all right. I’m an early riser and have been up for a while. What can I do for you?”
“There’s a problem,” I say without preamble, my voice tight. “Bex resigned yesterday.”
During a long pause, I can almost hear the wheels turning in her mind. “Resigned? Why?”
“She’s been put through hell by Hendrik and Matthieu since she joined the team,” I explain, my frustration spilling out. “They’ve questioned her every decision, undermined her authority and made it impossible for her to do her job. Hendrik practically ran her out.”
Brienne’s tone sharpens. “Start from the beginning. Tell me everything.”
I take a deep breath and recount the events from the very first strategy meeting where Matthieu was such an ass to Bex. I spare no details, including the way Matthieu blew up after the race, Hendrik’s public confrontation with Bex, and the constant pushback she’s faced. I don’t sugarcoat anything, and by the time I finish, my chest feels hollow.
“She didn’t just leave because of one bad race,” I say, my voice breaking slightly. “She left because she didn’t think she could fight them anymore. And now she’s gone. Packed up her apartment and left.”
There’s a long silence on the other end of the line before Brienne finally speaks, her voice steely. “That’s something Luca should handle, Nash. As the team owner, I have very little say in these things.”
“Please don’t insult my intelligence like that, Ms. Norcross. You shoved me down the team’s throat and I happen to know you value women in the sport. Now, I tried to go to Luca and he said he’d call her, but he’s pretty adamant she won’t come back. I think this needs your touch. Besides that, Hendrik’s threatening to quit if she returns, and he claims others will follow. Luca’s hands are tied.”
I almost think the line has been disconnected when Brienne says, “I’ll make travel arrangements and be in Guildford by morning.”
I blink, startled by her decisiveness. “You’re really coming here?”
“You bet I am,” she says. “I won’t let toxic egos destroy this team—or Bex. She’s too valuable, and frankly, I’m furious I wasn’t informed about this sooner. Luca and I are going to have a very pointed conversation.”
“In fairness to Luca, I’m not sure he knew much. Bex really wanted to handle it on her own. She wanted to prove that she could.”
“I can understand that.” There’s no mistaking the fondness in her tone and I know I’ve made the right decision in calling her.
A surge of relief washes over me. “Thank you, Brienne.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” she says firmly. “You and I both know Bex is worth fighting for. Now do whatever it is you should be doing to get ready for the Japan race. I’ll handle the rest when I get there.”
The line goes dead, and for the first time in hours, I feel a glimmer of hope. Brienne Norcross is on her way, and if anyone can set this right, it’s her.