Chapter 25
Nash
I focus on the center of the Batak metal frame, letting my vision haze just a bit so I’m not staring at any particular light. They’re spaced out at intervals—twelve in all, each about six inches in diameter. Spreading my legs, I start the program and wait for the countdown to begin.
A pattern begins, random and unknown. Lights come on and it’s my job to tap it with my hand before it goes out. I get between half a second and a full second to get my hand to the light, then I’m looking for the next one.
It’s one of the best ways to improve a driver’s hand-eye coordination and I practice it nearly every day. Formula drivers have some of the fastest reaction times in the world, launching our cars off the grid on average just 0.2 seconds after the lights go out. The training also helps to improve peripheral awareness and depth perception.
It’s also a good way to kill time and disconnect my brain from wondering what’s going on in that conference room.
The drivers’ recreation room is quiet—most of the crew has cleared out for the day—and I’ve been tapping lights for the last half hour. I’m starting to get tired though and consequently, my mind drifts.
The past week has been nothing short of chaos. Finding out that Bex had resigned felt like g-forces pulling my guts out through my belly button. Showing up at her empty apartment and hearing from her neighbor that she’d moved out nearly crushed me.
Desperate times called for desperate measures. Reaching out to Brienne was a gamble—one of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken. But it was necessary. I wasn’t about to let Bex walk away, not from her career, and certainly not from me.
In all my life, I’ll probably never know another person as commanding as Ms. Norcross. She showed up, cool as ice and fierce as hell, turning everything upside down in her way. I know she talked to Luca a few times on the trip over, and there’s no doubt they both had a solid game plan going into that meeting. I can’t even imagine what Bex was thinking when Brienne showed up at her doorstep, essentially ordering her to get back on the job.
Watching her confront Hendrik and Matthieu was like a master class in power and authority. Hendrik never saw it coming, and Matthieu? Well, let’s just say I hope he takes his new role seriously and learns from it. They both deserved what they got, but honestly, I didn’t give a damn about them. I care about only one person—Bex. Seeing her walk into that conference room… I felt like I could breathe again.
As for who will take Matthieu’s seat? That’s up to the team now. I trust Brienne, Luca and Bex to make the right decision. They’re already talking about Francesca Accardi, and I know whoever they choose will bring fresh energy to the team. Titans Racing is in good hands.
But none of that compares to what’s been eating at me since Bex resigned. The moment she walked away, it hit me with a clarity I’ve never experienced before. I simply can’t lose her. Not just as my strategist, but as my partner. It’s taken me far too long to admit it, but I’m done hiding. Done letting fear hold me back. It’s time to take a page from her book and play the odds, risk and reward.
The door creaks open, and my pulse spikes when I turn to see her standing there. Bex looks tired but beautiful, her blond hair pulled into a loose braid over her shoulder, a hesitant smile on her lips. Her presence fills the room, and I turn off the Batak.
“Hey,” she says softly, stepping inside.
“Hey,” I reply, my voice rough with the weight of everything I’ve been holding in. “How did the meeting go?”
“Good,” she says with a smile. “Francesca is the first pick and they’re going to make her an offer.”
“I think that’s a great decision.” And secretly, I hope that rubs Hendrik raw when he hears the news. He’s a misogynist through and through, believing there is no room on the team for women. No telling what Matthieu will think about it, but I imagine it will be a devastating blow. No sympathy here though.
Bex walks closer, fidgeting with the hem of her sweater. “I wanted to thank you.”
“For what?”
“For everything,” she says, her voice trembling slightly. “For calling Brienne. For fighting for me. For… risking everything when you didn’t have to.”
I take two steps and meet her. “I did have to, Bex. I couldn’t sit back and let you walk away. Not from your career, not from me.”
I see the flicker of vulnerability all over her face. “Nash…”
“I mean it,” I cut in, my voice firm. I cup her cheeks so she’s forced to keep her focus on me. “I’ve spent so much time building walls, telling myself I couldn’t take the risk. That getting close again would hurt too much. But I’m done with that. You’re worth every risk, every ounce of fear. And just like you do in your job, I had to weigh the odds. Risk versus reward, right?”
She nods, tears welling in her eyes. One slips free and I brush it away with my thumb.
“I realized the reward of being with you far outweighs any risk. I love you, Bex. I always have, even when I was too stubborn or scared to admit it. And I’m done letting fear dictate my life. Coming back to racing was my first step. Choosing you is my next.”
“I never thought I’d hear you say that to me again,” she murmurs.
“I want to spend my life with you,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “Not just as your partner, but as your champion. Your rock. I’ll stand by you, support you, and make damn sure you never feel like you’re in this alone. I’ll put you first, always. Because you’re it for me, Bex. You always have been.”
Her breath hitches, and she lowers her forehead to my chest. “I love you too,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “And I want that. A life with you. You’ve always been the one for me, Nash. Even when I tried to convince myself otherwise.”
I pull her into my arms, holding her tightly as the weight of the past few days melts away. She’s here, in my arms, and for the first time in years, everything feels right.
“Second chances,” she murmurs against my chest.
“And this time, we don’t let go,” I say, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, wrapping my arms tighter. She feels perfect here in my embrace, right where she belongs. But a thought sparks in my mind—a daring, impulsive idea that feels so right it makes my heart race faster than any car I’ve ever driven.
“We need to do something,” I murmur, pulling back just enough to see her face.
Her brows knit together in curiosity, and she swipes away another stray tear. “Like what?”
“You’ll see,” I reply with a mischievous smile, taking her hand and lacing our fingers together.
“Nash…,” she starts, but I don’t give her a chance to argue.
“Trust me,” I say, tugging her gently toward the door.
We leave the recreation room and make our way through the halls, earning a few curious glances as we pass. When we step outside, the crisp air hits us, but I barely notice. All I can think about is what’s ahead.
Bex looks up at me in confusion as I lead her to my car. With my signing bonus I’d purchased a sleek Aston Martin DBS Superleggera and she sits gleaming under the late-afternoon sun, which isn’t seen all that often in England at this time of year. Bex stops in her tracks, tilting her head. “Where are we going?”
“That’s all you have to say?” I ask with a laugh.
“What should I say?” she asks, confused.
I sweep my hand toward the car. “Don’t you like it?”
She rolls her eyes before patting me on the chest. “Boys and their toys.”
“Want to drive?” I pull the key out and dangle it in front of her.
Her excitement is palpable because as much as she wants to try to be indifferent, she’s a car girl. But she shakes her head. “Maybe later. Now, where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” I say again, flashing her a grin as I open the passenger door for her.
She slides in, eyeing me warily as I jog around to the driver’s side. Once I’m in, the engine roars to life, a deep, guttural vibration. I glance at her as I shift into gear. “Ready?”
“I guess I don’t have much of a choice,” she mutters, clearly intrigued.
We pull out of the parking lot, and I take the long, winding road into Guildford. Bex fidgets beside me, sneaking glances my way, but I stay silent, letting the anticipation build.
“Nash,” she finally says, her tone exasperated. “Are you going to tell me where you’re taking me?”
“Nope.” I flash her a quick grin, then turn my attention back to the road.
The ride into town is quiet, save for the gentle hum of the engine. When I finally pull up to our destination, Bex’s eyes widen.
“A jewelry store?” she says, her voice tinged with disbelief and expectedly, wariness.
I park and turn to her, my heart pounding as I prepare to lay it all out. “I want to get engaged again, Bex. Let’s go pick out a ring.”
Her jaw drops, and for a moment, she just stares at me. “Engaged? Nash… it’s too fast.”
I reach for her hand, holding it tightly between both of mine. “No, it’s not. Listen to me, Bex. We’ve been here before. We were sure of each other then, and deep down, I’ve always been sure of you. We’ve acknowledged why we broke up. We’ve faced our demons, grown up and worked through things we never could’ve handled back then. We’re older, wiser, and we know what we want now.”
Her lips part to respond, but I press on. “You’re the love of my life, Bex. You’ve always been. And yeah, as of a couple of days ago, I was scared. But seeing you leave—seeing how close I came to losing you forever—it made me realize I don’t want to waste another second. Life is risky, and if anyone understands the reward of taking a risk, it’s you. I want us to take this leap together. I love you, and I don’t want to wait any longer to start our forever.”
Tears shimmer in her eyes, and she bites her lip, as if weighing her options. Finally, she nods, her voice barely above a whisper. “Okay.”
My heart feels like it might explode as I lean over to kiss her. “You won’t regret this. I promise.”
Hand in hand, we step into the store. The bright lights reflect off rows of dazzling diamonds, and a saleslady greets us with a warm smile. “Welcome! How can I help—” Recognition flaring, mouth hanging open momentarily before she says, “You’re Nash Sinclair.” She looks to Bex next. “And you’re Bex Toliver. I’m such a huge fan and all of us formula female followers are so excited to have a woman in your role.”
I’m used to getting recognized but fuck if it isn’t a thrill to witness Bex receiving that treatment. I hope it makes her truly understand how important she is to racing.
I glance down to the woman’s name tag. “Hi, Lydia. It’s nice to meet you.” Both Bex and I shake her hand. “We’re looking for an engagement ring and you look like just the person to help us.”
Lydia’s eyes light up and I don’t know if it’s because she sees a huge commission coming her way or she’s excited to be serving us. “Wonderful! Do you have something specific in mind?”
“Simple,” Bex says quickly, giving me a sideways glance. “Nothing too flashy.”
I smirk. “Ignore her. Show us the good stuff.”
Lydia chuckles and motions us into a private room. “I’ll be back with some selections.”
Bex nibbles on her nail, looking around nervously, but I have never felt more relaxed. It doesn’t take Lydia long and she’s back in the room with a large velvet tray, loaded with two rows of sparkling rings.
I lean forward in my chair to study them after she sets the tray on the table. Bex, on the other hand, shrinks back a little.
Christ, she’s adorable.
I choose a whopper of a rock that speaks to me and hold it up to study. I glance at Bex. “What do you think?”
“It’s ridiculous,” she says.
Lydia looks disappointed but I’m not going to let Bex send her out for small rings. “Tell me about this one.”
The saleslady takes it from my hand, flips on a light over the table, and says, “This is a timeless and classic round brilliant-cut diamond, five carats. As you can see, it has exceptional fire and sparkle and is completely colorless. There are no inclusions visible under magnification. Of course, it’s ethically sourced, as are all our diamonds. Set in a platinum band, it has another carat of smaller diamonds on the shank. We can do this in gold if you prefer that.”
“No, we’re walking out of here with a ring today,” I say dismissively, taking the ring back from Lydia.
I look at it from all angles, searching for imperfections, but it’s as perfect as she says. It’s twice as large as what I’d bought Bex before, and that speaks to me.
It’s a statement.
“That ring is meant to be cherished for generations,” Lydia says to bolster my desire to buy it. “Truly one of a kind, just like I bet your love story is.”
Bex blinks at those words, her eyebrows raising slightly, but then her expression relaxes. Her gaze comes to me, murmuring, “It is definitely one of a kind.” Her eyes drop to the ring. “Let me see it.”
I grin as I hand it across the table and Bex studies it like it’s a bug under a microscope, turning it this way and that. She’s trying to appear indifferent, but I can see her pulse pounding in her neck, and I bet she’s as giddy as I am at this moment.
Finally, she hands it back to me and I’m a bit disappointed because I think it’s perfect. But then she smiles. “I think I should probably try it on, just to see how… it fits. Would you do the honors?”
I instantly understand the implication. This is it. She’s asking me to propose.
Without hesitation, I take the ring and move around the table, going down on one knee beside her chair. I grasp her left hand and slide the ring on, but neither of us look at it, eyes locked on each other. I’m vaguely aware of Lydia backing out of the room and the door quietly shutting behind her.
“Bex Toliver,” I say, my voice steady but full of emotion. “You’re my best friend, my partner and the love of my life. I’m ready to race into the future with you as my ride or die. Will you marry me?”
Tears form, but I can see the happiness and surety shining through. “Yes. Yes, of course!”
She throws her arms around my neck and I stand up, swinging her around in a wide circle. I have never been happier in my life. Not the first time she accepted my proposal or the first time she said she loved me. Not when she said she loved me less than an hour ago and certainly not any time I’ve been on the championship podium.
We’re back where we belong—together. And this time, nothing will tear us apart.
There is no love lost between Reid Hemsworth and his younger brother, who could never handle Reid’s success in the formula racing world. But things between them go from bad to worse when a runaway bride—his brother’s runaway bride, to be exact—shows up seeking Reid’s help in escaping her abusive relationship.