Chapter 24
TWENTY-FOUR
When I first realize Lana isn’t in bed with me in the morning, I’m disappointed. Then, I’m annoyed, with frustration coming quick on its heels.
Even more so when I roll over to grab my phone and call her, only to realize I don’t even have her number.
God, I’m really fucking this up, aren’t I?
With a sigh, I move to set my phone down, determined to make my way to her hotel room as soon as possible, only to realize I have a new tag on social media from @heartbreakerlana.
I smile, tap the notification, and that small smile turns into a full-blown grin.
On my screen is a photo of Lana making a kissy face in a hotel mirror that I happen to know is mine, wearing my T-shirt.
My cock hardens at the sight, and even more when I read the text overlay.
Ready to kick @romanempire’s ass today!
Somehow, I know it’s her way of telling me everything is good, that she didn’t leave while I slept with the intention of disappearing or ignoring me, not that I would have let her.
I’ve had Lana as mine for just one night, and I already know I want more.
A lot more. There’s something about her that makes me feel light, lessens the pressure weighing me down, and reminds me why I love racing.
I’m about to message her to give her shit about leaving without a kiss or giving me her number when I notice four missed calls from Courtney. My brow furrows before calling her back, and in a moment, my day goes from bright and shining to shitty.
That’s when I learned there’s some kind of press leak implying I failed a drug test. Obviously, it’s bullshit.
I might drink occasionally, but I’ve never done anything to fuck with my body in a way that could impact my career.
Thankfully, Phil believes me, and instead of kicking me off the team, I spend the afternoon in a clinic getting an emergency blood draw for a drug test. It eats up almost my entire day, but I’m cleared for that night’s race.
I get my suit on quickly, eager to see my girl, but somehow my day only gets worse when I spot Lana talking to Tyler.
As if she can sense me, her eyes slide to mine, a small, timid smile spreading on her lips. Tyler’s brows furrow at her distracted look, but his jaw tightens when his gaze travels to where she’s looking.
After all these years, he still has a problem with me.
In a way, I get it. I get feeling betrayed and left behind, but in another way, I don’t—we both grew up, both got busy.
I tried to keep in touch and invite him to things, but after a while, it felt like I was rubbing what he was missing in his face.
After a while, when I got more popular, I stopped reaching out, but so did he.
It wasn’t until I came back that I realized we might not have left things on as neutral terms as I assumed.
For the most part, I’ve been able to ignore him, but when I see him standing so close to Lana, I have the undeniable urge to show just whose she is: mine. I’m about to make my way toward them to make that explicitly clear to Tyler and every other asshole on the field, but a smiling Mel stops me.
“Hey, Rome, I saw the news: I can’t believe someone would try to lie about you like that.
” I lift a shoulder, brushing it off. Mel has always been sweet, and since she works for DeLuca Transport, we often run into each other.
Besides her inability to get the hint that I’m not into her and her continued efforts to flirt with me every time we’re around one another, I’ve never had an issue with her.
“It is what it is. I’m just happy we were able to prove it to be false quickly so I could race today.”
“Of course, what a relief. I just hate this for you. Have you talked to your dad about it?” I let out a breath, recalling the conversation with him this morning while I waited for my appointment.
He was understanding, since he knows I can be an idiot, but I don’t use drugs.
Still, he reminded me that he only has so much sway with the board, and we needed to get proof of my innocence out there as soon as possible, as if I didn’t already know that.
Thankfully, with the test coming back negative, he now has his legal team working to get the tabloid to print a formal retraction.
“Yeah, it’s all good. You know how he is—once he yelled at me a bit, he got over it, and now we’re cool.
” Mel lets out an exaggerated laugh, her fingers twirling around a lock of her platinum hair.
Still, I’m barely paying attention because, over her shoulder, Lana is watching, her jaw tightening, and I have to bury a smile.
“He really is a hothead. You know, our event in Colorado overlaps with one of the Indy races. Are you planning to go? If so, we should totally carpool.” I slide my hands in my pockets, barely listening to her.
“I haven’t really thought about it,” I say, with enough presence of mind not to agree to that, especially not when it looks like Lana might rip her extensions out at any minute.
“I just thought—”
“Hey, Melanie?” Lana says, walking over, her voice sugary sweet. Mel looks over her shoulder, spots Lana, and gives a kind smile.
“Hey, Lana, how are you?”
“Good! I think Oliver is looking for you over by his truck,” she says. Mel’s face screws up in confusion before she lets out a sigh.
“He’s always doing this,” she grumbles to herself before shaking her head. She gives me one last look. “Just think about it, okay?”
“We’ll see. Later, Mel,” I say, watching as the shortened name brings a sneer to Lana’s face.
I fight to keep from laughing out loud as Mel turns and walks off.
I wonder if Oliver really needed her, or if Lana’s green-eyed monster made that up.
I turn to give her the smile I save only for her: still a cocky asshole, but a cocky asshole who is absolutely enamored with a 5’4” blonde.
But instead of returning it, she turns on her heel toward the exit, an irritated gait to her step.
“Lana,” I say, jogging after her, but she doesn’t stop.
Instead, she keeps going, walking through the doors and leaving the arena.
I follow behind, finding the hallway empty.
“Lana!” I call out, but she just flips me off over her shoulder.
I bite back a laugh, instead speeding up, grabbing her wrist, and stopping her retreat, pulling her to face me.
“Why are you so mad? I’m the one who woke up in an empty bed.” Her arms cross over her chest. And god, I’m into this woman. And her stubborn attitude
“Why don’t you ask Mel?” she says, the word sounding sour. I lift a hand, tucking one of the strands that have fallen out of her loose braid behind her ear reverently.
“Oh, baby, were you jealous?” I murmur.
“Jealous? No. What would I have to be jealous of?” I shift closer, pushing her into a small alcove.
“If you were, I’d get it. I was jealous of how close Tyler was to you,” I say. She rolls her eyes.
“So what, you were flirting with Melanie because I was talking with a colleague? God, you’re such an ass,” she grumbles, then tries to move away from me, but I’m quicker, pinning her in place with my body.
“I wasn’t flirting with her, Lana. I only have eyes for one woman, which is why when she was talking to me, my eyes were still locked on you.” Her face softens a touch, and I brush my thumb over the apple of her cheek. “Had the best night of my life and woke up to an empty bed. No note, nothing.”
“I didn’t have your number,” she mumbles.
“And I know things were so crazy for you this morning, so I didn’t want to bother you.
I tried to be subtle, though.” I smile down at her, then finally dip my head and press my lips gently to hers.
Her body melts into mine, her hands gripping the tee I’m wearing.
“Oh, I know, baby. Your story was sweet. Where’d you go this morning?”
“Demi needed me for something,” she says, not really answering at all. “Plus, I’m a morning person, and you were dead asleep. And I wasn’t sure what… what we are. I didn’t want to be pushy or overstay my welcome.”
“What we are?” I ask, combing my hand through the hair at the back of her head and tipping her head back.
I press my lips to hers again, unable to resist, needing to get my fill.
Her eyes go hazy as I pull back, and when she speaks, I think I may have found the key to getting Lana to speak her true feelings.
“I didn’t know what the rules were, if it was a stay-the-night-and-be-there-when-you-wake-up situation.
I figured I’d give you space and we could figure it out later.
” She tries to look away, but I force her to hold my gaze.
Like this, she doesn’t feel like the badass, larger-than-life woman I know on the track.
Here, she’s gentle and exposed and vulnerable, and I want to make sure I’m taking care of that part of her, the one she hides away from everyone, the side she sees as a weakness.
“There are no rules, Lana, unless you want them. Right now, I’m into you. Right now, I want you to be mine.” She licks her lips, nervousness moving over her face.
“Only yours?” Those pretty white teeth come out, digging into her bottom lip. My heart races a bit at her words. “I’m not really into being one of many.” I dip my head, pressing my lips to her neck to hide my grin. It’s wide and cheesy, and I know it.
“Good, neither am I,” I say, before lifting my head and pressing a kiss to her lips again.
“Do you really think I’d land a woman like you, and fuck that up by messing around?
” Her brow furrows, then softens a bit. “Not to mention, I think I’d lose my mind if I found out you were fucking anyone else, Lana, so yeah.
I’d prefer it if you were only mine.” Some of it eases, but not completely.
“Easy as that?” she asks, seemingly in disbelief.
“I’ll give you anything you want, Lana.” A brightness lights up her face before her nose scrunches, and she bites her lip, but I wait for her to share her thoughts. She does after a moment.