Chapter forty-four Round 4 Race
Chapter forty-four
Angel set the note on the table between her and Darla. The perfectly poised woman sat cross-legged and rocked her foot back and forth, her expensive pumps clinging to her toes. She sneered at the paper. "I hope you aren't thinking of taking this seriously."
"I'm taking it very seriously," Angel said, her words clipped and quickly becoming angry.
Darla rubbed her the wrong way, literally.
The woman had touched her shoulder when she'd entered the room, the gesture just on the edge of intimate.
She leered at Angel from across the table, her eyes full of desire, and her tongue darting out across her lips, suggestively.
"We aren't pulling out, if that's what you mean. Davey will have none of that."
"Good," Darla smirked. "The officials can investigate. Our official statement is that we don't give in to bullies."
"We're not entirely sure this is a threat."
Darla scoffed, "What the hell else would it be?"
"A warning."
"A thinly veiled warning." Darla rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair.
The tower room was nicely furnished with a low table and comfortable chairs in the back of the room.
The front of the room was set up to watch the race.
Tables with food and drink lined one wall.
"You think this came from those racers that wrecked him last week?
What's their names?" She snapped her fingers.
"Cole Lindt and Parker Shannon from KTM's team. I wouldn't think they'd be this blatant. Plus, they were on the track racing when the RV was vandalized."
"That doesn't mean much." Darla leaned forward, putting her errant shoe securely on her foot, as she planted her feet on the floor in front of her. "I'll send this to our lawyers. Let them contact race officials and we'll go from there. Let me know if anything else happens."
Angel thought Darla's words felt like a dismissal, until she stood up to go.
"Sit down, Angel." Darla's tone changed, turning sultry.
"Okay?"
The corner of Darla's mouth turned up, making her grin look sly with lips painted brick red. "We want to take a look at Tyler's case."
"What case?"
"Uh, come on Angel." Darla stretched her delicate arms across the table. "He was fired for being queer." She shook her head, as if everyone should be on her same wavelength.
"And?"
"There were witnesses. One of them is now working for us. Hun? The mechanic?" she asked, as if she didn't already know. Angel didn't do anything without passing it through Darla.
"Yes. The mechanic."
"Is he gay?"
"No, but a friend of Tyler's and not homophobic at all."
Darla leaned back in her chair. "See? It could be important. I'm not saying anything will come of it, but maybe if we put a little heat on KTM, if they're behind the threats, then they'll force their riders to back off. Isn't that what we want, ultimately?"
"Yes. I just don't want Davey and Tyler being the face of homosexual harassment in the press. This could make a huge splash. They only want to compete. To race."
"To win."
"Yes."
"Well, we at least have that in common." Darla stood up and walked around the table. Angel expected her to leave. Her hot little hand landed on Angel's shoulder and slid to the side, down her arm, suggestively. "We may have a lot in common that you don't realize, Angel."
"I don't think so." Angel's stomach turned.
Darla was an enigma. She said the right things, supported the boys, felt deeply concerned about LGBT rights.
Then, she hit on Angel. Her come-ons were just on the right side of lewd.
Angel didn't like how it made her feel. It was just as bad, if not worse, than a man making unwanted advances.
If it was a man, she would have shut it off from the very first leer, but coming from Darla, Angel felt that Darla would accuse her of being prejudice if she turned her down.
Darla knew Angel was in a relationship with Stewart, but it didn't stop her.
"Listen, what about Stewart's contract? Any movement there?
It would be nice to have him back on the team, officially. "
Darla sighed and moved toward the door. She stopped and turned. "They're working on it." With that she finally left and Angel sighed in relief.
"Hey Mai Tai! What's with the bling you got going on?" Mickey asked, pushing a lock of his straight, jet black hair out of his face with the back of his hand. It immediately fell back down in his eyes.
Tyler shook his head, watching his friend and now employee. "Mai Tai?" he asked.
Mikey shrugged. "Bling?" He pointed to Tyler's hand where he wore his engagement ring Davey had given him. Since they were no longer hiding their relationship, Tyler decided he'd wear it all the time.
"Davey asked me to marry him," he answered matter-of-factly, but inside he jumped up and down.
He didn't think Mickey would appreciate him squealing like a girl.
He went back to sticking some of the new sponsor decals on the bike, while Mickey wiped down the seat.
They were about finished with the bike. Davey would be racing in the second heat, having placed well in the earlier practice runs, and that would be starting soon.
"Dude! That's awesome," Mickey clapped his shoulder. "There better be an invite for me."
Tyler couldn't help but smile, he was so happy to finally share the news of the wedding with anyone outside of family. "Of course. Just don't call me Mai Tai anymore."
"You're no fun," Mickey grumbled. "These decals look great though.
" The new sponsors had worked with Apex to get the decals to them quickly and Mickey was right; they looked great.
Along with Zahr parts and Kawasaki staying with them, they'd also picked up X-Top Energy Drink, RynoPower Sports Supplements, Tide, and Michelin who sent tires along with the decals.
Plus, Thor and Trail Tech both shipped in helmets and gear and AXO sent boots and socks.
They even had five different brands send those stupid looking wide brimmed ball caps that most of the other riders sported after the race.
Davey hated them, but inevitably had someone tuck one on his head as soon as he pulled his helmet off.
It turned out that many great companies wanted to be associated with Apex and the LGBT friendly recognition that went with it.
All of it helped, but Apex wasn't holding anything back.
They hadn't lied when they said there was no limit on spending, but it all still had to be approved and it wasn't going to be a free for all.
Stewart guided Angel on the necessities and what they could do without in an unofficial capacity.
With both of them taking over finances and running the business end of things, Tyler and Davey could focus on racing.
"Hey, guys!" Davey came over and leaned against the bike.
Everything about being in the pit with Davey fired Tyler up.
The tension and apprehension he'd always felt when Cole walked up just didn't exist. Davey talked about the bike, what he felt when he rode it, how it sounded, what he'd like to see the team do, but it he talked with a passion for racing, as well as love and partnership.
Cole demanded with an autocratic and sometimes demeaning style, treating his team like lackeys there to do his bidding.
Tyler wondered why he hadn't just listened to Davey the first time he asked Tyler to work for him.
He'd never work for any other team now. Being on Davey's team filled him with an incomparable pride because he loved the man, because he was the top Supercross racer, and because he treated his team like family.
Davey's heat went well until the last lap.
Shannon tried to wreck him again, but Davey had been expecting it.
He kicked his foot out, protectively, pushing the other rider off.
It cost him some time and Regal and Tate both passed him, leaving him to finish third.
That aggravated the hell out of him, but he hadn't wrecked.
Last week the assholes had caused him a bad finish and he slipped to second in points.
He couldn't afford any more bad finishes.
Davey was pissed as hell and he'd had enough of Shannon and Cole.
Tyler waited for him near the press booths. He took the bike and Angel popped a stupid hat with that energy drink's logo on his head. He gave her the evil eye for it.
"Shut up and do as I tell you," she smirked back at him.
"Those fuckers," Tyler interrupted as Shannon passed beside him. "I saw him try his bullshit again. I know they're behind everything. Him and Cole."
Davey exhaled slowly. He was tired of worrying about it. "Listen. Maybe that's too obvious. If they were sending threats and vandalizing the RV, they wouldn't be so boldly smearing my name and attacking me on the track."
"Whatever," Tyler grumbled. He loved his fiancé being so protective of him, but they'd been over it to death. The threats kept coming in, but Davey wouldn't let that diminish all the positive support they received right alongside the hate.
Davey watched Tyler push the bike away, as he stepped up to the media booth. A tall woman with long honey-brown hair leaned in toward him with a mic. "Looks like Shannon is at it again; how do you feel about his aggression on the track, Davey?" she asked.
Davey adjusted his ball cap, and forced his face into a neutral expression. "Honestly, that kind of thing can get someone hurt, but I can handle it. Part of the deal with this kind of racing. You have to expect it. I don't plan on letting it stop me."
"Stop? No, but it seems to be slowing you down." Davey didn't answer her right away, and she pressed on. "I heard you were hurt in the last race, care to comment?"
Davey shook his head. "No, listen. I just had a great race. Finished third," he shrugged. "I plan on kicking butt in the Main Event."
"Do you think Shannon—?"