Chapter 44
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
VIOLET
Iwas going to kill him. Or kiss him. I hadn’t decided yet.
Both options had merit.
Killing him for being an absolute reckless idiot who’d just torched his relationship with my father on live television.
Kissing him for the exact same reason.
I couldn’t stop replaying it, Griffin’s face on the TV in the suite, that slow grin spreading across his face right before he dropped the bomb. I swear I stopped breathing when he got that glint in his eye. I KNEW he was going to do something. I just didn’t expect it to be... that!
So naturally, I’d spent the last two hours pacing the hotel suite like a crazy person.
The broadcast had ended ages ago. I knew the drill—media pen, team debrief, engineering breakdown. Usually, I respected the post-race ritual. Tonight, I wanted to scream at them to hurry the hell up.
“What am I doing?” I whispered to the empty room. “What am I actually doing here?”
This changed nothing.
Griffin signing with Rekford didn’t undo the fact that he’d dismissed every warning I’d given him. It didn’t erase the way he’d looked at me like I was overreacting.
“We’re idiots,” I muttered, glancing at the travel cot set up near the window where Hazel was finally asleep. “Both of us. Well, you’re not. But I am.”
I was a walking contradiction. Furious at him for not believing me. Relieved he’d finally believed in himself. Terrified of what I’d say when he walked through that door. Annoyed that I cared so much in the first place.
I pressed my hand to my chest, trying to steady myself, but my heart raced and my thoughts wouldn’t shut up. I just needed one second of quiet to think straight.
The lock clicked.
I froze.
The door swung open and Griffin stepped inside. He stopped when his eyes found me immediately. His hair stuck up at odd angles, his team kit was rumpled, and he looked like he’d gone twelve rounds with Julian and barely survived.
Every coherent thought evaporated.
“Violet.”
“Hi.”
“What are you—” He shook his head and dropped his kit bag by the door. “You’re still awake.”
“I was waiting for you.”
He took a step inside, lowering his voice instinctively as his gaze flicked to Hazel sleeping in the corner. “You said you were done.”
“I changed my mind.”
His mouth twitched. “Why?”
Because I watched you walk away from my father and it felt like watching someone cut chains I’d been wearing my entire life.
Because you chose yourself and somehow it felt like you chose me too.
“Someone needed to tell you you’re an idiot,” I said instead. “Figured it should be me.”
His mouth curved. “That’s the only reason?”
“It’s a pretty good reason.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah.”
“Then why do you look like you want to cry?”
“I don’t—” My voice cracked. Dammit.
“You didn’t wait up just to give me shit, Princess,” he whispered and took a cautious step toward me.
“How would you know?”
“Because you’re shaking.”
Of course I was shaking. I’d been pacing this room for two hours, rehearsing and discarding a hundred different versions of this conversation.
Typical. Griffin Michaels, making me spell out every single feeling while he got to stand there looking exhausted and devastatingly handsome, even smelling like race fuel and sweat.
“Don’t give me that.” I crossed my arms, keeping my voice hushed so I wouldn’t wake the baby. “This is your fault. You can do the talking.”
His brows rose. “My fault? The way I remember it, you broke up with me.”
“Because you—” I stopped. Took a breath. “Don’t you dare.”
“Don’t I dare what?”
“Make this about semantics.”
That slow grin spread across his face, and I wanted to strangle him. Or kiss him. Still hadn’t decided.
“I want to hear you say it.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and groaned. “Griffin.”
“Vi.” The grin faded. His expression shifted into something raw and vulnerable. “I’m sorry.”
I bit the inside of my cheek hard enough to taste copper. It didn’t help. The tears came anyway.
“I’m sorry.” He stepped closer. “I’m sorry for not believing you.
For making you feel like you were imagining your father’s control.
For dismissing every warning you gave me because I didn’t want to see it.
” Another step. “I’m sorry for making you feel like you had to prove yourself when I should have just listened.
For being too proud to admit you were right. ”
The anger I’d been nursing for days evaporated. Just poof. Gone. Replaced by this ache in my ribs that made breathing difficult.
“I’m sorry for teasing you just now when you’re clearly upset. For being shit at communication. For bringing you flowers instead of just using my words like an adult.”
He was close enough now that I could see the individual lines of exhaustion etched around his mouth and the stubble he hadn’t bothered shaving.
“I’m sorry for every time I left the toilet seat up.
For stealing your coffee that one morning.
For not knowing how to change a nappy until you showed me.
For being a disaster of a father until you whipped me into shape.
For putting Hazel’s onesie on backward that first week and pretending I’d done it on purpose. ”
“Griffin.”
“For not telling you how incredible you are. How strong. How you’ve somehow managed to put up with me and my mess of a life, my mess of a parenting attempt, Hazel and all of it, and still be here, standing in front of me, giving me another chance I don’t deserve.”
My vision blurred.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “For all of it. And if you’ll let me, I’ll spend however long it takes making it up to you.” He paused, swallowing hard. “I’ll do anything, Vi. Anything you want. I’ll get down on my knees if that’s what it takes.”
“You don’t have to...”
He dropped to his knees.
“Griffin,” I hissed. Heat flooded my face. “Get up.”
“Not until you forgive me.”
“This is ridiculous.”
“I know.” His mouth curved. Just barely. “But I mean it. Tell me what I need to do. Tell me how to fix this.”
Oh my God. He was serious. Griffin Michaels, two-time world champion, was on his knees, begging me for forgiveness while the city lights blurred behind him.
He looked up at me with those intense eyes, completely surrendering his pride, his ego, everything, just to make this right.
And the worst part? The absolutely mortifying, ridiculous part?
I was secretly, embarrassingly pleased about it.
“This is ridiculous.”
“I know.” His mouth curved. Just barely. “But I mean it. Tell me what I need to do. Tell me how to fix this.”
What did I need? My brain scrambled through a hundred answers. For him to never doubt me again. For him to choose me over my father. For him to trust that I knew what I was talking about when it came to Julian.
But he’d already done that. He’d signed with Rekford. He’d walked away from everything my father offered.
So what was left?
“Believe me next time,” I said. “When I tell you someone’s dangerous or manipulative or toxic. Don’t make me prove it. Just believe me.”
He nodded. “Done.”
“Even if it doesn’t make sense to you. Even if you think I’m overreacting.”
“I will,” he said again. Firmer this time. “I promise.”
“Good.” I exhaled. “Now get up before someone takes a photo.”
He got to his feet and I reached for him without thinking. His stubble scratched my palm, making me smile.
“Yesterday,” I said. “The flowers and the spa treatments. You were setting me up.”
“Yeah.” His hand covered mine. “Words wouldn’t have been enough if your father still had leverage.”
“How long have you been planning this?”
“The team change?”
I nodded.
“Weeks. I just needed to make sure I was making the right choice.”
My brow furrowed. “Why didn’t you tell me you were considering leaving?”
He winced. “I thought you were close with him. That you’d warn your father if you knew.”
I snorted. “God, I’m good.”
“What?”
“At lying.” I shook my head. “I spent years building that facade and I didn’t realize how convincing it was.”
His brows puckered in confusion.
“Babe, you’re smarter than this.” I shook my head, chuckling.
“I hate every fiber of Julian Carter’s being.
If I could launch him into the sun and get away with it, I would.
If I could arrange for him to be the first person to test a one-way trip to Mars, I’d crowdfund it.
If I could somehow trap him in a time loop where he has to relive his most embarrassing moment over and over again for eternity, I’d sell my soul to make it happen. ”
Griffin laughed. “That’s oddly specific.”
“I’ve had years to plan this.”
“So you never...”
“Loved him? Wanted his approval?” I shook my head. “I wanted to survive. And the only way to survive Julian Carter is to make him believe you’re exactly what he wants you to be.”
His thumb brushed my cheek. “You’re free now.”
“We’re free. You made sure of that.”
“Yeah, I did.” He smiled. “So where does that leave us?”
“That depends.” I traced his bottom lip with my thumb. “Are you going to kiss me or keep talking?”
That grin spread across his face. “Definitely kissing.”
His lips claimed mine and it took all of my willpower not to crush myself against him. For a few glorious seconds, I forgot why I’d ever been angry in the first place.
He slid his hand into my hair, angling my head exactly where he wanted it. All gentle while his mouth was anything but. He kissed me like he’d memorized every argument we’d had and decided to erase them all with his lips.
I opened for him and he took immediate advantage. His tongue swept into my mouth, tasting, claiming, making my knees weak and my head spin. I gripped his shirt with both hands because I needed something to hold onto and he was the only solid thing in the room.
His teeth caught my bottom lip hard enough to make me gasp. He traced where his teeth had been with his tongue and heat flooded through me, pooling low in my belly.
He pulled back, breathless, resting his forehead against mine.
“Hi,” he whispered.
“Hi.” I couldn’t stop smiling. My face actually hurt from it. “I love you.”
The admission felt like jumping off a cliff. Terrifying and necessary.
His eyes locked on mine. “Say that again.”
“I love you.”
“God, Vi.” His voice cracked. “I love you too. I love your courage and your loyalty and the way you fight for the people who matter to you like nothing else exists. I love that you survived years of your father’s control and came out stronger instead of broken.
I love that you looked at me holding Hazel for the first time and saw a father instead of a disaster.
And I love that you’re here forgiving me when you have every right to tell me to go to hell. ”
“I considered it.”
“I know.” He kissed my forehead. “That’s why I groveled.”
I laughed, the sound wet with happy tears. Then I wrinkled my nose, finally registering the scent of champagne, sweat, and race fuel clinging to him.
“You smell terrible, by the way.”
He grinned. “Still love me?”
I smiled. “Comes with the territory.”
“Ambushing me post-race means you get the full experience.”
I rolled my eyes. “You kissed me, idiot.”
“And you participated enthusiastically.”
“Shut up.”
He glanced at the cot. “I don’t smell bad, do I, Hazelnut?”
Hazel let out a soft, sleeping puff of air.
“See?” He smirked at me. “No complaints.”
“She’s asleep, Griffin.” I rolled my eyes. “She’s a terrible witness.”
“She’s a loyal witness. That’s what counts.”
“Go shower.” I pushed at his chest. “Then come back and kiss me again.”
“Bossy.” He kissed me quickly, ignoring my protest. “Don’t go anywhere.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I promised.
He grinned and headed for the bathroom, peeling his shirt off as he went.
I watched him go, the muscles of his back flexing as he tossed the shirt aside. My heart was fuller than I thought possible. My father’s grip was broken. Griffin was safe. Hazel was safe.
Griffin still had four more races with Aedris. I still had to secure funding for my program without my father’s strings attached. I had to move out of his place and find somewhere that actually felt like mine. A thousand logistics waited for us in the coming months.
But for the first time in my life, none of that terrified me.
My father’s grip was weakening. We were so close to being free.
And that was enough.