Page 104 of Start Your Engines

But he’s talking to my mum now. “I want Senna to settle down. I want grandkids and not to have my life dictated by a racing calendar anymore. I want to have a proper family.”

My mum throws down her serviette. A server backs out of the room. “Then you shouldn’t have made our lives about racing. I love everything about Formula One, but you pushed the kids to do it when they were younger, and now you want them out because you’re done? That’s not how it works.”

“But she could have a happy life.”

My mum twists to stare at me. “Senna, do you want to continue as team boss?”

“Yes.”

She pokes my dad in the chest. “Then problem solved. Stop controlling the lives of everyone around you. And stop trying to protect Senna when you should have protected Niki. You’re the reason I nearly lost my son last year, and instead of him coming to us to recover, you made him team boss. He escaped the country to get away from you.” She jabs him harder on the wordyou. “Senna is running the team amazingly, and she’s happy. Look at her. She is happy.”

Even with her anger at my dad, she smiles at me.

Dad bristles. He’ll reflect later, but when confronted, he always doubles down. He gulps his port, wiping any remaining drops from his mouth with his serviette, and replies, “It doesn’t matter. I’ve got a buyer for the team.”

My mouth drops. Uncle Ralf is staring at my dad, his eyes wide.

“You didn’t believe in her,” Connor states. “You told her what she needed to do to keep the team, and you looked for a buyer anyway.”

Dad eyeballs Connor. “Hold on, Dane?—”

“No, you hold on.” Connor leans into the table, his voice low. “Senna brought the team back from the brink. She dealtwith Antoine, the same guy you lauded, who is one of the little shits Niki and I tried to protect her from when we were teenagers. Antoine treated her like she was nothing, and you enabled that. You ruined the team with your lack of research and development, hence the recent performance issue. You decimated the finances, all things she’s improved because she has the intelligence to do it and the respect of others to ask for their help. She transformed the team.”

My dad stands, and so does Connor. He fists his hands, and I moisten my lips, watching in awe and admiration. That’s my man.

“You have the fucking audacity to go back on your promises when she’s done more for this team than you’ve done in decades. How dare you not believe in your daughter when you’ve seen how incredible she is.”

No one has defended me to my dad like this. Niki let him railroad me and then did things behind the scenes. But Connor is risking everything to confront my dad with the impact of his behaviour.

I love him.

I stand, throwing my serviette onto the table like my mum did. I grab Connor’s hand and squeeze it. “Connor, let’s go. Uncle Ralf, will you run Tawny and Jacs home?”

“Of course,” Ralf replies with a nod.

“Thank you, Mum. You’re the best,” I say, kissing her. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for, my beautiful, strong girl,” she replies, hugging me tight.

Hand-in-hand with Connor, I step away from the table.

“I’m not done with you, Senna, and I’m certainly not done with Connor,” Dad grunts as we stand.

“Yes, you are,” I reply, turning on my heel. “Connor was loyal even when he was terrified to drive. Still, you don’t see the lighthe’s been for our entire family. I love this man and have for years.”

“And I love her. She’s my world.” Connor’s eyes shine, and I’m engulfed in his adoration. “Let’s go, baby.”

“Does your brother know?” my dad says, his teeth gnashing. “Niki will return to your betrayal. Don’t you remember the rows I had with him after the crash about keeping his friendship with this player?”

I stride back to the table. “Connor is the most amazing man. He’s honest and patient and cares about me. I worry about Niki as much as you do. But we haven’t told him. Don’t you dare tell him in your brusque way. We’ll tell him at the end of the season. Now, I’m taking my boyfriend home, and then I’ll get my team in the top six because I keep my promises.”

I catch up with Jacs and Tawny near the toilets and inform them that Ralf will drive them home. I also give them the highlights of our family argument. It’s not even our biggest.

Tears brim my eyes as we return to the car.

“Drive us to the offices,” Connor grunts, gripping me tight, his thumb stroking my tattoo.

“But there won’t be anyone there,” I stutter, my hands trembling.

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