Page 6 of Start Your Engines

“Because you didn’t tell her what really happened,” he replies softly, pulling the heat from my argument. “She still probably thinks you did it on purpose.”

I drop my head and sigh. “This is the first time I’ve seen her close up in nearly ten years. She never came to award dinners or the other big events for drivers, and if we bumped into each other in the driver’s paddock, she’d turn on her foot and walk away from me.” I throw my head back and give the ceiling a silent roar. I also saw her at her Uncle Ralf’s wedding, but she doesn’t know, and I can’t share that with Niki.

“Maybe it’s time you told her what happened the day she crashed.”

Niki’s calm makes me slam my fist on the desk. “I’m not getting into this with you.” My shoulders tighten. “This better not be your way of making us friends again, because me and your sister will never be friends.”

Niki grins, and I nearly yank the screen off the wall. “Connor, please listen. You needed signing because no one else would take you?—”

“I walked out of Vessa before they could push me. And I could walk out of this team, too.”

“Our contract is watertight. I ensured it.”

“My lawyers will review it.” My head hurts from furrowing my brow. “How could you do this to me? We’re meant to be best friends.”

He smiles back at me, his hands open. “Mate, we are. Nothing changes that.”

“Apart from you double-crossing me.”

Niki sighs. Fresh lines display his weariness. The crash did a number on him. I dial back my anger.

“This team is my family,” he says gently. “And you must stay, because it needs you. My dad made some crap decisions before his heart attack, and the team might get bought out. It won’t belong to my family anymore, not that Senna knows, and you can’t tell her.”

“But—”

“And as much as she’ll disagree, my sister needs you. And I need you to be there for her, as there will be knives in her back. She pretends she can cope, and I saw the way she was acting the big boss just now. But Dad told me she’s scared. He’s not sure she can do this.”

“But she’s always been a fighter. Do you remember when we used to have to drag her away from the bullies because they targeted her as the only elite female racing driver? She took it all. She’s stronger than you think.” I swallow repeatedly. She took it all until the day I took the sport away from her.

“She needs protecting, Connor. Do this for me. You need to stay close to her. Even though she was a fighter, we still had to guard her when she raced because those guys tried to hurt her.”

“And look what happened when I shielded her. I can’t go there again, and she won’t let me anyway. She could’ve died that day.” I pace the room, my head in my hands. “Besides, your sister is big and ugly enough to guard herself.” There’s nothing ugly about Senna Coulter. I remember those hips, big hazel eyes, and kissable lips. She’s so damn beautiful I have to sink my nails into my palms to stop thinking about her like that. “So I can’t leave? Fine. I’ll get myself fired.”

Niki sits back. His eyes pinch like his sister’s when she reaches her limit. When she does it, I get a secret thrill. With her brother, guilt spikes my skin. “Don’t you dare.”

I pout. “I can’t return to those days when protecting your sister was my calling in life. She doesn’t need me. She’s always thought she could do everything on her own.”

“Which is why you need to help her, protect her, without her knowing.”

“Even if I could, she doesn’t want me around. I can’t work under her when she blames me for ruining her life.”

“Get over yourself, Dane. It’s time you thought about someone other than yourself and what you want.” My mouth drops. “Besides, it’s not just the people out there wanting to hurt her. You need to keep men away from her as well.” He folds his arms and eyeballs me through the screen.

I roll my eyes. “She works in Formula One, which is seventy per cent men. How the hell do you envisage me doing that?”

“I don’t care. Just do it. Loads of them will try to get with her now that she runs the company. They’re either going to try and destroy her or date her. You must protect her for me because I can’t do that from here.”

I catch the weary look in his eyes and how his fingers tremble as he readjusts his cap. I don’t doubt for a second that he’d be here to help Senna if he could be. Niki was the only one there for me when my dad left my family, and he stuck by me even whenhis dad told him I was worthless after Senna’s accident. I owe him and, to some extent, his sister, too.

I slump in a chair. “Fine, whatever.”

“One more thing,” Niki says, pointing at me through the screen. “Although I trust you to protect her without her knowing, I know your reputation with women, Dane the Dick. The pact we made as teenagers when we fought over Antoine’s sister still stands. Even though I had a chance with her, I walked away because of you.” That’s not what happened. Antoine’s sister never wanted Niki, and I was crushing on Senna but couldn’t tell him, like I can’t say anything now. “We don’t go after the same women, and you don’t get with my sister, ever.”

I laugh loudly until Niki’s glares force me to stop.

“There’s no danger of that. I can’t stand her, but we’re too old for teenage pacts,” I explain.

“Not when it comes to Senna. This is the only way I can make you behave. Promise me on your life. I can’t watch my sister get hurt like all your women have in the past. Your reputation is deserved.”

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