Page 96 of Fast & Reckless
“I did.”
“So you know what I said at the end. About you.”
His heart ached, but not in misery this time. Not so long ago, this feeling would have scared him, but not anymore. He’d learned that love was worth the risk—thatshewas worth the risk.
He moved forward, until his feet were inches from hers. “The part where you said you loved me?”
She looked up and nodded, eyes bright with tears. “I thought I was doing the right thing, to protect you. But now I know I was just running away, like I’ve always done. I’m sorry I left you.”
A hard lump formed in his throat. He didn’t realize until this moment how desperately he’d wanted to hear her say those words.
“I’m done being scared.” She blinked and a tear broke free from her damp lashes and slid down her face. He reached up to brush it away and spread his palm over her cheek.
“Good. Because I never got to tell you that I love you, too.” Cradling her face in his hands, he took another step, closing the small space between them. “I can’t seem to live without you anymore.”
Mira beamed up at him. He could look into those green eyes for the rest of her life. “God, if there’s one thing worse than you being an arrogant ass, it’s you being a hopeless romantic.”
He grinned. “You know you love it.”
“I do,” she murmured.
“I’m going to kiss you now.”
“We’re outside. Someone might see.”
He leaned in, until his lips were just a breath away from hers. “Who cares? Let them look. Because it’s going to be a really good one.”
42
Abu Dhabi,United Arab Emirates
The sun had set an hour earlier and it was still ferociously hot, but Mira wouldn’t have retreated to the air-conditioned comfort of the offices if her life depended on it. She stayed right behind her father, next to the track, watching the race on a bank of monitors over his shoulder. Behind her, nearly every other member of the Lennox team stared at the monitors as well, in rapt, anxious silence.
At her father’s side, Harry chomped on a gnarled plastic coffee stir stick. Now and then, Paul spoke into his headset microphone, consulting with the two race engineers or the team strategist, but mostly, he just stared motionless at the monitors as if he was willing himself inside.
Out on the track, an hour into the race, Will’s championship still hung in the balance. Despite the points lost in Monza, Will had come back strong in the following races, but he was still stuck in second place.
He’d dominated in qualifying, pulling pole position. But his gearbox failed at the end of the day, requiring an unscheduled replacement. It led to a five-spot grid penalty, putting him at a disadvantage right from the start. He was driving masterfully,fighting like hell, but so was everyone else, in this, the last race of the season. In the end, his best might not be enough to make himthebest.
Even without the world championship, the season was already an unqualified success for Lennox. Two races ago, Lennox amassed enough points to ensure they’d be awarded the Constructor’s Championship for the best car of the season. That was a triumph for everyone. They’d gone into today’s race with Matteo ranked seventh and Will ranked second. No one could argue with those results.
But Mira wanted this world championship for him so badly. Hedeservedit. And after the incident with Brody had nearly imperiled his whole season, he’d clawed his way back to the top of the heap. He was almost there. Only five points back.
Violet came to a stop beside her. “Well, I’ve laid in enough champagne to fill a swimming pool. Either we’ll be celebrating a victory with it or drowning our sorrows. How’s it looking out there?”
Mira nervously tapped two fingers against her bottom lip, watching the sleek blue of Will’s car bank sharply around a curve, just behind another car. “Seven laps to go. He’s just caught René Denis but Liam O’Neill is still out in front.”
René, the reigning world champion, had come into the season strong, but Liam had been the surprise, sneaking up the rankings and ahead of René while everybody had been paying attention to Will. After Will missed Monza, Liam had shot into the season lead.
“Hmm.” Violet’s grim hum echoed everyone’s mood. Thanks to that penalty, Will had started in sixth place. Even though he’d carved his way up to third, he needed to win the race to take the championship. He’d have to ask the car for the impossible to pass both René and Liam.
