Page 30 of Knot So Fast
"So what's the plan?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
Kieran shrugs, but there's something calculated about the gesture.
"They won't know until three PM."
I frown, my brain automatically trying to work out the logistics.
"EST?"
It's Kieran's turn to look confused, and I realize he's not thinking about time zones.
"If you're suggesting some kind of global announcement," I explain, "it's going to be broadcast during evening prime time, which means if it's at three PM somewhere, it's going to show up at nine PM our time. You remember how time zones work, right?"
Kieran pauses, looking uncertain for the first time since this conversation started.
"What if it's AM?"
I shrug and glance at the clock on the microwave.
"Then the announcement is in..." I pause to do the mental math. "Three minutes."
"Fuck," Kieran curses under his breath. "Put on the news."
The urgency in his voice makes my stomach drop even further. Whatever announcement he's talking about, it's clearly something that's going to change everything for all of us.
I grab the remote and flip on the large screen TV mounted on the kitchen wall, quickly navigating to one of the major news networks.
The morning anchors are in the middle of discussing some political scandal, but there's a ticker at the bottom of the screen that reads "BREAKING: Major Sports Announcement Expected."
"What exactly are we watching for?" I ask, though I have a sinking feeling I already know.
Before Kieran can answer, the news program cuts to a special bulletin.
A serious-looking anchor appears on screen with the kind of expression that usually precedes life-changing announcements.
"We're going to our sports desk now for a major breaking news story that's expected to shake up the world of Formula One racing..."
My heart starts pounding as I realize we're about to witness something that's going to affect not just the racing world, but Auren's life specifically. Whatever the pack has been planning, whatever announcement Kieran was referencing, it's about to happen.
And Auren has no idea what's coming.
Since the shower stopped, that means she'll be down here any minute, probably expecting a normal breakfast with two men who are clearly keeping massive secrets from her.
Instead, she's about to walk into a situation that could change everything she thinks she knows about her life, her past, and her future.
"Kieran," I whisper urgently, "what the hell have you guys done?"
But he's staring at the TV screen with the kind of intensity that suggests even he's not entirely sure what's about to happen.
Whatever announcement is coming, it's apparently big enough to make even the man who's been orchestrating things look nervous.
The anchor on screen shuffles his papers and looks directly into the camera.
"In just moments, we'll be bringing you live coverage of what sources are calling the most significant rule change in Formula One history..."
My blood runs cold as the implications hit me.
Rule changes in Formula One don't just affect current drivers—they affect who's eligible to be a driver in the first place.
