Page 126 of Close Contact
The air whipped past with the increased speeds on the straight, and I overtook the car in front of me. The gap to P1, Kimi’s current position, shrunk with each sector, but my focus remained vigilant, every muscle in my body attuned to the machine around me. My gloves creaked against the wheel as I braked late into the final chicane, the rear tires skidding just enough to flirt with disaster. The scent of overheated brakes filled the cockpit, but I didn’t let up.
The force slammed me back into the seat, G-forces pulling hard on my neck as I threaded through the pack. The cockpit felt like a furnace, sweat trickling down my temple, but I didn’t dare lose focus.
Every lap was calculated. I balanced aggression with precision, conserving tires while exploiting every opportunity. Now behind me, Kimi defended like a lion, holding off Marco and the rest of the pack. Thank God for the boys right now. They knew the importance of our podium today.
My radio buzzed with updates—gaps shrinking, strategies shifting, when to enable DRS, but my focus never wavered.
By the penultimate lap, the gap between Kimi and me had widened just enough to breathe. The tension in my shoulders loosened, but I didn’t ease up. Not yet. I’d been burned before,and the only burning happening today was me leaving scorch marks on the grid.
The final lap loomed, and I took it with everything I had, my tires kissing the edge of the track as I roared toward the finish line. The checkered flag waved, and my team’s cheers exploded in my ears.
“You did it, Aurélie!” Henric’s voice cracked with uncharacteristic enthusiasm. “P1! Kimi P2! Marco P3! One-two lockout!”
My hands trembled as I eased into the cooldown lap, my body buzzing with adrenaline, exhaustion, and victory.
A glance in my mirrors showed Morel nowhere to be found. Morel didn’t even make the points. Perfect. No podium, no camera time, no glory. Just the memory of me flying past him while I lapped him, and the weight of his own mediocrity.
Good.
I had successfully left him in the dirty air, proving to him that bad intentions don’t win races.
Determination does.
The cooldown roomwas a welcome reprieve. Kimi plopped down on the bench with a grin, waving me over. “Come on, Aurélie. Sit. You look like you’re about to keel over.”
“I’m fine,” I protested, unzipping my suit and reaching for a water bottle. But the moment I tried to stay on my feet, my legs gave up on me. I sank into the chair beside him without another word.
Marco leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his uncharacteristically calm presence balancing the dynamic. “You’ve been through hell today. You don’t have to hold it together right now,” he said gently. “You already did the impossible out there.”
I stared down at the condensation gathering on the bottle in my hands, trying to keep my emotions in check. The burning in my eyes and squeezing in my chest made it a damn hard battle, though. “I thought he was dead,” I whispered. The words felt jagged in my throat. “Not just for a second, either. I really thought I’d lost him.” I knew we were on live television and the world was watching, but I couldn’t stop it all from coming out.
Kimi’s smile vanished. His hand landed on my shoulder, quietly anchoring me. Marco dropped into the chair on the other side of me.
“You didn’t. None of us did. He’s alive. You crossed that finish line, and he’s still breathing. That’s what matters.”
My eyelids felt heavy when I blinked. I nodded slowly. “I didn’t save him, though. I tried to warn them, to warn him, and then when it happened…” I sighed, my shoulders dropping. “I couldn’t get to him.”
“And then he woke up and stood on his own two feet,” Kimi said, almost in awe as he leaned against the back of his chair.
Marco’s lips curled into the faintest smile. “Of course he did. He’s Callum fucking Fraser. He’d walk through fire if it meant getting back to you.”
A laugh broke out of me, more breath than anything. It was feeble. “He actually did. He survived his car catching on fire, then left the medical center to go into the stewards’ room to fight for me. Right after saying he couldn’t feel his legs.”
“Romantic bastard,” Kimi grumbled, shaking his head. “I’m gonna kick his ass when he gets back.”
Marco grinned wolfishly. “You better hurry. I already called dibs.” His gaze met mine, steady and unyielding. “But seriously, that’s what you do when you love someone, right? Fighting for each other when it matters most.”
Love.
He fought for me. Bled for me. How could I be anything but hopelessly in love with him?
And because of that, I let my fears dictate my actions into something that would make me unavoidable. I wouldn’t change a damn thing.
The interviews were endless.Cameras clicked, pens moved, and questions flew like arrows.
“You left your car before the race was suspended. Do you regret that decision?” A reporter asked during the post-race conference.
Each question had me closer to making a break for it.
