She grins. “Okay”
“Good. Now, where is your lesser half?”
She snorts before getting to her feet and walking over to the large wraparound window, pointing down to one of the driver’s garages. “Dealing with Carlton.”
“Carlton? Oh, the rookie driver? What’s his deal, anyway?”
“Midas decided it wasn’t enough to have all this. He wanted his own team too.”
“Of course he did,” I mutter, making her chuckle.
“He has two drivers. Ned, a former F1 driver and a Le Mans winner, who is perhaps five years away from retirement. And Carlton, the rookie and self-proclaimed wonder kid who thinks he’s the next Max Verstappen.”
“I have no idea who that is.”
“He’s the current F1 world champion.”
“Ah. And is he? This Carlton dude…is he the next Max, whatever his name is?”
“Well, that’s the point. We don’t know because the kid’s got a chip on his shoulder and an ego he hasn’t earned yet.”
I look down at the garage, not able to see much, other than a few mechanics milling around.
“Well, he’ll learn the hard way then. Midas doesn’t deal with fools lightly. And maybe the kid is the best thing since sliced bread. But if he can’t leave his bullshit at the door, Midas will find the second best and work on him until he’s number one. Even if it’s just to prove a point.”
“See, you know that, and I know that. But Carlton? Not so much. Anyway, enough about him. How are things with you and Delphi? Everything good with the shop?”
I sigh and move away from the window, taking one of the seats carefully so I don’t jostle Hero. “Everything’s fine.”
“Say it once more with conviction, Kruger.”
I blow out a frustrated breath. “That’s just it, Legs. Everything is fine. I’ve gone over everything. The Book Nook is good. So is ELM. With the exception of finding Lil, we have everything covered. Theo is doing well at school, though I will note he’s been quiet lately, too. I don’t know if he’s just picking up on Delphi’s mood?—”
“Delphi’s mood?”
“There’s nothing wrong. And yet, something isn’t right, Legs. I’ve asked her and she says she’s fine. I’ve watched her and haven’t noticed anything unusual. She’s either at the shop with her team, at home with me, or at the clubhouse with the guys, so I can’t see anyone messing with her.”
“She’d tell you if that were the case.”
“Would she? She’s so used to doing things alone, she forgets we’re a team now.”
“Nothing changes overnight. You have to give her time. The last time she handed control over to someone, they violated her in the worst possible way.”
Legs cried so fucking hard she made herself sick when she found out what happened to Delphi. Hell, Midas said she even felt guilty about going into labor and not being there when she needed her most.
She holds her hands up before I can say anything. “I’m not saying she’s worried you’ll do the same to her that Snake did. Not at all. She’s just protecting herself the only way she knows how. I don’t…” She blows out a harsh breath, twisting her hands together.
“I don’t know how she carries on, knowing what happened to her, without raging at the world. Maybe she isn’t sleeping properly, maybe she’s getting flashbacks. Truth is, a lot has happened to Delphi. Any single one of those things would be enough to push most people over the edge. But for Delphi, she takes blow after blow and gets right back up. She knows how to take a hit. She’s been living with the consequences of other people’s actions her whole life. It’s this that’s confusing her. The whole being happy and getting everything she ever wanted thing.”
And just like that, a light bulb goes off. “You think she’s waiting for the rug to be pulled out from underneath her?”
She nods. “Can you blame her? Every time she’s happy, her life implodes. She must feel like she’s fucking cursed.”
I think back to the day of The Book Nook’s opening, the happiness and the fear behind her eyes. Goddamn it, I should have figured it out before.
“What do I do?”
“What you’re already doing. Keep being there for her. Be the calm presence she needs at her back. Maybe everything will work out this time. Maybe she just needs time to realizethe universe doesn’t have it out for her. Or maybe it does, and everything will fall apart. But this time, Kruger, she knows you’re right there to catch her. I’m here, Midas is here too. She has Theo and Circus, Capone and Con?—”
